Chapter 11 : Peace of Mind??

From the very beginning, Ryoma Aburame knew something was wrong. 

He had been experiencing a creeping sense of dread, but there had been no warning signs—no chakra fluctuations, no hints from the opponent's Sharingan. Just a looming sense of fear that gnawed at his sanity.

"This isn't right," he thought, a chill running down his spine. "Uchiha Sogetsu isn't just any Jonin—he's hiding something. I need to report this to Danzo-sama. He's planning something big."

Without hesitation, Ryoma decided to abort his current mission and escape from the Forest of Death. As long as he could make it out, Uchiha Sogetsu wouldn't dare attack him in public—it would turn him into a rogue ninja, drawing unwanted attention from ANBU.

However, just as he was about to make his escape, a voice cut through the tension. "Running away? That's so ANBU." Sogetsu's voice was calm but mocking. He sighed as if it was all a big inconvenience. "Can't you just stay put?"

The words echoed through Ryoma's mind like a bomb. Pain, excruciating and immediate, exploded within him. He let out a guttural scream, tumbling from the trees to the hard forest floor. His head felt like it was being split open, his nerves on fire.

"Ahhh!" Ryoma writhed in the mud, clutching his head. Blood seeped from his eyes, ears, and nose, painting a grisly picture. The agony was unbearable, like a thousand ants gnawing at his brain.

"Uchiha Sogetsu! What did you do to me?!" he screamed, his voice filled with anguish. His body convulsed as he rolled in the dirt, his veins bulging from the strain.

Sogetsu shrugged nonchalantly, his tone light. "Nothing much. I'm a psychiatrist, remember?" He gestured with his hands as if explaining something trivial. "I just, well, 'detonated' your mind."

The technique Sogetsu used was from the Spectator pathway, a skill possessed by Sequence 7 psychiatrists. By destabilizing the target's emotional or psychological state, he could induce a kind of madness, inflicting severe mental damage.

But Sogetsu felt a sudden twinge of pain himself. His brow furrowed, and he gripped his head as if to steady himself. 

"Not good," he muttered. "Using too many Beyonder abilities in a short time is draining my spiritual energy." He closed his eyes briefly, taking deep breaths to calm the storm raging within. "I need to be careful. I don't want to lose control."

The power system in the Lord of Mysteries universe was like a double-edged sword. It gave mortals the power to touch Godhood, but the cost was madness and loss of control. 

Sogetsu knew he had to tread carefully or risk becoming just another pile of "Beyonder characteristics."

He steadied himself and started walking towards Ryoma, who was still writhing in the mud. He had to wrap this up quickly—it was getting out of hand.

Aburame Ryoma was in a state of shock.

"No, don't!" he screamed, the fear evident in his voice. His eyes widened as he watched Sogetsu approach him. He started scrambling backward with his hands and feet, his panic building. 

"Stay away from me—Uchiha Sogetsu!" he shouted, waving his hands desperately as if trying to ward off something monstrous.

At that moment, it was as if he had seen a giant dragon. The colossal, pale-gold vertical pupils burned into his mind like blazing stars, scorching his spirit and soul. The scales, etched with mysterious runes, twisted and crushed his sense of reason.

Was Uchiha Sogetsu truly human?

"Are you afraid, Aburame Ryoma?" Sogetsu's voice was low, yet not cold. It had a casual tone, as if greeting an old friend.

"Don't... don't come near me!" Ryoma's back hit a tree trunk, and he had nowhere left to retreat. His face twisted in fear. "What are you, Sogetsu Uchiha?!"

"Human? Monster? Does it matter?" Sogetsu took a step closer, and the sunlight cast long shadows behind him.

But to Ryoma, those shadows seemed to squirm, as if they were living creatures ready to pounce. The whispers in his ears grew louder and more erratic, threatening to break his sanity.

"Please, please, don't come any closer!" Ryoma, an elite ANBU operative, was now begging for mercy, tears streaming down his face. "Please, I'm begging you!"

His own screams echoed in his mind, nearly driving him to madness.

The dragon from his hallucinations grew more vivid, its scales covered in twisted, crazed runes that seemed to tighten around his brain.

"Aburame Ryoma, have you ever wondered why people live?" Sogetsu stopped and asked, his back to the sunlight.

The dappled light filtered through the leaves, casting a golden glow around him, illuminating him like a sacred being.

From Ryoma's perspective, Sogetsu stood there, radiant, almost angelic in the golden light, exuding a divine aura.

The whispers in Ryoma's head began to fade. The distorted images and insane runes that had clouded his mind slowly vanished, like a bad dream.

Sogetsu's radiance seemed to pull Ryoma back from the brink of insanity, like a lifeline for someone drowning in darkness.

Aburame Ryoma's mind had never felt so calm.

"I don't know," he replied, lowering his head almost reflexively. Deep down, he couldn't quite explain it, but he felt a sense of awe towards Uchiha Sogetsu.

"It's probably a sense of peace," Sogetsu said quietly.

"Peace?" Ryoma echoed, looking puzzled.

"Yes, peace of mind," Sogetsu explained with a gentle smile. "Everyone seeks it in their own way. It's what drives us to find stability and comfort."

As he spoke, his words were soft and measured, almost like a priest guiding his congregation. "People seek reputation, control, or great wealth—all to find peace of mind."

"Getting married, forming friendships, even dedicating yourself to others and pursuing love and peace—it all comes down to finding that inner calm."

"In the end, it's about seeking 'peace of mind.'"

These simple words struck Aburame Ryoma like a heavy blow, and he found himself deep in thought. It was as if Sogetsu could see into the core of his being, understanding the uneasiness that had been with him since he joined Danzo.

But as Sogetsu continued speaking, that lingering fear and anxiety melted away, like snow in early spring. Just one look from Sogetsu made Ryoma feel an overwhelming sense of calm, like a child embraced by a mother's warmth and security. He was wrapped in this sensation, not wanting it to end.

"You're anxious and in pain," Sogetsu said, moving behind Ryoma and gently placing his hands on his shoulders. Leaning down, he whispered in his ear, "Why not be loyal to me? What could be wrong with pursuing peace of mind?"

Ryoma's heart raced, but his fear had evaporated. If he couldn't find peace of mind with Danzo, then what harm was there in choosing someone who could give him that comfort?

"Lord Sogetsu."

Aburame Ryoma bowed his head with deference and respect.

"Very good, Ryoma," Sogetsu said with a smile, reaching out to place his hand on Ryoma's head. "I'll grant you what you seek—peace of mind."

As he felt the warmth from Sogetsu's hand, Aburame Ryoma experienced a sense of calm unlike anything he'd felt before.

Yes, this was the peace of mind he had been seeking—the person he could truly trust, not the 'rat' hiding in the shadows.

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