Chapter 9: Stealing the Sealed Scroll

Konoha Year 53, November 3rd.

Hyuga Gakuya, along with Kakashi, Yamato, Akumu, Sho, Kōga, Rinkaku, and other trusted subordinates of the Hokage, received a secret mission: to inspect and reinforce the security of the Sealed Chamber in Konoha.

It was an enormous undertaking. Every single sealing cabinet had to be unsealed, examined, and then resealed. Delegating such a task to just a few specialized teams would be too slow, giving potential enemies an opportunity to strike.

This was where Gakuya and his fellow Anbu came in. The sealing specialists applied unsealing techniques directly onto the Anbu members' hands, allowing them to accelerate the process. Their role was to clear out the old seals, while four sealing experts worked to properly reseal the secured items.

Many of the objects stored in the chamber were beyond Gakuya's imagination—sealed scrolls containing the claws and fangs of mysterious creatures, as well as records of incomplete forbidden jutsu.

Among these, the largest collection belonged to the works of Senju Tobirama. Though he had successfully created many powerful jutsu, his failures were even greater in number. All of his unfinished and discarded forbidden techniques were sealed away here.

But what interested Gakuya the most was the Forbidden Technique of Orochimaru's former subordinate, Hiruko: the Chimera Technique. On Cabinet 3/9, as he reached out to break its seal, a sudden, deafening explosion erupted outside. Immediately, everyone tensed into high alert.

"Enemy attack! Sho, Kōga, Rinkaku, Gyokaku! Follow me to intercept!"

The Anbu reacted swiftly, vanishing in an instant.

Gakuya knew this wasn't part of his own plan. He had stationed a few shadow clones outside, but it was not yet time for the prearranged assault. This meant the attackers were foreign ninja.

Still, the chaos was a perfect opportunity. Without hesitation, he unsealed the cabinet, activated his Ninjutsu: Substitution Swap Technique, and swapped the real scroll with a forged one bearing Hyuga Hizashi's seal.

...

Not long after the first wave of enemies was repelled, another group of attackers stormed in.

Amidst the tension, one of the Anbu suddenly drew his blade and struck down a comrade beside him.

Before anyone could react, he flung several smoke bombs across the chamber, instantly filling the room with a burning, eye-stinging mist.

"Khh—! Cough!"

The smoke forced the remaining Anbu into violent fits of coughing, their eyes stinging shut.

Through the thick haze, Gakuya sensed a figure rushing past him.

A Yamanaka clan Anbu clenched his jaw against the irritation and shouted, "Don't resist! I'll use Mind-Body Switch to let everyone ride out the storm!"

Gakuya immediately understood and let go of his mental defenses, allowing the Yamanaka to take control of his body.

His awareness shifted, as though he had been seated in the audience of his own actions, watching himself form the necessary hand seals.

Boar – Rooster – Goat!

"Wind Release: Gale Surge!"

A powerful gust erupted, clearing the chamber of the suffocating mist.

Gakuya rubbed his eyes, forcing them open despite the lingering sting—and his expression darkened. The cabinet before him was now empty. The fake sealed scroll he had placed was gone.

Around him, many other storage units had been broken into, their contents stolen.

A squad leader swiftly stepped forward. "No one moves! No one pursues the traitor! If you leave, you will be considered a rogue shinobi!"

He suspected that a spy was still among them and refused to let anyone escape before verifying their loyalty.

The remaining Anbu exchanged uneasy glances but obeyed the command, staying in place.

...

Before long, the Anbu Commander, Sarutobi Shinnosuke, finally arrived, accompanied by members of the Interrogation and Reconnaissance divisions.

"Everyone whose name is called, report to the next room for questioning. You will not be released until you are cleared."

"Miyagawa!"

"Here."

One by one, the selected individuals followed the interrogation team out, while the rest waited in tense silence.

This situation was severe. If there truly was a traitor among the Hokage's most trusted shinobi, it meant that even the most thorough vetting process had failed.

Meanwhile, reconnaissance specialists combed the scene for any remaining clues.

Gakuya couldn't help but wonder—how would they identify the traitor? And more importantly, would his own actions remain undetected?

Was this sudden incident a disaster—or an unexpected blessing?

...

"Kakashi!"

"Present!"

"Yamato!"

"Present!"

One by one, Gakuya's comrades were called away.

"Hyuga Gakuya!"

"Here!"

Gakuya stepped out of the Sealed Chamber and entered the makeshift interrogation room. Inside, Sarutobi Shinnosuke sat at a table, flanked by multiple interrogation specialists.

"Sit."

Gakuya obeyed, settling into the chair across from the commander.

"This is simple," Shinnosuke said. "I ask, you answer. Yes or no."

Gakuya's gaze flickered toward the interrogation team. He knew their methods. Against fellow Konoha ninja, they wouldn't resort to invasive mind-probing techniques, as such jutsu could permanently damage the subject's mind.

Instead, this was a basic lie-detection test.

"Have you betrayed Konoha?"

"No."

"Have you ever acted against Konoha's interests?"

"No."

"Do you have any connection to today's traitor?"

"No."

The interrogation specialists exchanged glances, then shook their heads. Gakuya had passed their assessment.

"Alright. You're clear. You may leave."

Gakuya nodded and stood to leave—

"Wait."

Shinnosuke's voice stopped him mid-step.

Gakuya turned back slowly, his heartbeat quickening. "Yes, Captain?"

"Would you mind showing me the contents of the scroll on your back?"

...

Gakuya remained composed and placed the scroll on the table.

"Of course."

Shinnosuke unsealed it, revealing four labeled compartments: "Dark," "Clothing," "Food," and one blank section.

He broke the "Dark" seal first, spilling kunai and shuriken onto the table. The next two contained fresh clothes and packaged rations.

Nothing unusual.

After carefully resealing the items, Shinnosuke handed the scroll back with an apologetic nod.

"My apologies."

Gakuya took it back. "No problem. Just protocol, right?"

...

As he exited the chamber, Gakuya let out a breath. The interrogation had almost tripped him up.

But thanks to his understanding of body physiology—and the Hyuga clan's precise chakra control—he had suppressed all physical tells, making his lies undetectable.

Most importantly, the true stolen scroll remained hidden inside a secondary seal, buried within his large scroll's layered compartments.

Let the world witness true deception.

Gakuya smirked. "No one outplays me."

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