Hidden in Plain Sight
The sun had barely crested the horizon, painting Tokyo's skyline in hues of orange and gold, when Itachi and his team arrived at the Hunter's Association headquarters. The usually bustling building stood eerily silent, its doors sealed to all but them. As they approached, Itachi's obsidian eyes meticulously scanned their surroundings, his face an impassive mask that betrayed nothing of his inner thoughts. The cool morning air carried a hint of tension, a prelude to the events about to unfold.
Matsumoto Shigeo greeted them at the entrance, his weathered face set in a practiced smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Welcome," he said, his voice carrying the weight of authority and a hint of something darker. "We've been waiting you."
As Shigeo led them through the empty corridors, their footsteps echoing in the silence, Itachi couldn't help but draw parallels between the Association chairman and Danzo from his previous life. Both men exuded an aura of cunning and manipulation, their outward appearance of benevolence masking darker intentions.
They rounded a corner to find a group of powerful hunters gathered before a closed door. The air seemed to thicken with the combined pressure of their auras. Shigeo, ever the gracious host, began introductions with a sweeping gesture.
"You already know Goto Ryuji," Shigeo said, indicating the imposing man at the center of the group. Goto stood with his arms crossed, his muscular frame radiating barely contained power. "To his left is the vice guild master of Draw Swords, Sugimoto Reiji. He rarely shows himself in public." The man in question nodded curtly, his eyes sharp and assessing, calculating every move of Itachi's team.
"On Goto's right," Shigeo continued, "is Ao Shirogane, the most feared assassin, in terms of power second only to Goto Ryuji himself." Shirogane's piercing gaze swept over Itachi's team, a predatory gleam in his eyes that spoke of countless lives ended by his hand.
"Then we have Yugen Takashi, a master of illusion magic." At this, Itachi's keen senses picked up on something off about Takashi's presence. The air around him seemed to shimmer almost imperceptibly, but Itachi kept his observations to himself, filing away the information for later.
"And lastly," Shigeo concluded, "Sakura Minamoto, one of only two S-rank healers in Japan. All the people here are guild masters. You've gathered quite the attention." Minamoto's gentle demeanor contrasted sharply with the others, but Itachi sensed a core of steel beneath her soft exterior.
Itachi nodded politely, his mind racing. Why was Shigeo telling things that should be common knowledge? Was this some sort of test, or perhaps a way to gauge their reactions?
As they passed the guild masters, each bowed slightly to Shigeo, acknowledging his position as Association chairman. The gesture spoke volumes about the power dynamics at play. They entered an empty room where a woman in formal attire awaited them, her posture rigid and professional.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Tsubasa Hanekawa," she introduced herself with a polite bow, her voice crisp and efficient.
Yuki's eyes widened in recognition, a flicker of surprise crossing her face. "Hanekawa-san, aren't you from Draw Swords guild? What are you doing here?"
Shigeo quickly intervened, his tone smooth but leaving no room for further questions. "We were short on staff."
Hanekawa cleared her throat, moving the conversation along with practiced ease. "Please use your abilities on this dummy. I will categorize you based on your fighting style."
Ryuji frowned, confusion evident on his face as he voiced the question on everyone's mind. "We're already registered though."
"It's a way for us to know about your abilities," Shigeo explained smoothly, though his eyes held a glint of something more calculating.
Hanekawa gestured towards a sturdy-looking dummy in the center of the room. It was a featureless humanoid shape, but even from a distance, Itachi could sense the complex enchantments woven into its structure. "Please demonstrate your abilities. Don't worry about holding back; it's quite strong."
Ryuji stepped forward first, cracking his knuckles with a grin that belied the seriousness of the situation. Dark energy swirled around his fist, coalescing into a dense aura of power. With a roar, he struck the dummy with tremendous force, the impact sending shockwaves through the room. To the observers' surprise, it only left a slight dent in the dummy's surface.
Shigeo's brow furrowed, his thoughts almost visible behind his eyes. "The dummy is tough, but still, the attack power was very low," he mused silently.
Outside, the guild masters exchanged disappointed glances, their earlier interest waning. Goto Ryuji's lips thinned into a hard line. "The strike seemed strong but the result was very weak," he muttered, loud enough for his fellow guild masters to hear.
Hanekawa called for the next demonstration, her voice betraying no emotion. Haruto unsheathed his katana with fluid grace, the blade gleaming in the artificial light. In a flash of movement almost too fast to follow, he struck the dummy. To the untrained eye, it seemed as if he had cleaved it in two, but as the dust settled, only a shallow cut was visible on the dummy's legs.
Shigeo's disappointment was palpable, a cloud of frustration gathering around him. "I expected more from them, especially you, Haruto," he thought, his estimation of the team plummeting by the second.
The guild masters outside continued to express their dissatisfaction in hushed tones. Aoi Shirogane, the guild master of 'Thunderbolts' shook his head, his expert eye picking apart Haruto's technique. "His form seemed good, but it didn't do much," he observed, a hint of scorn in his voice.
Yuki stepped up next, her face a mask of concentration. She summoned a massive hammer of dark energy, its size dwarfing her petite frame. With a cry, she brought it down on the dummy, the impact reverberating through the building's foundation. But again, the damage appeared minimal – just a small dent on the dummy's head.
Sakura Minamoto, the guild master of 'Guardians' leaned towards Reiji Sugimoto, confusion evident in her voice as she whispered, "Sugimoto-san, I'm not a fighter, but aren't their attacks very weak for S-rank hunters?"
Sugimoto nodded, his expression grim and disappointed. "Yeah, it seems so. We might have overestimated them. They might be the weakest S-rank we've ever seen."
As Itachi prepared to step forward for his turn, his mind already formulating a plan, Shigeo interrupted. His voice was tight with barely contained anger, his earlier politeness evaporating like morning dew. "Please stop, Mr. Uchiha. It seems we were mistaken about your ranks. Even A-rank hunters should have damaged the dummy better than you people."
Itachi's reply was calm, almost amused, a stark contrast to the tension in the room. "It is true you are mistaken."
Shigeo's face reddened, his composure cracking. "What are you trying to say?" he demanded, anger and confusion warring in his voice.
"You should look at the dummy carefully," Itachi suggested, his tone mild but carrying an undercurrent of challenge.
As everyone's gaze shifted to where the dummy had been, they were met with a startling sight – a gaping hole in the floor where the dummy once stood. The reinforced concrete had been pulverized, leaving a chasm that seemed to descend into darkness.
"Illusion magic!" Goto Ryuji exclaimed, the first to break the stunned silence. His eyes widened in a mixture of shock and dawning respect.
Matsumoto Shigeo, still reeling from the revelation, demanded an explanation, his voice hoarse. "What actually happened?"
Itachi's voice remained level as he explained, each word carefully chosen. "When Ryuji hit the upper half, it disintegrated at a molecular level. When Haruto cut it, the lower half was sliced into pieces so fine they were invisible to the naked eye. Lastly, Yuki used the hammer to smash what remained, causing the hole in the floor and pulverizing the foundation beneath."
Goto Ryuji stepped forward, his eyes narrowed in a mixture of suspicion and grudging admiration. "Are you an illusion mage?" he asked, reassessing the quiet man before him.
Instead of answering, Itachi suddenly turned and punched the air behind him with intense force. To everyone's shock, his fist connected with solid flesh. Yugen Takashi materialized out of thin air, crumpling to the ground with a pained groan.
"If you had kept your distance, this wouldn't have happened," Itachi said coolly to the fallen form of Takashi, his voice carrying just a hint of warning.
The room erupted into chaos as everyone realized they had been fooled by Takashi's illusion. The guild master of 'Shadow light' they thought had been standing with them was nothing more than a mirage, a testament to both Takashi's skill and Itachi's superior perception.
As the the paperwork were proceeding, Goto Ryuji pulled Matsumoto Shigeo aside, his voice low and urgent, laced with a mixture of fear and determination. "Send them with us to Jeju Island. We'll have them join the Korean Hunters. We need to eliminate them before they become a problem for us."
Shigeo nodded, his eyes dark with understanding. The power Itachi and his team possessed was beyond anything they had anticipated. It was a threat that needed to be neutralized, and quickly, before it upset the delicate balance of power they had worked so hard to maintain.
As Itachi and his team left the Association building, the setting sun cast long shadows across Tokyo's streets, mirroring the dark plans being set in motion behind closed doors. Itachi's mind was already racing, planning their next moves. He had sensed the shift in the air, the barely concealed hostility from the guild masters. A storm was coming, and they needed to be prepared for the tempest that would soon break upon them.
Itachi, Ryuji, Haruto and Yuki were now officially S-rank hunters. Many reporters gathered outside Ryuji's house, it was where Itachi and everyone gathered. Though the entrance was blocked, four them simply travelled through darkness to get inside Ryuji's house.
Back in Ryuji's house, Itachi gathered his team in the living room. The cityscape of Tokyo stretched out beyond the windows, a glittering tapestry of lights that belied the dangers lurking in the shadows. "I will have to visit the association again for some business. Anyway, we left quite an impression today," he said, his voice calm despite the gravity of the situation.
Ryuji grinned, pumping his fist with characteristic enthusiasm. "Did you see their faces? They didn't know what hit them!"
Haruto, ever the strategist, leaned forward, his expression serious. "They'll be planning something. We need to be ready for whatever they throw at us next."
Yuki nodded, her amber eyes serious as she added her insight. "I sensed their intentions. They fear us, and fear often leads to drastic actions. We should expect the unexpected."
Itachi's gaze swept over his team, pride mingling with concern for their safety. "We've shown them our strength, but we've also painted targets on our backs. From now on, we must be more vigilant than ever. Trust no one outside this room. It was necessary for our end goal."
As night fell over Tokyo, Itachi found himself drawn to the window of his room, his mind churning with plans and contingencies. The power of dark energy thrummed beneath his skin, a constant reminder of the responsibility he carried. Whatever came next, Itachi knew that he and his team would face it together, their bonds forged in the fires of adversity and their powers honed to perfection.
The game had truly begun, and Itachi was determined to see it through to the end, no matter the cost. As he turned away from the window, his resolve hardened. They would not be pawns in someone else's game – they would be the players who changed the rules.