Aftermath 6

Half an hour passed as the group grew increasingly frustrated, their minds racing for any possible solution. Aiko, growing impatient, punched a corner of the stone wall in annoyance. But the moment her fist made contact, there was a loud click—the sound of something unlocking.

"Wait, I think I got it!" Aiko exclaimed, her eyes wide with realization.

Before anyone could react, the entire group was immediately restrained. Heavy hands, out of nowhere, grabbed them from behind. A kunai was pressed to each of their throats, making it impossible to move without risking instant death. The sharpness of the blades, and the deadly pressure, sent a chill down their spines.

Silver's mind raced as he analyzed the situation. How? We didn't even hear them approaching.

But no matter how fast his reflexes were, they were outmatched by the unseen figures now holding them in place. Every one of his team members was effectively immobilized, and the kunai was a constant threat to their survival. There was no chance to counterattack in this situation—not without making their deaths a certainty.

Tetsuma's eyes darted around. He wasn't able to see his attackers—who were they? How had they gotten the drop on them so quickly? We've been made… His mind reeled, trying to think of a way out, but there was no opportunity to act.

Meanwhile, far from the scene of their capture, inside the Hokage's office, Tobirama Senju was deep in thought, going over the various matters of the village. His eyes scanned reports, as he considered the current political climate and the growing threats from neighboring lands. The pressure of leadership weighed heavily on his shoulders.

However, just as his thoughts were deepening, a sudden flash of chakra signature snapped him out of his reverie. His eyes widened with realization.

That chakra signature... Tobirama thought to himself. This is no coincidence.

He didn't hesitate. Without a word, he swiftly employed his Hiraishin Jutsu, the Flying Thunder God Technique. In a single instant, he disappeared from his office, his form flickering with a flash of yellow lightning.

His destination was clear: his abandoned secret laboratory beneath the Forest of Death. It was the only place where his hidden experiments, his most sensitive operations, had been conducted. The place where dangerous knowledge had been sealed away.

As he reappeared in the darkened underground lab, Tobirama's heart beat faster. The chakra signature he'd detected moments earlier was no mistake—it was a signal. A signal that indicated the breach of something far more dangerous than he'd originally expected.

Now, his focus sharpened as he prepared for whatever came next. The security of his lab, the secrecy of his research, was in jeopardy. And it was no longer just a matter of the village's safety—it was personal.