Chapter 13: A Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing.

 Author Note: Nothing of importance, just enjoy the chapter, and if you have any questions, make sure to comment!

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I'm currently updating the novel 2-8 chapters a day in patreeeeon. On chapter 25 so far.

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Enjoy you sexy bastards.

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[Takeshi POV.]

When I opened my eyes, I found myself tied to a tree in the middle of a forest. My arms were bound tightly behind me, and my legs secured to the trunk. I struggled against the ropes, but they held firm. The forest was eerily silent, save for the distant rustle of leaves.

In front of me stood a man, his figure cloaked in shadows. He held Mito in his arms, her tiny form dwarfed by his large hands. Mito cried out, her wails piercing the silence, and my heart clenched in response.

"Who are you?" I demanded, glaring at the man. "What do you want?"

The man stepped forward, allowing a sliver of light to reveal his face. He was middle-aged, with sharp features and cold, calculating eyes. "My name is of no importance," he replied, his voice low and menacing. "But what I want is quite simple. A Sharingan factory."

I felt my blood turn cold at his words as I realized the motive behind this man's actions. He wanted to use Mito as a future brood mother, a breeding tool for the Uchiha's prized Sharingan. The thought was horrifying and repugnant.

"No," I bit out, defiance flaring hot within me as a rage unlike any I had felt before surged within me, threatening to cloud my judgment. "I won't let that happen."

A cold laugh erupted from the man. "Ah, the arrogance of youth," he taunted. "You think you have any say in the matter? Your compliance isn't a factor, brat."

I clenched my fists, anger boiling within me. "If you harm her—"

He cut me off with a harsh laugh. "You should be more concerned with what my plans for you are. I mean, haven't you wondered why I kidnapped you as well? I mean, I already got what I wanted if the Sharingan was my only goal with the baby over here, but yet… I took you as well."

"I couldn't care less," I replied, a faint smile gracing my face as I ripped the rope off, letting the rough fibers drop to the forest floor. My wrists were raw from the bindings, bleeding, but the sharp pain seemed an insignificant concern as I stared down my captor. "You will not leave this place with Mito."

The man chuckled again, his gaze landing on my freed hands. "Impressive," he drawled, amusement flickering in his cold eyes. "But do you really think you can stop me? A brat who hasn't even started the academy?"

I didn't respond. Instead, I launched myself at him, my years of training propelling me forward with deadly speed.

The man dodged easily, a smirk curling his lips as he shot out a punch meant for my face. I took it, feeling teeth loosen and dislodge from the force of it, blood bursting in my mouth and painting my tongue with a harsh, metallic taste. A sharp pain rippled through me, my vision blurring momentarily from the sheer brutality of it.

What he didn't realize was that I was counting on his arrogance, his overconfidence in the fact that I was a kid without actual experience. So, as he threw the punch, hitting my face, his grip and attention on Mito faltered just slightly, a seemingly insignificant shift that gave me an opening to snatch her back.

Now, I just had to run.

"You little cunt," the man growled, realizing what had happened.

I gave him no answer, already moving, sprinting towards the trees, baby Mito held tightly against me.

I darted through the forest, formulating a plan, realizing that the gap between us and our captor was but a few seconds away from closing based on how fast his chakra was approaching.

This wasn't a fight I could win, nor was it one that I could allow myself to lose. Pushing my legs to their limits, I wove through the towering trees, my mind working in overdrive to find a solution to my current predicament… coming to a single conclusion: I couldn't save Mito and myself… I had to pick one.

I could almost chuckle at how few options I had in this matter. Taking my decision, I wove through another tree as the man neared me, creating two clones, before coming from behind the tree, immediately feeling a sharp kick from behind that slammed me into the ground.

The world jarred, my face grinding into the rough earth. I tasted the dirt, blood, and grit between my teeth as the man dropped his boot onto me, his weight pressing my chest into the ground. Hot waves of pain radiated out from my ribcage, making it hard to breathe. I could taste blood at the back of my throat, a brutal reminder of how harrowingly dangerous the situation was.

"Mito," I gasped, trying to reach for her.

The man's coarse laughter filled the forest air, fracturing the silence of the evening. "I told you," he sneered, his voice heavy with satisfaction. "You can't protect her."

I smiled inwardly.

I already had… you stupid, arrogant fucker.

Right before he caught up to us, I created two clones, one that henged into Mito, and the other… to take Mito away, and I managed to do all that, right before he pinned me down.

I had to stay back for this to work though, if I had tried to keep him away with the clones, he would've realized, and things would've gotten out of control.

The unmistakable sound of a clone poofing out of existence echoed in the distance, just where 'baby Mito' had landed, and the man's grin faltered. "What--"

"Eat shit," I managed to choke out, grinning through the pain.

His gaze darted to the now empty spot where Mito had been only moments ago, his grip slackening on me in his bewilderment. That was all I needed, pushing back with every ounce of strength left in me, my elbow connecting with his gut in a solid blow.

If I was going to die, I might as well go out hurting this fucker's pride as much as possible.

He grunted, stumbling back as I rolled away from him, gasping for breath as I gained distance. His confusion rapidly morphed into fury as he scanned the surrounding foliage for any sign of Mito. "Where is she?!" he snarled, spinning back to face me.

"My… who knows? That's such a complicated question, I'm a magician," I replied, a faint smile on my face. "And we don't reveal our tricks."

"Enough with your games!" he roared, lunging towards me.

"Maybe she's inside your pocket," I taunted, willing to buy Mito as much time as possible. The baby's safety was all that mattered now.

He knotted his hand into my hair, yanking me up and throwing a punch towards my stomach. I coughed, the air rushing out of my lungs as the force of the blow doubled me over. Streaks of pain lit up my vision, originating from where his fist had connected with my skin. I tasted blood again and knew without looking that my lip was split.

"WHERE IS SHE?!" he roared again, no less furious than before.

My breath came in gasps as I tried to push past the pain threatening to swallow me whole. "Have you checked inside my pockets?"

His snarl turned feral, eyes blazing with rage. But I grinned at him, bloodied and battered as he yanked me upright, my feet dangling in the air. His grip on me tightened, fingers digging into the tender flesh of my arm with enough force to bruise. He used his other hand to pull out a kunai, the blade reflecting the light eerily.

Gleaming steel bit into my side almost delicately, moving with a slow precision that made my stomach churn. I gritted my teeth against the searing pain but refused to give him the satisfaction of hearing me scream. I let out a harsh laugh instead.

"Wrong pocket," I rasped out with a smile, blood dribbling from the corner of my mouth.

Enraged, he didn't ease up on his attack even slightly. The knife cut deeper as he twisted it cruelly. Warm blood oozed from the wound and seeped into my shirt, staining it a dark, wet red. Each ragged breath I drew sounded like a death rattle in my ears, but a perverse satisfaction unfurled within me at the thought of having kept Mito safe… and the unfathomable satisfaction of cockblocking this kidnapper.

He pulled the kunai out, dropping me to the ground, and I gasped. The world spinning as my blood pooled around me. My knees buckled under me, but he held me up, his grip vice-like. "You'll tell me," he vowed, eyes glinting malevolently.

But I offered only a bloodied smile in return. "Under … your shoe, maybe?" The furious confusion flickering in his eyes was worth the wave of fresh agony that engulfed me when he slashed the kunai across my chest.

However, amid the scorching pain and creeping sense of finality, a strange sensation began to stir within me, a flame, a heat, a… feeling of raw power that I had never felt before. It burned away the exhaustion, the fear, the pain... leaving only a chilling clarity in its wake.

Images began to blur around me, my world tearing apart at its seams. As a golden light exploded in my vision, forcing my senses to expand beyond possibilities, a harsh, guttural cry erupted from my throat as the man lifted his kunai once more, ready to carve his rage into my very flesh.

For the merest sliver of a second, my world tilted on its axis. I felt the shift before I understood it, an odd sensation prickling at the base of my spine – like electricity arcing over raw nerve endings, followed by an overwhelming sensation of pleasure. And then, before even I could realize it, I was moving.

Feeling better than I had ever felt in my life before, I grabbed the man's wrist that held the kunai, fingers wrapping around his wrist, twisting it like a twig until a sickening crunch echoed in the silent forest.

The man jumped back, clutching his broken hand, staring at me silently. "Your… eyes…"

The coppery taste of blood filled my mouth as I offered a bloodied smile to my attacker. "They are pretty, I know." I wasn't sure why the man was even mentioning my eyes, but I didn't care… I felt great… better than ever.

I was high on something I didn't even comprehend. But honestly, I didn't care.

The world around me was now a vibrant show of color and sound, each leaf rustling, every insect buzzing, the soft hum of the wind whispering to the trees. And there was the man before me - his heartbeat pounding in my ears like an irresistible symphony drawing me in… begging me to kill him.

Before he could react, I lunged forward. His eyes widened in surprise, but it was too late for him to evade my attack. My fingers closed around his throat as I slammed him against a tree trunk, before ripping his throat out with a swift, brutal movement. His eyes widened grotesquely as gasps gurgled out from the open wound that was once his throat. Blood splashed onto my face as he fell like a puppet with its strings cut, crumpling onto the forest floor.

I laughed, brushing my blood-covered hair back.

'If you keep releasing that much Yoki, you will awaken,' I heard a voice echo in my head. It was neither threatening nor comforting, in fact, the voice seemed amused. 'No wonder they got rid of the male generation, you guys simply cannot contain yourselves.'

"Who are you?" I growled, glancing around the forest, only to find no one around.

'You inherited my powers but you don't even know who I am, my my, I feel insulted.'

Was I hallucinating?

'No, you're not, unfortunately. And as for who I am, allow me to introduce myself. My name's Teresa, and I'm inside your head.'

…

What?