Hoshigakure, Hoshikage Building.
Menma sat in the main seat, twirling a glass tube in his hand. Inside it, a pale green liquid preserved a Three-Tomoe Sharingan. The scarlet pupil emitted an eerie glow under the shifting light.
"His name was Shisui?" Menma placed the glass tube lightly on the table. After listening to Kanon and Hikari's battle report, he raised an eyebrow. "So, is this the left eye or the right eye?"
"The left eye." Hikari replied. She is seated in the first position to Menma's left, a place that signified her status within the organization.
From the seats on the right, Kakuzu's hoarse voice emerged from behind his mask: "Uchiha Shisui of Konoha Village. During the Third Great Ninja War, he earned great merit in battles against Kirigakure. With his unique Body Flicker Technique, he gained the title [Shisui of the Body Flicker]. Kirigakure even placed a bounty of thirty million Ryo on his head."
As a frequent visitor to the bounty exchange, Kakuzu knew every name on the bounty list like the back of his hand.
'Such a renowned Elite Jonin had actually been defeated by Nanashi… and according to the battle report, she had single-handedly crushed the three Ninjas sent by Konoha.'
'Though she hadn't captured any Konoha's Ninjas, she had seized one of Uchiha Shisui's Sharingan.'
Kakuzu couldn't help but feel even more wary of Nanashi's strength.
'And then there was Uzumaki Kanon, who had been only at Chunin-level not long ago. Yet during this mission, she had managed to restrain a Jonin from Iwagakure and two Chunin. Her growth was alarmingly fast.'
Menma rested a hand on the glass tube, tapping the lid rhythmically with his index finger. The crisp sound echoed sharply in the silent hall.
Of course he was very familiar with the name 'Uchiha Shisui'.
This person's Mangekyo Sharingan is said to possess the strongest Genjutsu, [Kotoamatsukami], which is capable of altering a person's will.
And now, Hikari had torn it straight out of his eye.
'Tsk tsk.'
However, Menma remained cautious and didn't rush to transplant the Sharingan into himself.
After all, it would be troublesome if Shisui left Transcription Seal in this eyeball.
Besides, with so many things happening lately, getting tied down wouldn't be ideal.
Menma pocketed the Sharingan and said to Hikari: "Well done. I like this Sharingan very much."
Hikari feigned indifference with a light hum and turned her head slightly.
But the slight upturn of her lips betrayed her inner delight.
Next, Menma listened to Kakuzu's report on the capture of the two Sunagakure's Ninjas.
After separating from Pakura, the two had tried to blend into a merchant caravan to infiltrate Hoshigakure, only to be intercepted by the Anbu under Kakuzu's command.
As for Pakura, Menma remembered the stubborn look on her face as she tried to form hand seals even with her limping leg.
"Based on preliminary interrogations of these infiltrators from other villages, it's clear that someone from the Land of Bears, or even Hoshigakure itself, sent out letter for help." Menma said, propping his chin on one hand as he glanced at Yosei.
The former Third Hoshikage of Hoshigakure immediately dropped to his knees: "Shura-sama, I swear this has nothing to do with me!"
"I know. You wouldn't have had the time." Menma's tone was casual, "Do you have any suspects?"
This made Yosei hesitate.
When everyone saw this, they realized that Yosei was hiding something.
"You old fool, spit it out already! What's there to hide?!" Gato yelled at Yosei in an impatient manner.
At this point, Hoshikage had no choice but to confess honestly: "Shura-sama... Hoshigakure indeed still has two Jonin who have been operating outside."
Yosei explained slowly.
It turned out that a year ago, the two most skilled ninjas in the village who had trained with the meteorite, Hotarubi and Natsuhi, discovered the side effects of the meteorite training and decided to steal it to destroy it.
Just as they were about to escape the village, Yosei led the Anbu to intercept them.
But Yosei also knew that the meteorite's side effects had caused many of Hoshigakure's young geniuses to die prematurely. So he took the opportunity to seal away the meteorite training, forbidding villagers from practicing it.
Meanwhile, he entrusted Hotarubi and Natsuhi with an important mission… to monitor the village's movements from outside.
If anyone tried to restart meteorite training after he is no longer here, the two were to handle it.
To the villagers, Yosei announced under his title as the Third Hoshikage that Hotarubi and Natsuhi had died heroically while fighting enemies attempting to steal the meteorite.
"Are you sure it was them who sent the letter for help?" In fact, Menma had already known about Hotarubi and Natsuhi. He was simply giving Yosei a chance to see if the old man would come clean on his own.
Now, Yosei had passed the test.
"I... I'm not entirely sure either..." Cold sweat dripped from Yosei's graying temples.
Both Hotarubi and Natsuhi are the strongest young Ninja in Hoshigakure, which was why he had placed such high hopes in them.
"Go and bring them back." Menma said to Yosei, "If they submit to the investigation willingly, I'll deal with them if they're guilty. If not, then the organization will gain two more Jonin."
Menma faintly recalled that Natsuhi had mastered the Mysterious Peacock Method and might be the strongest fighter among Hoshigakure's Ninja.
However, her husband, Hotarubi, is not in good condition. After being corroded by the meteorite's radiation, he likely didn't have many years left.
"Yes, Shura-sama!" Yosei accepted the order respectfully.
After Yosei retreated, Menma tossed a scroll to Kakuzu, "Arrest the people on this list. The interrogations are your responsibility."
Menma has the Negative Emotions Sensing of the Black Nine-Tails, so he knows very well which people in the village harbored the most hostility toward him.
Round them all up, interrogate them one by one, and the traitor would eventually be found.
"Hehehe!" Kakuzu let out a hoarse, unpleasant laugh as he tucked away the scroll.
But just as Kakuzu stood up and prepared to leave, Kanon stood up and volunteered, "Shura-sama, allow me to assist in the interrogations."
"Hm?" Menma sounded puzzled.
Kanon explained: "I've been practicing the Mind's Eye of the Kagura. I've discovered that this secret technique can sense subtle changes in Chakra, so it might prove useful during interrogations."
It turns out that Kanon wanted to try whether [Mind's Eye of the Kagura] could be used as a lie detector.
"Very well, go ahead." Menma nodded in approval.
…
The Land of Rain.
Akatsuki's headquarters.
A spatial vortex swirled, and the masked figure of Uchiha Madara materialized.
"Where have you been? You reek of blood." Konan remarked coldly, her eyes narrowing at the faint metallic scent lingering on Uchiha Madara's sword.
"Just some personal entertainment." Behind his mask, Obito's lips curled into a rare smirk.
He had just helped a young Uchiha awaken his Sharingan… successfully placing another pawn on the board.
From the shadows, Pain slowly opened his eyes: "Zetsu has brought back some intel. That mysterious Shura might be hiding in Hoshigakure."
"Oh? Since when did you take an interest in that coward?" Obito rested a hand on his sword hilt, his Sharingan locking onto Pain's Rinnegan through the tiger-striped mask.