one step away from reality to dream

The ground beneath them settled, the rumble fading into a haunting silence. The once-bustling battlefield now lay empty, littered with the corpses of those unfortunate enough to cross Ravihiro's path. Haruno, still shaken from the carnage she had just witnessed, turned to her brother.

"Ravihiro…" her voice was soft, hesitant. "What was that? That... thing inside you?"

She searched his face, hoping for an answer, hoping for something to explain the terrifying transformation she had just seen. But Ravihiro remained silent, his face unreadable, his eyes distant.

The tension hung heavy between them, the silence pressing down like a suffocating weight. Haruno stepped closer, her voice a little firmer now. "Ravihiro, I saw it. You were… different. That wasn't you. What's happening to you?"

Ravihiro's eyes, glowing faintly with the residual energy of his Ryugan, met hers for a brief moment. But he said nothing. Instead, he turned away, his face cold, refusing to acknowledge the question that hung in the air.

"Ravihiro!" Haruno's voice rose, frustration and concern mingling. "You can't ignore this! I saw what happened! That wasn't just some power… it was something else, something dark."

Ravihiro paused, his shoulders tensing at her words. For a moment, it looked like he might say something, explain what had just happened, but then… he didn't. He simply tightened his grip on the Kageha in his hand and began walking away, his silence louder than any words could have been.

"Come on," he said, his voice devoid of emotion. "Let's go."

Haruno's heart sank as she watched him walk away, the distance between them feeling far more than just physical. She clenched her fists, torn between pushing him for answers and following him silently. A part of her feared what the truth might be, but she couldn't ignore the darkness she had seen—the terrifying transformation into something… else.

But Ravihiro wasn't ready to face it. Not yet. Perhaps not ever.

As they traveled back through the forest, the eerie quiet of the trees only seemed to amplify the tension between them. The wind whistled through the leaves, the air thick with an unspoken dread.

Ravihiro's mind was far from the path they walked. The battle, the bloodshed—it was all a blur now. But the voice of Kurohiro, his dark counterpart, echoed in the recesses of his thoughts.

"You can't keep me locked away forever, you know. Sooner or later, you'll need me again."

Ravihiro clenched his teeth, his fists tightening by his sides. He had always known demon existed, lurking within him, waiting for a chance to take control. But this was different. This was the first time demon had manifested, the first time Ravihiro had allowed the darkness to surface. And the destruction left in its wake…

He shook his head, trying to push the thoughts away. He couldn't dwell on it. Not now. There were more important things to focus on—like keeping Haruno safe. That's all that mattered.

But Haruno wasn't so easily distracted. As they neared their destination, she spoke up again, her voice softer this time, but still filled with concern. "Ravihiro… I just need to know. Are you… okay? You're not the same as before."

Ravihiro stopped, his back still turned to her. His jaw clenched, and for a moment, he didn't answer. When he finally spoke, his voice was low, almost a whisper. "It's nothing. I'm fine."

Haruno frowned, clearly unconvinced, but before she could push further, Ravihiro resumed walking, his pace quickening.

Night fell, casting a dark shadow over the Beast Forest. They made camp near a clearing, the fire crackling softly between them. Haruno stared into the flames, her mind racing with questions and fears. She glanced at her brother, who sat on the other side of the fire, his eyes fixed on the darkness beyond, lost in his own thoughts.

Her mind wandered back to the fight, to the moment she had seen demon emerge. The way Ravihiro's aura had shifted, the darkness that had surrounded him—it wasn't just power. It was something alive, something malevolent.

When does a boy become a man? She had asked herself earlier, watching him tear through their enemies without hesitation.

Now, her mind provided an answer she wished she didn't have to accept.

A boy becomes a man when he faces the darkness within… but what if that darkness is stronger than he is?

The thought sent a shiver down her spine. She didn't know what was happening to Ravihiro, but she knew one thing for certain: if he didn't confront whatever that darkness was, it would consume him.

She just hoped it wouldn't be too late.

The following morning, Ravihiro stood at the edge of the camp, his sword sheathed at his side, his gaze distant. He felt Haruno's presence behind him but didn't turn to face her.

"We'll be leaving soon," he said, his tone flat.

Haruno hesitated, watching him closely. "Ravihiro… about yesterday—"

"It's done," he interrupted, his voice cold. "We don't need to talk about it."

"But—"

"I said, it's done."

The finality in his tone left no room for argument, and Haruno's shoulders slumped in defeat. She wanted to understand, to help him through whatever he was dealing with, but Ravihiro had always been this way—guarded, distant, and unwilling to show vulnerability.

But now… now there was something darker lurking beneath the surface, and it terrified her.

As they moved deeper into the forest, towards their house Ravihiro's senses were sharp, every sound, every movement in the trees alerting him to potential danger. But it wasn't just the external threats that bothered him—it was the internal one.

Kurohiro.

The dark persona was growing stronger, and Ravihiro knew it. Every time he tapped into his full power, Kurohiro's influence grew. And now, after the battle, he could feel demon pushing against the mental barriers he had erected, trying to break free once more.

"You can't keep me locked away forever," demon whispered in his mind, his voice a low growl. "You need me, Ravihiro. You know it."

Ravihiro's jaw clenched, his mind fighting to suppress the dark presence.

"Shut up," he muttered under his breath.

But demon only laughed, the sound echoing in his skull like a twisted melody.

To be continued…