Chapter 43: The Dark Ren
Ren burned in flames as memories of his past and present flashed in front of him. The curses of his parents, the fear, pain, and everything crashed down on him.
His mind was subjected to endless pain. The intense emotional surge suffocated him. Everything felt false.
"Who am I?" "Who are you?" "Who are you?" The questions started echoing from every direction.
Hinata and Ino turned towards Ren. "Hey, what are you doing just standing there?" Ino asked, confused.
Ren just stood there. Hinata and Ino frowned. Ino formed a hand sign. "R—"
She took a step back.
Hinata caught her. Before she could say anything, Ino again formed a hand sign. (Ren is under some kind of mind attack.) Ino's voice came into Hinata's mind.
(What? What do you mean a mind attack?) Hinata froze.
(I don't know. When he didn't respond, I tried to ask him mentally, but his mind is trapped, so I was pushed back. Hinata, we need to move him out.) Ino's face remained calm, but her mind was filled with panic.
(Calm down, Ino. It's not the time to freak out or panic.) Hinata said. Ino calmed down as her mind raced.
(I will use a Yin clone to make him take a few steps back. You go to the washroom, create two shadow clones. When I give the signal, teleport Ren to the safe house and leave the two clones here. Once you two are gone, I will form a shadow clone and come behind you.)
(All right. I will keep the medical equipment ready just in case.) Hinata said. "I will be back from the washroom." She said to everyone and walked out.
No one reacted to Hinata going to the washroom. Ino clenched her fist and took some breaths to calm down. 'Phew, calm down. A ninja should never panic. The more desperate the situation, the calmer one should remain.'
Ino formed a hand sign as her Yin chakra formed a Yin clone, and Ren took a step back.
She sighed and formed another Yin clone. She closed her eyes. Her sensory jutsu activated as she searched for anyone observing them. 'Good, no one is really focused here. But then who used a mind jutsu on Ren?'
She shook the thought away. Inside the washroom, Hinata formed two clones, and one transformed into Ren. She grabbed them and calmed herself.
(Hina, ready?) Ino asked. (Yes.) Hinata replied. (Okay, wait for my signal.)
(Now.) Hinata teleported to Ren, released the clones, grabbed Ren, and teleported to the safe house. Ino sighed.
Shikamaru turned towards them. "Hmm, when did Hinata get back?"
"Just now," Hinata said as she walked back to her spot.
Ren yawned. Shikamaru looked between them; something wasn't right. "Well, I will be going to the washroom then," Ino said as she walked away.
After a while, Ino came back.
In the safe house, Hinata sat holding Ren's arm as he was laid on the bed by her. His eyes were dull.
Ino arrived there and rushed towards Ren. "All vital signs are normal. No danger to his life yet. But his mind—" Hinata stopped.
Ino bit her lip. "Let me try some—" Hinata grabbed her hand. "Use mind link," Hinata said.
"Wha—what?"
"You are going to use mind link, right? Link me too," Hinata said with a firm tone.
"Hi—"
"Don't. I'm not asking for your permission. Do it."
"Oi, I'm not your servant. Tsk." Ino snorted as she grabbed her hand and lay down on the bed near Ren, grabbing his hand.
She formed hand signs with a single hand and grabbed Hinata. Soon, both fell asleep as their minds were linked.
Hinata and Ino froze as they started falling into an endless sea. Voices started echoing in their minds. "You are a talentless Hyuga." "I'm disappointed in you, Ino."
{Warning..... Trial interruption detected!}
{Processing..... Processing...}
{Adjusting the trial....}
{Final Mission Activated....}
Ino and Hinata fell into the sea, and soon the sea disappeared. In front of them sat Ren, dull-eyed, frozen in thorny ice vines.
"Rennnn!" Ino and Hinata shouted, just as images started playing in front of them. A world without Ren. A world where everything was different. A world where they had families.
"This???" Ino and Hinata froze, looking at everything. "You could have lived those lives," a voice echoed as a figure materialized.
"Who are you?" Hinata asked. Ino narrowed her eyes. The man in front of them looked exactly like Ren, but he gave off a sad and lonely feeling.
"That does not matter. What matters is that those could have been your lives if not for Ren. But Ren interfered and changed your lives because of his selfish reasons. He wanted you both. He was a selfish, lustful guy after your bodies."
Hinata and Ino froze as they looked at the images floating in front of them. A mature Hinata smiling with Naruto. A mature Ino scolding a man.
"This was your future, which Ren destroyed," the dark Ren said as images started flooding Hinata and Ino's minds.
The Chunin Exams, the Konoha Crush, the Pain attack, the 4th Ninja War, the weddings.
Hinata and Ino fell to their knees, panting. "Thi—this?" They looked at each other in disbelief and turned towards the frozen Ren in thorny ice vines.
"Yes, that would have been your future, but he changed it. He is an anomaly, a person who shouldn't have existed. A fraud using the knowledge of the future and past, manipulating you all, making you fall for him," the dark Ren continued.
Each word landed on Ino and Hinata's hearts. "So everything was fake?" Ino asked as her face was lowered and covered in shadow.
"He manipulated us?" Hinata muttered as her face was also hidden in shadow.
"Yes, he is a selfish, lustful fraud, an anomaly. A soul that wandered here and started using his knowledge to manipulate everyone. A disgusting man who should be burned in hellfire for eternity."
[[ Note - what do you think should happen to ren , hinata and Ino's relationship? Will thay accept ren ? Will thay hate him? ]]