Chino

is a character from the novel Sasuke Shinden: Book of Sunrise and member of the Chinoike Clan

Background
Chino is one of the surviving members of the Chinoike Clan, which originated from the Land of Lightning. During her childhood, her clan became recognised and feared for their Kerryūgan. Soon after, the clan was driven out of the nation and into the Land of Hot Water by the Uchiha Clan under orders by the daimyō of the Land of Lightning. After settling into the Valley of Hell, Chino was kidnapped by Oyashiro En, who had been collection shinobi in possession of a kekkei genkai. He raised her into a merciless and vengeful shinobi, giving her the task of capturing other kekkei genkai users and eliminating threats.

Upon learning her entire clan had been wiped out by enemies and angered by the mistreatment from Oyashiro, Chino flees from him and sets out on her own path. Along the way, she meets Nowaki. They two then band together and travel together, robbing rich people of their goods for themselves to survive. However, Chino was not able to let go of her hatred towards the villages, which she blames for allowing her clan to perish.

Personality
At first glance, Chino appears childlike, sweet, and timid. When she first meets Sasuke, she quickly defends him from being attacked by villagers who mistook him as a member of the Dark Thunder Group, and apologised to him on the villagers' behalf. She also offers him information on the group and the strange events surrounding the disappearances of Konoha, Kumo, and Kiri shinobi. However, behind this façade, she is actually cold-hearted, manipulative, and vengeful. Due to being raised as a weapon and blaming most of the Five Great Nations for her clan's demise, Chino is determined to achieve revenge by kidnapping many of the village's shinobi to use them against each other, and is willing to kill them to make herself feel more satisfied.

The only person Chino genuinely cares for her Nowaki, whom she is protective of and considers as a little brother. She is even willing to give her life to save Nowaki when she fought Sasuke in the Valley of Hell. Although she is initially kind to Sasuke when they first met, she actually despises him due to his clan being partially responsible for her clan being exiled. She also condemns him as a hypocrite; Sasuke was once someone consumed with hatred and plotted to destroy Konoha for what it did to his clan, and now he is trying to stop her from doing the same thing to the nations.

After her battle with Sasuke, Chino realises the error in her actions. Like him beforehand, she allowed her emotions to cloud her judgment and she was inadvertently trying to destroy the peace she desired for. She was left guilt-ridden and was ready to face the consequences of her actions, but was surprised and happy when she learned Sasuke put in a good word for her and Nowaki to work for Kumogakure and Kirigakure to atone for their crimes.

Appearance
Chino has long brown hair and light-coloured eyes. However, they turn red when she activates her Kerryugan. She is small for her age, as Sasuke pointed out that she looked ten years old when he first met her and was surprised when she told him that she was in fact much older than him.

Abilities
As a member of the Chinoike clan, Chino possesses an affinity for Water Release and is considered to be a very powerful shinobi.

Dōjutsu
Chino is able to use the Kerryūgan. With this, she has the ability to manipulate blood and excel in genjutsu. Once it is activated, her eyes turn blood-red.

Plot Overview
When Sasuke arrives at a bamboo village in the Land of Hot Water, he is mistaken as a member of the Dark Thunder Group by a villager named Iō and is attacked. Chino intervenes and diffuses the situation, and apologises to Sasuke. She introduces Nowaki to him and explains what the Dark Thunder Group is and all the chaos it has caused the village, including the murder of Iō's daughter in a nearby village. Chino and Nowaki take him to Iō's daughter's village to investigate, and she asks him questions about the Uchiha Clan and his indecisiveness of living in Konoha. When the group attacks once again, Chino fights back with taijutsu and is able to defend herself and Nowaki. She later alerts Sasuke that Io killed its leader, Karyū, by setting the house on fire.

After Sasuke leaves to meet with Orochimaru, Chino and Nowaki also leave. He finds them on an isolated island with missing Kiri and Kumo shinobi, and when they cut themselves, he detects usual chakra from them. Realizing he has found out their scheme, they attack him. When Sasuke defeats Nowaki, Chino protects Nowaki and reveals herself as an enemy before attacking him with Kerryūgan genjutsu and fleeing.

Chino and Nowaki find refuge in the Valley of Hell, but they are found by Sasuke shortly after. Chino challenges him to a battle, which she is confident she will win. She initially overpowers Sasuke with her Kerryūgan, but she grows angered at Sasuke for refusing to let her continue attacking the villages for revenge. She berates him for trying to stop her when he once did the same things, and is disillusioned why he changed his mind. Hearing Sasuke reply that his friends saves him from darkness and he fights for peace causes Chino to question her own resolve. Sasuke uses genjutsu to ware her down, but he assures her that he will not kill her, and she accordingly surrenders.

Chino explains to Sasuke about her hatred for the villages after they used and destroyed her clan, and that she fears peace can never be maintained. Sasuke promises her that he will always protect the peace she longs for, and she and Nowaki agree to be taken to prison to face judgement for their crimes. The Sixth Hokage visits with them and tells them that Kumo and Kiri are offering the two to work for them in exchange for their freedom. Although Chino and Nowaki are stunned, they agree to the proposition.

Trivia

 * literally means "of blood".
 * It is unknown if Chino is her real name due to it being similar to her clan's name. It is possible it was a name given to her after she was abducted by Oyashiro.