Aoki had already finished reading the man's memories; the entire sequence of events was now crystal clear in his mind.
Despite the target being a mere civilian, Aoki intentionally lingered for five or six minutes, maintaining his "struggling" facade. Finally, he withdrew his hand and let out a long, weary breath, looking as though a massive weight had been lifted from his shoulders.
"Captain Eaton, I've figured it out," Aoki spoke softly, his dark eyes meeting Eaton's gaze.
"What's the story?" Eaton asked immediately.
"The man is indeed a merchant from the Land of Hot Springs. Just as you suspected, he is completely ignorant of the situation," Aoki explained.
"Is that so?" Eaton looked at Aoki intently before continuing, "Then how did he end up with Konoha's intelligence?"
"From what I've gathered, even he doesn't know how it happened. I can confirm his innocence. However..." Aoki paused, his expression turning solemn. "In his memory, I saw a Konoha ninja approach him."
"You mean..." Eaton's brow furrowed. He didn't finish the sentence, but the implication of an internal leak hung heavy between them.
"I'm not certain," Aoki shook his head. "I didn't see concrete evidence of a conspiracy in his mind, but the contact was there."
"Do you know who the ninja is?" Eaton's voice was low and stern.
"I don't recognize him," Aoki replied. "However, I can transmit the image of his face directly into your mind."
"Do it. Give me his appearance, and I'll bring him in. Once he's here, you'll read him, and we'll know the truth soon enough," Eaton nodded. When it came to hunting spies, he wouldn't let even the smallest thread go unpulled.
"Captain Eaton, excuse my intrusion."
Aoki stepped forward, raising his hand toward Eaton's forehead.
Buzz!
The moment his palm touched Eaton's head, Aoki's entire body gave a violent jolt. A flood of brutal, blood-soaked memory fragments surged into his consciousness.
[Ding! Memory Read Successful! Reward Obtained: Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!]
The crisp electronic chime echoed in Aoki's head, leaving him momentary stunned.
Accident. This was a total accident.
He had only intended to use the Yamanaka's Mind Transmission Jutsu to share the merchant's vision and sound with Eaton; he had no intention of spying on his own Captain.
Fortunately, the memory was read automatically by the system, leaving no trace of chakra or mental fluctuations that Eaton could detect. Otherwise, Aoki would be finished.
In that split second, Aoki forced himself not to think about the reward or Eaton's secrets. He focused entirely on the task at hand. He couldn't afford a slip-up now—if he accidentally transmitted Eaton's own memories back to him, the irony would be fatal.
Aoki funneled his chakra, executing the Mind Transmission Jutsu and projecting the image of the ninja the merchant had met.
"I see him," Eaton muttered. "Aoki, good work. I'll go apprehend this person now. I'll notify you when it's time. You're dismissed."
"Yes, sir!"
Aoki complied, retreating from the cramped interrogation room with a respectful bow.
As Aoki walked back toward the dorms, his heart was a cocktail of tension and exhilaration.
The tension came from accidentally peeking into Eaton's past—the flashes of violence he had seen were enough to shake anyone's resolve. The exhilaration, however, was born from the discovery that he could trigger the system multiple times in a row, reaping rewards each time.
Ninja Tool Throwing Art and the Great Fireball Jutsu... These were on two completely different levels.
If my hypothesis is correct, the rewards are directly tied to the strength of the person I read.
Setting aside the Sage Body from the first read... the merchant was at best a failed ninja trainee, so I only got a basic skill. But Captain Eaton is a Special Jōnin of the Anbu. Reading him gave me a higher-level elemental jutsu.
It seems... if I want better rewards, I need to find opportunities to read more powerful individuals.
It was a solid preliminary theory, but Aoki knew he needed more data points before he could be certain.
A short while later, Aoki returned to his narrow dormitory. The dim, confined space offered him a strange sense of security.
"Now, let's see what's in Captain Eaton's head."
Aoki sat on his iron bed, closed his eyes, and immersed himself in the memories he had just acquired.
Fragment after fragment flashed by like a dark, gritty film. Through Eaton's eyes, Aoki witnessed the hidden side of the shinobi world that most people never saw.
Enemies. Rogue ninjas. Spies.
Assassinations. Traps. Psychological warfare.
Ninjas from different villages, each standing on their own ground, utilizing every cruel method imaginable to survive and succeed. Aoki saw the countless casualties hidden behind the "peace."
The Second Shinobi World War had officially ended only a year ago after eight long years of bloodshed. But the scars had not stopped the fighting. In this brief period of recuperation, the villages were still plotting and deceiving, using any means necessary to steal intel and gain a tactical advantage.
The fragile peace treaties were nothing more than paper shields against the tide of ambition. War could return at any second.
As the Captain of the Torture Force, Morino Eaton lived at the epicenter of this darkness.
Through these memories, Aoki gained a profound, unvarnished understanding of the reality he now inhabited.
"The shinobi world is truly terrifying! The Torture Force is definitely the safest place for me!"
Aoki sighed. He was now more certain than ever: until he had enough power to protect himself, he would stay buried in the shadows of this dark department, "crouching" as low as humanly possible.