Chapter 383: Extra 2

My name is Yamanaka Aoi.

I'm the daughter of the current head of the Yamanaka clan.

When people talk about noble clans, they often mention the mighty Senju, the fearsome Uchiha, the rising Hagoromo, the resilient Uzumaki, or the proud Hyūga.

But!

The Yamanaka, allied with the Nara and Akimichi, and bolstered by support from the Sarutobi, have never been weak. Combined, our strength rivals any top-tier shinobi clan. Even in these war-torn times, we've maintained our footing.

So, I had a rather happy childhood. My greatest joy?

Reading.

Our Yamanaka clan specializes in memory-reading techniques. So when it comes to books, especially autobiographies, we've got them in abundance.

From a young age, I was immersed in these oceans of words, living thousands of lives through the eyes of others.

As I grew up, I had an idea—why not write a book myself?

But who would I write about?

My own story? Boring.

My family? Too close. I'd have to sugarcoat everything.

No, it had to be someone else.

The only problem was... the outside world had become far too dangerous.

Still—

I had made up my mind. I was going out!

Not just to write a book—but to escape an unwanted engagement.

The Nara boy was too dull. The Akimichi one? Too big. The Sarutobi heir? Already acting like a thirty-year-old.

As for those within my own clan—too familiar. No spark.

So, just like the heroes in the tales I loved, I ran away from home.

Maybe, just maybe, I'd meet the one fate had written for me.

Heehee.

But reality hit hard.

Outside was nothing like the romantic adventures I'd read.

Battles raged everywhere.

Ninja, nobles, samurai, bandits—every kind of chaos you could imagine.

Disasters and tragedies unfolded before my eyes.

I did what I could—but it wasn't enough.

I started to doubt: Was there anyone left in this world worthy of becoming the protagonist of my book?

Still, I pressed on.

And then—I arrived at a place called Fuyū Village.

They were holding a wedding.

But everyone was either laughing hysterically or crying miserably. It felt... wrong.

Curious, I investigated.

I soon learned that a local tyrant—an abusive ninja—had been killed by a passing young man. He asked for no reward. He just... walked away.

A wandering hero?

My eyes lit up. I memorized the villagers' description of him.

As time passed, I heard more of his deeds.

He killed bandits. Saved civilians. Defeated corrupt shinobi and even arrogant nobles.

I documented every rumor.

And little by little, my interest in him grew.

Eventually—I learned his name:

Hagoromo Gensou.

A man of the Hagoromo clan?

I decided to follow his trail, to see with my own eyes if he was worthy of my story.

I gathered more tales of his exploits.

And one day—I caught up to him.

In a town littered with corpses, the culprit was a crazed shinobi from the Taketori clan, his Shikotsumyaku awakened.

As for Gensou—I only saw his back.

But I could feel it. The sheer rage radiating from him.

Soon, he and the Taketori man clashed.

I wanted to help—but I was too weak.

As they fought farther away, I heard cries for help from the ruins.

In the end, I stayed behind to help the survivors.

I didn't know it then—

But that was the closest I'd ever come to Hagoromo Gensou.

After the town was taken care of, I learned Gensou had defeated the Taketori.

I was so relieved.

Determined, I made him the main subject of my book.

But fate... is cruel.

I never saw him again.

Instead, I kept hearing new tales—

He assassinated Lord Ishikawa and distributed food to the poor.

He hunted dark arts users.

He punished corrupt nobles—even daimyō.

I kept writing.

And my resolve grew stronger.

One day, I heard he returned to the Hagoromo clan to become their clan head.

That same day, the Yamanaka found me and brought me home.

Back home, I began compiling all the material on Gensou and formally started writing his biography.

I kept asking for updates on him, too.

He probably didn't know—

that a girl he had never met, far across the land, was writing his story.

Heehee.

I thought I would be writing for many years.

But then…

Just a short while after I moved to Konoha—

I heard the outcome of the Battle of Kamikakushi Valley.

I was silent.

And then… I cried.

Because somewhere along the way, I had fallen in love with the man in my book.

With the real Hagoromo Gensou.

Now, I had to write the final chapter.

I wanted to publish the book—to let the world know who he truly was.

But Father refused.

Because in the eyes of the village—Gensou was an enemy.

In the end, the book was sealed away in our clan's archives.

And I sealed myself away, too.

Sometimes, I look up at the sky.

Maybe… somewhere out there is a world just like ours—

but without regrets.

And in that world…

I'm with Gensou.

Good luck, the other me.

I hope you get to finish the rest of our story.

...

My name is Yamanaka Ino, daughter of the current Yamanaka Clan Head in Konoha.

One day, while exploring the family archives, I found a dusty old book.

To my surprise, it was a biography of Hagoromo Gensou, written by a distant ancestor named Yamanaka Aoi.

Curious, I began reading.

And I became completely captivated.

Not long after—I met Gensou in person.

Though he was in disguise.

But still!

We talked! A lot!

Even though the village was suspicious of him—

I never doubted what I'd read.

Then came the war that shook the whole shinobi world.

I wavered.

But after I was captured… and later set to work…

I saw it with my own eyes.

Under Gensou's rule, the world changed for the better.

True peace.

Food, shelter, happiness—things we'd never known in such abundance.

That's when I understood—

Aoi-senpai was right all along.

Soon after, I was released.

Back home, I picked up the biography again.

I thought for a moment—

Then grabbed a pen.

Gensou's story isn't over yet.

Aoi-senpai—

I'll write the rest.

(End of Chapter)

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