"You idiot, retreat first!"
"You black-as-coal thing, don't you dare order !"
Because of conflicting opinions, the two fused personalities—Uncle's dark side and the black Zetsu-like thing—were bickering madly. The centuries-old scheming black Zetsu wanted to withdraw; after all, live today, fight tomorrow. But the darkened Uchiha Tajima was consud by his obsession: killing Gin.
"Gin… the clan head seems to be arguing with that black thing stuck on him."
The gentle, shy Hikari tugged her cloak bashfully. During the earlier battle she hadn't thought about it, but only now did she rember—she was wearing nothing but the rcury cloak underneath. Bare, pale toes curled awkwardly against the grass as she shifted uncomfortably.
"Since they're busy fighting each other, let's go on the offensive."
Glancing at her bare feet, Gin's clear, almost saintly eyes didn't linger even a second on the scenery. Keeping his expression calm, he said with a straight face,
"Watch my signal."
He gave her a sly wink before charging forward like a proper tank to draw aggro.
"Ah… Gin just winked at … what do I do? Should I prepare a white kimono?"
Clutching her cheeks, Hikari's face turned crimson. With just a little wink, her imagination ran wild.
"Hikari! Where are you?!"
Gin sprinted past, chased by the red-eyed, blackened Tajima. Earlier he'd tried to bait the dark uncle with a couple ninjutsu—but the mont he showed his face, the dark uncle ignored the black Zetsu's protests and ca charging, forcing Gin to bolt.
"Don't worry, hide behind !"
A proper heroine, Hikari flashed forward to block Gin's path. Her Mangekyō pattern spun in her eyes and unleashed a flood of powerful chakra, catching the frenzied Tajima squarely.
Genjutsu: Tsukuyomi
Tajima froze mid-lunge, his eyes going dull as the dark energy around him weakened.
"This idiot!"
The black Zetsu cursed. These dark personalities were too unstable. It decided it was better to slip away and wait for another Mangekyō to appear soday.
"Gin! That thing's trying to run!"
Hikari's sharp eyes caught the black Zetsu peeling off into the ground and called out.
"Forget it. We can't catch it anyway—it's slippery as hell."
Gin frowned, watching the black mud disappear.
"I'm no ordinary guy… but even I can't just grab Black Zetsu with my bare hands."
He shook his head to banish that odd half-sugary voice in his mind.
"How's Uncle doing in there? Repented yet?"
He clasped his hands and murmured a quick prayer.
"It's weird… there are two clan heads in there. I didn't know which was which, so… I just hung them both up."
Hikari looked troubled. She'd gone in ready to swing her cleaver, but then there were two Tajimas and she couldn't decide which to punish.
"Can I take a look?"
It seed Uncle's situation was like Yao's—two personalities split in the Tsukuyomi. Gin was curious.
"Sure, just hold my hand."
Hikari extended her delicate hand with a serious face.
Without hesitation, Gin set his larger hand over hers.
So soft… but why's she trembling?
He felt a little guilty—she was probably freezing in just that cloak.
As his warm grip steadied her shaking hand, Hikari blushed furiously, then forced herself to concentrate. Dark chakra enveloped them both, and the scenery shifted.
Gin was greeted by… Hikari's "custom" Tsukuyomi space.
"…Hikari… your Tsukuyomi… is rather… unique."
He tried to find the right words as his gaze swept over the two suspended Tajimas and the hundreds of bizarre torture devices around them.
"Right?! Look, this one's called the Iron Maiden—it's full of senbon inside! And that wooden horse over there—don't underestimate it! I can make it grow spikes or drills, big or small! And this one—"
Hikari happily introduced each contraption one by one, making Gin's scalp go numb. Who knew this innocent-looking girl had such… preferences? He silently vowed never to anger her.
"Let's… just check on Uncle first."
Gin cut her off quickly.
"Fine, but if you have ti later, I'll give you the full tour."
Hikari reluctantly set down her spiked club and sighed.
No thanks, Gin thought grimly.
"Uncle?"
They walked up to the two suspended Tajimas. One imdiately opened his eyes, filled with cruelty and hatred.
"You damn Gin!"
He raged uncontrollably.
Not even pretending, huh? Gin had half-expected a fake-good Tajima routine.
"Uncle? It's ! Your beloved nephew!"
Gin ignored the dark persona and tried waking the real one, who hung limp.
"Uncle! Madara ran off with Hashirama's eldest!"
He leaned in and whispered.
"What?! Bring my sword—I'll break that kid's legs!"
The real Tajima's eyes flew open and he raged—until he saw Gin and cald down.
"You little brat… scared half to death."
Tajima relaxed. He wasn't afraid of dying—he was afraid his eldest would go astray.
"Hikari, let him down!"
"Got it!"
Once Tajima stood on his own, Gin asked,
"Can you keep that thing suppressed?"
"Honestly? Not for long," Tajima admitted. His aging body couldn't sustain the Mangekyō's drain like before.
Gin finally grasped just how tough these "dark personas" were.
"I could hold him if I were twenty years younger," Tajima said.
Gin glanced at his uncle's weary face. In his forties, already worn down by the Warring States era. No wonder he'd been rushing to train the younger generation.
"Hey… Hikari. How do you keep your dark side under control?"
Gin eyed her curiously.
"Huh? What dark side? What are you talking about?"
Hikari blinked in confusion, then nervously felt herself all over—still soft, no weird mutations.
After Gin explained about her earlier black-out rampage, Hikari was mortified.
"Aaaah! I'll never get married now!"
(End of Chapter)
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