Aoki sifted through the memories he had harvested from Morino Eaton.
Beyond the dark, gritty secrets buried in the shadows, he also found moments of unexpected warmth.
So, Ibiki is already five years old!
A ghost of a smile tugged at Aoki's lips. In Eaton's memories, he saw the heavy, silent love of a father for his son. Though the man rarely had time to watch his child grow, Ibiki was always at the center of his heart.
No wonder Morino Ibiki followed the path of interrogation.
In those memories, Aoki saw Ibiki's unadulterated admiration for his father. Their bond was deep; Ibiki viewed Eaton as a great hero. Years of subtle influence had already planted the seeds of desire in the boy to become a ninja just as elite as his father.
Like father, like son, I suppose.
Aoki didn't just see the past and present through Eaton's eyes; with his perspective as a transmigrator, he also saw the future. In the years to come, Morino Ibiki would indeed become the Captain of the Anbu Torture Force—renowned as Konoha's greatest interrogation specialist.
After browsing through the memories, Aoki gave his head a firm shake, trying to push the images aside.
However, forgetting them was impossible. It was like having watched a vivid movie; he could clearly distinguish these scenes as someone else's story, yet they remained rooted in his mind.
I wonder if reading too many memories will be a blessing or a curse in the long run...
Aoki let out a helpless, bitter laugh. He knew he would be staying in the Torture Force for a long time, and he understood that to grow stronger, he had to keep reading.
Actually... for me, the Torture Force really is the perfect place.
Aoki saw the situation clearly. He needed to read memories to gain rewards. With his current strength, if he weren't tucked away here, he would rarely get the chance to read anyone—let alone powerful individuals.
The Torture Force provided a steady stream of targets, all of whom were in a defenseless state. Whether they had tried to seal their memories or possessed strong mental resistance didn't matter to Aoki. He relied on the Mind-Reading System, not the Yamanaka secret arts. That was the fundamental difference.
For anyone else, performing such deep mental dives every few days would eventually shatter their psyche.
Three days later, Aoki received another summons from Morino Eaton.
The Konoha ninja had been found. He was already waiting in the "Black Room" of the Torture Force.
Aoki immediately made his way to the department. During the past few days, he hadn't left the Anbu dorms at all, occasionally re-watching his stored memories to learn more about the layout of the shinobi world.
He was determined to maintain his "frail" persona. He didn't dare practice his new skills yet; one slip-up could expose his secret. Besides, training wasn't something that could be completed overnight—a few days of delay wouldn't hurt.
With the system providing rewards, Aoki decided to hold off on active cultivation. If he were discovered, the "weakling" act would fall apart, and things would get complicated.
Lay low. Grow in the shadows. Stability and caution above all else.
He wouldn't reveal his abilities until he possessed absolute power. Aoki felt like a "jungler" in a video game who refused to leave the forest until he was fully geared. His teammates could fall, but as long as the "Nexus" stood, he could still turn the game around.
Aoki arrived at the Torture Force, now walking the path with practiced ease.
Bound to the familiar wooden cross was a ninja wearing a Konoha forehead protector. He wasn't wearing the standard flak jacket; his appearance matched exactly what Aoki had seen in the merchant's memories.
A Genin, Aoki concluded.
Reading a Genin's memory would likely yield a mediocre reward, but Aoki wasn't picky. A mosquito's leg was still meat. At this stage, he welcomed any and all targets.
The ninja was currently unconscious, showing no outward signs of physical torture.
"Aoki, take a look. Is it him?" Eaton's voice echoed.
"Yes. That's him." Aoki nodded, his eyes focusing on the man's face.
"I only knocked him out; I haven't done anything else to him yet. Go ahead," Eaton whispered.
"Yes, sir!" Aoki responded, already eager for the reward.
"If he's innocent, I'll send him back unharmed," Eaton added, his eyes narrowing as the pressure in the dark room seemed to drop. He left the second half of the sentence unsaid, but Aoki understood perfectly.
If he's guilty... his life is over.
Aoki stepped forward until he was inches away from the bound ninja. He raised his right hand, circulated his chakra, and closed his eyes as he touched the man's head.
Buzz!
Aoki's body gave a slight tremor as the system activated.
[Ding! Memory Read Successful! Reward Obtained: Water Style: Water Prison Jutsu!]
Along with the chime, the man's life story flashed through Aoki's mind like a fast-forwarded film.
It really is him!
As he sifted through the fragments, Aoki's internal shock grew. This discovery refreshed his understanding of the ninja world once again.
I didn't know it could be done like this...
Aoki kept his face a mask of neutrality, showing no sign of his discovery. He maintained the pose, doing "the work." Behind him, Eaton was watching, and he couldn't afford to look suspicious.
After about six or seven minutes—enough time to simulate a "difficult" read—Aoki slowly opened his eyes and withdrew his hand.
He turned to face the man in the black trench coat. He took a deep breath, his gaze turning resolute.
"Captain Eaton... I have the answer!"
His voice rang out clearly in the silent, gloomy interrogation room.