Chapter – 33: Killed because of You!

[Rei POV]

When I got to know about the kidnappings, I decided to check things out and see if I can somehow fish in troubled waters, I didn't have anything to lose anyway.

Just finding out who got kidnapped actually took some effort from my side as the Hokage has done well to contain the information, even Obito just knew that some students have been kidnapped from rumors. I went with the only plan I could think of, using transformation jutsu, I went to each of the first-year classes and checked who was absent. Then sent my shadow clones to their places to confirm if they are just taking the day off or they have just disappeared.

After making multiple rounds, I could confirm that there were indeed four students that got kidnapped. Currently, I can make five shadow clones of which I used transformation jutsu again to transform four of them into crows and sent them to keep watch on four targets.

Finally, at midnight my patience paid off. One of the parents of kidnapped children, Kurata Hoshiko left his house alone while carrying what looked like a bag with ransom money.

All four clones had assistance subroutine which they can send information directly to me. As soon as I got the info, I used the Dream control technique to take control of the clone in crow form and started to follow Hoshiko from the sky.

When I first came into this world, there were many things that didn't make sense to me. For example, since even genins know the transformation jutsu and can use it to transform into animals, why haven't they tried to transform themselves into birds and fly? I mean it is a better and faster way to travel to mission locations, right? Anyway, after I learned the jutsu, I immediately tried it and it worked like a charm. Though I had to spend a lot of time practicing to fly and not fall off.

I followed the man for some time before he drops the bag he was carrying into a trash bin and leaves. Something is fishy! from the sky I could see two similar bags in the trash bin. One that Hoshiko dropped just now and another that was already there. I immediately understand their plan. 'They plan to use it as a decoy!'

I silently drop down and perch atop a wall some distance away from the bin and wait for the play to start. As I expected, the anbu gets fooled by the clone and follows it and the kidnapper then takes the money and disappears. Although I wanted to fish for some benefits, just from their speed, I know I am not their match at all, not by a large margin. 'They should be Jonins or even Elite Jonins!' I think as I dissipate the clone.

"Smart and Powerful!" I murmur sitting inside the origin space.

The rest of the night passes quietly. The next morning, I received news from one of my clones that my classmate Kurata Shigeko, son of Kurata Hoshiko has been sent back safely to his parents after the kidnapper got his money.

'Oh, a kidnapper who keeps his word! that's new,' I think.

Although I could be considered smart, I am nowhere close to Shikaku's level yet. That's why I still thought it was a normal kidnapping.

Two days passed. My clones were still keeping watch on the remaining targets. Although I knew it will be fruitless, and even if I do wait for them I cant snatch the money from either of them. But I still decided to keep watch just in case an opportunity arises.

Suddenly, there was a disturbance at Yaguchi Koto's house. Even from a distance away, my clone could detect the strong stench of blood!

The anbu who was hiding nearby also smells it and rushes into the house. I also immediately take control of the clone and fly towards a window to get a close look.

Inside the house, only a severed arm was left in the middle of the hall with blood splattered all around it. Anyone could guess the hand belonged to Koto's father Yaguchi Reizo. As I look around, I could immediately spot a message on the wall written in blood!

"Konoha, thank you for getting in our way. As a return gift, we have decided to send this father and son pair to meet their makers. This is the last warning if you continue to meddle, the rest would soon meet the same fate! It wasn't our intention to kill, just know that they were killed because of YOU!

- Nazo"

'Damm, these guys are scary!' I think before flying away.

** Hokage office **

Hiruzen already got the report of what happened at Koto's house. That's the reason for the gloomy atmosphere at his office. There were five people inside his office currently but everyone kept quiet.

The silence is broken by Hiruzen's secretary, "Hokage-sama, you have a message from Seishiro-sama!"

"It's ok for them to know, what is it?"

"Hai! Seishiro-sama wants you to wait for his son to be back before doing anything," says his secretary with a bow.

All of those present including the Hokage turn involuntarily and look towards the anbu in a wolf mask. Although the majority of it was not wolf's fault, they couldn't find anyone else to put the blame on. So, the poor anbu had to suffer.

As the anbu was feeling embarrassed, Shikaku comes to his rescue diverting the topic, "Hokage-sama, what should we do now?"

"What can we do Shikaku, the Nazo hold all the cards!" sighs Hiruzen.

"That's not true Hokage-sama, we still have two more chances to find the Nazo! If my guess is right, they will deal with Seishiro-sama at the last as the money will be huge and they will want to escape immediately after getting it. But this time, we need to send in our best and their mission would be just to follow the kidnappers from the far away and to be never get spotted by them!"

"No, Shikaku! that will be too risky, I cannot let any other children die!"

"Hokage-sama, that's the point, we don't have to do anything at all, did you forget who the aunt of Hayato Yasuo they have kidnapped is?"

"You mean her?" asks Hiruzen dumbfoundedly.

"Nishihara Isuzu!"