The memory surge from the "Shadow Terminal Fragment" had allowed Rin to fully grasp the truth of his past life—Ye Xue was no traitor, but a guardian who sacrificed everything for him. However, this painful awakening also brought a deeper confusion, like a persistent shadow, clinging to his heart.
He recalled the image, awakened by Roz's mental interference, of Ye Xue's dagger piercing his chest. That real pain, the lingering ache of the wound on his chest, all reminded him that the scene was not false. If Ye Xue was "re-molded" to protect him, then why would she make such a fatal attack on him in an illusion, or even in reality?
In Rin's mind, countless fragmented memories intertwined with the conflicts of reality, leaving him even more bewildered.
He tried to remember the vow he had made with Ye Xue, deeply etched in their souls.
It was after an extremely dangerous mission; they both lay bruised and battered in a derelict stronghold. Rin looked at Ye Xue's tired but determined profile, and an indescribable bond welled up within him. He knew that in this cold, ruthless world of assassins, Ye Xue was his only light.
He had held Ye Xue's hand, his gaze serious and unwavering, saying to her word for word:
"Ye Xue… if one day, I betray the whole world, and everyone turns against me… you must not betray me either."
Ye Xue had simply looked at him silently then, not answering, but her hand had tightened around his. That silent promise was heavier than any words. Rin had believed this vow was their eternal bond, a trust that no force could destroy.
However, reality, like a cold blade, had ruthlessly severed that vow.
The dagger, after all, had pierced his chest.
Rin looked down at the not-yet-fully-healed wound on his chest, his gaze deep and pained. If Ye Xue loved him so deeply, even to the point of dying for him, then how could she attack him? Was the brief release of that "Blade of Demise persona" a deliberate control by the organization, or… was there a deeper reason?
Rin grew increasingly confused. Had Ye Xue truly betrayed him back then? Or rather, during her "re-molding," what exactly did the organization do to her to make her capable of lethal intent towards him under specific conditions?
A bold and chilling conjecture slowly formed in his mind:
Could a third party be manipulating the entire situation?
If so, then was the organization itself merely part of a larger conspiracy? Was the "Central Adjudicator's" fanaticism also guided? And his own "rebirth," was it truly accidental, or a meticulously designed part of a plan?
Rin's thoughts surged like a tide. If a third party existed, then:
Why would they want Ye Xue to "betray" him? Was it to strike at him, or to gain something from him? Why did the organization want to "retrieve" Ye Xue and "eliminate" him? Was it because their awakened wills violated a taboo of this third party, or were they being used by the third party as tools to eliminate dissidents? Was his sister's death also related to this third party? Did she die in the organization's purge due to the organization's betrayal, or was it a larger conspiracy?
Rin felt an unprecedented pressure. This situation was far more complex, and far darker, than he had imagined. He was no longer just resisting an assassin organization; he might be contending with a much larger, more covert mastermind.
He looked at Ye Xue, who was asleep beside him. Her face showed a hint of fatigue, yet she seemed so peaceful. Rin reached out, gently touching the strange mark on her shoulder blade. Was this mark a symbol of power, or a chain of bondage?
He knew all the answers were hidden in their erased past, beneath layers of conspiracy. He had to survive, he had to break through this fog, and find the true manipulator hidden in the "shadows."
Rin's eyes gleamed with a cold light—confusion, pain, and boundless determination. He would not let the broken vow become their eternal regret. He would use his own hands to pull all the distorted truths into the light.
The real hunt had only just begun. And this time, Rin wasn't just hunting the pursuers in front of him, but also the invisible "black hand" manipulating everything.