Shikaku Nara POV
We were heading to the city where Masao hired us to escort him when a jounin from the village came my way. He said he'd been attacked by ninja from a neighboring village.
But something about that ninja didn't feel right. So I told my team to wait by the river. I didn't want to put them, or our client, in any unnecessary danger if this turned out to be a trap.
As I followed the man, I assessed him again. He had cuts on his face and arms, but aside from that, he seemed unharmed on his torso or legs.
His clothes, though, were pretty beat updirty and torn in several places. What bothered me the most and kept me on alert were the slashes on his pants. Despite the cuts, his legs showed no injuries.
– Can you tell which ninja attacked you? – I asked the supposed ninja walking ahead of me.
– They seemed to be from Grass Village – he commented – Looks like they finally caved to Stone Village's invasion, huh? – I gave a weak nod.
Grass Village was one of Konoha's neighbors and an important ally, but it had recently been invaded by Stone Village as a stepping stone to reach the Leaf.
Before meeting up with the client and my team, Minato had talked to me about some important matters, including issues involving Grass Village itself.
Even though they'd been invaded by Stone, the residents still maintained their allegiance to Konoha. But the man in front of me seemed unaware of the current situation in the neighboring country, confirming my theory that he wasn't a Konoha jounin.
I glanced discreetly to the sides, sensing subtle movement around us. Five, I concluded, including this idiot in front of me...
The fake jounin suddenly turned and threw a few kunai at me. I dodged effortlessly—I knew it was just a signal for his companions' ambush.
The moment I stopped, the four people hiding emerged simultaneously and rushed straight for me. I immediately brought my hands together and my shadow stretched out swiftly, reaching all four.
With the Shadow Possession Jutsu, the four around me were immobilized. Before turning to the last member of the group, I formed the rat and bird seals.
Before he could even try to run, the second jutsu I'd prepared hit him. Multiple shadow lines erupted from the ground around him, piercing through his legs and arms, pinning him in place. Shadow Sewing complete.
– You bastard! – One of the men trapped by the Shadow Possession spat out. I let out a heavy sigh.
– I don't have time to waste – I announced.
None of them would talk, their angry expressions made that clear. I expected as much anyway, I thought.
I raised my hands again and quickly formed three seals, making the shadows restraining the men climb up their bodies and choke them.
The quartet tried to struggle and resist. It's useless, I commented silently. Once the four men stopped resisting, I released the technique, letting their lifeless bodies slump to the ground.
Only then did I look toward the last man there. My jutsu still held him tight, his blood slowly trickling down the shadows impaling his body. I calmly walked closer, staring him down.
– Alright, now... – He stared back, fear in his eyes – Are you going to start talking willingly, or do I have to force you?
The man opened and closed his mouth a few times, as if unsure what to say first. I intensified the jutsu holding him, shifting the shadows inside his wounds.
He grunted in pain and squeezed his eyes shut. I grabbed his chin and forced him to look at me. I didn't have time to waste.
– Who do you work for and what do you want? – I asked bluntly.
– If I talk, my boss will kill me – the man said.
– You should fear what I'll do if you don't start talking – I warned, and I saw him swallow dryly.
– Human trafficking – he yielded a few seconds later, hanging his head.
– Is Masao-san your target? – I continued my interrogation.
– No, it's...
But before the man could finish his answer, a kunai flew past me, striking the restrained man square in the forehead.
– Always talking too much... – I turned and saw a group of men and women there, dressed similarly to the five who had attacked me earlier.
There were about twenty people there. I stayed on guard for any suspicious movement from them. If I let my guard down, this could end badly for me, I warned myself.
Human trafficking... I pondered the man's words again. Seems I'm dealing with that recently received extermination mission...
My concern was entirely with my team at that moment. If the traffickers' target isn't Masao, it can only mean they're after my students.
– Seems you're the troublesome type of ninja – the group's leader commented – We'll have to deal with you then.
Amaya Uzumaki POV
Since my body was already familiar with countless drugs, their effects barely lasted, and because of that, I regained consciousness fairly quickly.
Upon waking, I quickly assessed my surroundings and looked around worriedly for my team.
I noticed the two boys unconscious near me, restrained the same way I must have been: wrists tied, placed on hooks, and held suspended above the floor.
It didn't seem like they'd done anything to us while we were out—just took our gear, headbands, and my glasses. The next instant, I scanned the area around me, searching for any relevant information.
Even with my limited vision, I could tell we seemed to be in some kind of shelter, with rusted metal walls. The place was lit by oil lamps, but they didn't quite light up the whole area.
I could hear the sound of heavy rain falling outside, wherever we were. Such a pleasant sound for a horrible place... I mused.
I tried moving my arms and noticed my body was still recovering from the sedative's effects. In a few minutes, I can try to break free, I determined. I saw my wrists were tied with a rope, and that's what was keeping me suspended.
I looked around again, searching for anything I could use after freeing myself from the hook holding me in the air. I saw some crates further away from us with some equipment on them and immediately recognized them as ours.
I paused my thoughts for a moment. If Masao's goal was to capture me, Shisui, and Takafumi, that shinobi who came looking for Shikaku-sensei really just wanted to separate us.
The sensei must have been led straight into an ambush, I thought worriedly, but then gave a weak smile. And I bet he figured it out shortly after he left us, if not before.
I'd learned a lot about the Nara mindset in the short time I'd been on his team. I greatly admired his quick and precise reasoning for the most diverse situations. He's a genius, despite the constant complaints.
If everything went well with him, he's probably looking for us right now, I deduced. So I need to find a way to get myself and my team out of here. I turned my gaze to Shisui and Takafumi.
At that moment, a screeching sound of metal being dragged echoed, drawing my attention to the only spot where the lighting was stronger. A tall, blond figure was at the door, entering the place.
The sound of the rain grew louder for a split second before the man closed the heavy metal door. He walked with heavy, noisy steps to where we were.
– Looks like you're already awake – he said in a deep voice, and a bad feeling ran through my body – The boss has some questions for you, by the way.
– Boss? – I probed – You mean Masao?
I had asked that in the calmest way I could. I didn't want to betray what my body was screaming and begging me to do at that moment, faced with that intimidating figure.
I need information, I thought. Anything that can help us escape. The man stopped in front of me, and I could see his features better. It's the same man I fought near the river, I remembered.
– Yeah... – he affirmed – He wants to know what's the deal with your hair – The man fiddled with my dark strand of hair, but I didn't try to pull away from him – We can't sell a product without knowing the basics about it.
– I have nothing to say to someone like you – I said, staring at him – Let alone your boss.
The man forced a gruesome smile and, in a quick movement, landed a punch to the side of my ribs. A sharp pain shot through my body from top to bottom, and I had to suppress a grunt of pain.
I'd felt worse pain than that, but receiving a blow like that without warning made my body react unconsciously.
Over the shoulder of the man in front of me, I saw Takafumi starting to regain consciousness. This guy... I thought, glancing briefly at the man before me. He won't stop until he finds out what he wants.
I took a deep breath and looked again at the man in front of me, who seemed to be enjoying my situation. I can't let him try to get anything from Takafumi or even Shisui, I thought. They won't be able to endure going through as much as I have.
– Oh... – he said, revealing some excitement – It's something new to see a girl like you take a punch like that without crying – The man smiled wider – How many more do I need to land before you start screaming and decide to talk?
– Why don't you find out? – I provoked him, trying to sound, and succeeding, firm in my speech – Or would you like to get another cut on your body?
I had cut the man when we fought before, on his stomach and his arm. The wounds were still there, covered with some improvised bandages.
His expression became enraged, and he immediately landed another punch against my body. The electrifying sensation from top to bottom again, and I once again held back a grunt of pain that tried to escape my lips.
The man continued to question me about what he wanted to know and to beat me. I forced myself to close my eyes so I could try to endure it and think about what I would do.
Every time the man in front of me hit a region of my body where he'd already struck, it felt like small needles were being pressed against my skin and then hammered in.
It was a horrible pain.
There was no comparison. But I would endure it for my brother, for Takafumi. I can't even let the thought cross my mind of allowing either of them to go through this.
Shisui Uchiha POV
I woke up feeling everything spinning around me. With some difficulty, I opened my eyes and didn't recognize where I was. It was some kind of storage room or chamber with walls covered in rusted metal, indicating it hadn't been used in a while.
Where am I...? I wondered, feeling my thoughts, as well as my body, out of sorts. How did I end up here...? Only then did the last memories I had before blacking out hit me like a punch to the gut.
Takafumi and I were drugged, I recalled. And as I was losing consciousness, I saw him, his face... It was Masao who drugged us! Where did he take us? I quickly questioned. Did Amaya realize, or did he capture her too?
Dammit... I complained mentally. I let my guard down by thinking of Masao as just a client, and this happened!
I tried to move, but my arms were tied up above me and still slightly numb, just like the rest of my body which wasn't responding properly. My ears were ringing, making it hard to hear my surroundings.
My first instinct was to look around to understand or try to recognize where I was, and to see if Amaya and Takafumi were there too. And I soon saw, a bit further away from me, on the opposite side of the room, Takafumi restrained the same way I was.
His expression was different from any I'd ever seen on him: Fear. Takafumi had never shown that expression in all the time we'd known each other. What is he afraid of?
My eyes followed to the same place where his attention was fixed, and an overwhelming feeling of anguish took over my entire body. Since my hearing was compromised, I hadn't realized what was happening almost right beside me.
A tall, strong man was punching the sides of Amaya's body, who was restrained just like me and Takafumi. The man showed no remorse or pity in his blows; on the contrary, he seemed to be enjoying the situation.
However, unlike any expected reaction from a normal person in that situation, Amaya wasn't screaming; she didn't even express what she must certainly have been feeling. Her eyes were closed, and her expression changed only slightly when the man's fists connected with her body.
Little by little, the sounds around me became audible, and I could process a bit better what was happening. The man in front of Amaya stopped punching her and grabbed her chin firmly, lifting her head to make her look at him.
– One more time... – he said, his voice laden with noticeable irritation – Are you going to start telling me what the boss wants to know, or was that not enough?
Amaya opened her eyes slowly, evidently fighting against the pain she must have been feeling all over her body at that moment. She stared fixedly at the man in front of her and forced a weak, mocking smile.
– Is that all? – she asked slowly, forcing her voice slightly to sound convincing – Even I hit harder than that...
The man in front of her clenched his jaw, and I saw him tighten the fist of his free hand. He raised his arm, preparing to throw a punch, clearly aimed at Amaya's face. She closed her eyes at that.
– D-Don't! – I said, forcing my still weak voice from the sedatives.
The feeling of anguish had taken hold of me, and all I could think was that I couldn't let that man touch my sister again. She's already been through so much, I thought. And now she's in a situation similar to what she lived through, once more...
The man in front of Amaya stopped his arm in mid-air, turning his attention toward me. He lowered his hand and smiled sadistically, still holding the redhead's face.
– So you're finally awake – he said and looked back at Amaya – And I thought it would be easier to get the information from the girl since she seemed the weakest of the group...
He released the Uzumaki's chin with some force, and her head hung down for a moment.
– Seems you care about her a lot, so I believe you'll talk faster – the man commented and came toward me, stopping in front of me – Tell me about the girl – he indicated her – The boss wants to know why her hair has a strand of a different color.
I looked in Amaya's direction, worried. She lifted her head slightly, and her gaze came straight to me. Even without a word, I knew what she was thinking: "Don't tell him."
If I say anything, we'll likely be in a dead end, I realized. I looked at the man in front of me and gave a mocking smile, like Amaya had done before.
– Did you think about asking politely? – I questioned him, trying to sound as mocking as possible so the man would focus his anger on me and not go back to my sister again.
Hearing the obvious provocation, his expression hardened again, and he landed a punch to the right side of my ribs. An electrifying wave of pain shot through my entire body in seconds, making me grunt in pain.
The strength of this individual matched his height: Monstrous. He hit me with another punch. And another, and another... I tried not to show the pain I was feeling, but it was impossible.
The only thought I could formulate at that moment was how Amaya had endured that without showing it. What had she already been through for something like that to be tolerable for her...
I glanced briefly at Takafumi and saw him with an expression almost as pained as before. I shifted my gaze slightly to Amaya, and the only thing I could notice in her look toward me was anguish.
The man in front of me landed a punch to my face, and I felt the surroundings spin. I felt something warm trickling from my mouth and immediately imagined what it was: Blood.
My vision was blurry, and the sounds around me were gradually fading. Dammit... I complained. I can't lose my senses here... Not now... I can't let this guy or anyone else hurt Amaya or Takafumi...
Even though I couldn't see properly what was happening, I noticed the man in front of me had stopped hitting me. I saw him just walking away and heading toward Takafumi.