The gloomy sky, devoid of a single ray of sunlight, cast an exceptionally oppressive atmosphere over this land. White snowflakes drifted down slowly from the sky, covering the entire earth, the forests, and even the distant mountain peaks in a layer of pure, flawless white. It was a world draped in silver.

“Tap, tap, tap…” Just then, the sound of footsteps crunching through the snow drifted slowly from afar, adding a touch of life to this silent world.

Within the falling snow, a small figure could be seen gradually approaching from a distance. The sound of footsteps grew clearer, and the figure slowly came into view.

It was a small boy of about seven or eight years old, remarkably handsome, with short black hair. Bangs framed both sides of his face, and the hair over his forehead partially obscured his right eye. His pair of black pupils appeared exceptionally bright, with faint glints of sharp light flickering within them.

He wore a small black padded jacket, and a small hatchet was tucked into the brown cloth belt around his waist. On his back, he carried a bundle of firewood secured with thin rope. It was clear at a glance that the little boy had just returned from gathering firewood. At this moment, his head and body were already covered with a considerable amount of snow.

“Huuuh…!” He slowly exhaled a puff of white breath, shook his body, and rubbed his hands together to ward off the biting cold air. The little boy looked up at the gloomy sky and muttered to himself, “It’s already this late… I have to hurry back, or Father will worry again.”

As soon as the words fell, the little boy stepped out again, carrying the firewood and quickening his pace. Before long, his entire figure gradually disappeared into the endless falling snow.

At the foot of a large mountain, many lights had already lit up, though it was unclear when. This was a remote little village in the Land of Water, a place with no distinction between the four seasons, perpetually covered in white snow.

At this time, the sky had already darkened. The little boy in the black padded jacket, carrying a large bundle of firewood on his back, gradually appeared at the entrance of the small village. He gently exhaled a breath, wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead, and a hint of a smile appeared at the corner of his lips as he said, “Finally back… Father must be very worried.”

Just then, a clear and pleasant voice suddenly reached the boy’s ears, “Mizuuu!!!” “Hmm?!” The boy froze instantly and turned his head to look. He saw a small girl of six or seven years old standing prettily at the village entrance, looking at him with a face full of concern.

This little girl had long, soft black hair, large, bright, and watery eyes, and snow-white skin. She wore a white winter coat, and her whole being standing in the snow appeared incomparably pure and noble, like an angel born from the snow. However, her delicate face was frozen red, indicating that she had been waiting for him in this icy world for a long time.

Seeing the girl’s concerned and worried gaze, a gentle smile immediately appeared on the face of the boy called Mizu. He opened his mouth and said, “Haku, I’m back!”

The girl suddenly threw herself into the boy’s arms, looking at his face with great worry as she said, “Wouldn’t it be better to go out to gather firewood with the adults after the snow stops? Why do you have to go into the mountains alone, especially when it’s snowing so heavily?”

The boy immediately felt awkward and didn’t know what to say. He suddenly remembered that he had promised the girl a few days ago not to leave the village alone, but today he had already broken his promise. Even with his thick skin, the boy felt very embarrassed.

“Alright, I promise you, next time I go out, I’ll definitely go with the adults,” the little boy said gently, stroking the girl’s soft hair.

“You say that every time,” the little girl pouted, puffing out her cheeks, and said with dissatisfaction, her childlike nature fully displayed.

“Hehe,” Mizu laughed awkwardly, not knowing what to say. At this moment, Haku seemed to remember something and said to the boy, “By the way, Uncle has been waiting for you at home. Hurry back. Although he hasn’t said anything, Uncle is very worried about you.”

Hearing Haku say this, the boy’s expression immediately became serious, and he said with some anxiety, “Ah, right, Father has probably been waiting for a long time. I have to hurry back. Haku, have you had dinner yet? If not, come to our house to eat.”

“It’s okay, I’ve already eaten. You should hurry back,” Haku said gently, looking at Mizu softly. “Mm, I know. See you tomorrow, Haku,” Mizu gently tapped the girl’s head and then quickly hurried towards his home. Haku stood there quietly watching the boy’s figure disappear into the distance.

In the village, many houses were arranged in rows along both sides of the road. Electric lights, emitting a faint glow, hung in front of the doors outside, appearing particularly picturesque against the backdrop of snow. However, Mizu was not in the mood to appreciate these sights at this moment. He was running quickly on the snow-covered road.

Deep within the village, among the many houses, there was an inconspicuous small hut. This was Mizu’s home. Catching his breath twice, he then gently pushed open the door and slowly walked inside.

The room inside was very simple. An electric light, emitting a faint glow, hung from the ceiling. In the center of the small living room, next to the table, sat a person quietly on a stool – a middle-aged man with black hair. His pale complexion suggested he had been seriously ill. His handsome face was etched with the marks of hardship. His black pupils seemed unfocused, with a hint of white around the edges. He wore a black kimono. This person was Mizu’s father, named Hayato.

“Father, I’m back,” looking at his pale-faced father sitting at the table, something seemed to stir within Mizu’s heart. He put down the firewood and said softly.

“You’re back. You went out to chop wood alone again today, didn’t you? Be more careful next time. That little girl, Haku, was very worried about you. She came to our house several times today looking for you,” the middle-aged man said slowly, a faint smile appearing on his face. Although his tone was calm, the concern in his words was evident.

“I know, Father, I’ll be more careful in the future,” Mizu said softly, then picked up the secured firewood and walked towards the kitchen. “I’ll go cook.”

The middle-aged man’s unfocused pupils watched the boy’s retreating figure as he walked into the kitchen, his expression thoughtful, as if pondering something.

Before long, a warmth gradually spread through the house. Mizu had already started a fire to heat the room, and at the same time, a fragrant aroma filled the air. At this moment, the wooden table in the living room was already set with food: two bowls of steaming rice, a plate of sea shrimp, two grilled fish, a large bowl of mixed boiled vegetables, and two bowls of miso soup. This was the dinner for the father and son.

Although it was cold outside, it was exceptionally warm inside. They ate dinner quietly, neither of them speaking. The room was particularly silent, with only the occasional sound of the firewood crackling.

Just then, the middle-aged man gently put down his chopsticks and looked at Mizu, slowly asking, “How is your mastery of the Shurikenjutsu?” [Note: Shurikenjutsu is the art of throwing shuriken, which are small, bladed hand weapons.]

After taking a sip of his miso soup, Mizu looked up at his father’s face and said softly, “It’s alright. I can already guarantee hitting vital points, under my Sharingan.” [Note: Sharingan is a special eye ability in some fictional universes, often associated with enhanced perception and the ability to see chakra flow. Here, it seems to be a unique trait of the character.] As soon as the words fell, Mizu’s previously black pupils instantly began to change. A scarlet color filled his entire eyeball, and two black tomoe [Note: Tomoe are comma-shaped markings] slowly rotated around a black dot within the crimson eye.

[--------------------------------------------]

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