For the next few days, Aoki stayed in the Anbu dorms, going nowhere.
That sensation of being watched never returned. Had he not sensed it so clearly before, he might have dismissed it as a hallucination.
"I wonder when the next mission will come..."
Aoki was currently on standby, bored to death, simply watching the time slip away. It reminded him of certain professions in his past life that required long hours of guarding a post. When there was no work, it was quiet; but when something happened, you were busy enough to spin in circles.
What happened to my '996' blessing? Where are the people I need to interrogate?
Ttap, ttap, ttap!
Just as Aoki was complaining internally, light footsteps echoed outside his door.
Knock, knock, knock!
The wooden door creaked open, revealing an Anbu ninja wearing a mask.
"Captain Eaton is calling for you!" the ninja said in a deep voice. With a flash of movement, he vanished.
"Understood," Aoki replied stoically, though his heart was racing with joy.
Work! Finally! It wasn't easy!
Aoki hurried toward the Torture Force, his pace quickening with every step. The Torture Force was a specialized unit within the Anbu; usually, members stayed on standby, and no one was allowed to linger in the "little black rooms" for too long without reason.
Soon, Aoki arrived.
Unlike previous times, a straw mat was spread across the floor of the room. Twenty-three people were lying in a row.
None of them were old. They looked to be about five or six—the age of children just entering the Ninja Academy. These children were all unconscious.
"Aoki, you're here."
Morino Eaton emerged from the shadows in his eternal black trench coat. His gaze focused on Aoki, eyes filled with appreciation.
"Have you rested well during this time?" Eaton asked with concern.
"Extremely well!" Aoki nodded.
"I kept you busy a while back, so this was your vacation. It won't be this easy moving forward," Eaton said gravely.
"I am ready," Aoki replied firmly. He was practically itching to get started. The more people he read, the faster his strength would grow.
"I like your attitude. Let's get straight to the point. I'll brief you on the mission."
Eaton looked at Aoki deeply. During this period, he had thoroughly investigated Aoki's background.
He was a "Root and Seed" Konoha ninja of the Yamanaka clan. Born in the village, never left the village. Since joining the Anbu, his only outing was to Ichiraku Ramen. His only contacts were Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki. There was zero evidence of him leaking intel. Aside from a slightly frail body, he was flawless.
He was trustworthy.
More importantly, the veteran team member responsible for reading minds with the Yamanaka secret arts was aging and could no longer keep up with the workload. Aoki was perfectly positioned to take over.
"These children are candidates hand-picked by the Anbu to be sent as spies to the Hidden Stone and Hidden Sand villages."
Eaton stated their identities bluntly.
Aoki's pupils shrank for a fraction of a second. A trace of shock flickered deep in his eyes.
They're just kids... and they're being sent on such high-risk missions?
Perhaps... this is just fate.
Born in an era of war, one could only drift with the tide, unable to decide their own destiny. He wondered how many of them would actually survive.
Aoki felt a slight ripple of emotion, but he suppressed it immediately. This was their path; it had nothing to do with him. There was no need for unnecessary sentimentality.
"Aoki, this was arranged by the higher-ups, and they volunteered. Even if they didn't go, others would. We simply follow orders," Eaton explained, having caught that split second of emotional shift. As a veteran, he felt the need to guide his subordinate.
"I understand."
Aoki nodded. Spies had to be planted while they were young; if they were older, they could never truly infiltrate.
"Good that you understand."
"There are 23 people here in total."
"Your mission is to probe the emotional reactions of each one. I need you to pick out those with absolute loyalty to the village."
"If there is even a trace of hesitation or wavering... they are disqualified."
"We cannot send those with weak convictions out as spies. That would be irresponsible to their lives."
Eaton's words were stern, and they served as a wake-up call for Aoki.
"I understand."
Aoki nodded again, his gaze sweeping over the 23 children. His eyes now held a measure of respect. These children hadn't been kidnapped to be spies; they were volunteers. His job was to ensure their resolve was unbreakable. Not everyone was cut out for the shadows.
"You may begin," Eaton commanded.
"Yes."
Aoki stepped toward the first child on the far left. Among the Yamanaka secret arts, there was a specific sensory technique that could detect a person's mood—happiness, sadness, or fear.
He had to find those with iron will. While this required his personal touch, it didn't stop him from using his Mind-Reading System.
Aoki crouched down and placed his right hand gently on the child's forehead.
Hum!
Aoki's body trembled slightly as a flood of memories rushed into his mind.
[Ding! Memory Reading Successful! Reward: Chakra Increase!]
Aoki immediately felt the amount of chakra he could mobilize grow larger. This wasn't just an increase in potential; it was an immediate boost to his current power.
I see.
Aoki now understood. When reading the memories of someone who clearly lacked significant strength (like a child), he wouldn't get powerful Ninjutsu. Instead, he would receive raw stat boosts like a Chakra Increase.
Immediately, Aoki channeled his chakra. He could feel that using the sensory secret art was now much easier and more fluid. He began to probe the depths of the child's heart.
[End of Chapter 10]