That was exactly how Kasumi felt in that moment. She literally froze, staring with her black-as-shadow eyes at the young man who had come to her aid.
Kenshin approached her confidently and asked, "How are you feeling? Here, drink some..." he said, pulling out a canteen of water.
The girl was weakened, and when she tried to take the canteen, she nearly dropped it, so Kenshin steadied it with his hand and brought it to her lips, helping her quench her thirst.
In the dim cave, barely lit from the entrance, he could hardly see her face, but even that was enough to conclude the young kunoichi's incredible beauty.
After a few sips, Kasumi tried to stand, but due to the sense of safety, her muscles—which had been tense for so long—refused to obey and relaxed. Kenshin reacted in time and kept her from falling by embracing her waist.
Kasumi just glanced at his handsome, strong-willed face and said nothing, allowing him to hold her and keep her from collapsing. At any other time, she would have instantly torn out another man's throat for daring to lay his filthy hands on her, but not now, and not him.
For some reason, she felt an incredible peace emanating from this seemingly weak young man. She didn't understand why, but she trusted him, as if they had known each other for a long time.
As soon as they stepped into the light, the girl cutely squinted and winced from the bright sun rays. Once her eyes adjusted a bit, she properly examined her savior and was pleasantly surprised.
In the daylight, he seemed even more handsome than in the cave's dim light. Kenshin, in turn, still hadn't removed his hand from the slender waist of the black-haired kunoichi and admired her beauty as well.
When their gazes met, Kasumi blushed and looked away, only now noticing the other unknown guys standing a bit aside, warily watching her every move.
In any other situation, she would have been on alert long ago, fearing a trap, but not now. At this moment, she felt absolutely no threat, as if the handsome guy holding her waist could solve any problem.
"Don't worry about them—they're my comrades. They helped me save you, and we're not going to harm you," Kenshin said, as if sensing her thoughts. The girl hadn't noticed when he switched to informal "you," but everything happened so smoothly that she saw nothing wrong with it.
Kenshin noticed how friendly this beauty was toward him, so he showed a bit more persistence and, after a few steps, said, "You're very tired. You need to rest a little—I'll take care of everything," Kenshin whispered, then gently scooped her up into his arms.
The girl wanted to protest, but for some reason stayed silent, deciding that after resting, she definitely wouldn't let him treat her like a helpless damsel. For now, though, she decided to rest a bit. The young man's firm, muscular chest, against which she pressed her face, felt so pleasant. His scent lulled her into peace, and the kunoichi, who hadn't slept in nearly three days, drifted off.
Noticing the girl had fallen asleep, Kenshin sighed in relief. He really hadn't wanted to take her by force. Not just because she might harm his sons, but because his sons might harm her.
Catching another glimpse of her incredible beauty, Kenshin couldn't help marveling at how stunning she was. Cute little nose, sensual soft lips, black-as-pitch iris of her eyes, and an unbelievable mane of black hair woven into a long ponytail.
He also managed to notice her hourglass figure. Firm, trained thighs with a prominent butt, and an incredibly toned chest, at least a C-cup.
This kunoichi's beauty exceeded his wildest expectations. He had planned to accept Kasumi into the family regardless of her looks, but a beauty queen as a third wife was preferable, and Kenshin was incredibly pleased.
But it was too early to celebrate, and Kenshin quickly calmed down, focusing on the road. Thanks to the exo-suit, he barely felt the girl's weight and could move at a good speed. His sons flanked him, front and back.
Third and Fourth raced ahead, scouting the area, while Fifth and Sixth brought up the rear. Ichiro stayed close to his father, ready to repel any attack at a moment's notice.
With the increasing number of children, Kenshin had finally decided to introduce a semblance of military discipline, forbidding all sons from getting distracted during missions—only full obedience and focus on the task. Especially since they had to protect their "weaker" father.
About twenty minutes later, Kenshin stood at the sanctuary door, and as he stepped forward, he could finally breathe easy. To his great relief, there was no "tail" behind them, but every thirty seconds since entering the enhanced formation area, Kenshin scanned the perimeter for signs of intrusion—and found none.
Kenshin carried the girl to one of the far empty bedrooms and laid her on the bed. Then he immediately fitted her with small, sturdy cuffs that instantly blocked 95% of her chakra, leaving just enough for accelerated body regeneration.
Not that he was panicking or afraid this fragile girl would suddenly leap up and attack, but he decided to play it safe. The last thing he wanted was a Chunin-rank kunoichi rampage that could lead to casualties.
As soon as the cuffs clicked onto the black-haired kunoichi's wrists, she immediately opened her eyes and looked around.
Finding herself in a strangely furnished room, she noted the room's luxury only in the back of her mind, but right now, it didn't concern her. She was shocked to barely sense her familiar chakra and tried to cycle it through her body—but nothing happened.
"W-what did you do?!" she asked Kenshin, standing nearby, in shock.
"Sorry, Kasumi, but this is necessary for your own safety. I'm really sorry to say this, but this room is now part of your new home..." Kenshin said, struggling to meet her shocked gaze.
"B-but... How could you? I thought you were a friend..." Kasumi said in shock, tears streaming from her beautiful eyes. In that moment, she felt immense betrayal, as if her best friend had stabbed her in the back.
Kenshin couldn't bear the beautiful girl's tears, so he sat beside her and tried to hug her, but Kasumi started struggling.
"Don't touch me! You bastard!" Kasumi said through tears, making another futile attempt to break free.