Naruto: Chill of Eternity

The early morning sun cast a dim glow over the rooftops of Konoha, a soft light that barely warmed the village's streets. The serenity of the scene stood in stark contrast to the tension simmering beneath the surface, an uneasy calm before a storm. Nyx sat quietly by the window of her modest home, her sharp blue eyes tracking the subtle movement of villagers as they began their day. The weight of last night's discovery still hung heavily on her mind, dark and oppressive.

Danzo's plan to eliminate the Uchiha wasn't just a threat—it was a ticking time bomb.

The words replayed in her mind like a haunting melody, growing louder with each repetition. She could still hear his cold, calculated voice as clearly as if he were standing next to her. Eliminate the Uchiha… all of them.

That single, chilling phrase stirred something deep and unfamiliar within Nyx. She wasn't one to react emotionally, but this—this was different. A seething anger simmered under the surface of her usually calm demeanor, an anger that threatened to break through the ice-cold exterior she had so carefully constructed over the years.

She closed her eyes, inhaling deeply in an attempt to center herself. Emotions cloud judgment, she reminded herself, repeating the lesson she had lived by for so long. Yet no matter how hard she tried, the fury refused to dissipate.

The quiet rustle of movement from across the room broke her from her thoughts. Nyx opened her eyes and shifted her gaze to Rina, the young girl sitting cross-legged on the floor, silently brushing her long hair. Rina had grown more attuned to Nyx's moods over the months they'd spent together, learning when to speak and when to remain silent. Her quiet presence was a sign of trust, a wordless understanding that had formed between them.

But even as Rina's silence lingered, Nyx could see the worry etched into the girl's face, the unasked questions swirling behind her eyes. Rina was far too perceptive for her age, and Nyx could feel the concern bubbling beneath her calm exterior.

"There's no need to worry," Nyx said, forcing a slight smile onto her lips. "I've got it all under control."

But the smile did little to soothe Rina, who continued to frown. The younger girl set the hairbrush aside and looked up at Nyx, her expression thoughtful. There was something almost accusatory in her eyes, a depth that Nyx wasn't quite prepared for.

"Isn't it strange?" Rina asked, her voice quiet but steady. "Considering all the war crimes you've committed, all the terrorizing you've done… The Hokage accepted you and now wants you to solve their problems. It's almost like they're using you."

Nyx sighed softly, her eyes briefly flickering toward the floor. Rina's words, though blunt, weren't untrue. Nyx knew she was being used by the Hokage. Her extraordinary abilities, her mastery of ice, and the terrifying Kōrimeigan—these were tools of destruction that Konoha now wielded to its advantage. She was a weapon, no different than the frost-covered blade she carried on her back.

But she allowed it—no, accepted it. Not for the village, not for herself, but for one reason alone.

Nyx's gaze returned to Rina, her expression unreadable.

The girl sitting in front of me.

Rina was the one who anchored her, the one who gave her purpose beyond destruction. It was for Rina's sake that Nyx had agreed to work with Konoha, to play their game.

"I know they're using me," Nyx said quietly, her voice steady but heavy with the weight of the truth. "But I have to do it."

Rina's eyes narrowed slightly, confusion clouding her expression. "But why? Why do you have to do this? You could just walk away. You've never cared about anyone or anything before now."

Nyx met her gaze, her expression softening just a fraction. She wasn't one to reveal her thoughts, not easily. But for Rina, for the girl who had followed her through the darkest of times, she would make an exception.

"For you," Nyx said, her tone resolute. "So you have a chance to become something better. A better person than me."

Rina's eyes widened in surprise, her breath catching in her throat. She had suspected, of course, that Nyx's actions were somehow tied to her. But hearing the words spoken aloud, hearing the weight of them in Nyx's voice, made her heart ache in a way she hadn't anticipated.

Before she could respond, she felt a sudden warmth around her neck. Startled, Rina looked down to see that Nyx had wrapped her white scarf—the one she had worn since they met—around her

shoulders.

"Eh?!" Rina gasped, her voice high with surprise. "Y-you're giving it to me?"

Nyx smiled then, a soft, genuine smile that took Rina completely off guard. It wasn't the comforting, empty smile Nyx sometimes wore to appease her. This was different, real, and it made Nyx's usually cold, distant face seem almost radiant.

Nyx nodded, her blue eyes watching Rina's reaction with quiet amusement. "From now on, this is yours. I've had it my entire life. It has only seen blood, yet it remains clean. Maybe with you, it'll get dirty—not that it's a bad thing, but it signals change."

Rina's eyes welled with emotion as her fingers lightly traced the fabric of the scarf. It was a symbol of Nyx's past, of the cold, violent path she had walked. And yet, Nyx was entrusting it to her—a sign that maybe, just maybe, Nyx believed in something more.

A question formed in Nyx's mind then, one she hadn't thought to ask before. Perhaps it was the guilt that lingered in her heart, the possibility that her hands had destroyed something precious to Rina. She hesitated for a moment before asking, her voice careful.

"Rina… do you have parents?"

The question hung in the air for a long moment. Rina blinked, then slowly shook her head. "I haven't seen them since I was born," she said softly. "I'm an orphan. I never had a family or anything like that at all. I survived by picking up trash on the streets or when someone was kind enough to give me food. There was an old man who taught me to speak and read, but he passed away a long time ago."

A quiet relief washed over Nyx. She hadn't taken Rina's parents from her—not in that fateful attack on the village or in any other moment of bloodshed. It was a small comfort, but it was enough to ease the burden of guilt that had been lurking at the edge of her mind.

Nyx looked at Rina, her expression softening further. If she hadn't shown mercy to the child that day, if she had allowed herself to be consumed by her rage and thirst for vengeance… Would Rina even be here? Would she still have found a place in this world?

She couldn't know for certain. But what she did know was that, despite all the bloodshed, despite all the darkness that had surrounded her life, she had a purpose now—a purpose to protect Rina, to give her the life Nyx had never had.

And for that, she would face any challenge, fight any battle, even if it meant standing against the village she now called home.

Or at least try to.