"What are you looking for?"
The sudden question snapped Fugaku Uchiha out of his survey of the safe house. He quickly pinpointed the voice—Master Genshi himself.
"Reporting, Master Genshi. I was just observing the layout and defenses of this safe house," Fugaku replied, voice steady.
Genshi's eyes glinted with approval. He stepped closer, closing the distance until he was just a slap away. With a subtle gesture, Genshi handed his cane to Fugaku, who accepted it without hesitation.
"This place has a long history," Genshi said as he began to pace, slowly circling behind Fugaku. "Mist Village has always been plagued by internal strife. That's why we built safe houses like this—to protect important people when things get ugly…"
He paused, tapping the floor thoughtfully. "Safe House Number Four… hmm, let me think. It must've been built in the early Hōzuki era. That was when ANBU was first founded. What was the captain's name again…"
Just then, Genshi's hand landed on Fugaku's shoulder.
Fugaku instinctively tried to move, but his body wouldn't respond. Arms, legs—everything felt locked down by some invisible force.
"Master Genshi, what… what does this mean?" At least his voice still worked.
Genshi's lips curled into a sly smile—a look Fugaku couldn't see from behind.
"Let's see who you really are. Ninja Art: Silent Flower Picking—Immovable Wisdom King! Release!"
Genshi's right hand flashed through hand seals. As he spoke the final word, a cloud of white smoke erupted around Fugaku. His Transformation Jutsu unraveled, his mask was pulled off from behind, and Genshi leaned in to inspect his face.
"Oh? It's you? Now that's a surprise. So it's Konoha meddling in our affairs."
Genshi's tone was genuinely astonished.
"You're that Uchiha kid from the Leaf, aren't you? Everyone—don't look him in the eyes! Aming, get a black cloth and blindfold him."
Fugaku's heart dropped. When did I get exposed?!
Impossible! Kakashi, disguised as another ninja, should've reported my movements exactly as planned. My cover should've been airtight.
Did I slip somewhere? No way—I interrogated Kishaku Kōta for two days in that mental 'black room.' He confessed everything, even his orientation! I left no loose ends.
And this old man—how does he have such skill? Is he going to kill me?
Questions tangled in Fugaku's mind like wild vines.
But before he could think further, Aming had already tied a black cloth over his eyes.
"Master Genshi, should we tie him up?" Aming asked.
"No need. Rope won't hold an Uchiha. I'll keep him pinned with Immovable Wisdom King—he's not going anywhere," Genshi replied.
"Should I kill him, then?" Aming pressed.
Fugaku felt a cold touch at his throat—a ninja blade, sharp and threatening.
Genshi considered. "No. He did help us out during the Yeming Rebellion. That's worth something—let's spare his life."
Relief flooded Fugaku. He'd live another day. But Genshi's next words sent a chill down his spine.
"But death is off the table—punishment isn't. Plotting against the village can't go unanswered. Those eyes of yours are valuable. Maybe I'll keep them. Aming, did you bring any clean test tubes?"
"Master Genshi, we're fleeing for our lives! Who brings that stuff?"
"Ah, true. We'll deal with it when we're back. Heh, a pair of Sharingan would be a nice bonus."
Fugaku's heart steadied—his life and eyes were safe for now. Once Koharu Utatane's team arrived, he'd be rescued.
He hadn't expected Master Genshi to be such a hidden powerhouse. No matter how much chakra he tried to muster, he was locked down tight—completely helpless.
He also hadn't expected the kindly old master to be so ruthless and decisive.
That nagging question surfaced again.
How was I exposed?
"Got a lot of questions, don't you?" Genshi asked.
Fugaku stayed silent.
Genshi continued, "I'll be honest. You're just a scapegoat. My real target was Kishaku Kōta, not you. He's probably dead by your hand now. If Konoha's involved, that fool Koharu Utatane must be behind this. Aming, shut the doors and prepare defenses!"
"Why?" Fugaku finally managed to ask—a simple question loaded with meaning.
Genshi seemed to understand, chuckling dryly. "If you really were Kishaku Kōta, you'd be dead already. If I recall, your Sharingan's specialty is mental interrogation. You know his identity—he's one of Suikasanzameoni's Tiger Shark people. Embarrassing, but Mist Village has always been riddled with factional infighting."
He suddenly became chatty, like a nagging old man. "Suikasanzameoni—ambitious, but no vision. Always stirring up trouble. Even if you put a hat on a dog, it's still a dog. I was planning to deal with him and Yagura after the war, but now things are urgent. Ao is too cautious—always monitoring and testing. Me? I'd rather kill first and ask questions later. But you turned out to be a fake, which got me curious—who are you?"
"How did you know?" Fugaku asked.
"Remember when I asked you to help me open the scroll?" Genshi smiled. "Everyone in Mist knows I had a stroke and my right hand is weak. But I'm stubborn—I never let anyone do something I can do myself. It's a quirk, and I use it to test people. No Mist ninja would dare help me break that seal, but you didn't even ask. You just did it. That's when I knew you weren't Kishaku Kōta.
That made things interesting—I wanted to see whose hand was reaching in. Turns out it's Konoha. And you're not connected to Suikasanzameoni, so your target… ah, I get it. It's the girl, isn't it?"
Fugaku was stunned. High-level players really weren't simple—he'd pieced together almost everything from the smallest clues.
Suddenly, shouts echoed from outside.
"Master Genshi, Konoha ninja are attacking!"
Aming called out.
"Hold the line. Don't worry—Tetsuya's main force will be here soon," Genshi answered, confidence unwavering.
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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