Ino's eyes widened as she processed the implications. "Two souls... in one body? How is that even possible?"
The other Kenshin shrugged lightly. "A freak accident of fate, I suppose. That guy was reincarnated. And when his soul entered this body, it pushed mine aside. But instead of disappearing, I've stayed here, coexisting, if you will." His tone remained light, even though the truth he was delivering was anything but.
Ino swallowed. "Does Kenshin.... the one I know... know about you?"
"No," he replied, the corners of his lips lifting slightly. "And he can't. You must not tell him. That idiot will probably try to fix this somehow. He'll probably feel guilty for taking away the life that was supposed to be mine."
Ino felt a chill run down her spine. "Why should I keep this a secret? Doesn't he deserve to know?"
The other Kenshin's eyes narrowed, though his tone remained almost playful. "Not yet. You know, I could wipe your memory of this conversation if you'd prefer," he said, taking a step closer.
"But I'd rather not. It's not like I want control. I've kept the darkness at bay so he can live his life peacefully. I just want to make sure that life isn't ruined by this knowledge."
Ino's breath hitched. "And what darkness are you keeping at bay?"
The other Kenshin didn't answer immediately. Instead, he turned his gaze to the strange, glowing console at the center of the room, his expression growing somber. "This body was born with a curse," he finally said.
"The Uchiha's curse. The curse of hatred. As he grows older, he'll be consumed by darkness, every time he feels powerful emotions like grief or rage. I've been containing it for years, letting your Kenshin stay free of its influence."
Ino stared, understanding the gravity of what he was saying. "You're protecting him…"
"More or less." He shrugged again, the playful tone returning. "But enough about that. You should be more concerned with yourself.
I can sense you're interested in Kenshin, but if you intend to pursue him, you'll have competition. To be specific, our sister. She was reincarnated as well, and the two of them used to be in love from before."
Ino stiffened at the mention of Akane. "What do you mean, competition? Akane is his sister. Isn't that… wrong? Wait hold on, you said sister, not 'step' sister? And she's a reincarnate?"
The other Kenshin chuckled softly. "She's blood related. This whole adoption thing was done by our mother for this specific reason. Mom's already on board. So you're already at a disadvantage."
He smiled again, a little sadder this time. "There's also a certain other lady that your Kenshin doesn't remember… thanks to a little memory-wiping incident. You could say she confessed to him, but he was made to forget." His eyes darkened briefly. "It was for his own good, but I didn't forget. I can't forget."
Ino felt a chill run down her spine. "Then… why are you telling me all of this?"
The other Kenshin's expression softened. "I suppose I'm just lonely. I don't want control or power. I just want to live in the shadows, making sure the curse never reaches him, and doesn't endanger our family."
He paused, considering whether to tell her or not. "But if it's not too much to ask… I'd like to feel my mother's embrace. Maybe even Akane's, though not in the same way. I'm not interested in her like your Kenshin is. That's just the reincarnation bond speaking. I want to hold my sister's hand, even if once."
His tone was gentle, yet laced with a sense of loneliness that tugged at Ino's heart. Before she could respond, the room began to fade, and the pressure on her body lifted.
Outside Kenshin's mind, Ino gasped, her body jerking as she returned to reality. Her control over Kenshin had been broken, and she quickly scanned her surroundings.
The battle was still raging, but she was momentarily paralyzed by what she had just experienced. She had so many questions, but one thing was clear—she couldn't tell anyone about what just happened. Not yet. She tried to get up, but there was no strength in her body.
Kenshin's body moved again, this time on his own accord, as if nothing had transpired. His eyes briefly flicked toward Ino, and she could swear she saw a flicker of recognition—just for a moment—before he turned his attention back to Asuma.
Asuma, realizing that Ino is unable to fight properly, assessed the situation. He glances at Kenshin, whose expression had returned to normal, though he noticed a slight shift in Ino's demeanor.
She looked shaken, her eyes darting toward Kenshin as if she'd seen a ghost. Something clearly happened during her attempt to control him, but now wasn't the time to investigate.
A loud crash echoed across the field as Akane and Maki appeared, both unscathed. Akane's eyes gleamed with triumph as she nodded toward Kenshin, her hand resting casually on the hilt of her blade. Maki's smirk is more subtle, but the relief was evident in her posture.
"Choji's down," Maki announced, brushing off some dirt. "He couldn't bring himself to fight seriously."
Asuma lets out a low sigh, knowing that his team is at a clear disadvantage. Ino was still dazed, and Choji was now out of commission. With Shikamaru's shadow paralysis disrupted by Kana's chains, his options were limited.
He raised his hand, signaling the end of the battle. "That's enough. This was a team exercise, and my team has clearly lost."
Akane tilted her head, her gaze flickering between Asuma and the others. "If this had been real, you could have continued, couldn't you, Asuma-sensei?" Her voice carried a hint of curiosity.
Asuma nods. "Maybe, but this isn't a real battle. In the context of teamwork, we lost. No point dragging it out."
Kana stepped forward, dismissing her chains with a flick of her wrist. Her playful demeanor was still present, but her eyes were serious as she turned toward Kenshin. "I did it, right? I actually led a team?"
When Kenshin nodded in approval, Kana immediately jumped to hug him tightly, just like a child. "I did! I did it! You guys were incredible!"
"Come on, mom. I understand that you're happy but if you hug him that tightly he's gonna suffocate." Akane said, letting out a relived laugh.
Ino remained quiet, her mind still racing with everything she had learned. She stole another glance at Kenshin, wondering if she'll ever be able to look at him the same way again.
Kenshin, oblivious to Ino's turmoil, exchanged a glance with Akane. He stepped toward her, his usual calm returning, though there was a sense of quiet relief in his movements. "Looks like it's over."
Maki sighed. "Well, at least Choji didn't take it personally. We might need to check on him, though."
As the group began to relax, Asuma gestured for his team to regroup. "Let's debrief. We've got some things to go over."
Kenshin, however, noticed Ino lingering at the edge of the battlefield. His brows furrowed slightly as he approached her, his tone gentle. "Ino, you okay?"
Ino stiffened, her heart racing. She forced a smile. "Y-Yeah, just… tired." Her voice trembles slightly, but Kenshin doesn't push further.
For now, the secret remained hers to bear.
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Once again, thank you everyone for your continued support and power stones. And as always, please give me your power stones and comment your opinions. They make a big difference and motivate me to write more.