Chapter 80 : A gift, or A Curse??

"Fugaku!"

Uchiha Sogetsu felt a moment of panic but managed to steady his nerves just in time.

"It's fine," he reassured himself. "It's not a big deal. I'm not doing anything wrong with Mikoto. I don't have to worry about her husband showing up out of nowhere."

He remembered an old saying: "If you walk the straight path, you don't fear a crooked shadow."

He hadn't done anything improper, so why would he be scared of someone knocking on his door in the middle of the night?

With this thought, Uchiha Sogetsu regained his composure, adjusted his glasses, and turned back to face Mikoto, intending to ask her what was going on. "Mikoto—"

But when he turned around, what he saw was shocking and downright incriminating.

Mikoto was standing there with her round belly, tiptoeing in white socks, as if she were a wife caught in an affair, quietly hiding in his bedroom.

"Shh~ Don't let Fugaku know I'm here~"

She raised a finger to her lips, whispering without making a sound, as if this was all perfectly normal.

This was a disaster. It was as if he'd smeared mud on his own crotch—no one would believe it was anything but what it looked like. Even if he had a thousand excuses, he couldn't explain his way out of this one.

Was he supposed to tell Fugaku, "Don't worry, I can explain. Your wife sneaking into my room late at night is completely innocent"?

Yeah, right. Fugaku would tear him apart.

Uchiha Sogetsu's mind was a battlefield between reason and panic.

Outside the door, Fugaku opened it and walked in. He glanced around the room with a smile. "Sorry, Sogetsu, I knocked for a while but didn't hear anything. I thought I'd come in to check. Hope I didn't bother you?"

"Not at all, Lord Fugaku."

Sogetsu's voice wavered slightly, but he used every ounce of his Sequence 6 Hypnotist power to maintain composure.

The stakes were high. If Fugaku discovered his wife hiding in the next room, things could end in a way no one wanted.

This wasn't something to take lightly. If Fugaku caught on, someone was definitely going to get hurt.

Uchiha Sogetsu was the one who knew about Fugaku's upcoming death.

After collecting his thoughts, Sogetsu returned to his usual calm demeanor. Sitting on the floor, he greeted Fugaku with a composed voice: "It's quite late, Lord Fugaku. What brings you here at this hour?"

Though Fugaku felt that something was a bit off, he dismissed the feeling and sat down cross-legged. "Haha, you're right. I've come with some news. I've spoken with the elders about your future role within the Uchiha clan. We've decided to appoint you as an 'elder'."

"Me? An elder?" Uchiha Sogetsu was surprised but didn't overreact. He hesitated and then asked, "Lord Fugaku, if I take on the role of elder, what about the others? How will they react?"

"Hey, don't worry about it," Fugaku replied with a wave of his hand. "This has been discussed with the elders. Besides, you've made significant contributions to Konoha and have improved the reputation of the Uchiha clan. That's a big achievement!"

The two continued to talk for a while, with Sogetsu maintaining the atmosphere, careful not to give away that Fugaku's wife, Mikoto, was hiding in the bedroom just beyond the wall.

On the other side of the wall, Mikoto was in the bedroom, her heart racing wildly. She couldn't understand why she'd suddenly hidden there, so close to her husband, yet in another man's room. 

The scent of the room was pleasant, making her unconsciously take deep breaths, which only made her cheeks flush. The closeness to Fugaku and her current situation made her entire body feel tingly with a mix of excitement and tension.

'Calm down, Mikoto!' she thought, pinching her cheek and shaking her head vigorously to clear her mind.

Time seemed to pass slowly, and as Mikoto's anxiety peaked, the door suddenly opened.

"Ah!" She was startled, but then sighed in relief when she saw it was just Sogetsu.

Sogetsu's expression remained neutral, but inside, he felt a surge of annoyance. He managed to keep his voice steady as he said, "Mikoto-sama, Fugaku-sama has left. Let's start your treatment right away. We don't want to be late getting you back, as that could raise suspicion."

"Oh, okay."

Mikoto bit her lip, spread her legs like a duck, and shyly tugged at the corner of her clothes. "It's right here, you can start."

Uchiha Sogetsu said this without showing any emotion. She had resigned herself to this, so she sat down directly across from him: "Mikoto-sama, please close your eyes, relax, and try not to resist."

"Yes~," Mikoto replied in a charming voice, closing her eyes with a slightly reluctant expression.

Uchiha Sogetsu focused his gaze, his eyes glowing faintly with a golden light. What surprised him, though, was that Mikoto wasn't putting up any defenses. He was able to enter her mind with ease, delving straight into her island of consciousness.

It felt like a dream; Mikoto seemed completely at ease, a sweet smile appearing on her lips.

Before long, the process was complete.

Mikoto slowly opened her eyes, feeling warmth and comfort throughout her body. She stretched and said, "That felt great, thank you, Sogetsu."

"No problem, Mikoto-sama," Uchiha Sogetsu replied with a calm and neutral expression. "This type of mental therapy is just a temporary fix. Don't worry too much about it."

"Yeah~ I get it." Mikoto felt a sense of warmth toward Sogetsu, almost instinctively. With big, eager eyes, she asked, "Can I come to you again for this?"

"Of course, Mikoto-sama," he answered without hesitation. A quick thought crossed his mind, and he added, "But I might not always be around. Here, take this charm with you."

As he spoke, he pulled out a small, intricately designed amulet from his cloak and handed it to her.

"What's this?" she asked, intrigued.

Mikoto accepted the amulet with a hint of suspicion in her eyes. She was always cautious, even with gifts from familiar faces, and it was no different with the small trinket that Uchiha Sogetsu had handed her.

"This is something I'm experimenting with," he said with a calm smile, watching her reaction carefully. "I've sealed a fraction of my abilities into this amulet. It won't do anything too dramatic, but it should help you keep your emotions in check."

"Really? That sounds amazing!" Mikoto said, her skepticism turning into genuine delight. She fastened the amulet around her neck and felt the cool metal against her skin. "Thank you, Sogetsu."

"It's my honor to be able to help you, Mikoto-sama," he replied, his voice as gentle as a breeze, his gaze meeting hers with a quiet intensity.

Her cheeks flushed with color, and she felt her pulse quicken. It was as if his eyes saw through her, and she couldn't bear the sudden intimacy. "I should go," she said, standing abruptly. "I'll see you later." She offered him a quick bow before turning to leave.

Sogetsu watched her go, his expression unchanged. Behind the stoic facade, there was something darker. He adjusted his mirror frame with a deliberate touch, a faint trace of malice flickering in his eyes. 

He murmured under his breath, just loud enough for only himself to hear, "A gift or a curse? I hope you enjoy my little present, Uchiha Itachi."

Though the charm he gave to Mikoto had the calming properties he mentioned, there was something more sinister woven into its design. 

The hypnosis technique was only part of it; the other components were much more dangerous—ravings from the True Creator, a true Rap Master.

In giving Mikoto the charm, he was setting into motion a chain of events he had carefully orchestrated. The unraveling was just beginning.

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