TPMITWON Chapter 13: Souta Finished Bathing

Suddenly, Souta paused for a moment, thinking about how the ground was able to carry waste to where it should go without any issues.

Without thinking too much about it, Souta quickly shook his head and realized how many small things are often taken for granted, yet are very meaningful to the people in this village.

"As long as there is water, soap, and a decent toilet, I won't ask for more," Souta thought firmly. "This village may be the poorest, but I can't demand more. I can live with this. And I will make sure this place becomes even better."

Souta finished bathing and grabbed the towel that lay on the rack. The towel was simple, a dull gray color, but large enough to cover Souta's body perfectly.

After quickly drying himself, Souta then looked at himself in the mirror on the bathroom wall. The mirror was simple, its frame made of rough wood that looked unkempt, but its function remained clear.

The face reflected there was not the face Souta was used to seeing. It was the face of the boy whose body Souta Tetsu now inhabited, a young body with still clean skin.

The face looked innocent, with large, deep black eyes, full of curiosity and its own confusion. However, for Souta, seeing that face only added weight to his shoulders. He felt complicated, confused, and even a little anxious.

Souta didn't know how he ended up in this body, and what was even more confusing was the soul of this boy. Was the soul of this child still here? Had that child's soul now merged with Souta Tetsu?

Souta tried to remember, searching for fragments of memories that remained. Some of those memory pieces were unclear, as if they had been torn apart, but Souta could feel that there were a few memories left from this child.

Just a few, but enough to provide a hint. However, Souta couldn't fully understand them. There was a deep sense of loss, a void that couldn't be easily filled.

"How could I be here? How could I take over this body?" Souta murmured, his voice barely audible. Souta looked at himself with a questioning gaze, trying to find answers in the mirror that only reflected his doubts.

Souta took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. "If this soul is gone, then I hope you are at peace there. I will make sure this body is used well. I will ensure that Sunagakure becomes a better place, and I will fight for that."

Souta couldn't be sure what had happened to the soul of this boy, but he felt there was something connecting them. For a moment, in the mirror, the boy's face seemed to smile at Souta, if only for an instant. That smile quickly faded, leaving only Souta's face full of confusion. Souta was startled, but that feeling soon disappeared.

"Thank you, I will make you proud. I will ensure this village is better. Watch over me," Souta whispered softly, as if speaking to himself, but Souta's heart was certain that the boy was still there, watching from some unseen place.

Souta gazed at the bathroom ceiling, made of sand, and in his mind, he drifted far away. Souta imagined a larger sky, a place where souls might rest after life ends. That place was somewhere unknown, but Souta felt a peace that seemed to come from there.

After a while, Souta lowered his head and stepped out of the bathroom. His steps were steady, but there was a silence within him that only Souta could feel.