I knew that I was unusually smart for a baby. Though that might have something to do with the fact that I was reincarnated. Yup, imagine my shock when I found out that I was reborn.

Strangely enough, it took me a week to soak in the fact that I had died and been reborn with my memories. Or some of them at least.

I was a young guy; I had just turned nineteen and was celebrating my birthday when some douchenozzle decided to shoot up the restaurant my friends and I were celebrating in. I was pissed. I had finally been able to celebrate my birthday for the first time! And then this dickhead ruined it!

So being the dumbass that I am, I charged the guy. I just happened to be slightly outside of his field of view. I was also the closest person to him. Unfortunately, my clumsiness alerted the shooter.

Luckily, he probably didn't expect me to charge him and the guy stumbled in shock, which I gladly took advantage of. I slammed into his gut and grabbed his face before pushing down with all my strength. I slammed his head against the ground, knocking him unconscious.

Crack!

Adrenaline rushed through my veins as I reflected over my moment of bad-assery. Or stupidity. After all, who would be in the right mind to charge at a guy with a gun?

My ears were ringing from the loud crack of the gun going off. As the ringing came to a stop, I quickly noticed that people were screaming. My friends were screaming. I tried to stand, only to get knocked back down by a wave of nausea.

I sat on the ground as I groaned in discomfort. I rubbed my hands against my eyes, trying to clear out the fogginess. The wet sensation- wait wet?! It took me a few seconds to realize that I was covered in blood. My blood. Oh, so that's what my friends were screaming about. I was shot in the chest when I rushed the shooter. Well, that explains the nausea. Maybe I should have pulled off an RKO or a Stunner instead.

I was strangely calm in my final moments. I was surrounded by my friends, all of them looking extremely worried. At least my friends were okay. Nobody else in the restaurant had been hurt besides me. That would make one hell of a newspaper story.

"Don't wor- cough!"

Okay, so maybe talking is not a great idea when your lungs are filling up with blood. A shame I wouldn't be able to witness the aftermath. I always did want to be famous.

I slowly turned my head to get one last look at each of my friends. My vision was getting more blurry by the second. I gave my friends one last smile as my vision went dark.

When I woke up, I either expected to be in the hospital or heaven. I mean, I did just save a bunch of people from a shooter! Surely, thats enough to get a ticket to paradise.

What I did not expect to see was a young man with cheek length brown hair and brown eyes. A complete stranger. This was when I realized I was unable to control my limbs.

I flailed as I tried to move when suddenly an ear-piercing cry came out of my mouth.

'Was that a frickin baby?! Wait, I'm a baby?!'

Well shit. I'm a baby now.

It's been a month since I was born -Woah, that sounds really weird to say- and I have somewhat of an idea of where I am. My first guess was Japan because that was obviously the native language here; however, the climate was very unusual. Luckily, I took some Japanese classes in high school, though my Japanese has gotten a bit rusty over the years.

My current home is very- well, wet. Now, I may have never been to Japan, but I'm damn well sure that the climate there is nothing like where I am. It was constantly cold, and a mist-like fog was always present.

Another strange thing I noticed was the lack of technology. My new home was barren, for a lack of a better word. It was a small cottage, obviously built by hand. It wasn't a bad place, but not exactly a modern-day home. Judging by the number of tools scattered around the house, I could guess that my new parents were farmers. The clothes they wore were rather modest as well.

My mother is a beautiful pale-skinned young woman with long brown hair that went down her back like a waterfall. It was somewhat similar to Neji's hair-style in Naruto, with both of them having the same bandage tying up their hair at the end. She had bangs that parted between her eyes. Overall, she was breathtakingly beautiful. I later discovered that we looked very similar. Great, I look like a girl. Hopefully, that would change as I grew. And yes, I do have a dick. The first thing I had done after getting a hold of myself was to check for my balls, like any self-respecting man would. My father, on the other hand, was a pretty average looking guy. Brown eyes and short brown hair. Around six feet tall if I had to guess.

The final clue was my name. I may not be able to understand Japanese too well, but I sure as heck know the basics and when someone is referring to me.

Haku. My parents looked at me with adoring eyes and called me Haku on multiple occasions. It all clicked the first time, but I wasn't sure if I believed it. Am I really in the world of Naruto? I mean, who else would name their child white?

All the clues pointed to this conclusion. Japanese people, a lack of technology, old fashioned clothes, a wet and misty location? Finally, they named me Haku. This had to be the Land of Water.

My knowledge of the Naruto series is admittedly lacking. I had watched all of part one and most of Naruto Shippuden. I've seen a few movies, but most were not canon so I probably don't have to worry about that. I did not read the manga, which I now regret. So the question is, am I in the Elemental Nations? Welp, only one way to find out. Chakra.

For months I tried to unlock my chakra, though I was less than successful. In hindsight, it was probably a good thing that I hadn't unlocked my chakra- that is if I actually had it. Unlocking my chakra could damage my body, after all, I was still a newborn baby. I decided to put it off until I was a few years old. The main focus at this point was getting more familiar with the Japanese language.

Life was extremely boring. Most of my early life equated to eating and sleeping. After five months of lying around doing nothing, I decided that enough was enough. I tried standing up, and after an extreme amount of effort, I stood on my tiny legs. I could barely even balance myself! Curse these stubby legs! Not just my legs, but also my head! It was so heavy! I had read somewhere that a baby's head took up nearly a third of their body at birth. A big head certainly did not help in this situation.

After a month of falling over, I finally managed to take my first steps, something my parents were very proud of. The average baby usually took their first steps at around nine months. Of course, I was no average baby. I also spoke my first words around a month later. I'll never forget the looks on my parents' faces when they heard me say "Kuso!".

It was rather entertaining to see the two of them blame each other for letting loose while I was around. I felt a little bad, but I needed the entertainment. Life as a baby is very boring after all.

I managed to construct full sentences by the time I was sixteen months old, something that completely shocked my parents. Strangely enough, when they heard me speak, they shared a worried glance. That alarmed me more than it should have and a scary thought came up in my head: Would Kirigakure kidnap me if I showed too much talent in the shinobi arts? I know sensors exist, and if one happens to see a young child with a developed chakra network, would they capture me?

I have a few ways to prevent this, but both are not ideal. Method one: Live life as a civilian. Not a bad idea if it weren't for the thousands of ninja running around. I wouldn't even be able to defend myself if I somehow ran into one. There was also the fact that the world would almost end because of the Akatsuki. Method two: Learn to restrain my chakra signature when I unlock it. The only problem is that I dont know how to. I suppose I could learn a technique to hinder sensor-types, though that would be impossible with my current resources. That is to say, none.

Wow, being reborn has made me very paranoid. I really don't want to die an early death again. I never even had the chance to have kids! Who knows if I'll have a third chance.

I told myself that I would not get attached to my new parents, but it was hard. Very hard. My parents in my first life had died very early- wait didn't Tou-san kill Kaa-san? Oh shit. Now I don't want this to be the world of Naruto. As far as I can remember, Tou-san kills Kaa-san because he finds out that we are members of the Yuki clan.

But would he really do such a thing? Tou-san clearly loves Kaa-san with all his heart. I can see the love in his eyes when he looks at us. What could drive him to do such a thing? Fear? I know that Kirigakure was known as the Village of the Bloody Mist for two reasons. The first was due to the violent practices forced upon the academy students, but wasn't that practice ended when Zabuza Momochi killed his entire class?

Since that can't be the case, then it must be the second: The Bloodline Purges. Since the anime didn't show much, the most I can ascertain is that many clans rebelled against the Yondaime Mizukage. Most notably the Kaguya clan, which was completely wiped out by the start of Shippuden.

Those with Kekkai Genkai were regarded with suspicion due to their special abilities. Rumors had spread that bloodline wielders were accused of having 'tainted blood'. They were often persecuted and sometimes outright killed. The way they were treated was not dissimilar to Jinchūriki; ironic considering that the Yondaime Mizukage is the Jinchūriki of the Sanbi.

This caused civil unrest between the clans, Kirigakure, and the Land of Water as a whole. Eventually, war broke out between the rebels and the loyalists, which as far as I know, is still going on. Isn't that a comforting thought? I'm living in the middle of a warzone.

For several months, I had tried everything I could to unlock my chakra. Starting with the method shown in the anime, I meditated. I searched my gut for a blue spark of energy. Despite my efforts, I wasn't able to find the chakra.

For the second method, I attempted to mix my physical energy and my spiritual energy. Needless to say, I had no idea how to do such a thing. So that was a bust as well.

The third and last method was to increase my physical and spiritual energy. Physical energy can be increased by merely training the body. Spiritual, on the other hand, is much more complicated. Spiritual energy increases over time, meaning that older shinobi tend to have more. However, too much spiritual energy is often a cause of death for civilians. Older people have weaker bodies, which means that their physical energy is low. The spiritual energy consumes the physical energy resulting in the death of humans and the creation of spirits. Spiritual energy can also be increased through meditation. Or at least, that's my theory on chakra. I mean, the Shinigami does exist, so my theory can't be too far off, right?

It makes sense that a toddler would not have much physical and spiritual energy. The only thing I can do for now is to wait or increase them through training and meditation.

In the end, my final method was very effective. Every day for nearly four months, I went outside for a light jog. Unfortunately, I couldn't engage in any strenuous activity, as I am still a child. After my 'training' I would go inside and meditate to increase my spiritual energy. Of course, it would be very strange to see a three-year-old training and meditating, so I told my parents that I was going to play outside. Whenever I meditated, I made sure to be lying down in order to appear to be sleeping.

I gradually became used to this lifestyle and soon I felt that I was ready.

"Kaa-san, I'm going to go outside!"

"Be careful Haku-chan! Come back before dinner!"

Excited, I ran outside and breathed in the cold misty air as my eyes sparkled in determination. I have been training for this day for months! Who would have thought that just unlocking my chakra would be difficult? I glanced around as I made my way to the nearby pond. I needed to make sure that no one else was around when I attempted to unlock my chakra.

After a light jog around the pond, which confirmed to me that no one else was here, I sat down at the edge of the pond in the lotus position. Deep breaths. Slowly, my mind began to calm. The outside world no longer mattered. I don't know how long I've been meditating for, but what I do know is that I'm not getting any closer.

I sighed in consternation.

'Why is this so hard?' Is it because I'm too young? Curse this childish body of mine!'

Annoyed, I glanced down at my reflection in the water. Light brown eyes and long brown hair that fell down my back. My bangs slightly parted to the side. I really do look like a girl. I should really get my hair cut. The ripples in the water- wait. Haku was able to manipulate water! Was his Hyoton forcibly awakened thus causing his chakra to unlock?

In a mixture of shock and anticipation, I glared down at the pond. Pointing my hands down towards the pool, I concentrated. I imagined a ball of water forming in my hands. I felt a sudden tug in my gut, but I didn't lose my focus. I could feel a slight resistance in my gut as if I had to burp. As I breathed in and out, I could feel something rise in my chest. Sweat poured down my brow and I forced the energy throughout my body, when suddenly:

"Boom!"

A shockwave surged through the clearing. I finally did it! The sensation was indescribable. I could feel my chakra flow through every corner of my body! I felt as if I could do anything. I looked at my body in awe. Bright, sky blue chakra coated my body like a cloak, not unlike the Raikage's Lightning Armor. However, there was one thing that confused me a bit. Why was my chakra visible? And why is it lighter in color?

Chakra is only visible when it is concentrated or used in large amounts. Some lucky people are born with powerful chakra, kind of like sensor-types. Perhaps I am one of them. While I could feel my chakra draining, it was only a tiny fraction of my reserves. Did that mean I had powerful chakra? I guess I'll find out soon enough.

I also noticed that my chakra was a light sky blue color mixed with a little bit of white. It also seemed to be almost solid. It flowed somewhat slower than I expected, as it it was in slow motion. In the anime, chakra was a solid cerulean blue. Mine was much brighter and seemed to exude cold energy.

My chakra steadied itself in my chakra network before receding back to my gut. I could finally feel the chakra within me! I was certain that I would be able to access it with ease.

As I reveled in my moment of success, I clenched my hands for a fist pump. Or at least I tried to. I glanced down at the offending object in my hand and froze. Ice?! I already unlocked my bloodline, Hyōton?! Of course! It all makes sense. No wonder my chakra was a bright blue! It must have been Hyōton chakra. Ha, take that Sasuke! I unlocked my bloodline at three years old! I bet you're still in your diapers.

As I held the ball of ice, I looked at it in wonder. Appearance-wise, it was nothing special. Just a palm-sized clump of ice. Though that didn't mean much considering the fact that I had baby hands. However if one observed carefully, they would notice an underlying energy within the ice. Chakra. More specifically, my chakra. I could feel a resonance between me and the ice ball. It was as if part of me was in a different location. I imagine this is how Naruto feels when he goes bonkers with his Kage Bunshin.

Suddenly, I had an idea. I ran over to a tree and placed the ice ball on the ground. I quickly ran to the opposite side of the clearing and hid behind a tree. I took in a deep breath as I closed my eyes and focused on the ice ball. My chakra was like a beacon in the darkness. It was completely stable in the ice, but I wanted to change that. Similar to how Naruto trained to use the Rasengan, I tried to rotate my chakra to explode the ice. I could feel it rotating very slowly, but my chakra was draining rapidly. I decided that it was all or nothing. A burst of chakra erupted and a quiet explosion blasted through the tree.

My eyes widened in happiness and shock as I stood up. My body definitely felt the drain, but that did not deter me from running over and checking the damage. The explosion had sent chunks of ice in every direction. Shards of ice were impaled in the ground and nearby trees.

"Hyōton: Shuryūdan no Jutsu." I murmured.

The perfect name. I then removed the pieces of ice and tossed them into the pond. No need to keep any evidence of my existence around here.

I sat down on the edge of the pond as I meditated, waiting for my chakra to regenerate. After twenty minutes, I opened my eyes glared at the pond with a determined gaze. I had a new idea. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes as I imagined a glob of water separating from the lake and forming a ball of water in my hands, and sure enough, I felt a slight tug in my gut.

I hesitantly opened my eyes and a large smile spread across my face. There it was: the same ball of water Haku made in the anime, just two or three years earlier. Before I could try anything else, I noticed that it was getting late. It is very difficult to tell the time in Mizu no Kuni simply because the sun is rarely out. The easiest way to tell is by seeing if its dark or light out. Mizu no Kuni is almost entirely covered by never-ending mist, snow, or rain. The only way I could tell that it was late was because it was slightly darker than normal.

With a reluctant sigh, I released my control over the ball of water. Still, I had a serene smile on my face. I had been waiting for this day for three years. I also confirmed that I was in the Elemental Nations. I could also prepare for the future without the fear of the unknown.

After living as Haku for four years, I found out that I loved Asian food. Nearly every day we had rice and seafood for dinner. Perks of living in the Land of Water I suppose. We were currently eating a scrumptious dinner of takoyaki and the silence was very uncomfortable. However, it was the perfect moment for my questions, so I decided it was time. I needed to know the current state of the Land of Water.

"Can I learn about the history of our home?"

As expected, Kaa-san and Tou-san winced almost simultaneously. They shared an uncomfortable glance that gave me an idea of the situation.

"Well, I suppose we could tell you a little.", Kaa-san said with a bit of hesitance. "The country we live in is called Mizu no Kuni. It is made up of one mainland and many islands around it. We are on the northern-most island."

"It's also the toughest island to live on due to the cold and wet climate.", Tou-san added. "That's why we don't see many people around here besides our fellow villagers."

I hummed in thought as I went over their words. It made sense that Kaa-san would choose to hide out here of all places. No one in their right mind would choose this island out of the many in Mizu no Kuni. Though, that begged a question.

"Why do we live here? I like the snow and cold, but I want to see the sun!", I questioned with childlike innocence. I wasn't lying when I said this. Its been years since I've seen the sun. My skin was pale due to the lack of sun and it bothered me. If I kept this up, would I look end up having the same skin tone as Orochimaru? Heck no!

Tou-san sighed. "Haku-chan, please understand, we don't like living here any more than you do. We just didn't have the money to stay anywhere else. Besides, we actually get paid a monthly stipend by the Daimyo for staying here."

"We get paid for staying here?", I questioned in genuine curiosity.

"That's right", Kaa-san confirmed. "As we said before, this island is very uncomfortable to live on due to the weather conditions. The Daimyo pays those who choose to live here in order to increase the population of the island. It is also a way of deterring Kumogakure from invading Mizu no Kuni during this time of war."

Bingo.

"Kaa-san, what war are you talking about?", I asked with concealed excitement.

Oh. Tou-san definitely didn't like that. He was glaring at Kaa-san for revealing too much. Now I feel kind of bad. Kaa-san seemed to realize her mistake at the same time. She opened and closed her mouth as if she couldn't decide on what to say.

Tou-san looked at me. "It's not something you should worry abou-"

"Dear, he will learn of it eventually.", Kaa-san interrupted. "Perhaps it's for the best that he finds out now."

Tou-san seemed to be conflicted but sighed as he decided to trust his wife's judgment.

Kaa-san reached over the table and grabbed my hands as she collected her thoughts. "Haku-chan, before I get started, I need to warn you that our history is rather dark. If you want me to stop at any time, tell me okay?"

I vigorously nodded my head. My answers were practically given to me on a silver platter! How could I back out now?

Kaa-san chuckled at my enthusiasm as she brushed my hair out of my eyes. "Before I get onto the main details, I need to give you some background information first. I'm sure you have noticed that we have never told you of our last name, correct?"

Somewhat confused, I nodded. Where was she trying to go with this?

Kaa-san looked at me, dead serious. "There is a reason for this. It is because we are from a bloodline clan, the Yuki."

HUH?! What the actual fuck?!

I swung my head towards Tou-san, expecting him to lash out, only for him to laugh at me. My expression must have been pretty damn funny if Kaa-san and Tou-san were laughing their asses off.

My legs felt weak. What the hell was going on? Wasn't Tou-san supposed to go batshit crazy and try to kill us? Dazed, I glanced at my amused parents.

I hesitated. "Bloodline clans? The same clans from the stories?"

Kaa-san nodded. "That's right. Every single one of them. Our clan has the bloodline Hyōton. It allows us to create and manipulate ice."

I nodded, still flummoxed, I looked at Tou-san. "Does that mean both of you are shinobi?"

Tou-san shook his head. "I'm not a shinobi, nor am I a true member of the Yuki clan. Your mother, on the other hand, was a full-fledged Jonin of Kirigakure."

Well shit. The surprises just keep on coming. As far as I knew, Kaa-san was supposed to be a civilian. I guess I can just throw canon out the window. What's next, Naruto is actually a girl?

As my shock began to wear off, Kaa-san continued. "The reason I never spoke of our clan is because of the Bloodline Purges. The Yondaime Mizukage ordered the Bloodline clans to be killed. We had done nothing wrong, but the Mizukage ordered the deaths of the very foundations of Kirigakure. However, this was no easy task considering the fact that the clans took up over forty percent of the whole ninja force of Kirigakure. Not to mention that the average bloodline shinobi tend to be stronger than the regular shinobi. Kiri had the most bloodlines in the five great villages at the time. "

Kaa-san paused as she took in a deep breath. "Unsurprisingly, the clans were furious about the attacks and retaliated. Unfortunately, we were caught off guard and suffered many casualties before we even knew what was happening. The Kaguya and Yuki were the first to be attacked. As far as I know, the Kaguya were completely wiped out that day. We were more fortunate than them but still suffered heavy casualties. We were never a large clan, to begin with, so I suspect that there are very few of us left. I do not know where the remnants of our clan disappeared to, but I can only hope that they are okay."

I leaned back into my chair as I sucked up the information. It was slightly similar to canon in that the Mizukage declared the Bloodline Purge and the deaths of the Kaguya.

Kaa-san continued. "The remaining clans along with those who disliked the Mizukage's principles left Kirigakure and became known as the Rebellion. The Mizukage and his followers called themselves the Loyalists. The war is still raging, though it has not reached these parts yet."

My brows furrowed in contemplation. "If we're still in the middle of a civil war, then wouldn't the Land of Water be the worst place to hide?"

"It can also be the best place to hide, as they won't expect us to hide in plain sight. Of course, there are other reasons as to why we chose here. One being our financial issues. We had nearly no money to our name before we moved here, so the choice was an obvious one. Fortunately, we are doing very well in terms of money. Living here while getting paid monthly by the Daimyo, along with selling our crops has made quite the fortune. We are also living here free of rent as the land technically belongs to us. However, that doesn't mean that this place is any less dangerous."

My eyes widened. Could it be? "Y-you mean that we're gonna live somewhere else?"

Tou-san smiled as he reached over and ruffled my hair. "That's right. Given a year or two, we'll have saved up enough to find a home far from here."

Wow, talk about an unexpected turn of events. Could it be that I'm in an alternate dimension or something? None of this should have happened in canon. Oh well, no use in dwelling on what can't be fixed. Although, Kaa-san was a Jonin. That makes my training much easier. That is if she agrees to train me.

I fiddled in my seat, "Kaa-san," I started. "Can you teach me the shinobi arts?"

I clenched my hands, preparing for the worst. I was too busy staring at my hands, but I could almost feel them staring at me.

"Sure."

I blinked. Huh. Just like that? No strings attached or anything?

"As long as you listen to every word I tell you, I will teach you everything I know. The shinobi arts can be very dangerous for both the user and the target. A malfunctioning technique has caused the deaths of surprisingly many shinobi." Kaa-san explained with a serious expression.

I vigorously nodded my head. Finally, I had a proper sensei to teach me! For an entire year, I had relied on my own skills to try to recreate the three basic academy techniques. Of course, I had failed miserably. I knew nearly nothing of hand seals to begin with, how the heck was I supposed to figure them out? Being unable to do the three E-rank ninjutsu had really affected my self-esteem.

After I had unlocked my chakra, I focused on the techniques I actually knew about. Increasing my stamina on Water/Ice manipulation, the Leaf Concentration exercise, and physical training.

I decided to put Wind training off to the side due to its more dangerous aspects. Wind chakra is notoriously known for its dangerous cutting ability, and I do not want to accidentally cut my own hand off because I was too eager to learn.

I mainly focused on increasing my stamina with the manipulation of Ice and Water. I would control large amounts of water and ice and attempt to keep my hold on them for a longer period of time than the previous attempt. I had managed to keep my concentration on several gallons of water for nearly a minute on my first attempt. Now, I was able to control that amount indefinitely. Though I had much more trouble when the amount increased.

Ice manipulation, on the other hand, was an interesting case. My interaction with Hyōton was peculiar, to say the least. Normal people would be affected by the cold immediately; however, I seemed to have some sort of resistance against it.

Surprisingly, Hyōton wasn't as chakra draining as I thought it would be. If anything, it was almost the same as water manipulation. Strangely, my manipulation over ice far surpassed my skills over water. My theory on this anomaly was that my chakra was naturally a mix of water and wind. Whenever I used Suiton, my chakra would be forced to split in Suiton or Futon.

I was able to hold nearly a dozen ice balls for a solid five minutes. Now, I could literally call down a hailstorm. That didn't mean that I would neglect my water and wind affinity for my Hyōton. I've seen what happened to the fools who relied too much on their bloodlines, only to become helpless when countered.

The Leaf Concentration exercise was my first taste of chakra control. This exercise was rather easy to do. Just a simple application of chakra to the leaf to stick it to my forehead. I easily got it on my first attempt. I ended up gathering more leaves and placed them all over my body. By the time I had my entire body covered, I was sweating in exertion. I was having no problem with the exercise, I was simply using too much chakra. This was when I realized that my chakra control was very good. Maybe I should learn some medical ninjutsu in the future, I'm sure it would come in handy. Genjutsu would be pretty nice as well; very underrated part of the ninja arts.

Physical training. The bane of my existence. I quickly figured out that I was not meant for close-ranged combat, more specifically, taijutsu. I have a lithe figure; one meant for speed, but not strength. Though, I have a solution for this predicament. I plan on learning kenjutsu to account for my lack of physical strength. My stamina wasn't the greatest, but that could be fixed with some intense physical exercise. Needless to say, taijutsu is my least favorite category.

Kaa-san smiled. "Good. First, let's go over the foundation of every shinobi. Chakra. Chakra is essential to everything a ninja does..."

"Henge!"

Poof! A sudden cloud of smoke rapidly appeared and disappeared as my appearance changed to match my mother. It was a rather simple Jutsu and I'm proud to say that I got the technique down on my first try. Excluding that mishap a few months back.

For the past few months, Kaa-san had been drilling my head in with chakra theory. It was surprisingly boring, but my drive to learn made it much more bearable. She also taught me some basic history of the Elemental Nations, which I found very interesting. I had learned a lot about Kiri, much more than what was shown in the anime.

"Great job!", Kaa-san applauded. She had a wide smile on her face as she checked my Henge for any flaws.

"Your Henge is nearly flawless! Not even I picked up this technique so quickly. It seems we have a little genius on our hands!", She teased.

I tried my best to hide a scowl and a blush. I never was a fan of that term. It was thrown around way too easily and often discredited hard work. She wasn't wrong though. I work very hard, but my skills come very naturally to me."

She naturally saw my red face and chuckled as she ruffled my hair. "The only major problem I noticed was your speed hand seals. With practice, you should be able to do the three basic techniques with no hand seals."

I nodded in affirmation. I was determined to get this down by the end of the year.

"The next technique is the Bunshin no Jutsu. A rather useless technique if you ask me, but it sets a basis for the more advanced clone techniques. The seals for this one are Ram, Snake, and Tiger.", Kaa-san demonstrated.

I slowly went over the hand seals and did my best to go as fast as possible. I repeated this until I felt that I had reached a reasonable pace.

"Imagine your chakra forming a clone of you. The amount of chakra you put into this will determine the number of clones created.", Kaa-san explained.

I quickly weaved through the seals and closed my eyes in concentration as I molded my chakra before pushing it out.

"Bunshin no Jutsu!"

I groaned as I felt the chakra leaving my body. What the hell? This was supposed to be the least chakra intensive technique out there! I opened my eyes as I glanced at my mother who had her jaw on the ground. Confused, I turned to where she was looking. Oh. Nearly a hundred clones looked back at me. Well, that explains the chakra usage.

Kaa-san looked over me worriedly. "Are you alright? That must have taken up most of your chakra."

I shook my head. "It was only around thirty percent of my chakra."

Kaa-san looked at me as if I had grown a second head. She placed her hand on my shoulder as she closed her eyes. Not even a second later, her eyes opened in shock.

"Your chakra reserves are abnormally large. No four year old should have this much chakra!", Kaa-san exclaimed.

I crossed my arms. "I'm not your average four-year-old."

Kaa-san laughed. "No. I suppose you're not. You're my little Haku-chan after all."

I involuntarily blushed. Curses! I am no child, I am almost twenty-four years old! I shook away my embarrassment.

"Why did so many clones appear? I only imagined one clone appearing.", I said with a frown.

Kaa-san pondered. "Did you force your chakra out? Or did you control the amount you put into it?"

Oh. Duh. I facepalmed. I quickly ran through the seals and molded my chakra. I did my best to put in as little chakra as possible.

"Bunshin no Jutsu!"

Five intangible clones appeared next to me. Nice. A satisfied smile appeared on my face. Even if the technique was near useless, it set a foundation for the Mizu Bunshin technique, which I was sure to learn.

Kaa-san smiled as she watched as my clones dissipated. "Good. Now onto the final of the three basic Jutsu. The Body Replacement technique. Definitely the most useful Jutsu among the three. Personally, this technique has saved my life dozens of times. Also known as Kawarimi, it is used to replace the user with another object. It is also the most difficult of the three. The hand seals are Ram, Boar, Ox, Dog, and Snake. I suggest you prioritize mastering this technique first. It is quite literally a lifesaver and is rather useless if one is unable to do this Jutsu with no seals. Practice the seals as I go over how to use the Jutsu."

I wordlessly sat down and began practicing the seals as Kaa-san went over the mechanics. It turns out that the Substitution Jutsu wasn't as complicated as I thought. A shame. It was merely switching out with a foreign object at the last second.

I weaved through the seals at a rapid pace and yelled. "Kawarimi no Jutsu!"

Poof. A log appeared in my place as I sat across the clearing. Success.

I smiled as I wiped the sweat off my forehead. The basic three were complete! Maybe Kaa-san will teach me some Hyōton ninjutsu?

I was dead wrong. After I finished the basic three, Kaa-san had me work on the Leaf Concentration exercise, to which I gladly showed my expertise over the exercise. She was pleasantly surprised but didn't start me on the Tree-walking exercise as I had expected. Instead, she showed me how to handle weapons which came as a huge surprise to me. After all, who would teach a four-year-old to handle weapons? But then again, this is a world of shinobi. Also, didn't Kakashi become a Chunin at six years old? What a beast. However, I still wanted to ask.

"Aren't weapons dangerous? Shouldn't we wait until I'm older?"

"I want you to be prepared. This country is a very dangerous place and I want to do my best to make sure you survive. Even if you hadn't asked me to teach you the shinobi arts, I still would have done my best to teach you.", Kaa-san explained patiently.

I nodded in understanding. It was best if I learned as early as possible. I might not have much of a childhood, but at least it would give me a better chance of surviving.

She started off with the most common and versatile of the three basic weapons, kunai. I watched with surprise as Kaa-san swiped her hand over her forearm and a small cloud of smoke appeared. As the smoke quickly faded, I noticed that two kunai were in her hand.

Kaa-san saw my surprise and explained, "That was a basic storage seal. They are mostly applied on scrolls, but personal seals can be made for the body. This is called fuinjutsu. This is one of the many things that can be done with seals. It is even said that nothing is impossible with seals."

I nodded at her explanation, interested. So that was fuinjutsu eh? I definitely need to learn the basics at the very least.

"Kaa-san, can you teach me fuinjutsu?", I asked, eyes big with anticipation.

She looked at me with surprise but nodded. "I only know the basics, but I can teach you everything I know."

Before we could get further off track, Kaa-san handed me a kunai. I took a good look at the kunai in my hand. It was a simple black dagger with bandages around the handle and a ring at the end of it. It was a rather small blade all things considered, but it looked massive in my baby hands. It was much lighter than I expected.

"Kunai is the most versatile of the three basic shinobi weapons. They can be used for close combat or long-range. Senbon can also be used for close range, albeit they are not very effective. Shuriken on the other hand is used exclusively for throwing. Kunai can be..."

Thock!

Ten out of ten. Finally. After an excruciating six months of weapons training, I had finally gotten my aim down with the three basic weapons. I found out that my skills varied in terms of throwing weapons. Shurikens were my least favorite by far, simply because of the fact that I was horrible with them.

Why use a shuriken when you can throw a kunai instead? I had voiced that question and nearly got a shuriken in the face for it. Still, Kaa-san had proved her point. Shurikens could be thrown in a curve, unlike kunai and senbon.

Kunai were the standard go-to weapon of every shinobi. I found that my handling of kunai was simply average. The handle was thin and uncomfortable to hold. It felt as if it would get knocked out of my hands the moment they collided with another object. I could get some custom-made with thicker handles, but that would be too expensive. The best solution would be to have a designated close-range weapon, such as a tanto. Kunai are disposable and perfect as ranged weapons.

My favorite of the three would be the senbon. The moment I held one in my hands, I knew I had a natural talent for the needle-like weapons. It was as if they were an extension of my body. Strangely enough, I felt more comfortable holding senbon than kunai, despite being even thinner than kunai. I also found out that my aim was impeccable. Even Kaa-san felt that my aim with senbon surpassed her own.

Currently, Kaa-san and I were sparring with blunted kunai. I slashed towards her arm only for her to completely dodge by leaning to the side. Taking advantage of her still moving body, I threw a kunai to control her centerline. Sure enough, she was forced to block my stab.

Kaa-san's smile widened, "Good. You're learning. However, you mustn't lose focus!"

My eyes widened as I sensed a presence behind me. I jumped and threw a kunai behind me, hoping to get a lucky hit. Clang! Nope. I palmed another kunai and quickly engaged the clone of my mother. Or maybe it was actually her, who knows.

Swipe. Slash. Stab. Nothing worked. Instead of pushing harder, I jumped back. I could feel myself getting frustrated, so I took a deep breath to calm myself down. No need in letting my emotions control me. I noticed Kaa-san nod approvingly. I slowly walked around my mothers - Man, that sounds weird - to see if there was any weakness that I could exploit. Seeing nothing, I sighed as I weaved through a few hand seals.

'Bunshin no Jutsu!'

My clones and I jumped as I tossed a barrage of senbon. Just when I thought I hit her, a plume of smoke told me otherwise. Kawarimi. I quickly raised my hand as I blocked a barrage of blunted kunai from behind me. Sensing another presence across from me, I blindly threw a kunai and charged. I feinted to the left and slashed at her leg, only for her to swing her leg into my forearm, disarming me.

Without missing a beat, I engaged her in a bout of taijutsu, which went about as well as one would expect.

I got my ass kicked to the ground.

I fell back as I twirled the kunai in my hand. I pushed forward, attempting to knock her off balance.

"Good! Destroy my focus!"

I swiped and slashed, trying to find an opening. She responded with quick blocks and parries that nearly sent me stumbling.

"You're holding your kunai too tightly!"

My grip on the kunai loosened up. I pushed forward once more as our blades collided. An unexpected force knocked the daggers out of my hands.

"Now too lightly.", She stated.

She was obviously holding back on me and had a light smile on her pale face. I knew that I would not be a match for her for a long time, but it still frustrated me to no end. I knew that the only way to land a hit would be to do something that she was not expecting. Get hit and cry to make her lower her guard? Lame and cowardly. Reverse Harem Jutsu? Out of the question.

My arsenal of Jutsu was very limited to the basic three Jutsu. Henge, Kawarimi, and Bunshin.

That's it! I could almost see a lightbulb above my head. I quickly gathered my chakra as I prepared myself for the moment of fatigue.

"Bunshin no Jutsu!"

Poof!

A hundred intangible clones suddenly appeared in the clearing. Kaa-san was now completely surrounded. Taking advantage of her brief moment of surprise, I made my move.

'Henge!'

Kaa-san also made her move at the same time. She and her clone jumped and tossed a blunted kunai down at the clones.

"Ninpo: Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

The two kunai multiplied into dozens, creating the most terrifying image I had ever seen. My army of clones was almost completely annihilated.

A single clone jumped out of a nearby tree and dove, kunai in hand. Kaa-san and her clone palmed a kunai. Two more clones appeared as they charged from opposite directions.

Kaa-san threw a kunai at the clone in the middle before charging the one on the left, her clone doing the same to the last. Just as the clone faded, I released my henge. Using all my strength, I threw a barrage of senbon. Kaa-san and her clone were forced to abandon their pursuit on the clones, but it was already too late.

Splash!

I watched blankly as Kaa-san burst into water. A Water Clone?

My moment of distraction costed me. Before I could focus up, Kaa-san kicked my legs out from under me and put a blunted kunai to my neck.

"Surrender?"

I groaned in response. Kaa-san seemed to take that as a yes and grasped me by the hand. She pulled me up as I looked at her.

She didn't even look fazed. How disappointing. I, on the other hand, was completely disheveled. My hair was ruffled up with twigs in it. How did those get there?

However, she had a big smile on her face. Weird.

"Very impressive Haku-chan.", She complimented. "I didn't expect you to be able to take down my Water Clone for a long time."

"It was luck. And I had to exhaust everything I had to do it.", I countered.

She hummed. "True, but luck is still a very important part of a shinobi. Remember, even a Genin can get lucky and kill a Kage."

I just snorted. Sure that could be possible, but it has yet to happen. I certainly can't count on that anytime soon.

Kaa-san seemed to notice my disbelief and smiled.

"I wasn't lying when I said that it was impressive that you took down my Water Clone. This technique is a very special one amongst the Bunshin variants. A Water Clone possesses ten percent of the user's power."

My eyes widened. Huh, the more you know. How the heck does that even work?

"I can assure you that the average Genin wouldn't be able to defeat a Jonin's Water Clone."

"I have the skills of a Genin?", I questioned, surprised at the prospect.

Kaa-san smiled. "Indeed. Your skills are definitely Genin-level and your tactics are far above what a Genin should be capable of. You are strong and wise and I am very proud of you."

Wow. I almost teared up at that. Where the heck did the ninja cutting onions come from? Pun intended.

"It was all thanks to you, Kaa-san. If I didn't have such a great teacher, I would be nowhere." I said humbly.

"Oh you, just accept my praise. That's enough for the day. Let's get washed up; I want to talk to you during dinner."

Tou-san and I were at the dinner table, quietly talking about my training while waiting for Kaa-san to finish her shower.

"Do you know what you want to specialize in as a shinobi?", Tou-san abruptly asked.

Startled at the sudden question, I pondered.

"I want to be proficient in every shinobi art; however, I understand that will be nearly impossible. My main focus would be ninjutsu, followed by kenjutsu or fuinjutsu. I'm not entirely sure besides that. I want to be prepared for anything."

Tou-san had a surprised expression on his face but seemed to understand. He opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted.

"That's good because that is exactly what I will be teaching you. Starting tomorrow.", Kaa-san declared.

"Ninjutsu already? Didn't you say that ninjutsu training is Chunin-level?", I said, surprised but excited.

"That is for elemental ninjutsu. I will be teaching you ninja arts.", Kaa-san explained.

I nodded in understanding. "Like the Shuriken Kage Bunshin."

Kaa-san smiled, happy that I understood so quickly. "Correct, but first, you must demonstrate mastery of a certain test tomorrow. Or until however long it takes you to complete this test."

Great. I love tests.

Turns out it wasn't much of a test. Thank god. Wait, doesn't the Shinigami and Jashin exist here? Then it would only make sense for Kami to be real? Well damn, the Shinto gods exist. I hope I don't piss them off somehow.

Anyway, Kaa-san's test was to climb a tree without using my hands. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. Every competent ninja should be able to do this exercise.

I stared blankly at Kaa-san, waiting for further instruction. I didn't want to accidentally hurt myself because of a dumb decision.

Kaa-san walked up to a tree and put her foot up to the side of the tree.

Kaa-san smiled. "Channel your chakra to the soles of your feet, and place it against the tree. Once you feel your foot stick, do it with your other foot."

As Kaa-san began walking up the tree, I felt a sense of awe. It was one thing to see it animated but in real life?

Determined, I placed my foot on the tree and channeled chakra to my foot. I shook my foot to get a measure of how much chakra to use. My foot simply slid right off, almost knocking me off balance.

Too little chakra.

This time, I used much more chakra and quickly noticed the tree crack. I immediately jumped back. No way am I going to give myself a dozen splinters.

I cautiously made my way to the other side of the tree and placed my foot on the tree. I put significantly less chakra than my last attempt, but more than my first.

The bark showed no signs of cracking; furthermore, my foot was much more secure than the first attempt. Little by little, I channeled more chakra into my foot.

Sure enough, I felt a sudden suction secure my foot to the tree. I gave an experimental tug and found that there was no wobbling. My foot was completely secure.

I closed my eyes, measuring the amount of chakra on the sole of my foot.

Unbeknownst to me, Kaa-san was looking at me in shock. She watched with disbelieving eyes as I placed my other foot on the tree.

Step by step, I made my way up the tree. It was a very interesting sensation. Walking up a tree was not as difficult as I had expected. Gravity was pushing down on my body, but it wasn't as restricting as I thought it would be.

In fact, I had never really noticed until now, but the gravity in the Elemental Nations was weaker. Which meant that this planet is smaller than Earth. Interesting.

As I walked to the thickest branch on the tree, I glanced at Kaa-san, who had a large smile on her face. I jumped down, ready to learn ninjutsu.

"I didn't expect you to get it down so quickly, but you always were fast. Everything I give you, you seem to just swallow up", Kaa-san said with a resigned, but happy smile.

"I'm going to demonstrate a variety of Ninja Arts that I will be teaching you. Each and every one of these techniques will be very useful." Kaa-san explained. "These techniques are strangely underrated, as most shinobi tend to stick to elemental ninjutsu. This can work to your advantage as most shinobi will not expect this kind of Jutsu.

"The first technique that I will teach you is one that you have already seen. Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu. The name of this Jutsu is rather misleading, as other weapons can be used in place of the shuriken."

Despite knowing the answer, I still asked her a question. "If you can have solid clones of weapons, would that apply to people as well?", Think of it as a way of getting her to teach me the Kage Bunshin technique.

Kaa-san blinked. "That's right. The Kage Bunshin is able to create solid clones. Albeit a little fragile, they are very unique amongst the clone techniques. Once dispelled, they can return their memories back to the user, along with the current amount of chakra the clone has."

"Both of these techniques originated in Konohagakure but spread throughout the Elemental Nations due to their prevalent use. Despite this, they are still uncommonly used due to the amount of chakra needed to use them. More so the Kage Bunshin rather than the Shuriken Kage Bunshin.", Kaa-san explained.

I nodded in understanding. I probably didn't have enough chakra to utilize the Kage Bunshin properly, but it didn't hurt to have the technique on hand.

"The second technique is one focused for kunoichi, or more specifically, those with long hair; like you and me," Kaa-san said as she twirled a lock of hair around a finger.

I blinked at the strange description and waited for her to elaborate.

"I have a feeling you will like this Jutsu.", Kaa-san said with a mischievous smile. "It is called Kebari Senbon. The user turns their hair into needles as solid and sharp as senbon. These senbon get launched by the dozens in every or any direction."

What the hell?! This is brilliant, I get it, but who the heck would think of such a technique? Also, I'm not sure if I want to use this Jutsu. Wouldn't it make me bald from overuse?

Seeing my skeptical expression, Kaa-san laughed. "Don't overthink it. Rather than shooting out existing strands of hair, it forces them to grow to a certain length before shooting them out, leaving your hair at the same length as before."

I nodded as I sighed in relief. I didn't want to start balding at such an early age.

"I didn't think you cared so much about your hair." Kaa-san teased as she brushed my hair with her hand. "I guess I can't blame you, it's so beautiful."

I scowled. Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. Barbers don't seem to exist out here in the middle of nowhere, and I don't want to screw up my cut because some inexperienced noob tried to cut my hair.

Kaa-san just laughed at my pathetic scowl. Bah! Curse being a child; no one will ever take me seriously!

Suddenly, Kaa-san's expression turned serious. "Remember, like all Jutsu, Kebari Senbon has a weakness. You must not use this technique for an extended period of time as it can damage your hair roots."

I nodded in understanding. It made sense, forcing the body to grow, no matter where could be detrimental to the natural growth of the body.

"The next technique is the Kanashibari no Jutsu. As the name suggests, it temporarily paralyzes the target, giving you an opportunity to end the battle before it starts. The effectiveness of the technique relies on your skill level. The technique is also quite reliant on surprise. It simply gives the foe a feeling of being restrained by ninja wire. It can also be considered a genjutsu, but doesn't quite cross the threshold. This Jutsu is rather uncommon as it is often reserved for Hunter-nin corps."

This Jutsu is simple but very useful. If my skill level is above any opponent, I could most likely restrain an opponent before they could try anything!

"The final technique, on the other hand, is very commonly used. However, this doesn't mean it is not useful. Ninpo: Kirigakure no Jutsu. Contrary to belief, it is not a Suiton jutsu. The user expels a thick mist flooded with chakra. Even most sensory jutsu is useless against this Jutsu if used properly. Most dojutsu are unable to pierce this mist. Of course, this all depends on the mastery one has over this Jutsu. Through experience, I can tell you that the Byakugan of the Hyuga clan can see through the mist."

Interesting. This technique has a lot of weaknesses to exploit. Maybe I'll make my own version of the Jutsu in the future.

"Let's get started shall we?"

For my sixth birthday, Kaa-san and Tou-san got me books. This would have killed any other six-year-olds, but I was rather fine with it. There really wasn't much to do around here besides training and reading.

That was exactly how I spent my days. Reading everything I could get my hands on. History of the Elemental Nations was definitely my favorite, though I did my best to be open-minded as the information is likely to be altered or outright false. The Elemental Nations is a war-torn continent, and the winners of wars tend to rewrite history.

Kaa-san had gotten me a few books on chakra theory and fuinjutsu. She had even given me a ninjutsu scroll.

"Mizu Bunshin." I read aloud. "Solid clones created by nearby water or even water pulled from the atmosphere. Water Clones have ten percent of the user's strength. Weakness: Distance limit from the user. The clone cannot travel too far from the user or it will revert back into water."

This Jutsu would be very useful. I was hoping she would teach me this one day and it finally happened.

The fuinjutsu books were very interesting. The concept and theory weren't too difficult, but the calligraphy was another story. A seal master must have perfect calligraphy if they wish to draw seals, and I barely know how to write kanji. This is going to be one hell of a time, that's for sure.

Tou-san had gotten me a stack of regular books, ranging from nonfiction to fantasy. I was very happy to read them. Ironically enough, the first book of the stack was titled: "The Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi: Deluxe Edition".

It was in pristine condition, obviously brand new. The cover was rather bland, but a large signature was visible at the bottom of the cover. I guess that's why it's called the Deluxe Edition. Jiraiya of the Sannin had personally signed this book, isn't that interesting.

I thanked Kaa-san and Tou-san for their gifts and was about to put them away when they stopped me.

"We have one final gift for you." Kaa-san started. "This one is from both of us. It contains something we both know that you have been wanting for a while." Tou-san finished.

Curious, I watched as they produced a brown rectangular box. It was around two feet long and six inches long. It had a metal latch at the center with no other visible decorations.

I slowly clicked the latch out of place and opened it.

"Another box.", I deadpanned.

Kaa-san just giggled at my expression.

Turns out there was a scroll right next to the box as well. Ignoring the scroll, I opened the second box. At first, I didn't know what I was looking at. A black stick? Upon closer examination, I realized what I was looking at. A wide smile appeared on my face.

It was a sheathed tanto. Around a foot and a half long, it was completely silver with bright blue accents. It was obviously custom made. At the bottom of the hilt was a blue symbol. The Yuki clan crest. Mesmerized by the beautiful design, I barely remembered to unsheathe the blade.

With a swift tug, a glowing blade found itself before me. Instead of the silver blade I expected, a white blade shone in the dim light of the house.

Confused, I relayed my question to Kaa-san and Tou-san.

"This blade was forged in the Land of Iron. Its blade is white because of the metal that was used to create it. It is extremely chakra conductive and much more resilient than your average blade. It is known as a white chakra blade. You will not find many of these around." Tou-san explained.

I gawked at my parents. Not to mention getting it custom made, but a rare chakra metal? This shit was expensive!

"This must have been very expensive. I'm not sure if I should take this.", I muttered.

Kaa-san insisted. "Just take it. I had it made for myself when I was a Chunin thinking I would use it. I ended up getting a ninjato from my parents as a gift. I called it Hyōketsu."

I was still mesmerized by the beautiful blade, but I forced myself to take my attention to the scroll. I gingerly set my new tanto down and took a look at the scroll.

"Kenjutsu: Yuki no Fukushū", I read aloud.

"This is the greatest kenjutsu style in our clan's history. Even Kirigakure would be hard-pressed to match this. It is a combination of the many styles my family gathered. A large majority of which being created by our clan.", Kaa-san said with pride. "This scroll was created shortly before the Bloodline Purges. It was mainly created for longer weapons, but it should be simple enough to change up the katas."

Kaa-san continued. "My final gift to you is a personal storage seal. I can place it anywhere, though I recommend somewhere around the body, rather than the appendages. The seal will grow along with you."

My skills with seals are still non-existent, so this was a great gift. I really needed to work on my calligraphy.

"Can I get one on my right forearm and another on my left shoulder?", I asked.

Kaa-san simply smiled as she motioned me to take off my shirt. I complied without question and braced myself for contact. A cold slippery brush glided along my shoulder as I did my best not to flinch. Being ticklish didn't help either.

After an excruciating ten minutes, Kaa-san had finally finished.

"Fuin!"

"Now the other arm!"

Dammit.

"Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu!"

Ten solid clones stared before me. Awesome. Each clone picked up a kunai and charged me. Practicing the movements described in the scroll, I held Hyōketsu in a defensive position.

I still had several hours before daylight, so I learned the Mizu Bunshin technique and some katas. It was a rather easy technique to get down. Though that probably had something to do with my innate talent over water.

The clones didn't serve to be much of a challenge due to being much weaker than me. As I finished off the last few clones, I suddenly felt strange.

A foreign presence seemed to appear in my mind. Not in my mind, but rather in the distance. I could feel them around me. Two more signatures appeared like a blip. I could feel a total of six travel at a speed I couldn't hope to match. I could sense six different types of chakra. Most being what I recognized as water.

The six signatures were moving towards me. Shit. I sealed away Hyōketsu. At this point, I couldn't even care about the fact that I was a sensor-type.

Why are there shinobi here? There is nothing of interest around! As I turned to dash home, I finally realized that my home was in between me and the ninja.

Acting quickly, I channeled chakra to my legs and took off in a burst of speed, easily surpassing Genin-level. Kaa-chan. Tou-chan. Please be alright.

The forest seemed to bend as I sprinted, desperately trying to make my way home. I knew I wouldn't make it. The six shinobi were nearly there. I wasn't even halfway.

I knew that challenging the ninja would likely result in my death, but I couldn't let them hurt my family. I never was a coward in the face of danger, so I doubled my efforts.

A hundred meters away. Sweat dripped down my forehead. The shinobi were already there. I could feel Kaa-chan's chakra. A cold, yet wild sensation. She was agitated, nervous.

Fifty meters. I could sense a burst of chakra. It was Kaa-chan. Two of the six chakra signatures disappeared.

Another burst of chakra. I could feel her emotions. Primal anger. Pure sadness. What is happening!? Why is she reacting like this?!

Twenty-five meters. Another presence disappeared. Four left, not including Kaa-chan, I noted. Wait- that doesn't make sense. Did I count wrong? How could there have been seven?

Ten meters out. I could see the backyard of the cottage from the treeline. I could practically feel the bloodlust in the air. The remaining four signatures were weakened, including Kaa-chan.

"Surrender and the Mizukage will spare your life! Miyuki, you have nowhere to go!"

Kiri Loyalists. How did they find us?

I jumped out into the clearing, desperate to assist Kaa-chan. The backyard was clear, but I could clearly hear fighting in the front yard.

I bent my knees and jumped onto the roof, trying to get the high ground. I reached the top and took note of the situation.

Kaa-chan was injured. Her left shoulder was covered in blood. The three Kiri-nin were covered in blood, one even had an arm missing, all breathing hard. There were four bodies on the ground. Three dead Kiri-nin by the looks of their similar attire. And a civilian? Brown hair? No. It can't be! I couldn't take my eyes off of him. The clothes. The hair. It was Tou-chan.

Before I could prepare my Kebari Senbon, they charged at Kaa-chan.

No! My hair elongated and grew sharper at a rapid pace, but it wasn't fast enough.

The Kiri-nin were too fast. Kaa-chan blocked one, but the other two crept up behind her, their blades pointed at her heart.

'Kebari Senbon no Jutsu!'

My senbon flew through the air, screaming towards the Kiri-nin. Time slowed down. The senbon were fast, but the ninja were already there.

My needles turned their bodies into pincushions, but it was already too late.

I watched in horror as their blades cut through Kaa-chan, blood splurting out of her chest.

Dazed, I could barely move. My eyes were stuck on her. Kaa-chan looked back at me.

"Run", She mouthed.

"Shit! That fucking hurts!"

"What the hell? She had a kid?!

I was breathing heavily, unable to wrap my head around the situation. Why is this happening?! This wasn't supposed to happen!

"Haku! Run!"

I snapped my eyes to Kaa-chan. Her eyes were filled with despair. She was bleeding out. How could I run after these bastards attacked and killed my parents?

"That means that the kid has the bloodline of the Yuki. Capture the kid alive!"

My eyes blazed with fury as I glared at the rushing Kiri-nin. The temperature around me dropped drastically as the ground began to freeze.

The Kiri-nin tried to jump away, but it was too late. Icicles erupted out of the ground in an erratic manner. The closest ninja nearly had his left leg cut off. As he stumbled and cried in pain, three spikes burst through his chest. He died on the spot. And I felt no remorse.

The second ninja was already in the air when a spike impaled him through the stomach. The third was already missing an arm and was on the verge of bleeding out. He had no chance and was quickly overwhelmed in a forest of ice. They had not died peacefully.

The entire front yard had sunken into an ice age. The falling rain only enhanced the image.

Not even batting an eye at their gruesome deaths, I ran towards Kaa-chan's fallen form.

"Kaa-chan!"

"Ha-cough- Haku.."

A tear dripped down my cheek as I scanned her body. There were two holes in her chest, both barely missing her heart; instead, her lungs were pierced. She wouldn't survive. I would know; I suffered the same wound.

"H-Haku... Take-cough- this... l-leave this p-place."

Kaa-chan pressed an envelope into my hands. She touched her shoulder and her storage seal collapsed, releasing everything in it. A bunch of scrolls along with a blue and white vambrace scattered across the ground.

"P-please run. I-I know it won't be easy-cough- but you h-have to live without us."

"Kaa-chan, please don't go... I don't know what to do.", I cried.

Kaa-chan shakily raised her arm and stroked my cheek.

"G-go to Yukigakure. Y-you always wanted to see the sun-cough- right? It has both the s-sun and snow."

I shakily nodded my head.

Kaa-chan let out a smile. "That's my boy...", Kaa-chan coughed erratically as blood dripped down her mouth.

"Kaa-chan!"

"Haku-chan... W-we love you. We always will." She forced out.

I grabbed her hand. "I love you too. Tou-chan as well."

Her eyes closed and her hand went slack as it slipped out of my hand.

I pulled her body to my chest as I cried, hoping this was all a bad dream.

For nearly an hour, I sat in the rain, hugging the corpse of my parents. I wasn't irritated by the rain. It meant that I didn't have to cry alone.

The falling snow was beautiful. The ice forest had been forcibly melted. It was almost as if nothing had occurred in this area. Flat snow covered the yard, hiding the true horrors beneath it.

I gingerly reached into my cloak and pulled out two vials of blood. I quickly sealed them away and pulled out Kaa-chan's ninjato. I unsheathed the blade as I took in the beautiful design. It was a little less than two feet long. It had a white blade, similar to Hyoketsu. Even the sheathe was white. I named it Miyuki.

I had long since gotten rid of the bodies of the Kiri-nin. I felt no shame in pilfering their bodies for supplies.

I walked to the backyard and stood before the graves of my parents. It had been two days since the deaths of my parents and my birthday. I knew that the longer I stayed, the more time I gave Kirigakure to find me.

I was fine with that. But my parents weren't. They gave their lives to protect me. I had to survive, for them.

I gave one last glance at the graves before walking away.

Determined, I glared at the path ahead and jumped into the trees.

Sup peeps. Welcome to my first fanfiction on the site! As you can probably tell, this story takes place in an alternate universe. Expect the unexpected, as I will be changing many things, especially stuff relating to Kirigakure and the Land of Water as a whole. In case you didn't know, today is Haku's birthday(Jan 9th), so I thought it would be fitting to upload this. My schedule is going to be kind of chaotic, but I will upload at least once per month, though I will try to aim for once every two weeks. I understand that my writing will probably be cringy or just outright garbage in some parts, so please point out anything that sounds horrible(grammar, spelling, or complete bullshit). Please review, favorite, follow, or whatever. Constructive criticism is welcomed.