A Dangerous Mission! Journey to the Land Of Silence - 5

"ugh"

Satoru was sitting in a dimly lit room, shrouded in an oppressive darkness. The air felt heavy and suffocating as if it held a weight of its own. The room was so dark that he couldn't see anything, not even his own handheld inches from his face. The absence of light was absolute, engulfing him in an unsettling void.

"Where am I?"

Struggling to remain calm, Satoru focused his mind, attempting to piece together what had happened. His memory was hazy and fragmented. He recalled being captured, and subdued by someone from that "Kakushinsha". The room felt very unfamiliar.

He had no idea how many days had passed, but judging from the number of meals that had been brought to him and the state of his stomach, he suspected it had been three or more already.

As Satoru sat alone in the confines of his captivity, his mind turned inward, replaying the events that led to his capture. The memory of the encounter with the mysterious Kakshinsha ninja lingered, and a sense of unease settled in his thoughts

He recalled the moment just before the ninja appeared behind him, his body seizing with an inexplicable heaviness. It was as if an invisible force took control of his body, slowing his reflexes and sapping his strength.

"Ngh! Haaah!"

Satoru's thoughts were interrupted when he heard Anko's painful moans.

"Shit! What is happening here?"

The distress in her voice pierced through his contemplation, igniting a surge of concern and urgency within him.

"Perhaps we should have waited for Orochimaru."

"Sorry, Anko."

He threw the word toward the groaning Anko, even though there was no way the other man would hear it. This was the result of their own hasty actions. Maybe he should have investigated Gekko more thoroughly before attempting to carry out this plan.

He hit the cold stone floor.

The man with a lamp cautiously entered the room, and as he approached, the previously obscured surroundings gradually became visible. It was in the presence of this person that the room seemed to awaken, revealing its hidden details.

And standing there, amidst the newfound visibility, was the man they had been pursuing. It was none other than Gekko, the supposed leader of the village, now exposed in the glow of the lamp, casting an eerie shadow against the walls.

Gekko opened his mouth to speak, his words filled the air. "Are you alive?"

Satoru remained silent, and Gekko's concern seemed to grow. "Are you dead?"

Gekko's tone carried a hint of sarcasm, fully aware of Satoru's unbroken chakra. It was a rhetorical question, a reminder that Satoru's survival was evident.

"Seems like you're enjoying your meals."

Satoru consumed everything that was offered to him, diligently inspecting them for any signs of poison. Detecting poison with a mere lick was a fundamental skill for a shinobi. He believed that an opportunity would come for him to escape as long as he survived.

"Now that you've spent a few days shrouded in darkness, perhaps you're in the mood to behave and listen to what I have to say," said Gekko.

But Satoru remained silent, his gaze fixed on a distant point, intentionally avoiding any interaction with him.

"Interesting fellow," Gekko chuckled, his voice echoing in the room.

"I'll come again." With that, his presence faded away, leaving a lingering sense of unease.

"Huff…aahhh…nngaahhhhhh!" Anko's cries began anew.

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Satoru found himself summoned to a grand royal room, unlike anything they had ever seen before. The sheer size of the space dwarfed even the Hokage's office, leaving him in awe. Satoru took his seat on a scarlet carpet positioned in the middle of the room, stretching from the grand entrance to the far end. His hands were bound by handcuffs, preventing any movement. Standing on either side were Kakushinsha guards, ensuring he remained seated and behaved according to their standards.

Behind him were Anko and Bob, also in handcuffs and under guard. The one thing that was different was the bruises and cuts covering their faces. It was clear from their exhausted expressions that they had been subjected to horrible torture.

Surprisingly, during this time, he had not endured any form of torture. Gekko made occasional visits, but his conversations were nothing more than aimless ramblings. He would talk about mundane topics like the pleasant weather or his dinner plans, only to depart soon after, leaving Satoru in puzzled contemplation.

"Bow your head," the revolutionary to his right said, firmly pressing Satoru's forehead against the carpet.

"They are our esteemed guests. We must not resort to violence in their presence."

Satoru could hear Gekko's voice coming from up ahead. Simultaneously, the revolutionary beside him, who had been forcefully keeping his face down, stood up with a hint of remorse. The weight on Satoru's head lifted slightly.

"My subordinates were disrespectful. Please raise your head," Gekko instructed, acknowledging the behavior of his followers.

Before the words reached his ears, Satoru raised his face and locked eyes with Gekko.

At the end of the crimson carpet, a set of marble stairs led to a smaller area, about a quarter the size of the main hall. At its center stood a chair, it's tall back carved into the shape of a majestic dragon. Gekko sat upon that throne, legs crossed, left elbow resting on the armrest, and his cheek supported by the palm of his hand. With a calm demeanor and a posture that exuded authority, he looked down upon Satoru, clearly asserting his role as the ruler of this land.

"Come closer," Gekko said, and the Kakushinsha on either side of Satoru grabbed his arms, lifting him to his feet. They then sat him down a short distance from the stairs. The same was done with Anko and Bob.

"Are you now ready to listen to what I have to say?" Gekko inquired, his voice carrying a hint of intrigue.

"What does this guy want?" Satoru pondered, his mind racing with curiosity.

"Be one of my hands, brat. We can give rise to a new world. I see in you a man capable of such a task in future."

"No, thanks", Satoru declined with a smug expression, confident in his decision.

Gekko retorted, "I have no interest in a man who readily accepts without hesitation to become one of my allies. So, that's fine".

Gekko was a master of steering conversations, and skillfully attempted to shift the topic to a new subject.

"There's just one thing I'd like to ask you. Will you answer?"

"What?" Satoru regretted his straightforward response.

"Why must shinobi be so persecuted?"

Satoru felt a sense of bewilderment as Gekko's words hung in the air, unsure of their intended significance. Gekko, noticing Satoru's contemplative expression, proceeded to initiate a conversation, showcasing his mastery in steering the discourse.

"The adjective 'hidden' is always attached to the villages where the shinobi live. Why must shinobi always remain hidden?" Gekko began, prompting Satoru to delve into deep thought. "And how much of this vast continent is truly under the control of ninja villages? It is an insignificant portion, isn't it? The true rulers of this world are the daimyo."

Gekko was exactly right. The ninja villages did have the word "hidden" in their names, and the majority of the land of the continent was governed and held by the daimyo.

Satoru attempted to refute Gekko's statement. "The daimyo in the Land of Fire don't persecute shinobi,". However, deep down, Satoru knew that his defense was futile, for Gekko's words held an undeniable truth that struck at the core of his beliefs.

"It's not only the daimyo.............. but everyone other than ninjas living on this continent."