Raftra fell silent. Slowly he closed his laptop, then switched off the phone that still glowed faintly in his hand. The simple click sounded like the closing of a long chapter — a chapter of torture, interrogation, and lies that had almost broken him.
His head bowed, eyes fixed on the cold prison floor, yet his mind churned faster than ever.
'I am weak…' he thought.
'Not weak because my body is battered, not weak because I have no chakra. But weak… politically.'
Everything that had happened to him that day only clarified one harsh truth. He could scream, fight, even tell the truth, but in the end… his fate was decided by those in power.
Hiruzen, Danzo, Homura, Koharu — those who sat in seats of influence could pronounce life or death with a single sentence.
'If I want to survive in this world, I have no other choice… but to play their game.'
Raftra lifted his face and glanced toward Hiruzen, who still sat across from him. His eyes were empty, yet a small flame began to kindle inside him — a flame born of pain and humiliation.
'My first move… must be Hiruzen. I have to make him take my side. Not just believe me, but see me as someone important.'
'If necessary, I'll manipulate him. I'll make him view me as family, a comrade, even a figure vital to the village. Anything… as long as he stands with me.'
He closed his eyes for a moment, and the image of Naruto surfaced in his mind — that small boy with an honest smile, too pure for this cruel world.
'And Naruto… he is the key. I will make him depend on me. I will enter his life and become the big-brother figure he needs.'
'I will slowly wash his mind, make him love me. That way, Hiruzen will bind himself to me even more — because Naruto is his greatest treasure, Minato's legacy.'
Raftra took a long breath, trying to quiet the turmoil, but his thoughts would not stop. He began to think about larger figures: Fugaku Uchiha, Hiashi Hyuga, Shikaku Nara, and the other clan heads.
'If I want true safety, I must win their hearts too. I must win over Fugaku, deceive Hiashi, make Shikaku like me. If the clan leaders stand with me, no one in this village will dare depose me.'
A faint curve formed on his lips — not a warm smile, but a bitter, cold grin full of vengeance.
'And after I rise high enough… I will crush Danzo. I will make him feel a thousand times the pain he inflicted on me. I will destroy him slowly, until nothing remains.'
Raftra opened his eyes and stared blankly at the Third Hokage. The look seemed fragile on the surface, but underneath it… a black resolve had taken root.
'Manipulation. Lies. Power. Cunning. These are not choices but obligations. If I want to live, I must become a devil in their game. And you, Hiruzen… you will be my first victim.'
'Forgive me for what I will do, but I only want revenge. I hate all of this, I hate being here, I hate the torture that traumatised me…'
'I… hate you all.'
Raftra straightened slowly. Although his body still bore fresh wounds and his muscles were weak, his eyes were no longer the same.
There was something there now, a mixture of exhaustion, sincerity, and something darker — a coated manipulation.
He looked straight at Hiruzen and spoke. "May I ask, Lord Hiruzen? Honestly… how much do you believe me?"
Hiruzen, who had been silent until then, weighing things carefully, finally answered.
"If you mean your story about coming from another world… then I believe you one hundred percent. The phone and laptop are enough to convince me."
"But if you mean you, Raftra, as an individual… my trust is only sixty percent."
Raftra lowered his head for a moment, then let out a soft laugh. The sound was faint, almost bitter, but sincere enough to fool a listener.
"Sixty percent… that's a good number. A leader should not trust anyone easily. If you had given me one hundred percent right away, I would doubt you as a leader."
He raised his head, his eyes glittered. "But I'm glad, very glad, that at least you believe one hundred percent in my story about another world. That is more than enough."
Hiruzen did not reply, only regarded him with a grave look.
Raftra continued, his voice deeper and more measured this time. "Lord Hiruzen… what will you do now? You know better than anyone that your advisors will never like the decision if you simply free me."
"Koharu, Homura… and especially Danzo. They thirst for control, and I know, I am nothing but trash to them… something to be burned."
Hiruzen fell silent. He knew the words were true. He knew that standing against Danzo could spark a war within the village's inner circle. He stroked his beard slowly, searching for the right words.
"I will think of a way," he said, brief, concise, but heavy.
Raftra smiled faintly and leaned against the wall, then spoke again with a calm but piercing tone.
"I only want to remind you, Hokage-sama. I am not an enemy. I am a victim. I never asked to be thrown into this world. I never asked to be seen as a threat."
"Tonight… what I endured… was hell. A hell undeserved by someone who hadn't done anything."
"I may not be able to change their views. But you can. You are the Hokage. You can uphold justice here. You can decide whether I remain a prisoner… or a human."
Hiruzen listened without interruption. His eyes searched for motives in Raftra's words, but Raftra left no opening.
He lowered his head, his voice softening but sinking with deeper weight.
"As I said, I'm ready to die. If that must be the outcome, I will not run. But if I still have a choice to live, then my life… rests in your hands. You will decide."
The words hung in the air — silent, heavy, laden.
Raftra knew — behind Hiruzen's wise face there was doubt, guilt. He intended to use those drops to ensnare the Third Hokage, to make him see Raftra not as a threat but as someone to protect.
He exhaled softly, then looked at Hiruzen with a gentler expression, though inwardly he was full of schemes.
"Lord Hiruzen… may I ask something more personal?"
Hiruzen furrowed his brow. "Ask."
"Do you have family? Children… or perhaps grandchildren?" he asked.
Hiruzen was quiet for a moment, then nodded slowly. "Yes. I do. Even… grandchildren."
Raftra fell silent as if absorbing the answer. When he spoke, pain laced his voice.
"Then allow me to ask… if your child or grandchild were suddenly hurled into another world, and there they were treated as I have been… tortured, imprisoned, forced to confess to things they did not do…"
He paused to steady his breath, then continued in a deeper tone, "...would you not feel sorrow? Broken? Angry?"
Hiruzen's face shifted, he looked contemplative.
Raftra resumed, his voice trembling between earnestness and the practiced pretense he wielded so subtly.
"I know… in your world I am a stranger. But in my world, I have a father, a mother… perhaps they are now searching, crying, desperate because their child disappeared without a trace."
"They don't know I'm here. They don't know I'm going through this."
He lowered his head, his voice fell to a near whisper. "If only they knew… that the child they love is being tortured, imprisoned, maybe even dying horribly… could you imagine that sorrow?"
"Would you bear to see your own family suffer like that?"
Hiruzen was silent. His gaze narrowed, heavy.
Raftra lifted his head again, meeting Hiruzen's eyes with a wounded look that was partly genuine and partly a weapon.
"I just want you to answer, Lord Hiruzen. If your family were treated like me… would you feel sorrow?"
Hiruzen knit his brow, his look wary. "Are you… trying to manipulate me, Raftra?"
Raftra paused, then laughed softly. Not a happy laugh. "Manipulate, huh? How amusing. You take even small courtesies for manipulation. Then… what is the purpose of me talking to you?"
His tone did not rise, but there was an unmistakable streak of sarcasm.
Hiruzen said, "You are… hard to read. I cannot fully discern your aim with those words."
Raftra exhaled long and bowed his head before looking up once more. This time his expression grew heavier, deeper.
"My aim? There is no grand purpose behind that small talk. I'm simply… trying to forget the trauma that still burns my body."
He clenched his fists, his fingers trembled. His voice cracked but came through clearly.
"Do you think… being tortured like that doesn't shatter a person's mind? They hung me, beat me, forced me to endure endless pain. That is not something that simply disappears."
Hiruzen's eyes softened.
"I'm just an ordinary human. A human without chakra. I am weak, fragile, trapped in a world that does not understand me."
"So if I make small talk, if I try to distract myself with trivialities… it's because I need an outlet. I need… something to make my mind forget the torture for a moment."
He smiled faintly again. "If you call that manipulation… then so be it. I don't care."
Hiruzen finally nodded slowly. A hint of pity crossed his face. "I… understand. And that's natural."
Raftra then looked at the laptop and phone resting on his lap. He lifted both and handed them to Hiruzen with a heavy gaze.
"Keep these safe, Lord Hiruzen," he said hoarsely but firmly.
"These laptop and phone… are far more complicated than they appear. What I showed you earlier is only the beginning. There are many other functions they can perform — far beyond mere images or recordings."
"But don't misunderstand, these things are not weapons. They are not tools to kill or destroy."
Hiruzen regarded the devices with caution. He knew all too well that although Raftra claimed they were not weapons, such foreign technology could become a great power — or calamity — if it fell into the wrong hands.
At last he rose. "Very well. I will store them in a special room, as before. No one but I will touch them."
Raftra nodded weakly. He leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes for a moment as if gathering the last of his remaining strength.
"I understand. And now…" he opened his eyes, staring straight at Hiruzen.
"I can only wait for your decision, Lord Hokage. Will I be allowed freedom… or locked away until I die in a world that is not mine?"
Silence followed. Raftra's breaths were heavy while Hiruzen's gaze sharpened, measuring something Raftra himself could not foresee.
Hiruzen left the cell, leaving Raftra in the small, dark, silent room.
...
A few days passed.
Time in the isolated cell had blurred, Raftra had stopped counting.
In this sequestered prison, day and night were nearly indistinguishable. Only cold stone walls, a hard wooden bed, and the persistent ache haunted his every movement.
His body had not healed completely. The external wounds had been closed by medical jutsu, but each time he shifted his shoulders or back the pain flared anew, a reminder that the marks of torture would not vanish easily.
Laid weak on the wooden bed, an odd vision pierced his reverie. Not a simple daydream — a flash that sliced through his consciousness.
He saw himself older. Around twenty-three years of age, his body sturdier, his aura warmer and commanding.
He stood atop a Hokage monument, the night wind whipping his long cloak. Beside him was a stern, unfamiliar woman — her face blurred but strikingly beautiful, exuding importance.
In that flash his lips moved, uttering words that froze his blood as he heard them:
'"The Konoha Clan Organization… grows larger over time."'
Raftra awoke with widened eyes. He bit his lip, struggling to understand the phrase.
'Konoha Clan Organization? What does that mean? I've only just arrived, how can I… see myself saying that?'
Cold sweat dampened his temples. He tried to deny it, but the sentence echoed as if implanted in his mind.
'Is this my future? Or merely a hallucination from pain and stress? Who was that woman? Why did my voice sound so authoritative?'
'And why did I say Konoha Clan like an organization that will expand? Is this a warning?'
The more he tried to make sense of it, the deeper his unease grew. He covered his face with his hands. 'Am I going insane, hallucinating?'
'But… who is that woman? Her face is vague, her clothes strange, and why does her hair change color?'
'Konoha Clan… organization of Konoha clans… what is this vision?'
...
Meanwhile, in the council chamber filled with Konoha's elders.
Hiruzen sat in his seat, face hard, eyes sweeping the room. Danzo, Homura, Koharu, and several influential clan leaders were present.
A hush fell before Hiruzen spoke.
"After careful consideration, I have decided… Raftra will be released."
The council erupted. Homura cleared her throat sharply, Koharu leaned forward, and Danzo rose at once.
"That's madness, Hiruzen!" Danzo snapped, pointing an accusing finger at the table.
"That child is suspicious from head to toe! We don't even know his origin for certain. You saw for yourself he lacks chakra — impossible, that is dangerous! And now you want to simply free him?"
"Not 'simply free,'" Hiruzen replied, calm but firm. "He will be freed under strict supervision. I will personally oversee him."
Koharu interjected sharply, "Hiruzen, this decision is reckless. Imagine if he's a spy, or if he hides something that could endanger the village. I reminded you of the Orochimaru incident."
Hiruzen turned to her, his gaze piercing.
"I'm not acting out of 'kindness,' Koharu. I'm acting based on reason."
"We've seen him, tortured him, even tried to probe his memories with the Yamanaka clan. There is no result. If he were truly dangerous, signs would have revealed themselves."
Shikaku Nara, who had observed quietly until now, finally spoke in a measured tone, "Hokage-sama… indeed, there is no concrete evidence."
"But strategically, releasing him is risky. What if he garners public sympathy and betrays the village later?"
Hiruzen sighed and leaned back. "That is precisely why I must free him. If we keep him locked, we'll never know his true intentions."
"If he is free but under my direct supervision… then every step he takes will be under my watch."
Koharu warned, "What about a scandal? You cannot ignore that aspect."
Danzo snorted with anger. "You are naïve, Hiruzen. You think you can control everything. But if he truly is a threat, you'll regret not heeding my counsel from the start."
"Enough, Danzo, Koharu." Hiruzen's voice exploded, full of authority. The room fell silent.
"I have decided. Raftra will be released. I will not accept disagreement. If anyone dares to override my decision… they override the Hokage."
A deadly quiet settled. Homura and Koharu exchanged looks, Danzo's fists whitened, but no one dared oppose him further.
Hiruzen rose. "Meeting adjourned. Prepare the necessary procedures. Raftra will leave the prison tomorrow."
...
Hiruzen left the chamber. As the great doors opened, his step faltered.
There, standing in the corridor, was a woman with long blonde hair. Her face remained beautiful despite fatigue in her eyes. Beside her, Shizune bowed politely.
"Tsunade…" Hiruzen's voice cracked with disbelief. "You… have returned?"
Tsunade gave a thin smile, hands folded at her chest. "Don't misunderstand, Sensei. I'm not back for good. Just stopping by on personal business… and I thought I'd pay you a visit."
Shizune added in a cautious tone, "We'll only be in the village a few days, Hokage-sama."
Hiruzen inhaled deeply and approached, scrutinising his former student.
"Years have passed… and you appear as if nothing happened. You don't intend to return to the village?" he asked.
Tsunade shook her head slightly, tone flat and almost cold. "You know my answer, Sensei. This village is no longer the place for me. There are too many painful memories here. I'm only here to take care of something… then leave."
A brief silence followed before Tsunade leaned forward, her voice lowering with curiosity.
"Oh, and… I heard some rumors about a foreign man. His name is Raftra, right? I heard your council discussed him. Who is this man to cause so much trouble?"
Hiruzen studied Tsunade long, as if probing the intent behind her casual manner.
"If you truly don't care for the village, why bother asking about Raftra?"
Tsunade shrugged, expression neutral. "Just curious. Besides, I'm not planning anything. Think of it as brief entertainment before I leave."
Hiruzen sighed, staff tapping the floor once. "I don't know whether to call you honest or stubborn."
He added gravely, "I'm going to see Raftra. Do you want to come?"
Tsunade paused and narrowed her eyes, then a crooked smile tugged at her lips.
"Why not? I'm bored too. And who knows… the foreigner might be interesting to see."
"And… a human without chakra does make me curious."
Shizune glanced at Tsunade with a worried look. "Tsunade-sama…" she murmured, but Tsunade waved it off.
Hiruzen didn't respond further and began to walk. Tsunade and Shizune followed.
They descended the cold, silent underground corridor, their footsteps echoing. Torches set in the walls gave dim light, adding a somber tone.
Tsunade slipped her hands into her robe pockets, then, in a casual yet sharp voice, said, "So he's imprisoned in the most isolated cell in the village? Isn't that excessive, Sensei? They say the boy even has no chakra — he only brought strange items."
"Is that enough reason to treat him like a top-tier criminal?"
Hiruzen did not answer immediately. His staff tapped the floor with each step. Finally he said calmly,
"It's not about how dangerous he seems. It's about possibility. This world has been betrayed too often by those who looked weak on the surface. Isolation is precaution, not verdict."
Tsunade snorted, a thin smile crossed her face. "Precaution, huh? Sounds like another word for 'fear.' So even the Hokage fears a teenager without chakra?"
Hiruzen glanced at his stubborn pupil, eyes still sharp.
"I never underestimate anyone. Precisely because he's different, I must be more cautious. One small mistake could become a great threat to the village."
Shizune fell silent, swallowing nervously at the tension.
Tsunade exhaled, bowing her head slightly. "You always do that, Sensei. Carry the village's worries on your shoulders. It's a useless burden."
Hiruzen paused but did not turn. He drew a deep breath and continued, "Don't bring your past trauma into this discussion."
Tsunade smiled wryly. "Suit yourself, Sensei."
...
When the iron door opened, damp air from the cell mixed with the cold corridor. Hiruzen entered first, followed by Tsunade and Shizune.
Inside, Raftra sat on the hard wooden bed, now clad in simple prisoner garments. His gaze was empty, cynical, as if all hope had been drained.
The opening of the door triggered something in him — the memory of torture often haunted him, and the creak of the door recalled those wounds.
When his eyes fell on those who entered, Raftra stared. First Hiruzen, then Tsunade, finally Shizune.
In his mind he muttered, 'Tsunade, huh? Why is she here? She should be wandering somewhere else, running from the pain of losing her loved ones… So why is she in front of me?'
He remained silent, but his gaze was sharp, taking measure. Something trembled beneath that vacant look.
Tsunade looked Raftra over from head to toe. She frowned slightly and said in a flat, mildly sarcastic tone,
"So this is the boy who set the whole council into a fuss?"
Hiruzen did not immediately reply to his student's remark.
Shizune lowered her eyes, hesitant to meet Raftra's stare. There was an odd aura about him that made her uneasy.
Suddenly Raftra's gaze, which had been cold toward Tsunade, flickered. He still stared straight ahead, but pain pressed at his temples.
His breath grew quick, in an instant, the world around him vanished.
Again… the vision came.
He saw himself much older — around twenty — seated calmly in a large hall with Konoha's clan leaders.
Faces that had seemed stern now appeared relaxed, smiling, and they were playing a board game together — an image he had never imagined before.
The image faded and shifted.
Now he saw a grand building with signs reading: "Raftra Industries" and "Raftra Kitchen."
Sounds of bustling workers and business talk came faintly. He saw himself standing in front of the building, steady and wearing a victorious smile.
Once more, the vision changed.
He saw himself standing on a stage, clothed in elegant black. Before him stood a woman in white, beautiful, looking at him tenderly. Around them dozens of painters painted the scene as if he were the centerpiece.
As it faded, a voice echoed clearly in his head:
"Festival of the Konoha Clan Organization…"
Raftra froze, pupils dilated, his hands gripping the bed's edge as if to steady himself.
'What the hell is this? Why do I keep seeing the future? Or is this just a trauma-induced hallucination? No… that voice was too real…'
Tsunade frowned, noticing the change in Raftra's expression. "Hey, are you sick?" she asked, half-curious, half-sarcastic.
Raftra turned slowly, his gaze deep and unreadable.
'Konoha Clan Organization, Raftra Industries, Raftra Kitchen, festival, sitting with clan heads, standing before the woman in white and painted by dozens of artists…'
'What kind of vision is this, really?'