Chapter 163: The Poison of Doubt [Part 1]
The abandoned warehouse was drowned in an eerie silence.
A moment ago, the room had been a maelstrom of chakra, lightning, and explosions; the clash of blades had filled every corner, battle cries mixing with the furious storm of combat.
Now, there was only quiet.
Shōgeki's lifeless body lay in the center of the room. Blood trickled slowly from the severed neck, forming a dark pool that seeped into the damp, splintered wooden planks. The metallic scent of iron mixed with the stench of rotten wood and dust, saturating the air with an inevitable sense of finality.
He was dead.
Kagerō wiped his forehead with the back of his hand, his breathing still ragged from the battle. His eyes flicked from Borei to Shōgeki's severed head, then back to Borei.
"We really took down a Jōnin of Kumo this quickly… Now what?"
Hokujin remained silent for a moment, his gaze still fixed on the corpse of the former Kumo commander. Then, he stepped forward, resting his hands on his knees to catch his breath.
"We need to get rid of the body."
Borei didn't answer immediately. Calmly, he crouched next to the corpse, his fingers brushing the still-warm pool of blood. Then, his hands formed a series of seals, the movements fluid and precise.
A scroll slipped from his robes, unfurling in an instant, illuminated by a brief bluish glow.
In the blink of an eye, Shōgeki's body disappeared.
Borei remained on one knee for a moment, staring at the now-sealed scroll. Then, he stood and turned to his comrades.
"Now, the second phase of the plan begins."
No one else spoke.
Only the faint dripping of the remaining blood continued to mark the passing time.
DAY 6.
By morning, Kumo's camp in the port city appeared normal.
The shinobi moved through side streets, disguised as civilians, blending into the local populace while patrolling strategic locations.
But to a keen observer, the details were off.
Their movements were too precise.Their eyes too sharp.Their hands never strayed far from their weapons.
And then—there was the silence.
Not the silence of discipline.
But the silence of something not quite right.
Shōgeki was missing.
He had not returned to Noriaki's command. No orders. No signals. No trace.
Doubt began to creep into the minds of Kumo's shinobi. Some believed he was handling a secret mission.
Others… were not so sure.
Then, the whispers began.
Kirigakure's ANBU, infiltrated among the lower-ranking shinobi, spread seeds of doubt with carefully placed whispers between patrols.
"They say Noriaki betrayed us.""The mission was canceled, and they didn't tell us in time.""Noriaki wants to take the island for himself, and Shōgeki found out."
The words slithered like invisible poison, seeping into the already tense minds of the Kumo forces.
Borei knew.
Paranoia was a far deadlier weapon than any kunai.
And eventually, the whispers reached Noriaki.
- - -
Seated in the dimly lit interior of his tent, Noriaki listened in silence.
His gaze fell on the worn canvas that separated the inner command space.
He could hear his men muttering among themselves.
He could feel the doubt creeping through them.
This was a problem.
Noriaki closed his eyes for a moment, crossing his arms.
He analyzed the situation carefully.
Who's trying to destabilize us? Has Kirigakure uncovered our plan?
No.
These were not the methods of the Mist.
This subtle art of planting discord...
These are Konoha's tactics.
But then…
Why would Shōgeki be the one spreading these rumors?
No.
It couldn't be him.
Someone is toying with us.
He opened his eyes and spoke.
"Riku."
A shinobi stepped forward, kneeling before him.
"Noriaki-san."
"Investigate. Find out where the hell Shōgeki is."
Riku nodded and vanished into the mist without another word.
Noriaki watched him go, then turned toward the silent shadow that had been waiting patiently behind him.
"Follow him."
The ninja did not move.
Did not answer.
"And whatever you see… do not intervene."
Noriaki narrowed his eyes.
Let's see if you take the bait.
Riku spent hours gathering information.
He questioned his comrades, listened to rumors, searched for any trace of Shōgeki.
But the more questions he asked, the more he found only silence.
Or perhaps… the more he found people unwilling to answer.
A tightness formed in his chest.
Then, just as he was about to return empty-handed, fate delivered an answer.
From a side street, he spotted a civilian…
But something was off.
Riku narrowed his eyes.
Among the folds of the man's jacket, trapped in a side pocket…
A Konoha headband.
His heartbeat pounded.
The supposed civilian was not alone.
He approached a hooded figure, exchanging whispered words.
Riku felt his breath hitch.
The hooded figure's profile… was familiar.
No… impossible.
It was Shōgeki.
His expression hardened, his hand slipping toward his kunai.
Shōgeki… do you really betrayed us?
He took a step forward.
Then—
Everything changed.
The hooded figure turned.
Their eyes met.
A bluish flash ripped through the air.
An instant later, Riku was already dead.
"Too slow."
Raiton: Raikō Nenshō (雷光燃焼, "Lightning Combustion")
Riku's body was incinerated instantly.
But from the shadows…
Someone had seen everything.
What the hell did I just witness…?
- - - The Night Before, in the Abandoned Building - - -
The wind whistled through the broken windows, lifting strips of dust and ash across the battered floor. The room was shrouded in darkness, illuminated only by the dim glow of paper lanterns, casting sharp shadows against the peeling walls.
Borei stood with his arms crossed, his gaze locked on the other two ANBU.
When answering to Hokujin, his voice was low, steady, devoid of hesitation.
"Disguising ourselves as Shōgeki and presenting ourselves to Noriaki would be foolish."
He let the words settle into the heavy air, giving Hokujin and Kagerō the necessary time to fully absorb them.
"An experienced ninja, a man who has served Kumo for years, will not be fooled by such a simple trick. They study your posture, the way you move your fingers, how you breathe. Just a few moments are enough to realize something is wrong.
And we cannot afford to give Noriaki those few moments."
He paused.
Slowly, he turned toward the window, gazing at the darkness.
"The truth is simple."
He turned back to his two comrades.
"We don't need to convince Kumo that Shōgeki is alive.
They must convince themselves."
[Thanks Everyone for your support, specially:
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Sorry if i forgot someone, and Enjoy! ^.^
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