(Third Person POV)

After breaking down the sixth prisoner of the day, Akio slipped out of the ANBU HQ, mask off, blending into the streets.

The crowd was thicker than usual, as villagers made their way to the cemetery to pay their respects. Sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, friends—maybe even lovers—whose remains had returned from the battlefield this month.

Some wept, consumed by grief. Others trembled with anger. And then there were those whose faces showed nothing at all, numb from a mix of both sorrow and rage.

The air was heavy, a grim reminder of the Second Shinobi World War. Yet, in this darkness, there was an odd sense of unity. For once, the villagers looked at the Konoha Military Police not with suspicion, jealousy or grievance, but instead as fellow humans, as fellow villagers.

(Not that it would last. Once the war was over, things would go back to how they’d always been.)

But of course, none of this concerned him.

Continuing his walk toward the Shimura clan district, where the apartment he owns is located, Akio passes through the sin-laden street that lies between the Sarutobi and Shimura clans. The walk takes about an hour, and this street stands as the primary source of income for both clans, known for providing exclusive services that, which frowned upon in the village despite nearly a quarter of the population goes there, at least once a week

The Drug Den offers a wide variety of illegal substances that are typically forbidden for sale. However, shinobi preparing for wars or striving to meet their mission quotas are often able to purchase restricted doses—an unspoken agreement that keeps many in their profession.

Nightclubs are scattered along the street, offering a chance to lose oneself in loud music and free-flowing drinks. Patrons are free to express themselves through dancing, but stripping is strictly forbidden; anyone who crosses that line is swiftly thrown out and detained by the police.

Then, there’s the Strip Club—a natural extension of the nightclubs, accessible to those willing to pay enough for a show. The facility is carefully divided, keeping the male and female stripper performances in separate sections for the comfort of their guests.

Further along is the Underground Fight Club, where desperate shinobi engage in brutal battles without any official consequences. Many of the fighters are there simply for money, but the place also serves as a covert training ground for ANBU White Ops initiates, handpicked by Akio, who oversees the matches for his own purposes.

Brothels cater to those seeking to fulfill their sexual desires, offering both male and female workers. However, any mistreatment of the staff is met with severe repercussions—those who forget this rule quickly regret it.

The street also boasts a Casino, a place for those with money to burn on classic forms of entertainment. For those with less to spend, there's the Gambling Den, which accommodates tighter budgets with fewer thrills.

Pawn shops line the street for anyone needing cash fast, willing to sell valuable items at steep discounts. Right next to them, Loan Shark Offices offer quick cash with the promise of steep interest rates—a dangerous gamble for those confident they can pay back what they owe.

Even today, the street is as busy as ever, more crowded than the cemetery, living up to its motto: "There isn’t a day when someone’s time and life isn’t ruined here.”

The street had a jarring contrast to the rest of the village, standing out in terms of urban development. It looked more like something you'd find in the capital of the Land of Fire, with its concrete roads, neon signs lighting up the night, and towering earthscrapers where various facilities operated.

It resembled the kind of modern city street you might see in the real world, packed with energy and modern conveniences.

[Fun fact:In the Land of Fire, earthscrapers were common, unlike the Land of Lightning or the Land of Earth, which favored skyscrapers.]

The street also offered nearly every other service imaginable, from high-end dining to luxurious shops and entertainment venues. The only things you couldn't find here were black market dealings, human trafficking rings, or a Black Market Auction House. These activities were kept out, constrained by the village’s political stance and societal norms.

Another defining feature was how the streets were well maintained. They were cleaned hourly, ensuring no trash remains remained. Guards patrolled constantly to prevent petty crimes, and nearby shinobi used wind release techniques to blow away the stench of alcohol and other foul odors, replacing them with fragrant perfumes that gave the street an oddly pleasant atmosphere, masking the reality beneath its polished surface.

Physically worn from his tasks and drained from navigating the bustling crowd, Akio veered off into a narrow, suspicious alley that most people avoided.

As he walked deeper into the alley, his foot ‘unexpectedly’ slipped, and he tumbled through a hidden entrance, landing on a solid platform below on his foot.

It wasn’t a sewer tunnel, as those weren’t something that existed here yet. Instead, he found himself in an underground facility.

“Code: 246,” Akio spoke into the darkness, his voice calm, devoid of emotion.

Immediately, several Anbu operatives emerged from the shadows, their faces obscured by masks.

“Demonstration,” they said in unison, subtly touching weapons concealed beneath their clothing. In response, Akio materialized a black tanto in his left hand, that doesn't reflect any light as it made of pure shaodw.

“Nezumi-sama, w—” one began to speak, but he cut them off.

“Stay quiet and focus on your task,” he said, his tone leaving no room for argument. He dematerialized the tanto with a flick of his hand and strode forward, heading straight to the door ahead. It led to the Research Facility Complex—an underground project approved by the village itself.

Inside the facility, guards were stationed to ensure the safety of those working within, with one of them being a chakra sensor for added security.

The scientists, recruited from cities across the Land of Fire, were individuals eager to pursue experiments banned for ethical violations—rules the nobles themselves often ignored—or those who struggled to find employment that matched their desired pay.

Alongside them were captives, whose intel had already been extracted where, rather than discarding them, the facility put them to further use.

The facility consisted of two floors. The current floor was the reception area, which resembled the ones found in entertainment facilities in the Sin Street. Here, the scientists who worked for advancement of the experiments and the shinobi tasked with guarding the place lined up at the desk, each verifying their identities before being granted access to the underground floor, where their actual work took place.

Once their tasks were complete, they would return to the reception to check out and leave the facility.

Additionally, the current floor housed numerous rooms for the guards. After finishing their shifts, they would head to these rooms to sleep, ensuring a fresh team was always ready to replace them, maintaining constant protection over the facility, 24 hours a day.

As the one in charge, Akio never failed to inspect the place thoroughly. He used the Area Scanning technique through the soles of his feet, along with chakra sensing, to detect any irregularities or disruptions that might have occurred during his absence.

Skipping the line at the reception, he approached the desk to confirm his identity. The receptionist, also a chakra sensor, had the ability to identify and distinguish chakra signatures with commendable precision, using it to verify each person's identity before going downstairs.

“You may proceed, Nezumi-sama,” she said, bowing respectfully. She handed him the keys to his chamber, which he took before heading toward the stairs that led to the underground floor.

Compared to the reception area, which had a comforting warmth and a sense of normalcy, the lower floor—also known as the laboratory—was an entirely different realm. Here, countless rooms stretched along a linear hallway, the concrete walls covered in rubber to muffle the inevitable screams and tears that escaped from within and the lead lining reinforced the walls, blocking any chakra detection from inside or outside the rooms.

Guards stood vigilant at the entrance to each chamber, ensuring that no unauthorized person entered. Not even the scientists were allowed to venture into rooms they weren’t assigned to, even if the same experiments were taking place across multiple spaces.

He walked steadily down the hallway, keeping a close eye to ensure everything remained in order. Eventually, he arrived at the entrance to his personal chamber, its black-painted door starkly contrasting the sleek, metallic surfaces of the other rooms.

Click!

…

Click!

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

Entering and locking the door behind him, he made his way to his desk.

Taking a deep breath, he sank into the armchair, feeling his body ease as he tried to regain his energy, both physically and mentally. (He hated commuting and dealing with crowds.)

His chamber was sparse but functional: a desk where he kept all his documents related to approved experiments that were going on at the facility, along with envelopes for correspondence with the Sandaime Hokage if he required any resources or assistance. There was also a table with multiple chairs for the scientists he had assigned to various projects, and a door leading to a small washroom.

The only notable features were the numerous vents lining the ceiling, all of which were open. Suddenly, smoke began to pour from one of the vents, oddly a tray floating above the smoke, gathering in front of Akio before solidifying into the form of a man, holding the tray in his hands.

“Here are some refreshments, Hakase-sama. I'll inform others to commence the experiment,” politely said by Iburi Kazuma, his trusted right hand, placing a tray of nerikiri wagashi—each resembling flower found in the Land of Fire—alongside a cup of mugi-cha on the desk. With that, Kazuma turned back into smoke and disappeared through the vent once more.

[Note:Nerikiri wagashi is elegant and colorful traditional Japanese sweet made from bean paste and rice flour and mugi-cha is sweetened cold barley]

Without hesitation, Akio snatched the chopsticks on the tray, snapped them apart with a flick of his wrist, and picked up the delicate sweet. He placed it in his mouth, savoring the soft texture as it melted on his tongue.

"Not bad," he silently praised Kazuma, who had skillfully prepared the nerikiri wagashi. Between bites, he sipped mugi-cha, indulging his cravings after a long day of work and the tiresome grind of commuting.

At this rate, he'd be the first shinobi in history to develop both diabetes and tooth decay by age twenty-four. But, considering he could always change his body—literally—before it ever became a real issue, he wasn’t too worried about it.

Once the sweets were gone, he placed the chopsticks on the tray and reached for the stack of files, and pulled the one on top. He flipped it open and began to read.

…

——

(Koji POV)

…..

It’s so painful…

…..

“Mmmph…”

….

“Wait... where am I?” I muttered after barely managing to open my eyes, a dull ache pulsing through my body.

“Urgh!”

Damn it!

‘What the hell was that bastard’s problem?!’

My legs and back burned like they’d been burned by deceptionaly hot steel beam after accidently laying on top of it after a day of exhaustion on a hot day.

It was the kind of pain that lingered thanks to torture he inflicted, making every movement feel unbearable.

Fighting through it, I somehow pushed myself up, hand bracing against the rough wall for support. I glanced around, squinting in the dim light. I must’ve been in a cell—cold, empty, and lifeless. But… wait. Was the door open?

‘Am I imagining this?’

I rubbed my eyes, half-expecting the vision to clear and show me something else,even gathering a bit of chakra to dispel the Genjutsu, just in case the guards were playing some cruel joke. But nothing changed.

Wait… I could still use my chakra?

Shouldn’t they have sealed it like last time? And where were the cuffs?

My arms and legs were free, no restraints digging into my skin?

What the hell is going on?

‘Am I dreaming?’

Thud!

“Agh!”

I quickly scrapped that thought when I fell backward, my legs buckling beneath me, sending a fresh wave of agony shooting through my body.

Yeah, this was definitely not a dream.

After writhing on the cold floor for a moment, I finally forced myself back up. The pain was a constant companion now, but I had to push through. With gritted teeth, I hobbled out of the cell, taking careful steps into the hallway beyond.

There was no one in sight. Just a single hallway stretching off to the left, swallowed in darkness.

‘Should I risk it?’

It felt too convenient, too staged. Even a fool could see this had the makings of a cruel trap. The guards must’ve set this up to mess with me, to see if I’d take the bait. And if I did, I doubted I’d even be able to walk again after.

Before I could make a decision, a voice echoed through the stillness, making me flinch.

“Well, at least you weren’t as rash as I assumed,” the voice said, the sound echoed around here

My heart raced. “What is this place? Is this… the Coliseum?” I asked, a sinking feeling growing in my chest.

I had heard the rumors about that place in the Land of Lightning. Wealthy people would buy slaves, even shinobi, and force them to fight, placing bets on their lives for amusement. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Land of Fire had something similar hidden in its land.

As all wealthy people were simply vile, with little difference regardless of different nationalities.

“Oh that place, no Koji-san, you not on that place I assure you,”

Relief washed over me, if only for a moment. But confusion quickly replaced it, swirling around my mind.

What’s going on?

“Before you start asking questions, let me clear things up,” the voice said, calm and unbothered. “You’re part of an experiment to provide feedback on the serum Hakase-sama developed. But don’t worry, even if you had tried to kill him, Hakase-sama believes in compensating his subjects. As long as you take the serum and eliminate the shinobi we’ve selected for you to fight, you’ll walk away free, with the added bonus of a power enhancement from the serum.”

As the voice trailed off, I found myself back in the cell, lying on the cold, hard floor.

I’m not falling for their lies.

There’s a high chance they've mixed in poison, a laxative, or even chloroform to stop me from escaping. They never mentioned anything about preventing an escape—that’s classic misdirection.

If the serum is as powerful as they claim, my village could crack the formula once I bring it back (That is, if it’s truly worth it.), I doubt they would not eliminate me like those animals in hunting games those vile nobles participate in.

As if on cue, the voice spoke again. “Don’t worry about any breach in our agreement. I assure you, no one will stop you from walking out of here and returning to your village. Besides, by the time your village figures out the formula, Hakase-sama will have already developed something far superior.”

Still, I didn’t move. There was no way I’d fall for their tricks. No devil is going to tempt me into this.

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

“I suppose little Noa will have to fend for herself in this dangerous world… though she might feel better if we bring her in. Just a suggestion, no need to get so worked up,” the voice taunted.

‘You despicable Konoha scum!’

How dare they speak her name with that filthy mouth and expect me to keep calm!

"It's easy for cowards to talk while hiding somewhere in the dark where I can't get my hands on you and tear you apart!" I shouted, my voice echoing through the room.

It won't take me long to strike you down with lightning.

If only my legs and back weren't burning with so much pain...

"Pretty ironic coming from someone who's avoiding the serum," the voice taunted back. "You talk big about splitting me in half, but when it came to fighting for your freedom, you hesitated. We assigned you to fight and kill to give you the opportunity to get your freedom by your own hands with dignity, yet you cowered.

Looks like your little one’s going to be on his own from now on, seeing as his brother prefers curling up in a cell rather than standing up to earn his freedom.

But I suppose that’s to be expected from a village that turned on its own Raikage—attacking him because of their foolishness and stubborn pride."

This bastard!

Comparing me to those scum!

I know what he's doing, but it doesn’t stop the fury boiling in my head.

'Shit!'

Why is my neck burning, and my hands too, all of a sudden?

I rolled up my sleeve to see what the problem was and saw it—a strange mark crawling up my left arm… and it's spreading!

'What the hell is this!'

My whole body feels like it's on fire as the tattoo spreads, but—why do I feel stronger? It's like the pain is giving me power…

Why am I feeling… rejuvenated?

Confusion of the situation consumed me until I clenched my fist hard, ignoring pain that comes from bleeding of my palm as my blood boils with rage.

Both figuratively and literally.

"You injected the serum, didn't you, you piece of trash!" I roared, my voice shaking with an urge I couldn't hold back anymore.

I can’t wait to knock off his head off with a lariat!

At the same time, my forehead throbs, pain ripping through my skull like it's about to split open.

"Of course I did, couldn't risk wasting time, ******** ***** but don’t worry," his voice distorted, my focus slipping as the pain deepened. "I put in the **** *** sage power **** and now you can recover *** fight, ****, *** *** freedom ***** kill **** fight ***."

The more I try to hold back, the more I feel my grip on reality slipping. The more this impulse builds inside, the less I can make sense of his words.

Kill.

Now strange voices creep into my mind, teasing me, pushing me to act.

Kill!

The only thing I can think of is to kill. Kill. Kill. Kill… To get out of this hellhole.

To be free.

To go home.

To see her again…

Kill!!

Even if there’s no chance of me making it out of here... at least I cleansed my guilt …..and can talk eye to eye to my Mom, ...Dad… and my fallen comrades in the pure land for gushing out information to that torturer, as if shinobi like us are not destined to endure suffering as long as they are alive.

Kill!!!

At least her brother died fighting for her...

KILLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!