Chapter 97: 93: The Battle Between Women
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In the lounge, an eerie silence enveloped the space.
Shiraishi sat on a chair in the lounge, his mind racing as he thought about his next move.
His gaze remained fixed on the entrance to the women's bathhouse. It had been at least ten minutes since Ruri had entered, yet there was no sign of any activity.
But, so far... nothing had happened.
No matter which angle he thought about it, Shiraishi couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.
Whether it was the deafening explosion or the horrific image of the hot spring being engulfed in flames, Shiraishi couldn't be at peace with the silence that now prevailed.
What the h*ll is going on nside?
Could it be that Ayane had already left?
After all, Shiraishi had intentionally raised his voice earlier, hoping to alert Ayane, who was still in the hot spring, to be ready to make her escape.
But something about this situation felt off to Shiraishi.
Restlessly shifting in his seat, Shiraishi clutched an unopened bottle of milk, his fingers wrapped tightly around it, yet he made no move to drink it.
It was precisely this unusual silence that was gnawing at him.
Another twenty minutes passed before the sound of footsteps emanated from the entrance of the women's bath. Shiraishi looked up, only to see Ruri and Ayane emerging, both clad in white bathrobes.
Huh?
What was going on? Why hadn't they fought? This was far from normal.
"The hot spring here is truly delightful. Lately, my shoulders have been aching, but now I feel so much better," Ayane said as she strolled over to the lounge, lazily stretching. Her bathrobe accentuated the curves of her generous assets.
No wonder her shoulders were sore. With assets like hers, it was only natural that she experienced discomfort.
In fact, her ample bosom might even affect her combat performance.
"Who told you to eat so much? Your extra... parts are entirely superfluous," Ruri commented, casting a pointed glance at Ayane's chest.
"I've been wondering about that too. My growth spurt wasn't this dramatic before. It might actually be related to my insatiable appetite," Ayane pondered aloud, suggesting that her monsterous chest might be a consequence of her eating habits.
Shiraishi had no room to interject as Ruri and Ayane bantered back and forth like close friends. The scene before him made him question if he had somehow fallen under Ruri's genjutsu.
After all, he knew that Ruri's genjutsu didn't necessarily require the use of the Sharingan.
But... since Ruri's return, they hadn't had any contact, and it seemed implausible that her genjutsu could exert control for such an extended period without detection.
"Well, you two... What happened in there?" Shiraishi couldn't help but inquire.
"What could we do in there, Shiraishi-kun? You're the one acting strangely"
'No, it's you two who are acting strangely', Shiraishi mused, but he kept his thoughts to himself.
While it seemed far-fetched, something about this surreal scene gave him pause.
"Not only that, we even helped each other scrub our backs in there. Those smooth, white muscles..." Ayane began, her voice trailing off suggestively.
"Is that so?" Shiraishi opened the cap of his bottled milk, took a sip to steady himself, and to quell the heat building within.
Ayane had undoubtedly painted an enticing picture, evoking desires he was struggling to contain. Making his body restless.
"Alright, I'm about to leave after soaking in the hot spring."
Ayane declared after she finishedbher bottle of chilled milk. She seemed more at ease now and was preparing to change back into her ninja attire.
"Won't you stay for lunch?" Ruri extended an invitation.
"No, I have many clan matters to attend to," Ayane replied, slipping back into her kimono-style ninja outfit.
"In that case, I'll take my leave. Let's have fun together again when we get the chance," she added before exiting the room, closing the door behind her.
With her departure, Shiraishi's last excuse to escape this situation vanished. Ayane seemed to be a woman who left a man once she was satisfied, without any desire for commitment.
Next time, he'd have to assert himself and remind her who was in charge.
Indiscipline was becoming increasingly problematic.
"How long do you intend to stay here? The research on the Sage Mode is far from complete," Ruri's abrupt question disrupted his thoughts.
"Well, there are some parts that haven't been finished yet, but most of it is done. Is there something you'd like to discuss, Ruri? Should I wait here for you?" Shiraishi inquired, scratching his head.
He figured it was best to offer a sincere apology. After all, this situation was mostly his fault.
As long as he took full responsibility, Ruri would undoubtedly forgive him.
Because Shiraishi was already accustomed to this type of situation, he could react instinctively without thinking.
"If you think about it carefully, it's not a particularly important matter. Just help me gather some tools for suppressing chakra flow. The three genin ninjutsu users in the team are quite weak, so I need special training tools for them."
"Is that all?"
"What else would you expect?"
Observing Shiraishi's restless demeanor, his eyes flicking around, Ruri asked in a monotone voice.
"I thought it had something to do with Ayane..."
"What does Ayane have to do with this?"
"Oh, nothing, forget it. I'll get to work now. I can prepare the items you need today and bring them to you tomorrow morning."
Ruri's team consisted of three Genin, which meant he only needed to create three items to significantly suppress chakra flow. Even though Shiraishi found Ruri's silence about Ayane peculiar, he decided not to disturb her at this moment.
As he distanced himself from the hot spring, there was no sound from behind.
No, something was wrong.
This didn't resemble Ruri at all.
Why was there no movement, whether it was using Fire Release or causing a ruckus with brute force?
This didn't align with Ruri's usual approach.
Even a small amount of movement at this point would provide Shiraishi with some relief.
However, the complete absence of any activity was the biggest anomaly.
There had to be a specific reason for this, but Shiraishi was clueless.
After all, what were Ruri and Ayane doing in the hot spring? Simply helping each other wash their backs like close friends?
Perhaps their relationship wasn't as hostile as he had assumed?
With these concerns in mind, Shiraishi returned to the laboratory. His afternoon experiments were marked by distraction as his thoughts revolved around Ruri.
What was she thinking?
◎
On the other side...
Ayane, on her way back to the Hyuga clan, was frowning
What was going on? Why hadn't the Sharingan woman confronted her?
Recalling their interaction in the hot spring, Ayane's frown deepened.
This wasn't normal.
Their relationship during ninja academy and even afterward in Sakumo's team hadn't been marked by such intimacy.
What was the Sharingan woman up to? Why hadn't she taken action when Ayane had been prepared to fight?
For some reason, Ayane sensed that the Sharingan woman had become more formidable than before, not just in strength but in her mental fortitude as well.
"Where have you been, Ayane?"
At the entrance to the Hyuga Clan's compound, a male ninja dressed in traditional Hyuga attire stood waiting for Ayane's return.
"Fuyuma-senpai, why are you here?"
Though Ayane felt a touch of irritation at having her thoughts interrupted, she maintained a polite demeanor.
Politeness was her way of keeping distance, demonstrating neither familiarity nor aloofness, and Ayane believed this was the most effective approach.
Hyuga Fuyuma, however, thought differently. He believed that within the Hyuga Clan, there was no one more terrifying than this young woman under the age of twenty precisely because of this her unpredictable demeanor.
"You've been gone since morning, a total of two and a half hours. Where were you?"
Fuyuma understood that if he wanted to gain the upper hand in this conversation with Ayane, he couldn't respond to her questions.
"While I would like to answer your question, Fuyuma-senpai, this task was given to me by Hiashi-sama, and it's confidential..."
Ayane wore an apologetic expression, as if genuinely sorry for not being able to provide an answer.
"...you know your responsibilities."
"Hiashi-sama has approved it."
Seeing Ayane once again use her courtesy as a shield, Fuyuma knew this matter would likely end without resolution.
What Ayane was doing hadn't crossed the Hyuga Clan's boundaries; at most, the elders would offer a few reprimands, but they wouldn't take any significant action.
After all, losing such a valuable combat asset would be a considerable loss for the Hyuga Clan.
Moreover, the elders wouldn't concern themselves with minor details when they had a caged bird as a safeguard.
"If Fuyuma-senpai doesn't have any other business, I'll get back to work."
Ayane was ready to leap past Fuyuma.
"Just don't get caught by me."
"Caught? What are you talking about? Fuyuma-senpai, you're quite mysterious."
"You may have fooled everyone, but it's impossible to deceive my eyes. I've been observing your every move."
"Fuyuma-senpai... You truly are strange person."
What a bother.
Ayane didn't mind working with someone like him, but she knew she'd grow bored with a buzzing fly around her ears.
She really wanted to swat that annoying fly away quickly.
◎
Dinner ended in a serene atmosphere. Ruri's eyes, complexion, and demeanor remained unchanged. This only deepened Shiraishi's conviction that Ruri's current state of normalcy was the most abnormal aspect of the situation.
Shiraishi had anticipated receiving Ruri's wrath by dinnertime, but it passed without incident, leaving Shiraishi increasingly uneasy. This unease didn't stem from Ruri's lack of anger, but from an indescribable weight in his heart.
"I've already prepared the tools you requested."
"I knew that."
"How does it feel to lead your subordinates on missions?"
"It's nothing special."
"When performing missions, it's best to be cautious. Just like this time, the client misrepresented the mission's difficulty."
"Understood. I won't let my temper get the best of me."
Their conversation was routine, and Ruri responded with her customary expression. Shiraishi was somewhat distracted during the meal, and eventually, he couldn't contain his curiosity any longer.
"Ruri, don't you have any questions for me? For instance, about Ayane's visit this morning..."
"Why do you ask? You're being overly sensitive. Isn't it normal for friends to visit?"
If she genuinely thought that way, Shiraishi felt relieved.
"Alright, I'm done."
Ruri left the statement hanging, and before Shiraishi could say anything more, she had already exited the room.
It was quite late, and the darkness had settled outside. Her destination wasn't the bedroom; it appeared to be the training grounds. Shiraishi was so concerned about Ruri's current state that he didn't even bother to clean up after the meal.
When he reached the training grounds and found Ruri, she was practicing martial arts on wooden stakes. Her strikes were powerful, and the training stakes here were sturdier than the average ones. Nevertheless, every punch resulted in significant cracks in the wood.
Is she truly venting her frustrations here? Shiraishi wondered. Her calm demeanor during the day seemed to be a facade concealing her inner turmoil. After all, someone as proud as her would never reveal weakness to anyone.
Shiraishi sighed internally. "Ruri, I..."
Now was the time to confront this issue directly. It couldn't be evaded any longer.
However, before he could say anything further, he was met with a sudden fierce punch from Ruri. The intense, murderous aura emanating from her sent shivers down his spine.
He knew he couldn't match Ruri's combat abilities, but the sheer force and aura she exuded exceeded his expectations. In order to respond to her, Shiraishi had to harness natural energy.
Although his defenses were impeccable, Ruri, who specialized in frontal assaults, didn't need tricks to find openings; she simply overwhelmed her opponents with brute force.
Her relentless barrage of attacks, was like a violent storm, lasted just half a minute, yet left Shiraishi breathless. Wearing a tight-fitting, jet-black attire with long, flowing hair, she descended from the air, delivering a powerful punch with her gloved fist that caused the ground to resonate with a resounding 'boom.'
The thunderous impact and the persistent, buzzing sound in his ears lasted longer than he could have imagined.
Shiraishi stared at the enormous crater Ruri had created with her punch, his face beaded with cold sweat.
Is she trying to kill me? No matter how resilient one's body might be, taking such a punch head-on would be devastating.
"Where are you looking? How dare you be distracted while sparring with me?"
A cold voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Oops!"
Shiraishi quickly turned, crossing his arms to block Ruri's oncoming fist.
Boom!
His body was sent hurtling through the air and slammed forcefully into the training ground's surrounding wall, creating a hole.
Exhausted, Shiraishi sank to the ground, panting heavily.
Ruri approached him, adjusting her long black hair nonchalantly before placing a hand on her hip, an expression of displeasure on her face.
"You've grown weaker. A year ago, you wouldn't have ended up in such a sorry state. This level doesn't satisfy my desire for a challenge."
"I can't help it. I've been focused on research for over a year. I've had very few training sessions, and I haven't sparred with anyone, so my physical strength and speed have naturally declined."
Shiraishi was quite open-minded and no longer the person who would endlessly bicker with Ruri.
Ruri stared at his face, sighed, and extended her hand to help him up.
Shiraishi reached out as well. This scene was reminiscent of when they were in the academy, with him being lifted from the ground by Ruri after a defeat, searching for her figure before him.
But this time, he wasn't going to let that figure disappear from his life.
As their hands met, Ruri prepared to lift Shiraishi from the ground. However, Shiraishi applied more force than expected, causing her to stumble forward.
Due to this unexpected move, Ruri seemed momentarily bewildered.
"What are you doing—"
Her voice caught in her throat as her lips were suddenly claimed by a kiss. It seemed she understood the situation, for she struggled within Shiraishi's embrace. However, his hold only grew tighter.
Gradually, Ruri forgot everything, and for a moment, it was as if she was kissing for the first time.
The taste was sweet and inexperienced at first, but soon became skilled and passionate. Their bodies grew warmer, and all the frustrations and grievances of the day melted away in that moment.
Ruri's slim, black ninja outfit was thin, accentuating her slender figure, radiating an exquisite beauty. Limbs intertwined, body heat, and scents filled the air.
"Idiot..."
After parting, Ruri softly cursed.
However, for some inexplicable reason, despite her previous kiss and satisfaction, there was still a lingering sense of emptiness. It was clear that he hadn't been entirely satisfied.
'This Bastard!'
"Ehhh.... sorry; I didn't intend to force you."
"I understand. Anyway, if you had, I wouldn't have resisted."
Shiraishi smiled slightly at Ruri's somewhat awkward words.
"Yes, I made you do this."
Shiraishi acknowledged this once more. He accepted full responsibility for his actions, knowing well that Ruri had been restraining her impulses earlier.
This was different from her usual behavior. Previously, Ruri would have unleashed her anger immediately, incinerating him and Ayane with her fiery wrath. But this time, Ruri had cared about his feelings. She wasn't the type to silently endure grievances.
She had never been one to compromise like this before. This was what Shiraishi felt indebted and guilty about.
"Are you still angry?"
"A little..."
"Do you want to continue?"
"Don't ask me such things. No matter what I say, you'll do as you please."
Ruri felt her emotions were incredibly complicated at this moment. She wanted to resist, yet her body always seemed to make its own decisions, allowing this man, skilled in deceit, to take control.
She looked forward to what would happen next, to whether this would last into the future. Her heart raced wildly, more intensely than when she activated the Sharingan.
She felt like she was becoming less and less like herself. Was this... love? Did people in love compromise like this, fitting perfectly with each other? Or was this just a form of possessiveness disguised as 'power'? Whatever it was, she was enjoying it.
Even though she knew the man beneath her was full of lies, she couldn't help but fantasize about things that didn't exist – this man was the only one who treated her this way. Because as long as she believed it, this feeling called 'love' or 'possessive desire' was a happiness that sprang from the depths of her heart.
An hour later.
Ruri sat alone on the grass, her fingers caressing her lips. A faint, sweet smile graced her lips.
The taste, and the sensation, were so full and satisfying. It was a wonderful feeling she had never experienced before, a sense of determination not to lose and to protect this 'love' at all costs.
And so, she knew she needed to seek even greater power to safeguard this newfound emotion.
This unprecedented resolve was as strong as her determination to protect her parents. No matter who or what threatened them, she would eliminate them all.
Shiraishi had already gone back alone, leaving her to relish her sense of accomplishment, like defeating an old enemy. It was something she wanted to savor alone, an experience only she could appreciate fully.
His actions had all been within her expectations, but what she didn't anticipate was that the s
o-called 'love' would be even more beautiful and sweet than she had imagined. It swept her away and allowed her to revel in it.
"Hyuga Ayane, you've lost this battle..."
Her Three Tomoe Sharingan began to glow, casting a pure and beautiful, gentle light like a ruby toward the full moon in the night sky. The evil and coldness were gone.
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