"Aoki, what exactly is going on?"
Morino Eaton's face was etched with tension. He didn't just want a simple answer; he needed intelligence regarding the very safety of the Hidden Leaf.
The world was in a fragile state. War could reignite at any moment, making every scrap of information vital. If a spy was embedded within the village, there was absolutely no room for mercy.
"The man's name is Kuri," Aoki began slowly. "He was the one who planted the intel on that merchant from the Land of Hot Springs. His objective was to transmit Konoha's secrets to the Hidden Mist Village in the Land of Water."
Even after reading Kuri's memories, Aoki found the situation incredibly convoluted. It had completely exceeded his expectations and served as a stark reminder of the silent, invisible battles raging in the shadows of the shinobi world.
These memories were now cataloged in his mind like scenes from a movie. While they didn't mix with his own identity, Aoki wondered if witnessing such a long string of lives would eventually have a subtle, psychological effect on him.
Perhaps the system's gift wasn't just the physical rewards... but the sheer experience and tactical wisdom gained from a thousand lives.
"I knew it!"
Eaton's expression darkened, turning dangerously grim. His hands, encased in black leather gloves, clenched so hard that his knuckles let out a series of sharp, rhythmic cracks.
"A spy! Another damn spy!"
"Since he's fallen into my hands, he can forget about ever seeing the sun again," Eaton growled, his dark pupils shimmering with a cold, predatory light.
Over the past year, he had lost count of how many rats he had dragged out of the walls. Konoha was protected by a powerful barrier; obtaining intel from the outside was nearly impossible. To get anything of value, the enemy had to infiltrate.
"However..." Aoki raised his hand, pinching the bridge of his nose as he prepared to explain the twist. "Kuri's situation is... unique."
"He isn't actually a sleeper agent planted by the Hidden Mist."
"He's a local informant they bought off."
"What do you mean?" Eaton's eyes narrowed, his gaze becoming even more dangerous. "He's a traitor to the village?"
"Well... not exactly," Aoki shook his head and bit his lip. "Kuri's case is complicated."
"Complicated how?" Eaton was thoroughly confused.
"I should start from the beginning..."
Aoki took a deep breath. Since seeing Kuri's memories, he had been trying to find the right words to describe the absurdity of it all.
"Kuri isn't from Konoha. He isn't even from the Land of Fire."
"He is originally from the Hidden Stone Village in the Land of Earth!"
Aoki spoke slowly, making sure every detail was clear.
"Wait..." Eaton froze, staring at Aoki in disbelief. "Are you sure? You said he was a Mist informant. How did the Hidden Stone get involved?"
"Captain Eaton, I'm certain. If you let me finish, it will make sense." Aoki gave a small, weary nod. Even he thought this was ridiculous, but the truth was stranger than fiction.
"Proceed," Eaton said, regaining his composure.
"After being trained by the Hidden Stone's Anbu, Kuri was sent to infiltrate Konoha as an orphan during the chaos of the Second Shinobi World War. He successfully entered the Ninja Academy and became a deep-cover spy for the Stone."
"Throughout the war, he sent back intelligence while maintaining a perfect cover. No one ever suspected him."
"Until recently. While out on a mission as a Konoha ninja, he was intercepted by shinobi from the Hidden Mist. They threatened him, demanding he become their informant."
"Kuri didn't resist. He went along with it and became a mole for the Mist. He began using the merchant convoys from the Land of Hot Springs to send data back to the Land of Water—all while reporting every detail of this new arrangement back to the Hidden Stone."
"According to his memories, his goal was to provoke a war between the Hidden Mist and the Hidden Leaf. He wanted the Mist to bleed Konoha dry so that the Hidden Stone could swoop in later and reap the rewards of a weakened enemy."
Aoki explained the layers of deception one by one. This kind of complex "triple-agent" relationship was something even Eaton's vast experience hadn't encountered.
In Aoki's mind, the only person who could top this was the legendary multi-spy Kabuto Yakushi. Of course, Kuri wasn't on Kabuto's level; his situation was mostly a product of bizarre coincidences. The Mist had simply had the "luck" of blackmailing a man who was already a spy for someone else.
"This..."
Eaton stood stunned for several seconds. He understood the words, but the sheer oddity of the situation took a moment to process.
"So... we caught a Stone spy who was pretending to be a Mist informant while posing as a Leaf ninja?"
"Heh... hahahaha..."
Eaton actually let out a short, dry laugh. He had thought that as the Captain of the Torture Force, he had seen it all.
He was wrong.
"Precisely. Based on his previous reports, he was actively feeding the Hidden Mist specific intel to lure them into sending the 'Seven Ninja Swordsmen' for a surprise attack on Konoha," Aoki added.
"I see." Eaton's laughter vanished instantly. He knew the Seven Ninja Swordsmen were the elite of the Mist's Jōnin strength. An ambush by them would be devastating. "Is there anything else?"
"No, that's it." Aoki shook his head.
"Aoki, you've done the village a massive service today!" Eaton walked over and patted Aoki's shoulder.
"Just doing my duty," Aoki replied, wincing slightly and recoiling as if in pain.
"I've called you in several times this week. Your mental state probably hasn't recovered yet," Eaton said, the sharp edges of his face softening. He had truly come to value Aoki as a subordinate. "I'll give you a few days off. Go and relax."
"No, no, no! Captain Eaton, I'm not tired!"
Aoki shook his head frantically. Is he kidding? He wanted more memories, more rewards! He looked at Eaton with a face full of "patriotic" sincerity.
"I want to contribute every ounce of my strength to the village!"
"Excellent!"
Seeing Aoki's almost instinctive dedication, a flash of genuine admiration appeared in Eaton's eyes. He loved subordinates who worked hard, embraced overtime, and never complained.
"Aoki!"
"You haven't been in the Torture Force long..."
"But you already possess the Spirit of the Torture Force!"
"I expect great things from you!"
Eaton patted Aoki's shoulder once more, though this time he intentionally lightened his touch, showing a rare moment of care for his star operative.
[End of Chapter 6]