My rude comment jolted her out of her grogginess and caused her to sit straight up like a stick.
"Tomi-chan. Is she ok?"
I couldn't help myself from murmuring, "So, you remember the things you do? Good to know."
Looking at her terrified face, I felt a little pity and gently said to her in a consoling tone, "She is fine."
Of course, my pity didn't have to do with her slightly darkening eyes. It would be better if I didn't comment on 'Tomi-chan's father.'
The woman collapsed back on the ground, striking quite the image with the Fuinjutsu seals surrounding her in a circle.
My curiosity piqued as I asked, "What made you attack a child? No offence, I saw some fucked-up things in my life. But the willingness to attack little children was seen very rarely."
She chuckled without a hint of joy in it, "Such is the curse I was born with. You and many others who came to this village believe it to be a blessing. But it is a curse. This power comes with a terrible price."
At the last part, her face was hollow, much like the one I saw in the mirror every day. But, it morphed back into a wide variety of emotions, "Tides of greed, hatred, sorrow and rage over at any random moment turning me into a monster. You know, I was angry enough to kill her because she was holding my childhood rattle. Something I had given her, but the sudden, intrusive reminiscence and longing for the toy sent me into a rage. Especially, when I noticed somebody, even if it's a child, holding it."
That was either deep and scary. It was like you become a patient with disorders like uncontrolled anger, kleptomania, mania and depression. The way she clawed into herself in the water ball was a desperate, repressed woman's suicide attempt.
Quite the curse. Leaving the user with the memories of them deciding to murder a child or even attempting suicide.
However, she was wrong about one thing. The nature of nature energy means you were flooded with lots of things, especially emotions, in the case of Jugo's clan. Rather than being angry about the rattle, the thought of the rattle came in between when she was drowning in nature's rage.
Still, the act of Kunai targeted at a civilian child was rare. Even in this cruel era. The last time I saw that was on the night the old Kyudo clan went down.
The woman, as if sensing, waited; she sensed my rage and said in a consoling tone, "Quite monstrous, isn't it? No matter how or why, such acts are condemnable and disgusting. There is nothing wrong with having hatred or wrath in response to that. No need to feel self-doubt about that."
I could only grit my teeth and reply out of the gaps in my teeth, "Oh! I do not doubt that. I never will."
No, I only doubt myself, wondering whether I would drown myself in those emotions so much that I would become a monster or emotionless freak.
The decisions I made over the last few years have been quite challenging for me to digest. It had reached the point where I was planning, using Karui's feelings as part of my plan. Manipulating and sacrificing myself was something I grew accustomed to in this life. However, doing the same thing to others, even with ease, was scary.
The earliest I could trace this change was that night when I literally forced Momo and others into this path, while giving them an illusion of choice.
Even now, my self-doubt was whether I was degrading by manipulating my soon-to-be 'wife.' At least, this would be a direct manipulation.
It was at this point that I realised she had somehow managed to say the right words in response to my emotional state.
Feeling the myriad of thoughts and emotions from me, the woman scoffed as she said, "You are one complex man. The wide range of emotions you give off rivals the village elder."
Chirp Chirp
I soon noticed multiple birds chirping and dancing over her prone body. It didn't take long for the smile to return to her as she gently replied, "I am fine."
I remembered Jugo also showed similar abilities, one of the few things I remembered clearly.
Another observation I noticed about her was that she seemed to hate herself. In her attempt to console me, she showed that anyone who dared to attack children was worthy of being hated.
Due to the incident just now, it wasn't lost on me that she included herself in that regard.
The woman groaned out right that instant, "I prefer the lust and greed over the pity you are giving me now." The last part turned into a murmur, "At least, I am used to them."
I knew that sage mode allows one to sense emotions, as long as they come into contact with the target's chakra. However, this ease shown by her made me wonder if this was a result of her ability.
Jugo and, to an extent, the cursed seals developed from them granted the user their own unique abilities. This made me think that her ability was closely related to emotions. I would have been more confident in my hypothesis if I had experienced the mist.
Having had enough of the small talk, I got to the main point.
Trying to convey as much sincerity as possible, I said, "Do you want a solution to this problem?"
Her voice trembled as she looked hopeful, "Do you have a way?"
I felt that she was pretty naïve to believe me so easily, but the problem she had was of such a nature. So, I pointed at the Fuin seals around her.
Recognition flashed in her eyes. Interesting.
"Yes, but it has its downsides."
"Do it."
Not mincing my words, I said, "It will be excruciating."
Her hands found mine as she firmly said, "I don't mind."
I grunted from the force felt by my hand, "Not just that, the evil suppressing seal generally finds itself along the source of the user's 'evil' after the sealing. But, in your case, your so-called source of evil is every part, every inch of you. It was born with you and ends with you."
A Kekkai Genkai.
She dragged herself up as she uttered, "I know that very well."
I snorted as I said, "Well, know this, the seals would mark every inch of you. Turning you into an ink-stained, scribbled human scroll. Meaning, you would be saying goodbye to your beauty."
Of course, if she managed to master her transformation, she would have hope.
Before I could sell this excellent point, she practically screamed in my face, "It's FINE."
At this point, her desperation made me think that she would accept a marriage offer right away if it meant I could help her. It left a bad taste in my mouth. Not wanting to step over this fine line of morals I had, I held my hand over her throat.
Her eyes widened for an instant. Considering how we were face-to-face due to her excited pleading just now, I noticed her sclera rapidly turning black. Not wanting a repeat of the dance of claws and blood, I slammed her back down as my chakra mobilised the Fuinjutsu.
"Fuinjutsu: Evil suppressing seal."
And the world burst into screams.
"Aaahahahhaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh….'
——Village elder's pov——
I watched it all unfold—like I always do. Too wise to fight, too old to believe that wisdom alone ever changes anything.
Blood again. Screams again. A child almost torn apart. And once more, it's a shinobi who brought it here, like they always do. The first time, they came with their missions.
Clearing the bandits near the mountains. A child like me, who I was, was eager to see the fabled Shinobi provoked contact. Simple, conversational talk about my mother's strength ignited things far beyond my control.
My poor mother.
The only one who dared to control the ability, no, curse. Rumours I heard told me that she was as violent and monstrous as little Rei when she was young. But she gained control as she fell in love with her father. Control she lost as the Shinobi tried to convince her to leave with them, especially when they turned violent.
It was the first time I saw two things- the curse and the power of Shinobi.
My mother's curse, when fully activated, took the form of a multi-limbed Rakshasa of legends; her strength matched them as she tore the Shinobi apart in a fit of rage for their act of hurting her father.
That event led me to see the power of Shinobi.
The dead Shinobi's clan came for revenge, as expected. Unlike our expectations, they came silently in the dead of night. My only encounter with the boisterous Shinobi made me think they were all the same. But, they weren't the upfront and straightforward violent men I met.
No, they were true Shinobi.
So, they ambushed us in the dead of night, silent and cruel. In the brief time of a few minutes, required for my mother to reach the fighting, the Shinobi committed an act of unbearable horror.
They killed dozens and dozens of villagers, both young and old, drowning themselves and others in their hatred.
That day, many awakened their curse, and like always with our village, some turned mad, permanently killing everything in sight. It was monstrous that the people who died from the cursed rivalry was greater than the number of people the invaders killed.
As always, this village survived.
Mother, Uncle Sano, Big sis Himiko…
That night made me a grown-up, weakened the village and made us forget the few improvements we had made.
Those who survived the curse and those born soon after became the monsters, just as their mothers had before them.
They never changed.
Both the curse and the Shinobi.
Even as I grew stronger and then weaker with age, they never changed.
I saw many Shinobi who came to the village for various reasons. Some, like the first encounter, were accidental, some were for the sake of investigation, and others were driven by sheer goodwill. The latest had been a red-haired shinobi who was of the last category.
He shared many a thing with us. How was the curse of a bloodline ability called Kekkai Genkai?
What was the most coveted thing in the shinobi world?
I hoped.
I hoped that this time it would be different. That this red-haired Shinobi wouldn't bring death. That this cursed girl would find control. That we could have one generation untouched by grief.
His attempts to help, including his 'Fuinjutsu', failed. Whatever the motivation he had, he failed when little Rei's curse activated fully.
The blood mist that drove the Shinobi mad and his body on the verge of death, scarred my mind to this day.
Even worse was the way in which he disappeared after he healed, never once setting foot in this village.
My sorrow made me miss the stone on the path, almost causing me to trip, but the large hands of my village held me up, even as I ran to the shore.
"Elder! Please be careful."
"Huff! R-run *Huff* faste-er."
"Yes, yes. But please be careful. Not like we could do anything even as we reach the shore."
Little Sano, even as he ran with the clawed wound on his chest, didn't flatter. Just like his grandmother, big sis Himiko.
Always logical about things. So, pragmatic. But never leaving behind their kindness.
I still remember the words of kindness they uttered, so kind but filled with logic.
"I prefer being kind to those with curses because we don't know when I or anyone else would get it. I hope that through my actions, I will remind others to show kindness to those who are in need. Especially if my child, by chance, awakens the curse after I pass."
Now, it was the turn of little Rei and the shinobi man who came today.
And now this girl—this cursed child was just like my mother. A product of a bloodline no one asked for, carrying the wrath of the world in her. They called it a gift. A Kekkai Genkai.
But I saw no gift when she lunged for that child. I saw madness. Suffering. An ancient curse disguised as chakra.
And he—the Shinobi—is so damn confident in his ninjutsu.
He intervened, but I saw the fear in his eyes.
I trust little Rei when she said that the Shinobi believes he could help us.
Could he really help us?
Sigh!
They always think they can control it. That's the delusion of their kind.
I saw the panic in Shinobi's eyes when she attacked the child. He didn't fully understand the danger of the curse or how unpredictable a fully activated one could be.
I remember a cursed one who clawed himself to death.
"Ahhhhhhh!"
The sounds of shouts and groans from the people who had already reached the shore ahead of us rang into my old, failing ears.
Whatever our fate may be, I would continue to wonder, whether in the afterlife or in life, what kind of curse this village was born under…
My long life has taught me that hope, like a chakra, runs out.
]
I'm tired of pretending otherwise.
With a deep breath, I shouted at the little ones who were double my size,
"Move aside, you fools. Let me through!"
As the children who grew up in front of their eyes moved aside, I found the dreaded scenery of my nightmares.
On the river shore, the Shinobi sat on the bodies of my villagers, along with a pitch-black body, dressed in little Rei's clothes.
For a second, I remembered all the things that the people who came before and after me talked about our curse.
I choose to drown myself in this seething hatred and despair, hoping for the strength to come.
Like always with my life, it didn't work out.
And I didn't care.
"You-u monster. Do-"
I was interrupted in my angry talk from behind, with my cane waving angrily in the air, as little Sano pulled me back as if I were a kid.
"Now, now, elder. Look properly, they are alright. A bit beaten up and bruised, but they are fine. Even little Rei. Look properly with those foggy eyes."
Ignoring the joke at my old eyes, I watched properly, squinting my old foggy eyes. As he said, the villagers were fine, just beaten up. I grimaced instantly when I saw their identities; they were the most hot-blooded idiots I had ever seen.
I didn't need much brains to figure out the situation. Idiots, the whole lot of them, I knew that this would happen when they ran ahead of me. Curse my weak and old body.
It was little Rei that held most of my attention, like she always did. The kind little girl had lines of writing all over her face, hands and feet. They extended further, leaving no doubt that they were all over her body. Fuinjutsu.
"Fuinjutsu."
Little Sano's words confirmed my own observation. Kids of his generation clearly remembered the red-haired Shinobi who came back then. This Shinobi had succeeded, despite his own failures.
"Hello there! I am Kyudo Kirito. I have a feeling the last introduction didn't stick."
The Shinobi's voice made me turn towards him. Black armour, hair combed into spikes, and muscles filled with scars, he looked like a typical shinobi in his twenties.
Ah! The soulless eyes were the most iconic feature of Shinobi. At least those who lived long enough had them.
Perhaps he and my villagers took my silence as a sign of peace; everyone stood there on the shore like a silent statue. Soon, one by one, the downed idiots woke up, idiots who tried to take on a shinobi who managed to knock out little Rei.
"Idiots, get here!"
The groaning idiots came behind me to hide as per my instructions. In the back of my mind, I thought it was a funny sight. Seeing the idiots, they woke up to the face of Shinobi as he sat on them.
I don't know what the Shinobi was thinking, lifting his ass and resting it as each of my idiot kids rose.
Soon, the only ones in my line of sight were little Rei and the Shinobi.
The silence didn't last.
A weak groan, a stir signalled her waking up—Rei.
Her eyes fluttered open like someone pulled from deep waters, breath shallow, limbs limp. Even from here, I could see it. She was more than tired. She looked exhausted.
As if her body was still here, but the soul hadn't fully caught up yet.
The Shinobi didn't greet her with warmth or relief. He didn't even pretend.
"You're uglier than I expected."
The words hit like a stone in the gut. Especially, when considering how she looked now.
I winced.
Especially when I saw the Fuin marks crawling across her skin—shifting, flickering with her breath.
She didn't even react to the insult at first.
Only whispered, voice desperate, trembling at the edges,
"Did it… work?"
The Shinobi gave a simple nod. "Yes."
But his eyes weren't on her. They were somewhere distant, like he was listening to an answer no one else could hear.
"Try to provoke it," he said, quiet but clear.
"Get angry. Or panic."
Rei blinked slowly, her voice still that same sweet thing I remembered since her toddler days, "Oh. I'm panicking."
"Then get angry," he replied, calm as ever.
Rei's brows furrowed. Confused.
Lost.
The Shinobi's hand rose without hesitation and smacked the top of her head.
"So? Are you angry now?"
She stared, stunned. Then answered with her usual restraint,
"Yes."
He looked her dead in the eyes and said flatly, "Yeah. I don't think so."
Another slap, this time right on her cheek. Louder.
"Now?"
Rei groaned, "YOU—"
But even that heat was hollow. She looked down. The fire vanished. And in its place, that too-familiar sorrow crept in. It always did.
Especially when she realised the whole village was watching her again. Her lips trembled. Her eyes didn't meet anyone's.
"…Help me," she whispered.
There it was. The strangest plea I'd ever heard. And somehow, the most honest. The Shinobi didn't hesitate as if he understood exactly what she meant. His hand reached out and, in one swift motion, closed around her throat.
"You were beautiful before," he muttered, eyes cold. "Now you look like a demon. A cursed ghost from the old stories."
She flinched.
That word. Cursed.
He didn't know it, but those words struck bone.
Still… it wasn't enough.
I could tell.
So could he.
"Not enough," he said.
Then let her fall.
Rei collapsed, wheezing, dry-heaving into the dirt. By now, the rest of the village was almost at my back. Feet pounding with purpose. Rage ready.
Ready to teach this Shinobi a lesson with fists and fury. Despite Rei's consent and the possibly unbelievable reason in the back of my head, rage grew.
He stood there, bored.
"Hmph. Fuck it," he muttered. "You're the one who asked for this."
And then he did something that made my walk stumble—
No, more than that.
I did slip. My cane fell from my hands. I nearly dropped to my knees.
His right arm shot out, fast and crude,
And in one clean, idiotic motion—grabbed Rei's chest.
A silence fell sharp and jagged.
Someone behind me muttered, half in surprise, half in horror, "…The shinobi's got guts."
What he really had was a death wish.
Because Rei—sweet, tired Rei—snapped.
Boom.
The world cracked at the seams. Her body trembled like a struck drum. Fuin markings glowed coal-red, then shifted, expanding—twisting into cloud-like formations that danced and pulsed with pressure.
Not rage.
Wrath.
Sano screamed and took a step back, smart boy. The smarter ones followed. Experience rang true. But, wisdom rang even truer for me. How could they do that?
I couldn't stop.
Even without my cane. Even with my joints screaming.
I couldn't stop now.
Even as the Shinobi was easily dodging or taking the hits with ease, I couldn't care less.
I jumped.
"Elder!"
My name was shouted, but ignored. I threw my arms around Rei's waist, flame-like chakra licking at my sleeves.
She froze. Completely stunned.
I turned her face to mine hurriedly, my wrinkled hands still strong enough for this one act.
Her face met mine—eyes glowing with anger, framed by symbols that writhed like they were alive.
I smiled and cried at the same time, in utter joy. My whole lips trembling, I uttered, "So this… this is what you look like when you're angry."
And I broke.
Tears. Snot. The whole mess. Ran out like floods.
My chest heaved with hiccups, my knees finally gave in, but I held on to Rei, etching every detail of her angry face, without turning into a monster in my foggy eyes.
One by one, the others came.
Sano, Himiko's boy, was the first. Then a dozen more. They all surrounded her. Hugged her.
Not out of fear.
Not restraint.
But for the first time, in all her cursed life—a wholehearted hug without a single hint of fear.
Rei stood frozen, trembling as arms wrapped around her like a fortress.
No judgment. No expectation.
Only tears.
Only warmth.
From the circle of her arms, I turned my head toward the Shinobi.
He stood still, watching like a ghost out of place.
"In all her life," I whispered, voice raw and shaking, "This is the first time she was allowed to be angry."
"Thank you, Kyudo Kirito," I said.
From the bottom of a broken old heart made whole for just one moment.
How beautiful it was to be able to be angry without becoming a monster.
How wonderful.
"Thank you. Thank you for breaking the curse."
"*hicuup* Thank you*"
"T-Thank you"
"Thanks, buddy!"
Even as Kirito was submerged in rounds of thanks, filled with hope that rang out for the first time, I cried, laughed, and shouted. Especially little Rei, who looked more alive with a teary laugh on her ugly face than her lifetime of gentle smile on her beautiful face.
"Thank You. Child."