Unnerving at a least

Pain.

That was the first thing Asami felt when her eyes shot open, tears streaming down her face and pooling in her ears. Her heart pounded violently, as if trying to escape her chest, and her breath came in ragged gasps. She stared at the familiar ceiling of her bedroom, her mind racing in confusion.

"No... no, this isn't happening..."

Her fingers trembled as she pushed herself up. The memories came flooding back—vivid and horrifying. The cave, the betrayal, the screams... her brother... Everything. It all felt so real. But now, she was in her room, alive. Not in the cave. Not about to die.

She glanced at the window, her eyes widening in disbelief.

"I'm... back?"

It was ten days before the Vajra invasion. Ten days before everything would fall apart.

She, too, had regressed.

A bitter laugh bubbled up from her throat.

"Hehe... haha... hahahahaha!"

Her voice cracked, hysteria threatening to take hold as she whispered to herself.

"..."

"Is this some kind of joke?"

She fell silent, her breath shaking as flashbacks of her brother's brutal death played in her mind. His lifeless eyes, the sound of his neck breaking...

Asami gasps

"Naoto!!!"

Tears poured from her eyes as she stumbled out of bed and rushed into the next room, where her parents and brother were just waking up.

She threw herself onto Naoto, hugging him tightly. "You're alright! You're okay!"

Her parents exchanged confused glances. "Asami? Are you okay, sweetie? Did you have a nightmare?"

Naoto squirmed in her grip, his voice muffled.

"Onee-chan... it's suffocating..." But Asami didn't move, didn't respond. She just held her brother tighter, shaking as the overwhelming relief and despair washed over her. Her parents tried to comfort her, but she barely heard them. Naoto eventually fell silent, unsure of what to say.

The sudden plunge from the hell she'd experienced back into the comforts of her old life strained her mind. Asami cried herself to sleep, still clutching Naoto.

When she finally awoke, her eyes opened slowly.

"..."

The ceiling above her looked the same as it had that morning. She realized with a sinking feeling that everything was still real. The invasion, the deaths... it was all waiting to happen.

She sat up slowly, her body aching from the emotional toll. She'd slept for twelve hours since morning, but her mind still felt heavy. Even though she had cried herself to exhaustion, the pain lingered, dulled but present.

For thirty long minutes, she sat in silence, staring at nothing.

Eventually, she stood up. She had to see her family, had to confirm they were still here. She hurried down the hallway, her bare feet pattering softly against the cold floor.

And then she saw him.

At the far end of the palace hallway stood Ruga.

Her mind went blank.

Anger, hatred, and distrust flared within her like a raging inferno. All her negative emotions engulfed her, and before she knew it, murderous intent filled her heart. She took a step toward him, her hands clenching into fists.

But before she could make her move, she felt arms wrap around her from behind.

"Asami! You're okay! Gosh, I was so worried. You just broke down and cried for an hour earlier. Everyone thought you'd had the worst nightmare ever!"

It was Saki Takabusa, her best friend from one of the Hayabusa branch families. She tightened the hug, trying to comfort Asami.

"Asami... what's with that look? You look like you're about to kill someone."

Asami's breath came in quick, ragged bursts, her chest heaving with barely suppressed fury. But slowly, her breathing calmed.

"N-No, I'm fine," she whispered, though her trembling hands said otherwise.

Saki looked past her toward the end of the hallway.

"Wait... Ruga? Did he do something to you? Did he, like, cheat on you or something?" She teased, a playful smirk crossing her face.

slight thud!

Asami lightly hit Saki's head in frustration.

"Shut up. It's not like that."

But her anger resurfaced as she turned her gaze back toward Ruga. She didn't care about the consequences. She didn't care about anything anymore. All she wanted was to kill him, to make him pay for everything he'd done.

But Ruga had already disappeared inside.

Saki, sensing something was deeply wrong, grabbed Asami's arm and pulled her back.

"Come on, let's go back to the others. You're scaring me. We need to talk this out."

Reluctantly, Asami allowed Saki to drag her away, her mind swirling with dark thoughts. On the walk back to her rooms, she began to think clearly for the first time since her regression.

Ruga had always been stronger than her. And now, after regressing twelve times and commanding the Vajra, he was most likely beyond her.

He must be way stronger than I know. I better find a way to kill him properly.