Placing the Recorder...

"I... But you can't disrupt the harmony between the two clans. No matter what, she is my sister."

Hyūga Natsu hesitated. Blood was thicker than water, after all. She had decided to make Shimizu stop doing such things.

"Alright, I won't do it."

To Hyūga Natsu's surprise, Shimizu agreed to her request without hesitation.

She felt relieved, but before she could speak, Shimizu leaned forward—

And grabbed her small hand.

Hyūga Natsu's body stiffened, staring at Shimizu in disbelief.

"A hand that's used to working... It's a bit rough, but maybe that's a plus?"

Shimizu seemed to be implying something.

"Shimizu... classmate, you should know that Konoha has laws against harassment."

Hyūga Natsu tried to pull her hand back, using all her strength, but it wouldn't budge.

So strong!

She didn't understand why Shimizu's strength was so overwhelming. Sure, there were differences in physical strength between men and women, but not to this extent!

Especially at their current age—girls were supposed to develop faster.

"I don't need you to avenge me. I'm leaving now. Let go."

Hyūga Natsu's expression gradually turned cold.

Even a clay figure had its limits. When it came to a girl's dignity, she had to make her stance clear.

If it were anyone else forcing her like this, she would have slapped them and called them a scoundrel.

But recalling Shimizu's mysterious and unfathomable methods, Hyūga Natsu suppressed her disgust and unease, speaking in a neutral tone.

"That really hurts my feelings."

Shimizu squeezed her soft hand slightly.

"Hyūga Natsu, you and Hyūga Tokuma offended me, yet I still helped you take revenge. And this is how you treat me?"

"These are two separate matters."

Hyūga Natsu felt bitter inside—Shimizu hadn't forgiven them at all.

He still held a grudge over what happened two years ago. Their feud wasn't over.

And now, it seemed like he was finally taking action because his strength had improved.

"Shimizu, I can apologize. But can you let me go?"

"I can—but only if you place this recorder in the Hyūga Clan's Main House conference hall."

With his free hand, he pulled out a small, square box.

Inside was a recorder Shimizu had bought through the ninja cat clan, which had ties to the Uchiha Clan.

The ninja cat clan was one of Uchiha's biggest sources of intelligence and ninja tools, their alliance dating back to the Warring States period.

Shimizu had spent a sum of money to purchase the device.

To avoid detection by the Byakugan, he specifically chose a recorder that was extremely small—almost impossible to notice unless one deliberately searched for it. And besides, members of the Hyūga Clan wouldn't casually use the Byakugan on others, as it was considered impolite and intrusive.

"No."

Hyūga Natsu refused outright.

Gathering intelligence on the Hyūga Clan was unquestionably an act of betrayal.

If she were caught, the consequences would be far worse than mocking the Main House—she would meet a tragic end.

"Then, Hyūga Natsu, are you sure you want Hyūga Ginka to find out about your... little secrets?"

Shimizu's eyes narrowed. It was as if one wrong answer from her would make him reveal everything.

Hyūga Natsu clenched the hem of her black robe tightly, visibly tense.

Then, she suddenly realized something—

Shimizu had attacked Hyūga Ginka. His crime was far worse than hers. Why should she fear him?

"You..."

"You have no proof."

Shimizu calmly stated the words Hyūga Natsu had been about to say.

"If I wanted proof, I could find it anytime."

His pupils suddenly transformed into three-tomoe Sharingan.

Hyūga Natsu lifted her gaze and met those ominous, bewitching eyes.

"!"

She instinctively shrank back in fear.

After witnessing Hyūga Ginka's fate, she had developed an aversion to the Sharingan.

Shimizu had never even met Hyūga Ginka, yet he had somehow made her suffer from agonizing stomach pain.

What if he used the same ability on her?

What if instead of stomach pain, it was her heart?

The more Hyūga Natsu thought about it, the more frightened she became. She had no means of resisting Shimizu.

The Byakugan could see through illusions, but that didn't mean it could dispel the ones cast directly on her.

"How about this? You don't have to place the recorder in the Main House conference hall. Just put it in front of Hyūga Ginka."

Shimizu opened the lid, revealing a recorder no larger than a fingernail. He pushed it toward Hyūga Natsu and made his true request.

His previous demands had merely been a psychological setup.

People were more likely to accept a smaller request after rejecting a bigger one.

From asking her to place it in the Hyūga Clan's meeting room, to touching her, to merely recording Hyūga Ginka—each step was a gradual concession.

"All you have to do is ask Hyūga Ginka what she thinks about the Uchiha Clan. Just record her answer and give it to me, and I'll leave you alone."

"What are you really after?"

"I'm just curious about how other clans view the Uchiha. And... I want to hear Hyūga Ginka's voice. I've heard she's quite beautiful, isn't she?"

Shimizu's bewitching Sharingan spun slowly, releasing wave after wave of invisible mental pressure.

He was planting a suggestion in Hyūga Natsu's mind.

No illusion that manipulated the human psyche was completely undetectable—not even the most powerful one, Kotoamatsukami.

With his current ocular power, controlling Hyūga Natsu outright would be too risky; it could be discovered.

But amplifying certain emotions—guiding her thoughts in a specific direction?

That would feel like her own decision. No ninja technique would be able to trace it.

A flicker of resentment surfaced in Hyūga Natsu's heart.

Memories flashed through her mind—being scolded, punished, humiliated into eating leftover pastries…

...

Hokage's Office.

Sarutobi Hiruzen examined the report in his hand and summoned a group of ninjas.

"The front lines are in crisis, and we're short on manpower. What do you think?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen swept his gaze across Mitokado Homura, Shimura Danzō, and Utatane Koharu.

The others quickly scanned the report.

Iwagakure's forces had bypassed the Land of Taki, reaching the northwest border of the Land of Fire, launching a surprise attack.

With most forces preoccupied with Kumogakure, Konoha was caught off guard.

"Send the Genin. We can't afford to lose too many Jōnin."

Shimura Danzō's voice was grim.

Jōnin were a village's elite, while Chūnin were its backbone.

Losing too many would cripple Konoha, potentially causing it to fall from the ranks of the Five Great Shinobi Nations.

"Genin are the future of the village."

Hiruzen frowned deeply.

"Hiruzen, Danzō is right. We don't have enough manpower. The Genin must contribute."

"They can start with logistics. No need to send them straight into battle."

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