Some looked shocked, while others frowned as if in disbelief.
They never expected that the woman would be the first to open a gap of betrayal against their initial intent: to destroy the Uzumaki Clan.
Reiji stared at the woman with empty eyes for a few seconds before finally saying, "Are you crazy?"
Reiji's tone sounded so light, almost like he was joking.
But that was what made the statement so terrifying—because there was no emotion in it, only emptiness.
The woman seemed to have just awakened from a nightmare of her own making.
Her eyes widened.
The woman moved quickly—too quickly.
She bent down very low, until her knees almost touched the beach sand, and her hands trembled.
"I'm sorry!" the woman cried out in a panic, "It was just… a stupid question that suddenly crossed my mind! Please, please don't kill me! Sir, I beg you!"
The woman's breath was ragged.
Her shoulders rose and fell, as if she had just escaped an attempted suicide.
Her face was bowed, but tears began to fall, hitting the cold stone floor.
Reiji stared at the woman for a moment.
His eyes appeared empty, showing neither anger nor sympathy.
Then Reiji calmly opened his mouth.
"The Yuki Clan, huh?"
The woman bit her lower lip, not answering.
Her silence was like an admission.
"You really are a bunch of crazy people," Reiji continued. "I don't know your name, and I don't care. But one thing is certain—option one does not apply to you."
Then I slowly stood up and stepped closer.
Each of my steps echoed in the room, like the tolling of a death knell approaching.
"From now on, you are a prisoner of war," Reiji said softly, but each word felt like a sharp carving in the wall of her soul.
"If your clan or the leaders of your village want to buy you back, that's their business."
"But until that time comes… you will be my experiment rabbit."
The room fell utterly silent.
Even the sound of breathing felt like a violation.
The woman trembled.
Her eyes widened, and her face was now wet with cold sweat.
Where she wanted to speak—perhaps to plead or defend herself—her tongue felt as if it were tied with an invisible rope.
Her head remained bowed, her body frozen in a position of surrender.
Reiji squinted, observing the details of her face.
His gaze then fell to her shiny black hair, contrasting with the report he had received earlier.
"Right…" Reiji murmured. "Your hair. Once silver, now black. Why?"
The woman lifted her head slightly, just enough for their eyes to meet.
"About that…" she said, her voice dry and nearly devoid of strength. "I don't know for sure."
"The doctor said it's a genetic disease. My hair turns silver when I use Ice Element Ninjutsu."
"When not in use… it returns to black."
Reiji lifted his chin slightly and then chuckled softly.
The laugh was not a happy one, but rather like a small thud from someone who had just found a new toy to dismantle.
"Hehehe… interesting. You really are suited to be my experiment rabbit."
The woman's body seemed to be struck by lightning.
Her knees shook, and the hands that had trembled now pressed against the floor, holding her body up to prevent it from collapsing.
Fear spread like a plague.
Ninjas from the three great villages swallowed hard, glancing at each other, and some appeared to be reconsidering all their life decisions.
Reiji took a step back, then turned to the entire line in front of him. His voice returned to calm yet sharp.
"Now, for those who choose option one—the way out—please go to the right. For those who choose to stay here, please go to the left."
------------------------------
[Announcement: A New Novel Has Been Added!
The Puppet Maker in the World of Naruto
A man who is a scientist, researcher, and expert mechanic in robotics dies in a massive explosion that occurs in his laboratory while developing an advanced robot project. However, instead of experiencing death as he thought, the man awakens in another world—a strange place with vast stretches of desert.
There, the man is surrounded by people who can jump high, calling themselves ninjas. The confusion he initially felt grows as he realizes that this world is not unfamiliar to him. This is the world of Naruto! However, there is one thing that surprises him.
"Isn't this Sunagakure? Why am I not in Konoha? This poorest village... Oh my God, this is serious!"
Now, in the midst of a new life filled with danger and uncertainty, the scientist must find a way to survive in Sunagakure, a harsh place full of limitations. With his robotic knowledge, can the man change his fate in this ninja world, or will he fall along with the village?]
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