As Kenshin absorbed Sora's words, he felt her warmth beside him, her gentle presence making it easier to be open than he'd expected. With a soft splash, she drifted closer, studying him thoughtfully.
"Kenshin," she asked, her voice soft, "you said you came to Shikkotsu Forest to heal, because you hurt someone close to you... but what really happened?"
He hesitated, glancing away as the weight of his memories washed over him. For a moment, he wasn't sure where to start or how much to share. But something in Sora's patient, expectant gaze encouraged him to open up, even about things he'd kept buried.
"It all started when my team and I were sent to another village for a mission," he began, his voice low and measured.
"Mission? What's that?" Sora interrupted, a tilt of curiosity in her expression.
"It's..." Kenshin paused, choosing his words carefully. "It's a task given to our village by someone in exchange for money. Our village assigns these tasks to a team they think can handle it and then pays us a portion of the offered amount. It's how shinobi like us earn our keep."
Sora nodded thoughtfully, processing his explanation. Kenshin continued.
"While we were in that village, we discovered someone I never expected to see-my mother's old friend and attendant, Yukari. She's... well, she's one of the few people left from my clan, the Uzumaki. But things were bad. Yukari was being treated horribly -abused."
His hands tightened into fists as he recalled the sight of her frail, scarred body. "When I learned she was being violated, I just... I lost control. I attacked the people who were hurting her, but one of them got away and ran to the village center."
His eyes grew dark as he recalled the next moments. "That's when the shinobi of the village came for me. They didn't ask questions or try to stop me-they just attacked. And I... I gave in to my rage. I stopped seeing reason."
Sora watched him intently, her expression unreadable but her eyes glimmering with a mix of sympathy and understanding.
"Kenshin," she murmured.
He took a deep breath, his words quiet and haunted. "Apparently, civilians got caught in the chaos. My sister, Akane, and my friend, Maki, they both tried to stop me. They tried to calm me down, bring me back. But I... I was out for blood."
Kenshin's voice wavered, but he pressed on. "I attacked Akane. She was trying to help me, and I... I nearly killed her. I had my sword drawn. I was going to..." His hand shook slightly, but he clenched it, steadying himself. "But seeing her blood-that's what pulled me back."
steadying himself. "But seeing her blood-that's what pulled me back."
He paused, a bitter chuckle escaping his lips. "After that, I couldn't face her. I went into a deep depression, and I... I couldn't bear the guilt. I tried to end my own life, again and again. But every time I did, my abilities kicked in, and the wounds healed almost instantly- sometimes before I could even feel the pain."
He shrugged, his tone disturbingly casual. "It's like my own body wanted me to live with this guilt. To keep me around to remember the pain I caused Akane."
Sora was silent for a moment, her gaze steady as she watched Kenshin's expression. She could see the heaviness he carried, the guilt etched into his eyes. Taking a slow breath, she began to speak, her voice soft but clear.
"Kenshin… maybe your abilities stopping you from ending your own life has a deeper meaning," she said gently. "Maybe, deep down, there's a part of you that wants to be stronger—to get out of this dark place you're in."
Kenshin looked at her, surprise flickering in his eyes, as if he hadn't considered that possibility before.
"And if you're willing," Sora continued with a small, encouraging smile, "I'll do my best to help you. I know it may sound strange, but… I'd even become your familiar, if that could give you strength." She spoke with quiet sincerity, her golden-green eyes soft with warmth and care.
Kenshin felt a spark of gratitude in his chest, almost too strong to put into words. "Sora…" he began, but she raised her hand gently to stop him.
"And, Kenshin," she said firmly, "this isn't your fault. Not at all. If it were my sister Kira who saw someone trying to harm me, or a member of our tribe… she would have done the exact same thing. She wouldn't have held back, and she wouldn't have blamed herself afterward."
Her eyes held a fierce determination as she looked at him. "Your family was trying to help, yes, but don't beat yourself up for it. You're just like anyone else—even if you sometimes try to fight it."
She paused, reaching out to touch his shoulder lightly, the water rippling softly between them. "You shouldn't be drowning in guilt over this. Instead, you should aim to grow stronger—strong enough to handle situations like that without losing control. A time will come when you don't need to give in to rage to deal with bad people. You'll be able to keep your calm and handle it."
Her lips curved into a playful grin, her eyes glimmering with a mischievous light. "Just wait. After training under Mother, you'll be the strongest guy around. People won't even think of messing with you—they'll probably prefer killing themselves rather than risk facing your wrath."
Kenshin blinked, caught off guard by her teasing tone, but a reluctant smile pulled at his lips. Sora chuckled softly, her laughter light as it filled the space between them.
"Thank you, Sora," he murmured, a new sense of hope flickering within him. For the first time in a long while, the thought of the future didn't feel so heavy.
With a satisfied sigh, Sora climbed out of the bath. She dropped to all fours, her muscles tensing as she shook her body vigorously from head to tail, much like a cat drying itself.
Droplets sprayed in all directions, creating a brief shower around her. Kenshin watched, stifling a surprised laugh as he witnessed the cat-like habit in her human form.
Once Sora finished, she stood up, brushing her damp hair back with a contented smile as she reached for her clothes.
Kenshin followed, stepping out of the bath and pulling out a storage scroll from his pouch. Unsealing it with a careful flick of chakra, he retrieved a towel and a fresh set of clothes.
Sora's eyes widened, and her mouth fell open in astonishment as the items seemed to appear out of thin air.
"Kenshin," she said in awe, "did you… just make that stuff appear out of nowhere?"
He chuckled, drying himself off. "Not exactly. It's called sealing jutsu. Using specific writing combined with chakra, humans developed a way to store objects within the writing itself. My clan, the Uzumaki, was especially skilled in this art, and honestly, nobody has ever managed to surpass them in it."
Sora's eyes sparkled with fascination. "So… your clan could put things into writing? Literally?"
Kenshin nodded, pulling on his fresh clothes. "Exactly. Sealing techniques are like a storage space that's sealed away, only accessible with chakra. It's pretty convenient."
As they finished getting dressed, Sora gestured for him to follow her. She led him down a winding path that opened into a grand dining hall, warm light spilling across the long table laden with food. The aroma filled the air, a mix of roasted meats, fresh fruits, and warm, savory dishes.
At the head of the table sat Aruna, her calm yet powerful presence undeniable, and Kira stood nearby, her gaze flicking briefly over Kenshin before she looked away.
Sora grinned and nudged Kenshin forward. "Welcome to our table, Kenshin. This is all in honor of you, our guest."
Kenshin settled into a seat, casting a discreet glance over the spread of food laid out before him. Each dish seemed to radiate with nature energy, almost pulsing with life.
'I'll need to be careful while eating,' he thought wryly, 'unless I want to accidentally turn into a cat… or worse, a rock.'
Sora sat beside him, her smile warm and welcoming, while Kira took the seat on his other side, her expression unreadable as her eyes flicked to him with guarded glances.
Kenshin looked at the food, admiring the vibrant colors and fresh scents, yet refrained from reaching for anything just yet.
Noticing his hesitation, Aruna tilted her head with a slight smile. "Is something the matter, Kenshin? Why don't you start?"
Kenshin turned to her, bowing his head slightly in respect. "In human custom, it's considered rude to start eating before the host does, or without the host giving permission."
Kira narrowed her eyes at him, letting out a soft scoff. "No need to put on this fake show of respect," she muttered.
Aruna gave Kira a calm but pointed look, and Kira lowered her gaze, her silence tinged with frustration. Though Aruna understood Kira's skepticism, she knew Kenshin's actions were genuine. She returned her attention to him, her expression softening.
"In our tradition," Aruna said with a gentle smile, "the guest eats first. We want to ensure the food is to your liking, and if it's not, we'll gladly prepare something else."
Kenshin gave a grateful nod, feeling the warmth of Aruna's hospitality. But before he could reach for anything, Sora leaned over, picking up a savory-looking piece with her fingers and holding it out to him. "Here, Kenshin," she offered, her tone playfully insistent. "You have to try this first."
It was then Kenshin noticed something curious—there were no utensils on the table, just the food itself. It stirred a faint sense of nostalgia within him. Eating without utensils was something he'd done often in his past life, and the familiar simplicity made him feel unexpectedly at ease.
He glanced at Sora, feeling a smile tug at his lips as he leaned forward, taking the offered piece from her hand. The flavor burst on his tongue, the natural energy within it both rich and strangely invigorating.
Kenshin's eyes widened as he savored the flavor, an involuntary exclamation escaping his lips. "This is incredible! If you sold this in the human world, you'd be rich! Like… seriously rich!"
Sora chuckled beside him, clearly amused. "Maybe we should start our own business together," she teased, winking at him. "Imagine it—a human and a cat, dominating the culinary world."
Kenshin laughed, picturing it. "You might just have a point! I'm sure people would line up to get a taste of this."
He took another bite, savoring the vibrant flavors again. "It's unlike anything we have back in the human world. Every bite has this… I don't know, it's like it's alive!"
Aruna's eyes glimmered with satisfaction as she watched Kenshin enjoy the meal. "The dishes here are infused with nature energy," she explained, her voice warm. "We grow our ingredients in soil nurtured by the forest's energy. It's meant to nourish, not just the body, but also the spirit."
Kenshin nodded thoughtfully, already imagining how something like this would sell, how it could be marketed, even the elaborate setup needed to cultivate such ingredients.
For a moment, the familiar spark of his childhood ambition flared up, and he couldn't help but smile.
"Then you'd better enjoy every bite, Kenshin," Sora encouraged, offering him another piece. "If we ever need a business partner in the human world, we know who to ask."
Kira's voice cut in, cool and unamused. "Before you two get too excited, let me remind you," she said, a faint edge to her tone, "this food wouldn't last a day outside the forest. It'd turn into black sludge before anyone could take a single bite."
Kenshin paused, a bit deflated but intrigued. "Really? Why's that?"
Aruna smiled gently, picking up on his curiosity. "The energy that fills our food comes from the forest itself. If removed from its natural environment, the balance would be disrupted, and it would lose its essence."
Kenshin's brow furrowed thoughtfully. "So, it's not just the ingredients, but the connection to the forest that makes it special?"
"Exactly," Aruna nodded. "The life here is bound closely to nature. We don't take more than we give back, and in return, the forest nurtures us in ways the human world cannot."
Sora chimed in with a grin, nudging Kenshin. "Guess our business plans will have to wait."
Kenshin laughed, his ambition momentarily tempered but not dampened. "Alright, guess I'll just have to enjoy it while I'm here. Lucky for me, it seems like there's plenty."
As Kenshin enjoyed the meal, savoring each bite with genuine appreciation, Sora's excitement bubbled over, occasionally picking up a piece of food and holding it out for him. He found himself smiling as he accepted each offering, her enthusiasm making the experience even more enjoyable.
But every time he reacted to something new—whether it was the vibrant flavors or the unique textures—Kira's gaze narrowed further, her irritation simmering just beneath the surface. She barely touched her own food, watching Kenshin with a guarded, suspicious look.
After a few more bites, Kira abruptly set her bowl down and stood, her movements tense. "I'm done," she announced, her tone clipped, as she turned to leave.
"Kira," Aruna's voice stopped her, calm but firm.
Kira's shoulders tensed as she turned back, a flash of anger in her eyes. "Did you forget, Nekomata-sama?" she asked, her voice low and fierce. "Did you forget how the humans treated your mother?"
She didn't wait for a response, the frustration and pain evident in her voice. "You may be willing to trust him, but I am not. I will never forget what they did to my grandmother—and I won't stand by and watch this human do the same to you or Sora."
With that, she spun on her heel and stormed out of the room, her footsteps echoing in the quiet hall. A servant hurried after her, leaving the dining hall in a tense silence.
Sora looked at Kenshin apologetically, trying to dispel the heavy mood. "Don't worry about Kira. She just needs time to see you're different," she said gently. Her voice held a note of optimism, her warm smile a clear attempt to lift the mood.
Kenshin nodded, though he felt a pang of regret, realizing just how deep Kira's mistrust ran. "Maybe Aruna-sama's mother just met the worst of humanity," he said softly, "or ventured to the wrong place. Some humans can be extremely terrible, as I've told you, Sora."
But inside, Kira's words had struck something in him. He felt a quiet determination building, a desire to prove her wrong—not just for her acceptance, but because his competitive spirit refused to let him leave things like this.
As night settled over the forest, Kenshin was shown to his quarters, and the village grew quiet. He tried to relax, but an unsettling restlessness had settled within him. After a while, he couldn't resist the urge to practice, feeling as if his energy needed an outlet.
Silently, he slipped out to the courtyard, the cool night air invigorating him as he began to gather chakra.
He focused on his wind chakra mode, concentrating the chakra around his body, attempting to increase its density. He poured in more chakra, trying to refine the layer from its usual thin film into a steady stream.
But the wind chakra remained stubbornly elusive; each time he tried to press it tighter, it would slip through his control and dissipate.
His frustration increased as he repeated the process, attempting to keep it concentrated, but no matter how much he pushed, he could barely hold more than what he needed for Gust Bullet.
Unbeknownst to Kenshin, Kira had quietly stepped out to the courtyard for some fresh air, her ears twitching at the soft hum of chakra. She was about to turn back when she noticed him in the distance, training alone.
Narrowing her eyes, she stepped closer, hiding behind the doorframe as she watched him, her annoyance growing with every attempt he made.
'He's doing it all wrong,' she thought, folding her arms. 'He's forcing it to stay in place. Wind isn't meant to be held back.'
Kira continued observing as he struggled to keep the chakra stable. 'With all that effort just to get it to condense, it's a miracle he can even keep it around him for Gust Bullet thing,'she mused. 'If he would just let it flow around his body instead, shaping its path rather than restricting it, he could keep it dense and steady.'
Kira's gaze softened slightly as she realized how stubbornly he was trying to push through. 'He's forcing it, fighting its nature. If he simply allowed it to follow its own current, he'd have probably have control already.'
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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.