Anbu

Akuma lay on his orphanage bed, staring at the ceiling, deep in thought. The presence of the ANBU still lingered—he could sense them on the rooftop. Thanks to the Absolute Dimension Lock Ring, not only could he see them, but he could hear their hushed conversations, fragmented pieces of their words floating through the air. They were still watching him closely. 

His mind drifted back to the earlier incident. The flare of the Satsui no Hado had caught him by surprise. It had erupted without warning, a surge of power he hadn't noticed until it was too late. The moment he instinctively reached for the Absolute Dimension Lock Ring, preparing for a fight, startled him. That was a reaction he hadn't expected from himself. 

Lately, his irritability had been spiraling out of control. He had become quicker to anger, lashing out with little provocation. This wasn't the calculated Akuma he knew. He was always composed, analyzing situations, waiting for the right moment. Yet, today he had struck Sasuke for something as trivial as disrespect. 

The more he thought about it, the more unsettling it became. 

Rather than dwell on his confusion, Akuma closed his eyes and began unraveling every moment of his life. His mind replayed memories, each interaction, each decision, analyzing every detail. He sifted through his thoughts, letting them settle like sand in a storm. Over an hour passed before a theory began to take shape. 

The ANBU hadn't been watching him for long. He was certain of it. Three key reasons supported his theory. 

First, from the snippets of conversation he overheard, it was clear their knowledge of him was limited. If they had been observing him for a longer period, they would have known more—details about his habits, his strengths, his weaknesses. 

Second, every weekend, Akuma left the orphanage to train in his hidden cave, always wearing the Absolute Dimension Lock Ring. If the ANBU had known about the ring, they wouldn't have dared to enter its range. He would have felt their presence immediately, as he did today. Their lack of awareness about the ring meant their surveillance window was likely no more than a week. 

And third, Akuma reflected on his own behavior. In the past week, he hadn't interacted with many people. There had been no arguments, no conflicts—just training, as usual. Nothing that should have raised suspicion. 

Except for today. After he slapped Sasuke, the ANBU had already begun following him. That meant they had started watching him before the incident in the woods. What had triggered their attention? 

Akuma's brow furrowed. The only thing that stood out was earlier that day, at the Academy. 

"I must have lost control of the Satsui no Hado back then... just like I did tonight." 

The realization made Akuma's grip tighten. "It's happening more often now... and I didn't even notice. Someone must have sensed it." 

If the ANBU had noticed, Danzo had almost certainly caught wind of it. And if Danzo knew, there was a near 99% chance the Hokage did as well. The weight of the thought pressed down on him. 

Danzo wouldn't hesitate to eliminate a potential threat. If both he and the Hokage were keeping tabs on him, things were far more complicated than Akuma had first assumed. 

"I need to be careful," Akuma murmured, his expression hardening. "If Danzo sees me as a danger, he'll move swiftly. Even if the Hokage tries to intervene, he won't hesitate to take me out." 

With that, Akuma resolved to lay low for a few months. If the ANBU hadn't acted yet, they hadn't decided if he was a threat. Their hesitation meant he had time—time to complete his mission. 

As his thoughts shifted inward, he felt the unsettling changes in his personality again. His mind returned to the source of his frustration—the Satsui no Hado. 

The theory that had begun to form earlier now took shape more fully. He hadn't just inherited Akuma's martial arts genius from Street Fighter; it seemed he had inherited some of his personality as well. Akuma's constant search for confrontation—his need to fight, to test his strength against worthy opponents—was starting to influence him. 

But what concerned Akuma most was the Satsui no Hado itself. He had focused so much on controlling his Ki, believing the Satsui no Hado would be more difficult to manage. He had planned to master his Ki first, then deal with the Satsui no Hado later. 

But now, it was clear he had overlooked something crucial. 

The Satsui no Hado wasn't just tied to his power—it was tied to his emotions. 

Every time his emotions flared, the Satsui no Hado followed suit, spiraling out of control without him even realizing it. Just like today. 

The realization hit hard. Controlling his emotions wasn't just important—it was essential. Without emotional discipline, the Satsui no Hado would continue to slip through his grasp, endangering everything he had worked for. 

Akuma's expression darkened further. His fists clenched, then relaxed. 

From this point forward, he would follow the same path the original Akuma had taken. He would limit the use of the Satsui no Hado, reserving it only for moments where it was absolutely necessary. If he used it too often, his emotions would take over, forcing him to become the very thing he feared—impulsive, uncontrollable. 

Even though the Satsui no Hado couldn't corrupt his mind, his own dark thoughts and emotions were slowly changing him. He could feel it—subtle shifts in his personality, growing more aggressive and impulsive. 

Meditation. He would meditate regularly, using it to control his emotions. It wouldn't be easy, but it was the only way. 

He couldn't let his emotions—or his power—control him. He needed to be the one in charge. 

With that resolve in mind, Akuma pushed aside the darkness in his heart, focusing instead on his breathing. The path ahead wouldn't be easy. But he would master the Satsui no Hado. 

For now, though, he would wait and see what happens before making any further decisions. 

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