In the dim cave, Kaito's figure shot backward, moving to the entrance. He formed a sword with his fingers, pointed it forward, and shouted, "What demon is this, daring to frighten this humble priest! Show yourself at once!"
The blurry figure stood still for a moment, then drifted toward Kaito. As it reached the mouth of the cave, it revealed the form of a young girl.
Her voice was a mixture of surprise and boundless excitement. "Kaito, you can see me?!"
"Huh?" Kaito looked closely and realized the figure was somewhat familiar. "Tetsuren, is that you?"
"Yes, yes! It's me, Tetsuren!" She floated forward, trying to get closer, but Kaito held up a hand to stop her.
"Hold on, let me get this straight." Kaito raised his other hand to his temple, rubbing it with a deep frown, clearly in serious thought. "The Tetsuren I remember died in the Village Hidden in the Whirling Tides. I buried her body myself. By now, it's probably just a pile of bones. Logically, her soul should have gone to the Pure Land. Why would she suddenly appear before me?"
"I don't know either." Tetsuren seemed just as troubled, tapping her head. "At that time, I was still waiting for you to come back, but I just couldn't hold on any longer, and I lost consciousness. In a daze, I think I saw a golden light, and when I woke up again, I was like this."
"No one could see me or touch me, including you. It was only then that I realized I must have become what the legends call a ghost. Just when I thought I was going to live on in loneliness like this, you could finally see me. I'm so, so happy!"
As she spoke, her voice choked up a little, and she looked at Kaito with a wronged expression, looking as if she might pounce on him at any moment.
Kaito studied Tetsuren's translucent form. She was still wearing the same clothes she had on before she died, though there were no bloodstains on them now. Seeing her sincere expression, which didn't seem feigned, Kaito guessed this might be the influence of Arceus.
But, why did only Tetsuren become a ghost? Plenty of people have died around me. Is it because my desire to save Tetsuren was particularly strong?
He couldn't figure it out and still held a sliver of doubt. So, he said, "Those words don't prove you're Tetsuren. What if you're some strange monster that has deliberately taken on Tetsuren's appearance to steal my yang energy? And besides, the Tetsuren I knew was an iron-willed warrior. She wouldn't make such a pitiful face."
"I'm not some strange monster, and I'm not some iron-willed warrior! I'm just Tetsuren!" Tetsuren puffed out her cheeks, clearly angry.
"Then tell me something only the two of us would know."
"Fine!" She ticked off points on her fingers, recounting events they had experienced together. "The first time we met was at the Kenpu Dojo, and we even had a match. I was always pestering you for a duel, but I always lost. My first mission as a samurai was to accompany you back to your village. Afterward, instead of returning to the Land of Iron, I chose to travel with you. During our travels, the thing that left the deepest impression on me was that rainy night when you called down lightning from the heavens..."
Kaito listened quietly until she finished, then shrugged. "Hmm, everything you said is correct. But, that doesn't necessarily prove you're Tetsuren. I can't rule out the possibility that you're a monster who first stole her memories and then disguised yourself as her."
"..."
Tetsuren felt her heart grow weary. She sighed. "Then what do you want me to do to make you believe me?"
"I don't know. You figure it out."
"..." Tetsuren lowered her head, silently found a corner to sit in, hugged her knees, and buried her head.
Er, did she just shut down? Kaito felt a bit bad. He walked over and said softly, "Alright, I'll stop teasing you. I actually believe you now, Tetsuren."
"Really?" Tetsuren didn't look up, her voice muffled as her head remained buried in her knees.
"Really," Kaito said earnestly, moving to stand in front of her.
"That's great, you believe me..." Tetsuren's voice suddenly became ethereal.
She snapped her head up. Her eyeballs had fallen out, revealing two dark, empty sockets. The corners of her mouth stretched to her ears, and a long, thin red tongue lolled out. She was the very image of a terrifying ghoul.
"!" Without a second thought, Kaito's feet flashed with golden light, and he stomped on the ground. As the earth shattered, he launched himself back dozens of meters like a cannonball.
To his surprise, Tetsuren followed him like a shadow.
"Not good, this ghost is fierce!" Kaito's hands burst into flames. Just as he was about to attack, he heard a peal of silvery laughter.
"Hahahaha! I scared you, didn't I?" Tetsuren returned to her original appearance, clutching her stomach and roaring with laughter, pointing at Kaito. Where was the ghastly specter from a moment ago?
"Er." Kaito was speechless. Had he just been played?
"Hmph! Serves you right for not believing me earlier!" Tetsuren straightened up, glanced at Kaito, and couldn't help but laugh again. "Sorry, your scared face was just too funny. I couldn't resist."
"..." Kaito shook his head. "Now I really doubt if you're Tetsuren. The Tetsuren I knew was definitely not this cute!"
"So much time has passed, people change, don't they? Or did you want me to be the same as before, only knowing how to fight recklessly?"
"Wait, you said a lot of time has passed?" Kaito caught the key piece of information. "When did you wake up?"
"On the day I died, of course. I even watched the whole process of you burying my body. It's been almost three years now. Three years! Do you have any idea what these three years have been like for me? No one could see me, no one could talk to me, and no one could touch me. I could only entertain myself, like... popping my eyeballs out to play with."
"...That sounds pretty pathetic," Kaito sighed. "So you've been by my side this whole time?"
"It's not like I could leave even if I wanted to. I tried. I can't go more than ten meters away from you. I can only move around you," Tetsuren said helplessly, floating around him.
"Then doesn't that mean you've seen... everything?" Kaito covered his body, his face a picture of disbelief.
"Tch. Who would want to look at your body? It's not much to look at," Tetsuren said, turning her back, seemingly unable to face him.
"Sorry. To protect my innocence, I have no choice but to silence you."
Before his words had even faded, Kaito was upon her, his hand chopping toward her neck like a knife.
Tetsuren rolled her eyes, ignoring him and letting his hand pass straight through her body.
"Whoa, you really can't touch me."
"Why would I lie to you?"
"I don't believe it." Kaito snapped his fingers, and a small flame appeared on his index finger. He moved it toward Tetsuren's arm.
"It's no use, I've already tried... Hiss! Hot, hot, hot!" Tetsuren yelped, flying up and rubbing her arm in shock. "Why? I'm sure I tried this before!"
Kaito exhaled, extinguishing the flame, and said with a smile, "Heh heh. Who knows?"