The world outside the window was pitch black. Shinji, looking out with interest, curled his lips slightly. Though the darkness before dawn is the deepest, the break of day still comes for those who wait.
The sound of waves crashing, the clattering of the cold wind against the glass, and finally, the rapid and orderly footsteps hidden within the noise of the wind and waves.
Creak—
Shinji sat in the chair by the bed, propping his face on one hand, looking somewhat helplessly at the sleeping woman before him.
As the saying goes, behind every beautiful woman wandering late at night, there's always a few perverts following her.
It seems this saying isn't wrong. After all, even I have lost track of a few.
"Nawaki... Dan..."
Hearing Tsunade's pained murmur of these two names, especially the latter, Shinji instantly felt he didn't want to stay any longer. If he stayed, he'd feel like a pathetic dog!
In all my years, I've never groveled for a woman, not even for Rider!
"Well, this is annoying, dreaming about another man right in front of me..."
Shinji sighed and reached out to Tsunade, curling his lips into his signature smile. "Let me change your dream a bit... woman."
...
Opening the inn's door, watching the snow that had started falling again at some point, Shinji felt a bit frustrated. If no one had disturbed him, he might have taken advantage of the situation by now.
"Everyone, hurry up. Though the barrier means louder noise won't matter much, try to keep it down. The woman I like is sleeping."
As he finished speaking, nearly twenty masked ninjas, armed with swords, appeared before Shinji!
Although they were dressed as rogue ninjas, Shinji could tell they were well-trained. He didn't care much about who was targeting Tsunade.
Suddenly, a glint of madness and excitement flashed in Shinji's eyes and on his lips. He opened his arms wide, addressing them, "Show me your... mutual slaughter!"
The trained assassins were baffled. Was this young man, who was with one of the Sannin, insane?
But their thoughts changed as one of them quickly stabbed his companion in the abdomen with a long knife!
"What are you doing..."
The apparent leader started to scold, but then saw two more companions rushing at him with hateful eyes!
"Begin..."
As Shinji spoke, he leaned against the door frame, smiling as he watched the brutal mutual slaughter unfold.
Having faced Angra Mainyu twice, Shinji was practically immune to mental pollution. Compared to the feeble illusions of this world, controlling ninjas was child's play!
The dark side of human nature could be amplified, making them kill each other.
"Swallow was... my woman! You bastard..."
A ninja, fighting the leader, gritted his teeth and spat out.
"Wasn't that resolved? Didn't we drink to apologize? Is this an illusion? Release!"
Seeing the ninja trying to release an unknown illusion, Shinji silently mourned, knowing the companion's sword would pierce his heart as he made the hand signs.
"Ugh—"
Coughing up blood, the ninja looked at his companion in disbelief. He couldn't understand why the hatred persisted if he had already forgiven him. Was it all an act before?
"You bastard! Die with me!!"
With his heart pierced, the ninja used his last strength to stab his companion in the heart.
"Too bad~"
Shinji shook his head and sighed, then watched the other ninjas, noting their jutsu and hand signs.
Although he wasn't sure he could use them, it was good to remember for future reference.
While Shinji enjoyed the mutual slaughter, Tsunade upstairs had a strange dream.
An isolated island, a bizarre religion, and a randomly chosen ordinary young man.
Villagers tormented him, stripped his name and humanity, and blamed him for all sins.
The young man, with one remaining eye, watched quietly as he turned to stone, his personality eroded, still gazing at a world full of goodness.
One year, five years, ten years, fifty years, a hundred years, a thousand years, two thousand years...
Humanity's curses never ceased, even now. The young man never refuted, accepting his imposed identity and responsibility. His name was Angra Mainyu, the evil of this world. No matter how time passed, nothing changed.
Humanity's sins would always be thrust upon him, never finding peace, his soul and spirit forever unrestful. This was Angra Mainyu's fate.
When Tsunade woke up, she found her eyes wet. The dream felt so real, and the young man resembled the one she had just met.
If it was him, he would be constantly receiving humanity's hatred, always surrounded by their endless complaints and resentment.
Thinking this, Tsunade realized something was wrong. When had she returned? When had she fallen asleep?
At that time, she clearly...
"I like money, women, good food, fun things, and... killing."
Thinking of these words sent a shiver down Tsunade's spine. His nonchalant attitude showed he wasn't lying!
If he was the protagonist of his story, then it was natural for him to hate humanity, having taken on all their hatred.
"But I might not be able to do it, even if I wanted to."
Shinji's words from earlier resurfaced, filled with bitterness. If true, he could never find release, as long as humanity existed.
Human desires are endless, like the never-ending wars in the ninja world. To be free, he would have to kill everyone.
Glancing outside, Tsunade saw dawn approaching and decided to get up. Shaking her head to clear the overly realistic dream, she stepped into the hallway.
"Ah..." Tsunade started but realized she didn't even know his name.
...
When Tsunade reached the lobby, she saw countless dismembered limbs and rivers of blood outside, and Shinji watching the gruesome scene with interest.
Hearing a thud behind him, Shinji spoke, "Looks like you don't appreciate these ever-blooming flowers."
He turned to see Tsunade clutching a necklace, trembling, her eyes wide with fear.
Ignoring Tsunade's state, Shinji walked into the field of red flowers.
Besides money, scrolls, and weapons, everything valuable had to be collected.
And heads.
Shinji flipped through a bounty manual he found from the inn's previous owner, comparing bodies. Sadly, none matched.
...
After cleaning up, Shinji ignored Tsunade, still trembling, and began carving words on the inn's door with a kunai.
"Owner absent, feel free to stay."
"Remember! Clean up when you leave!"
"Any damages must be paid for, place the money at the counter."
"Intentional damage, leaving without cleaning, theft, or conflicts will result in being hunted to the ends of the earth! No late apologies accepted!"
"Price list for furniture and items: ..."
As he finished, Tsunade regained her composure, stopped shaking, and calmed down.
"Who are you?"
"Name? Sorry, I don't have one."
"Is it missing... or taken by this world?"
Shinji blinked, then looked at Tsunade with surprise.
"Are you the evil of this world, Angra Mainyu?"