章 15: Chapter 15: Whispers of the Past
The forest was still, except for the soft rustling of leaves stirred by a night breeze. Zaky and Toneri moved in silence, weaving through ancient trees. Each step felt like wading deeper into the unknown, yet the weight of old memories—some not his own—dragged at Zaky's mind.
As they walked, fragments of Urashiki's past whispered to him, like distant echoes carried on the wind. They were not memories he could fully control, nor were they clear recollections. Instead, they came in bursts—flashes of places, faces, and events that blurred the line between Zaky's current reality and the Otsutsuki's distant history.
He paused for a moment, pressing a hand to his temple as a memory threatened to surface. It was an uncomfortable sensation, like standing on the edge of a deep pool, unsure if he would float or drown.
"Urashiki's memories again?" Toneri asked quietly, his pale gaze studying Zaky with subtle curiosity.
Zaky grunted in response, trying to shake off the strange feeling. "Yeah... they come and go."
Toneri nodded, as if he understood more than he let on. "The remnants of an Otsutsuki's mind are never truly quiet. Even when they seem dormant, they linger—like whispers in the dark, waiting to resurface."
Zaky glanced at him, sensing a familiarity in Toneri's tone. "You've experienced it too?"
Toneri's expression darkened, his eyes briefly flickering with something that resembled guilt—or regret. "I have... and it's not something you can easily escape."
The two continued their journey deeper into the woods, with the silence between them growing heavier. Zaky's thoughts remained scattered, haunted by fleeting glimpses of Urashiki's past.
One particular memory kept pushing to the forefront—a memory filled with flashes of light and chakra, a desperate fight against two powerful shinobi. Sasuke's Sharingan glinting in the shadows. Naruto's Rasengan roaring with power. The final moment when Urashiki was outmatched and cornered.
The emotions tied to the memory were overwhelming: anger, frustration, and a deep-seated fear of failure. Zaky clenched his fists as the memory slipped through his grasp, leaving behind only the sharp ache of loss.
"They defeated him... but not me," Zaky whispered under his breath, as if trying to convince himself. He wasn't the same Urashiki—he wouldn't make the same mistakes.
Toneri gave him a sidelong glance. "Clinging to the past will only weigh you down. If you carry his memories, carry them as lessons, not chains."
Zaky exhaled slowly, letting the tension ease from his shoulders. "Easy for you to say. You've had years to figure this out. I'm still getting used to... all of this."
"True." Toneri's voice was soft but firm. "But the past is a shadow. It follows you only as far as you let it."
They reached a small clearing, where moonlight poured through the canopy, casting dappled silver patterns across the forest floor. The air felt lighter here, as if the forest itself was granting them a moment's reprieve from the weight of the past.
Zaky sat down on a fallen log, trying to piece together what little he could from the fragmented memories. They weren't just echoes of Urashiki's failure—they were also warnings, hints of dangers that lay ahead.
He rubbed his temples, frustration bubbling to the surface. "I need to understand these memories better. They aren't just random fragments—they're trying to tell me something."
Toneri sat across from him, his expression thoughtful. "The Otsutsuki's past is a complicated web. We see only pieces of it, scattered across lifetimes. But if you can learn to read those pieces, they will guide you."
Zaky scoffed lightly, though there was no real malice in it. "So... you're telling me I have to meditate or something?"
Toneri gave a small, amused smile. "Something like that."
Zaky fell silent, his thoughts circling back to the whispers that plagued him. The memory of his old life—the life where he was just Zaky, the anime fan—felt further away with each passing day. In its place, Urashiki's past crept closer, threatening to blur the boundary between who he had been and who he was becoming.
But there was no going back.
He had chosen this path, and whether he liked it or not, those whispers—those fractured pieces of the past—were now part of him.
Chibi let out a soft chirp, sensing Zaky's internal struggle. The tiny creature nuzzled against his neck in a gesture of comfort. Zaky smiled faintly, appreciating the small distraction.
After a moment, Toneri spoke again, his voice quiet but deliberate. "If you're serious about mastering those memories, you'll need to confront them directly. The more you suppress them, the more power they'll hold over you."
Zaky gave him a sideways glance. "And how exactly do I do that?"
Toneri's expression remained serene. "You listen. Not with fear, but with intention. Let the memories surface—but on your terms, not theirs."
It sounded easier said than done. But Zaky knew Toneri was right. If he wanted to use the Otsutsuki's legacy to his advantage, he needed to understand it.
He closed his eyes, taking a slow breath. The forest around him faded from focus as he reached inward, letting the whispers rise to the surface.
This time, he didn't push them away.
The memories came in hazy fragments—a vision of a distant moonlit battlefield, the hum of chakra radiating through the air, and a sense of urgency that bordered on desperation. Zaky saw glimpses of Urashiki's encounters with other Otsutsuki—Kaguya, Momoshiki—and fleeting moments of conversation that hinted at deeper conflicts within their own ranks.
These weren't just random memories. They were pieces of a puzzle—clues to a larger game that stretched far beyond the shinobi world.
When Zaky opened his eyes, his mind was clearer. The fragments still didn't make complete sense, but they no longer felt as overwhelming.
Toneri gave a slight nod, as if sensing the shift in Zaky's demeanor. "You're starting to understand."
"Maybe," Zaky muttered. "But there's still a lot I don't know."
Toneri's expression turned contemplative. "Knowledge comes with time. But for now, we have an advantage—one the shinobi won't expect."
Zaky leaned forward slightly, intrigued. "And what's that?"
Toneri smiled, his gaze steady. "We know how to listen to the past."
As the two sat in the moonlit clearing, the weight of old memories began to feel less like a burden and more like a key—a key to unlocking the path ahead.
Zaky still had much to learn, and the journey was far from over. But with Toneri by his side and the whispers of the past guiding him, he was no longer walking blind.
For the first time in this strange new world, Zaky felt something close to certainty. The past might haunt him, but it would also lead him to power—if he was willing to listen.
And he was.
Because villains didn't just survive.
They adapted.
And they won.
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