"I will never forgive him! You only have him in your eyes, you don't care about me at all!"
Daemon's cries struck Ada's heart, halting the out-of-control argument.
Ada stumbled back half a step, her back gently hitting the cold alloy wall, sending a chill down her spine. She only wanted her younger brother and Shun to get along, she never expected things to escalate to this point.
Daemon, meanwhile, was curled up on the edge of the bed, his legs bent, knees pressed against his chest, which rose and fell violently.
In his view, his older sister had been stolen away by Shun.
The exclusive affection he had enjoyed since childhood was now divided, making his expression increasingly sour.
The atmosphere in the room instantly dropped to freezing point.
The oppressive atmosphere made Ada feel suffocated in her chest, and she couldn't help but cough violently a few times. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and when she opened them again, only bone-deep exhaustion remained.
"Daemon, continuing to argue is useless. You are injured and need rest. Take a good rest first. We... we'll talk once you calm down."
After speaking, she gave Daemon a deep look, her eyes filled with helplessness.
But Daemon abruptly turned his face away, burying his head in the pillow, leaving her only with a tense back.
Seeing this, Ada sighed softly, turned, and quickly walked toward the door.
Her steps paused, but ultimately she did not look back, allowing the alloy door to slide open with a soft "shhh" sound, completely isolating the oppressive atmosphere behind the door.
The hallway outside the door was still lit by pale, white light.
Shun was leaning against a nearby sofa, waiting quietly, his tall, slender figure appearing particularly imposing.
Hearing the sound of the door opening, he immediately straightened up, quickly walked over, and gently supported Ada's slightly trembling waist.
"What's wrong? Did you two argue?"
Ada could no longer hold back. Following his lead, she pressed herself against his chest, her strained nerves finally relaxing completely. Feelings of grievance rushed into her heart like a burst dam. Her shoulders shook violently as she leaned on Shun's shoulder, sobbing softly.
She looked up at Shun, her eyes red, her long eyelashes wet with tears. "Daemon still can't understand me, and he refuses to forgive you. He said if I continue associating with you, he will never speak to me again."
"I know he's afraid of losing me. Since we were children, my brother and I have relied on each other, and he's long been used to me belonging only to him. But I truly don't want to see you two constantly hostile."
"On one side is my dearest brother, and on the other is the man I love. I really don't know what to do."
By the end, her voice was barely a whisper, filled with helplessness.
Shun looked at her flustered appearance, gently wiping away the damp tear tracks on her cheeks.
He used a warm kiss to dispel her inner chill and said, "Don't be sad. Daemon's mental age is similar to a seven-year-old child, his heart is very pure. In his world, you are his everything, and I, who suddenly appeared, naturally became the villain who stole his entirety. How could he easily accept me?"
Ada raised her reddened eyes, which were full of anticipation, tears still streaming down her cheeks. "What should I do then? I don't want to lose my brother, and I don't want to leave you."
Shun said, "I have a way. I can use Genjutsu to let his mind experience a complete life within the illusion, allowing him to see firsthand the consequences of different choices. That way, he can truly understand you and the meaning of us being together. It's not that I stole you away, it's that you gained one more person to protect you both."
Hearing this, a flicker of surprise flashed in Ada's eyes, quickly replaced by deep concern.
"Then... are there any side effects? Will it harm his body? He's just been injured, he can't handle too much stress."
Shun shook his head. "No, the Genjutsu will only affect his spiritual level. The only 'side effect' is that his mind will mature rapidly, allowing him to view problems from an adult perspective, rather than being unreasonable like a child."
Receiving the affirmative answer, most of the worry in Ada's heart dissipated.
She took a deep breath and nodded gently, her eyes filled with trust. "Alright, I trust you."
Shun smiled slightly, then turned to face the tightly closed alloy door.
He closed his eyes and activated Ten Directions using Divine Eye.
Countless visions of Ada's future flashed rapidly through his mind.
There were scenes of her accompanying him, fighting powerful enemies side-by-side, the two of them operating with perfect synergy.
There were also scenarios where she gave him up for Daemon, struggling to survive alone with Daemon in the Ninja World, the scenes dark and full of hardship.
He filtered them for a moment, finally selecting a few of the most impactful futures: all showed Ada giving up being with him for Daemon, losing his protection and power augmentation, and ultimately resulting in a miserable death for both of them in the Ninja World, pursued by the Ōtsutsuki clan.
After selecting the plot, Shun opened his eyes. A flash of light appeared in his purple pupils, and his fingertip moved slightly. With a soft "snap," an invisible ripple penetrated the heavy alloy door and silently enveloped Daemon inside the room.
Inside the room, Daemon, who was curled up on the bed, suddenly stiffened, as if a pause button had been pressed, and he abruptly fell asleep.
The next second, he was completely immersed in the Genjutsu.
In the illusionary world, time flowed rapidly, as if the fast-forward button had been pressed.
Daemon stood rooted to the spot, watching his sister Ada stand before Shun, resolutely shaking her head, her tone firm without a hint of hesitation. "Shun, I'm sorry, I cannot be with you. I must stay with my younger brother."
Having said that, she turned and quickly walked toward Daemon, her voice full of doting affection. "Daemon, your sister belongs only to you, and will never leave you."
Initially, Daemon was overjoyed. He hugged Ada tightly, a brilliant smile unconsciously spreading across his lips. He felt deeply satisfied that his sister was still his alone. He thought these days would last forever, that his sister would always be by his side, with no one else to compete for her.
A few years later, the sky suddenly darkened. Countless black fissures opened up in the sky, and Otsutsuki emerged from them. Wherever they passed, life was devastated, and the Ninja World instantly plunged into panic.
Without Shun's protection, he and his sister were powerless to resist, forced to flee everywhere.
Finally, Daemon watched firsthand as his sister took the full brunt of the Otsutsukis' attacks just to protect him.
Blood constantly spilled from her lips, staining the front of her clothes. Her normally gentle eyes were filled with exhaustion and determination, yet she still forced a comforting smile for him.
Once, to ensure his successful escape, his sister deliberately lured away the pursuers.
Hiding behind a rock, he watched helplessly as his sister was besieged by multiple Otsutsukis. He could only cover his mouth, suppressing his cries, the despair in his heart drowning him like a tide.
Finally, on a barren ruin, a powerful Otsutsuki raised a black rod in their hand and thrust it fiercely toward him.
Just then, Ada suddenly lunged from the side, shielding him tightly beneath her body.
With a muffled "thud," the black rod pierced Ada's body, staining his vision crimson.
Lying on his sister's warm back, he could clearly feel her vitality rapidly draining away.
Ada struggled to turn her head one last time, her eyes filled with deep reluctance. "Daemon, I'm sorry. I can't protect you anymore. You must take good care of yourself from now on."
"Sister!"
Daemon cried out heartbrokenly, but no matter how much he shook her, Ada's body grew colder and colder, never responding to him again.
During the decades spent in the Genjutsu, he personally experienced the terror of losing his sister's protection and witnessed the tragic outcome of his sister without Shun by her side.
That pain, despair, and helplessness were etched into the depths of his soul like a brand.
He gradually understood that his sister chose Shun not just because of love, but also because of the power they had to protect each other.
With Shun there, his sister wouldn't have to struggle so hard or exhaust herself trying to protect him. Only then could the two siblings be truly safe.
How willful and unreasonable he had been before, only thinking of monopolizing his sister's affection, neglecting her safety, and forgetting that she also needed protection, needed someone to shelter her from the storm.
He felt immense regret for his previous actions.
His hostility toward Shun gradually faded, and he muttered silently in his heart, "Sister, I'm sorry, I was wrong. I shouldn't have stopped you. As long as you are safe, I am willing to accept him, truly willing..."
Just then, the ruins in the illusionary world gradually dissipated.
In the room, Daemon blinked, his vacant eyes slowly regaining clarity. He sat stunned on the bed, the tear tracks on his cheeks long dry. He slowly raised his hand and touched his cheek, complex emotions churning in his eyes.
There was the daze of surviving a catastrophe, the clarity of a matured mind, and deep remorse toward his sister.
Only now did he understand that his sister was never stolen, she simply gained someone else she could rely on.
He sighed softly, secretly resolving to apologize to his sister and try to accept Shun.
Outside the door, Ada leaned against Shun's chest, her body trembling slightly.
Shun gently patted her back, feeling the smooth, soft texture. "It's done. Daemon is about to come out."
Ada's gaze turned toward the alloy door, her eyes filled with anxiety and anticipation. "Really? He... he won't be angry anymore?"
The next second, the door slowly slid open, and Daemon stood in the doorway.
His hair was slightly disheveled, but his eyes were unusually calm, devoid of the previous stubbornness and anger, leaving only deep guilt.
He looked at Ada's reddened eyes, his Adam's apple bobbing. "Sister, I'm sorry, I was wrong."