As Kuromi and her children edged toward the window, her gaze remained locked on Rin Takeda.
"Why do you fear us so much?" she said, voice steady.
"Just because we share the same blood as Kaoru Hibuko… you intend to kill us. That is the true act of a coward."
Rin sighed, his expression dark and unreadable.
"You're wrong. You're the wife of Kaoru—Kuromi Hibuko. And you must die."
Kuromi laughed, a sharp, fearless sound. Her sick father beside her stirred and grinned faintly.
"The Legendary God of Blade… descendants directly of Yami Hibuko. The true rulers. The ones who gave life to anyone living here centuries ago. That is who we are."
Rin's grip tightened, eyes narrowing as he signaled his soldiers.
"Stop it," he ordered, voice low and dangerous.
Kuromi didn't flinch.
"We are descendants of Hiroto Hibuko—the one who lifted this country from civil war, from chaos and endless battles, and showed the true meaning of peace. Kaoru was wronged, but we bled for you for generations, only to face this fate?"
Rin's voice cut through sharply.
"Your bloodline cannot justify its sin."
Kuromi's tone remained unyielding.
"Sin? Yes. The sin of protecting this land, of shedding our blood for its people. That is our sin."
Rin's expression darkened further.
"No—the sin is that Kaoru Hibuko belonged to this bloodline."
The air crackled with tension, the children huddled behind their mother trembling. Outside, the faint wind whispered through the broken window, carrying the sense of impending violence.
The confrontation was far from over; the legacy of Hibuko still burned fiercely in this household.