Chapter 62: When the Salted Fish Bares Its Shark Teeth
Haruko, who was familiar with the original work, clearly remembered that Fu Yamanaka had pulled this trick when dealing with Ao—pretending to leave while actually remaining in control from the shadows.
"Kaede, what did I do to you when we first met?"
"Eh? That..." Kaede paused for a moment, then put on a confused look, "I'm still a bit muddled right now, I can't remember..."
"Stop pretending." Haruko sneered, "Kaede definitely wouldn't forget. It seems you haven't left yet."
"...Tch, you found me out. Answer my question, and I'll leave immediately. How about it?"
Seeing that Haruko wouldn't kill Kaede, Fu Yamanaka adopted a brazen, devil-may-care attitude.
"Oh? Feeling tough, are you?" Haruko pulled Fu Yamanaka closer, "Then make sure you don't beg for mercy later."
"Wait, what are you do—glug, glug, glug..."
Haruko gathered a violently swirling mass of water in his other hand and shoved it directly onto Fu Yamanaka's face.
Beneath the cat mask, the Anbu's eyes went wide.
This kid really knows how to be ruthless; he'll torture them to the brink of death as long as he doesn't actually kill them.
The water frantically poured into his nasal and oral cavities, and an intense sensation of suffocation instantly washed over him.
What was even more fatal was that this near-death experience would be fully transmitted to the original body through the Mind Transfer Jutsu.
"Glug, glug... Mmph, mmph..."
A lunatic! This guy is absolutely a lunatic!
Fu Yamanaka originally wanted to observe this mysterious youth's background a bit more, but he hadn't expected the other party to be so vigilant and so ruthless!
"Still not leaving?" Haruko's tone was terrifyingly flat, "I can spend the whole day playing along with you."
His consciousness gradually blurred, and Fu Yamanaka released the Ninjutsu before he completely lost consciousness. Kaede's body went limp once again.
Seeing that Kaede had lost consciousness, Haruko finally dissipated the water ball.
"Is she okay..."
"Rest assured, I'm a professional."
"?"
With a strange look in his eyes, the Anbu silently stepped away from Haruko.
Sure enough, not long after, Kaede coughed up a mouthful of water, gasping for air: "Cough, cough, cough... So uncomfortable..."
"Kaede, what did I do to you when we first met?"
Hearing Haruko's voice, although Kaede hadn't figured out the situation yet, she still replied: "You punched me... then tied me up and left me out to dry all night..."
"??"
The Anbu looked back and forth between the two, then stepped even further away from Haruko.
Haruko nodded, released his Hidden Shadow Snake Hands, picked up Kaede, and checked her injuries.
"What... happened to me?"
"It's nothing, some blind thing just borrowed your body for a moment."
"...I remember now. I was washing dishes in the back kitchen, and I felt someone come in... then there was a strange consciousness..."
"It should be the Mind Transfer Jutsu." The Anbu on the side helped explain, "The user of that Ninjutsu cannot move, and any damage received is transmitted to the original body. Since you... they probably didn't get far."
Upon hearing this, Kaede hurriedly urged Haruko: "Quick, go after them! Can't let that person get away!"
Haruko didn't move, continuing to lower his head to check Kaede's injuries.
"Uncle Cat, could I trouble you?"
"...I'll go take a look." The Anbu vanished with a Body Flicker Jutsu.
"I'm fine..." Kaede wanted to push Haruko away, but he held her hand.
"You are more important. Besides, if that guy had teammates, they would have already disappeared by now."
'What's the point of catching up? He's just a blade in Danzo's hand; the one who needs to be dealt with is the person holding the blade."
Kaede paused for a moment, then tears welled up in her eyes.
"Honestly... even though I'm the one responsible for protecting you..."
She wrapped her arms around Haruko's neck, then—
! ≈ !
"Mmph, clearly I'm the one who's been trained, why are you more experienced than me?"
"Ahem, it's all an illusion. By the way, what the hell is this training?"
"Training, it's just..."
Kaede only suffered some minor injuries, which were easily treated with Medical Ninjutsu.
Afterward, Haruko carried her to his rocking chair and covered her with a blanket.
"...That's about it. So rest assured, it's my first time too."
"Your injuries will heal in a few days, just rest today."
"Okay... You still haven't told me, why are you so experienced?"
At this moment, the Anbu returned, and Haruko, as if grabbing a life-saving straw, immediately walked over.
"Ah—Uncle Cat, how did it go?"
The Anbu shook his head: "The person has already escaped. I will report this matter to the Hokage-sama."
Seeing that Haruko wasn't the least bit surprised, the Anbu had a hunch.
"You... know who the other party is?"
"I can probably guess." Haruko nodded, "The other party just didn't leave behind any evidence."
Watching the cold glint flash in Haruko's eyes, the Anbu felt a strange chill.
He had observed Haruko for so long and always thought this was just a talented but ambitionless salted fish youth who only wanted to coast through life every day.
But at this moment, this salted fish grinned, revealing a mouthful of shark teeth.
"What are you going to do? Don't do anything impulsive, the Hokage-sama will handle this matter..."
'Heh, count on that old geezer?"
"Rest assured, Uncle Cat, I'm a law-abiding citizen."
Haruko shook his head, forcing a smile on his face: "I'm just a little angry, that's all. But it's already passed, I won't take it to heart."
"That's good." The Anbu nodded, "Then I'll be going."
"Alright, thank you for your help."
After the Anbu left, Haruko's face fell.
Not take it to heart? What a joke.
Kaede noticed the change in his mood and gently hugged him: "Whatever you plan to do, I will help you. After all, I am your 'nanny'."
"Mm, then I'll trouble you when the time comes. Also, don't tell Dad and the others about today's incident for now."
...Inside the detached house. After settling Kaede in, Haruko sat alone by the bed, writing and drawing on paper, reviewing the sequence of events.
Without a doubt, the new recent observer was Fu Yamanaka; he was observing subjects suitable for the Mind Transfer Jutsu and ultimately chose Kaede.
"He came after Uchiha Itachi reported it... so he was scared by 'Uchiha Madara'? Tsk, I should have thought of that sooner..."
The other party clearly wanted to collect information on him but couldn't act directly, so they used such a roundabout method.
"It seems the old man Third Hokage did do something, but unfortunately, he couldn't hold Danzo back."
Originally, Haruko wanted to live in peace with Danzo, dragging it out until after the Uchiha Clan Massacre Night, waiting for Danzo to be removed by the Third Hokage.
But now. This old dog has laid a hand on him.
Although this was just a probe, Haruko was very clear that this was only the beginning.
A person like Danzo, once he determines someone is a threat, will absolutely not let it go.
A trace of killing intent flashed in Haruko's eyes. It seems he can no longer respond passively.
Since Danzo wants to play, then he will play along properly.
"Danzo can't use direct methods against me, but that point applies to me too."
Danzo and Root are not soft persimmons either; whether he can win is one thing, but the commotion would definitely not be small.
If he acts directly, he can forget about getting by in Konoha in the future; it can only be used as a last resort.
He must get rid of Danzo within Konoha's tolerance range, preferably while keeping himself clean.
"Uchiha Clan Massacre Night... need to arrange a meeting with Uchiha Itachi..."
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