The ninja standing guard outside heard a noise from within the room and looked surprised.
"Actually fell asleep that early?"
"Well, he's still young. Doesn't know what else people do at night."
"Hey, why did the conversation suddenly turn inappropriate?"
"Inappropriate? What's wrong with hitting a casino and trying your luck?"
"Hmph! Gambling and drugs are the lowest forms of entertainment!"
Ignoring the voices outside, Mui kept silently repeating Seiki's name in his mind.
After he suppressed the chaotic thoughts, drowsiness came in waves, and soon Mui fell into a deep sleep.
When Mui opened his eyes again, he was already within a pitch-black fog. From within the mist, whispers continuously echoed.
Though the surroundings felt strange and unsettling, Mui remained calm. He pushed through the fog, moving toward the source of the murmurs.
Before long, Mui spotted a long bronze table—and sitting at its head was Seiki.
"So this is your dream-manipulation technique? Amazing!" Mui sincerely praised.
Besides his inner shock, what filled him most was anticipation.
Seiki, who had developed such an unbelievable ninjutsu, surely could achieve that dream!
Seiki shook his head. "This technique carries certain risks. Even I seldom use it."
Seiki wasn't lying. After developing this jutsu, he'd only revealed it to Mui and Mizuki.
The reason was simple—their minds were the most "uncomplicated."
Such "simple" thoughts could ensure his mind remained unclouded.
Even so, he had warned them never to activate it unless absolutely necessary.
Mui nodded seriously and said, "Actually, even before your message arrived, I was considering whether to use this technique."
Seiki asked, "What exactly is happening now?"
"Mist wants to capture someone you care about, setting traps for you," Mui explained mockingly. "But since they don't know how to catch you, they came to me, asking me to lure a few people out."
They really don't give up easily... Seiki thought, narrowing his eyes.
Seeing Seiki fall silent, Mui asked, "Seiki, shall I just refuse directly and say you're too alert for me to come up with any ideas?"
Shaking his head slightly, Seiki replied, "Once evil intentions arise, they won't fade away easily. Rather than letting them keep harassing us, we should strike back during this opportunity. Tomorrow, tell them exactly this..."
A look of understanding crossed Mui's face, and with a wicked grin, he said, "I get it."
...
The next day, within the meeting room.
Onoki asked somewhat surprisedly, "You've already figured something out?"
"I indeed have a plan, though it might differ from what you previously considered."
"What do you mean?"
Rather than answering directly, Mui shifted the topic. "Tsuchikage, how would you describe Seiki Shimaseki?"
Although puzzled by Mui's intent, Onoki still contemplated briefly before responding, "A genius—an unquestionable genius!"
With Mui's gaze upon them, the others couldn't quite bring themselves to admit it out loud, even though they really had no choice but to agree. They mumbled quietly instead:
"Even though we're enemies, we have to admit—he's one tough guy!"
"There you go," Mui shrugged helplessly. "With someone this powerful, how do you expect me to deceive him?"
Onoki grimaced. "So what you're saying is we just give up?"
Kitsuchi frowned deeply. "But didn't you already gain his trust?"
Mui sighed. "Lord Kitsuchi, first of all, you must understand one thing. He doesn't fully trust me. Our relationship exists only because he wants Kusagakure's stance."
Kitsuchi pondered, "So you're saying he hasn't confirmed your identity yet, but for Kusagakure's sake, he chooses not to doubt."
Mui nodded. "That's basically correct."
Onoki muttered gloomily. "Then it's impossible then?"
"Not necessarily impossible," Mui spoke in a low voice. "My approach is to abandon schemes and apply open pressure against him!"
"Open pressure?"
Mui analyzed, "Two years ago when he let me go over some prisoners' lives and deaths, I realized he was overly kind-hearted. Such people have very obvious weaknesses."
Hikka rubbed his temple. "Exactly because we knew this weakness, we had you lure his comrades out."
Mui shook his head. "I don't necessarily need them as bait. I can do it myself!"
Everyone blurted out in unison, "What?!"
Mui smiled. "Surprising? If he was willing to risk danger for total strangers from Sunagakure, surely he'd take a chance for someone like me—a so-called 'brother-in-arms.'"
Onoki hesitated. "This seems different though. At least with Sunagakure, they were definitely his comrades. But suddenly you doing this might easily expose your identity."
Mui shook his head. "That's why I say you don't understand him at all. Someone as overly kind-hearted as him will still choose to believe, just like last time, unless there's concrete evidence proving I'm a spy... Not to mention, this isn't even my full plan."
Hikka quickly asked, "What other plans do you have?"
Under everyone's urging, Mui revealed his answer. "[Wish-Granting Casket]!"
Upon hearing this, Onoki's expression darkened. "You mean that cursed Wish-Granting Casket that got Kuroishi obsessed?"
After that incident, they had investigated what was supposedly one of the Treasured Tools of the Sage of Six Paths (legendary artifacts believed to hold immense power), only to conclude it wasn't a wish-granting artifact at all, but rather a container sealing malevolent forces.
Such cases weren't uncommon in the shinobi world. The Land of Demons also holds dark myths like that.
Onoki wasn't an ignorant man, knowing well that those who broke such seals seldom met good ends. After inwardly cursing his luck, he stopped caring about it.
Of course, not sinking the cursed object into the ocean was also part of a hidden scheme against Konoha—what if among them there appeared another fool like Kuroishi?
Mui explained, "Although none of us would want to hear about this artifact, it may actually serve as a useful tool for us."
Onoki bit back his anger. "And just what do you intend to do?"
Mui grinned, eyes narrowing craftily. "Here's the plan—we'll say that as the Tsuchikage, you seek great power to end this war. Then we'll set our sights on the Wish-Granting Casket and demand it be handed over from Hozuki Castle."
"Then, I'll speak out against the plan, warning that opening the Wish-Granting Casket could unleash a monster capable of ending the world. You can use that as an excuse to arrest me and force me to reveal how to open it."
"With this arrangement, my capture will seem perfectly justified. And throwing in a world-ending threat will work in our favor. Konoha never misses a chance to boast about being the guardian of peace. Even if they don't see me—a so-called 'strategic partner'—as worth saving, they'll still feel compelled to uphold global stability, right?"
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