CHAPTER 6

Their visit ended, and they soon returned home. It had been a long day, and now they sat together in quiet reflection, gazing at each other across the low table. Her mother cradled a cup of freshly brewed tea between her hands, steam rising in delicate curls. Asami did the same. The subtle aroma of herbs and flowers danced in the air, soothing their senses. Neither spoke, unwilling to disturb the tranquility that blanketed the room like a gentle fog.

Time slipped by, and the day surrendered to night. The sun dipped below the horizon, and darkness spread its veil over the village. Silence settled in—thick, heavy, and stifling. It was a silence born of shared thoughts and unspoken worries, and even the thickest of ice is destined to shatter.

Her mother let out a slow, deliberate sigh before speaking. "It seems like the village council will soon ask you to take the entrance exam."

Asami gave a small nod. "It does seem so..."

Her mother continued. "They'll try everything to secure your enrolment into the Academy, regardless of how you perform."

Asami agreed, "They will..." They both knew it. Asami more than anyone. Even her mother realized that her enrolment was not a question of if, but when.

Okaa-san took another sip of her tea. "Do you truly want to become a kunoichi? Is that your heart's desire, Asami?"

Asami lowered her head, deep in thought. "What I want matters less than what is expected of me. I don't think I have much of a choice. If this is the path I must walk, then so be it. I'm not afraid."

Perhaps her mother didn't know, but deep within, Asami's soul was no stranger to combat. Her very essence had been forged in the crucible of past lives and endless conflict. Perhaps the time had come for happiness to yield to purpose. The ghosts of a past existence had returned to beckon her. Once again, the battlefield called her name.

"..." Her mother stared into her tea, her eyes distant. "You don't have to be afraid... There are always ways to avoid enrolment. If you wish to escape that fate, we'll do everything in our power. A significant contribution to the village treasury and the right pockets should be enough to resolve it. It wouldn't be the first time something like this happened. If you truly don't want to become a kunoichi, Asami-chan, you don't have to. Unlike many others, you have the freedom to choose. And I will never force you."

"..." Asami remained silent, not acknowledging the suggestion of bribery.

Okaa-san sighed again, heavier this time. "In truth, I don't want you to join the Academy at all."

Asami raised an eyebrow, a flicker of curiosity in her expression. "Why?"

Okaa-san hesitated. "The life of a kunoichi is filled with danger. I couldn't bear the thought of losing you, Asami-chan. But there's more to it than that..." Her hand stiffened. The cup in her grasp trembled as tension coiled in her fingers. There was bitterness in her voice—deep-seated resentment and lingering anger.

"..." Asami's eyes softened. "Okaa-san..."

Her mother's voice dropped, tinged with grief. "They claim to be the guardians of peace, the defenders of the Will of Fire... but in truth, many of them are cowards. They hide behind noble words and self-righteous promises. Just like your father."

A heavy silence fell between them.

"I once believed in those ideals. I believed that the shinobi protected the village, that they upheld justice. I believed in the strength of the Will of Fire, in the idea that we were all one family. I was young. Naive. I dreamt of becoming a kunoichi, of making a difference. But some dreams aren't meant to be. I never met the standards to enter the Academy. I was frail, and my health constantly failed me."

She stared into the past, her voice trembling. "Years passed, and I let that dream go. But my faith in the shinobi remained. They were still heroes in my eyes. Eventually, I fell in love—with a shinobi. A young, promising chūnin. It was love at first sight."

Her hands quivered, and she pressed the teacup tighter against her palms. "I tried so many times to tell him. Every time, I lost my nerve. But eventually, I summoned the courage and confessed. He didn't reject me. I believed it was the beginning of our future. I was blind. Love had clouded my judgment. Then you came into my life, Asami."

Her voice cracked with emotion. "I was so happy. Finally, we could be a family. I confronted him... and that's when he revealed his true face. That day, he renounced me—renounced us. It was the moment I realized everything had been a lie. He looked at me like I was beneath him. I was just another mistake, a woman to discard once used. He despised me. He saw me as worthless."

Her grip on the teacup finally broke. Tears trickled down her cheeks.

Kurano clenched her fists, her voice breaking with bitterness. "He discarded us like garbage. That day, my illusion shattered. I learned the truth—ninja are not heroes. They are wolves cloaked in sheep's clothing."

Her voice grew cold. "In the end, they care only for power. For glory. They take what they want, and we—the weak—we give and are left broken. That's why I despise ninja. I hate them all. I cannot bear to lose you, Asami. You're all I have left. You are my world."

"Okaa-san..." Asami's heart ached at the sight before her. Her mother—once so proud and full of warmth—stood before her now as a fragment of her former self. A soul scarred by betrayal and tragedy. She didn't deserve this torment. She didn't deserve any of it.

Without another word, Asami reached out and wrapped her arms around her mother, embracing her fragile form. Her grip was gentle, protective—an unspoken promise. She held her close, shielding her from the cold, cruel memories of a world that had shown them no mercy.

"I will never leave you, Okaa-san," she whispered. "No matter what happens, I will always stand by your side. I will protect you—with my life, and with my soul."