บท 106: Clash in Dark
The moon hung high in the night sky as Deimos, the mysterious leader of the Cosmos, made his secretive departure from the cult's hidden sanctuary.
Stripped of his ceremonial robes and mask, he reverted to his true form - a middle-aged man with pallid skin akin to a lifeless corpse, his movements rigid and calculated, like a puppet manipulated by invisible strings.
However, don't underestimate him because of his visage, for he was one of the most powerful nobles in the Land of Fire. His hidden business was something even the Daimyo was jealous of.
Alas, he was now Puppet Noble One.
Sitting on his palanquin, the puppet noble, accompanied by his guard of eerily puppet-like ninja warriors, embarked on the journey back to his opulent mansion.
The quiet streets provided an illusion of serenity, but the shadows whispered secrets of impending danger. Unbeknownst to them, danger lurked in the darkness, ready to strike.
Suddenly, their peaceful procession was shattered as a group of ninjas clad in black, wearing white masks and distinctive grey flak jackets, descended upon them, their bodies flickering like phantoms. It was none other than the renowned Konoha Anbu, feared and respected for their covert assassination skills!
The air crackled with tension as the two forces clashed, the sound of steel meeting steel echoing through the night.
The noble's puppet-like guards, loyal but lacking the finesse of their adversaries, quickly found themselves overwhelmed and driven to their knees.
For the Anbu, there were no deviations from their carefully calculated expectations. It was just a noble, and the daimyo had acquisenced. The Anbu saw their opportunity to infiltrate the palanquin and capture their intended target.
However, their advance was abruptly halted as a swarm of zerglings burst forth from the ground, impeding their progress with their relentless assault.
From the surrounding buildings and alleys, mysterious silhouettes emerged, their presence shrouded in darkness. These hidden figures cast intricate ninjutsu, some with skills surpassing even the renowned Anbu!
Not only that, the Anbu found themselves outnumbered and encircled, trapped in a meticulously laid trap they had failed to anticipate!
"It's a trap! Disperse!"
Realizing the dire situation, the remaining Anbu desperately sought an escape, but it was too late. Their hidden adversaries were more skilled and cunning than they had anticipated, their net spread wide and throughout the city, resulting in the lifeless bodies of fallen ninjas littering the ground.
Even the hidden ninjas observing from a distance met a similar fate, swiftly eradicated by the unknown forces at play. It was as if there were omniscient eyes, locking their positions and an unseen hand sending chess pieces to dispose of them.
As the dust settled and the battle drew to a close, a few of the hidden guards approached the palanquin, their forms seamlessly transforming into the puppet-like guards who had fallen earlier. The rest of them melted back into the shadows, retreating into the anonymity of the night.
When the sound died down, the city's night patrol, who finally arrived on the scene, found their faces dripping with sweat as they surveyed the carnage before them. When the squad leader saw the sight of lifeless ninja corpses, he knew there was trouble, big trouble.
Yet, he still asked in feigned ignorance, as if he were blind to the corpses, "M-My lord, what happened here?"
From the confines of the palanquin, the puppet noble's voice resonated, laced with both anger and authority, "I am a great noble, the finance minister and loyal advisor of the daimyo, and tonight, I have been ruthlessly assassinated by Konoha ninjas. These are the evidence for my grim testament to the undue violence. I demand a thorough explanation for this transgression and the dereliction of duty of our patrol division."
The color drained from the squad leader's face, his body shuddering with a mixture of fear and anticipation, acutely aware that a tempest had descended upon the very heart of the capital, heralding a cataclysmic upheaval.
Perched upon the couch in the lounge, a sly smile adorned Shino's face, his satisfaction evident as he observed the holographic monitors displaying the success of their carefully orchestrated events.
The room was filled with a symphony of alluring slurps as Karina relayed her report, her voice dripping with satisfaction, exuding confidence in the flawless execution of their plans.
[Puppet noble one had played his part flawlessly, diverting Konoha's attention just as intended. Even if he were to meet an untimely end, it would have little impact. We have already transferred his ill-gotten wealth into our secret base, ensuring no loss on our end. Besides, we've amassed a considerable wealth from the converted nobles within our ranks, and some of them have become fanatic believers of our fake god. Our secret cult will continue to flourish, even in the absence of puppet noble one. Creating a replacement would be a trivial task.]
"True, after all, the nobles are simply clowns. The true value of our endeavor lays in the masses, one which we will slowly grow, using incentives acquired from our noble banks." Shino chuckled, gently petting Karina's head as a sign of approval, prompting her to lower her head in submission.
"And soon we could take a more hands-off approach, removing our puppets from the equation, conserving our computational power and solely controlling the crucial process of holy grace. We will be the shopkeeper, and let the cult flourish on its own... And even if it were to wither, it would still sow chaos. Now, we only need to cultivate a ninja with formidable combat prowess to confront those overpowered individuals who could swiftly quell the chaos single-handedly."
After a moment of swallowing to convey her excitement over Shino's plan, Karina raised her head, her mouth opened with confusion etched across her face and spilling forth from her tongue, receiving another gentle praise from Shino, an affirmation that allowed her to clear her confusion, an expression of understanding dawning upon her face.
"So, are we finally creating our second Six Paths? Who should we use as a base and which model shall we employ? Or is my dear already contemplating assimilating someone else? Tired of delving into genjutsu discussions with your teacher already?"
Shino's gaze shifted towards his teacher, sprawled on the ground, her red eyes seemingly entranced, staring at him in a daze, certain parts of her body glistening with illusory sweat - a testament to the effort they had exerted during their genjutsu lesson.
A wild grin crept across Shino's face as he replied, "No, how could I be? There is still so much to learn from Kurenai-sensei. After all, she is the strongest genjutsu master in Konoha."
At the mention of her esteemed title, Kurenai appeared to snap out of her daze, her eyes slowly closing as if unable to confront her own reality.
Karina cast a playful smile in her direction before addressing her in a gentle tone. "Kurenai-sensei, you should freshen up and rest for a while. There are still numerous... duties awaiting your attention."
With her eyes opening once more, Kurenai's gaze traversed over Shino and Karina before she mustered the strength to sit upright, her crimson eyes scrutinizing her drenched body and the disarrayed mess on the ground.
Closing her eyes momentarily, a tremor ran through her body before she forcefully opened them, revealing a resolute determination, a clear display of her strong will.
Rising to her feet, she gathered her clothes and proceeded toward the doorway, pausing briefly to utter in a calm tone, "Once you fulfill your promise, I will give you my everything."
As Shino and Karina watched her depart, Karina couldn't help but pout, "Her 'everything' already belongs to my dear. What is she being so arrogant about?"
Shino chuckled, his voice laced with mirth. "There are certain things even absolute domination cannot control. However, in the vast river of time, everything will eventually smooth out. It's good that she understands this and takes the initiative."
Karina blinked her eyes cutely before straddling Shino's lap, her arms coiling around his neck, her cheeks tinted with a blush. "There's no need to wait so long because I can smooth out everything for my dear, including your frustrations right now, and I can do it for all of eternity."
In the steam-filled shower, rivulets of water cascaded down Kurenai's mature form, tracing a tantalizing path across her supple curves. With an air of serene elegance, she stood beneath the downpour, allowing the water to intimately caress every inch of her body.
Her face remained serene, untouched by the cascading droplets that rolled down her hair and caressed her flawless skin with a gentle touch.
As her eyes fluttered open, she reached out with a graceful motion, turning off the water, her gaze fixated on the dwindling streams as they carried away the remnants of her shower. The room was filled with a subtle ambiance, accentuated by the soft sound of droplets hitting the ground.
Wrapped snugly in a bath towel that accentuated her every curve, Kurenai stepped into her small, personal space. The newness of the room was apparent, yet a sense of familiarity lingered.
Her gaze swept across the belongings carefully arranged, remnants of her life back in Konoha. Each item, a fragment of nostalgia, whispered stories of her past.
There was a sense of completion, but a missing piece still remained - the absence of photographs capturing precious moments, a void that yearned to be filled by his image.
A contemplative sigh escaped her lips, followed by a flicker of longing that danced within her captivating red eyes, but in the end, she forcefully buried her memories.
With a poised grace, she settled herself on the edge of her new bed, her fair, plump legs clasped together in a gesture of confident allure, accentuating her graceful curves.
A notion flickered within her, and with a mere thought, Kurenai summoned the holographic system interface before her. With grace and precision, she navigated through the vast database, her mind sharp and undeterred even in the aftermath of her arduous activities.
Her delicate fingertips danced upon the interface, searching through the vast reservoir of information.
As an exemplary jonin, her instincts never wavered, allowing her to absorb vital intelligence even in her moments of mental haze. Naturally, the details discussed earlier did not escape her notice.
Soon, she discovered the information her student and his wife had spoken of.
The details unfolded before her eyes, exposing the intricate background of the puppet noble and his far-reaching business endeavors, including his ownership of the capital's auction house. Then, the recording of the liberated children played, their innocent faces etching themselves into her memory.
A subtle smile graced her lips as she reminisced about that fateful mission, where her path had intertwined with theirs.
In the depths of her smoldering gaze, determination flickered like embers, casting a bewitching glow upon her captivating features.
Her voice, barely above a whisper, reverberated within the confines of the room. "So, he's not as cold-hearted as he seems. This is something I can work with."
สถานะพลังงานรายสัปดาห์
-- การจัดอันดับด้วยพลัง 
-- หินพลัง