Yoru, a Long Night

Yesterday's scene repeated.

Li Yao was strapped to that torture bed once more. This time, an extra bandage around his neck held his head in place.

"Lord Hokage, I really don't know any Spirit Transformation Technique. I can't use it either. I came here from another world, do you know that?"

"Oh, right, I know how this world will develop in the future. I know you have three disciples, and I also know Madara Uchiha isn't dead."

"I know every secret in this world. As long as you let me go, I can tell you all of it."

To stay alive and avoid being tortured by pain, Li Yao went all out and began babbling incoherently.

He told him everything—transmigrators, the Naruto anime, the Sage of Six Paths, the Otsutsuki Clan, all of it.

Yet the Third Hokage remained unmoved. Only when Li Yao said that Madara Uchiha was still alive did his body pause for a moment.

But it was only a moment.

The Third Hokage knew that Madara Uchiha had died long ago. The Second Hokage Tobirama had personally brought back the body. It was impossible for him to still be alive.

Seeing Li Yao continue to ramble, the Third Hokage merely smiled faintly. One question was enough to shut Li Yao up.

"Since you know every secret of the ninja world, then tell me the secret of the Spirit Transformation Technique. That is all I want to know."

"..."

Li Yao froze instantly. He had no answer. Even if he wanted to make something up about the Spirit Transformation Technique, he could not.

Heh.

The Third Hokage sneered, then opened his toolbox and took out a long needle. Yesterday, he had not yet pierced through that thumb. Tonight, they would continue.

"Ah!"

"Ah... ah..."

"Kill me! Kill me!"

Li Yao simply could not endure that kind of pain and screamed madly.

The Third Hokage remained unmoved. After piercing his thumb, he moved on to his little finger, continuing until Li Yao lost consciousness.

The instant he fainted, a trace of relief flashed through Li Yao's eyes.

Fainting was good!

At least he would not be tortured anymore!

"Genjutsu—Bringer-of-Darkness Technique."

Using the same trick again, the Third Hokage seized the instant Li Yao lost consciousness to cast genjutsu once more, seeing whether he could invade Li Yao's Chakra. But just as before, his genjutsu Chakra returned without accomplishing anything.

The Third Hokage was not disappointed. Forming hand seals, he spat out a Water Release—Small Water Shockwave Technique, drenching Li Yao's head.

Stimulated by it, Li Yao woke up.

Huff... ngh!

Li Yao had initially thought things would be the same as yesterday, but before he could even let out a full breath, he stiffened.

That demon, the Third Hokage, was still here!

The deep fear in Li Yao's bloodshot eyes would not fade. He twisted frantically again, hoping to escape this hell.

But it was useless. The Third Hokage picked up the long needle again, pinned down the middle finger of his left hand, then slowly and viciously drove it in.

The familiar pain came crashing down again.

He still could not bear it.

"Ah... kill me!"

"Kill me!"

"Kill!"

"Ki... hah... hah..."

That night was very long.

Li Yao felt as though he had lived through more than an entire lifetime.

He could no longer remember how many times he had fainted.

By the end, only weak, gasping breaths remained.

Like a machine, the Third Hokage was endlessly patient. Worthy of being called a ninja, he repeatedly tortured Li Yao into unconsciousness with intense pain, then woke him up again to continue the torture.

"Bang!"

Suddenly, Li Yao, who had been struggling with his body tensed tight, slammed onto the torture bed like a block of wood and stopped moving.

The Third Hokage glanced over and discovered that Li Yao's wide-open eyes, still open even in unconsciousness, had turned completely blood-red.

Blood flowed from his eyes and covered the area around his eye sockets, staining half his face red.

Even beneath his neck was covered in blood that had flowed from his eyes.

The Third Hokage knew Li Yao had reached his limit.

He shook out his hands, put away the tools, and called the Anbu outside the door—Ran—inside.

"Lord Hokage."

Ran entered and saw the horrifying sight on the bed. Even though he was accustomed to life and death, his heart could not help tightening, and his pupils trembled slightly. When he looked at the Third Hokage again, there was now deep fear in his eyes.

The Third Hokage noticed that fear. With a sigh, he explained, "The one possessing Kimura Yao holds important secrets that could severely endanger Konoha. That is why I had no choice but to use such methods."

"Yes, Lord Hokage. I understand."

Ran's expression hardened, and he immediately adjusted his mindset.

Anyone who endangered Konoha was an enemy. There could be no mercy or hesitation toward enemies.

As long as Konoha could be spared harm, even the cruelest punishment was worthwhile.

It had to be said that the Will of Fire's indoctrination had been quite successful.

"Mm."

The Third Hokage nodded, very satisfied with Ran's response. This was the most elite and trusted Anbu squad under his command. His trust had not been misplaced.

The Third Hokage picked up the toolbox, glanced at Li Yao on the bed, and said, "Heal him. Do not leave any hidden injuries on him."

"Yes, Lord Hokage," Ran replied respectfully. His Medical Ninjutsu was not on the level of the Konoha Princess Tsunade, the Third Hokage's disciple, but it was more than enough to treat physical injuries of Li Yao's level.

"You've worked hard." The Third Hokage patted Ran on the shoulder, then walked out of the interrogation room.

With a medical ninja like Ran here, Li Yao's body would not develop any hidden injuries.

When he returned tomorrow night, Li Yao's body would still be able to clearly feel the most extreme pain.

"Still... that fellow's will is strong enough!"

On his way home, thinking of how more than a dozen genjutsu attempts had failed tonight, the Third Hokage sighed.

This would not be easy. Who knew when he would finally break through that man's Chakra.

The next day.

Li Yao woke up.

Just as before, he was not on the torture bed. His limbs were shackled by chains at the wall, and he lay on the cold floor.

This time, Li Yao did not get up. Even after waking, he remained motionless, his blood-red eyes staring vacantly at the ceiling, no one knew what he was thinking.

Aside from the swollen pain in his eyes, the rest of his body did not feel particularly uncomfortable.

Ran's Medical Ninjutsu was excellent.

By now, the external wounds on Li Yao's body had basically vanished without a trace.

But wounds of the flesh healed easily. Psychological damage was not so easily restored.

It was not until the Anbu delivered his first meal of the day that Li Yao showed a little life again.

He struggled into a sitting position, picked up the steaming bowl of noodles on the floor, and slowly began to eat.

Li Yao ate very slowly, but he ate everything clean.

He licked the chopsticks and bowl spotless. Even under the faint light of the dim interrogation room, the chopsticks and bowl gleamed brightly.

After eating, Li Yao sat there blankly with the bowl in his arms, his empty eyes fixed on the torture bed in the distant corner, as demonic as ever.

Li Yao simply held the bowl he had licked until it shone and stared quietly.

This time, his body did not tremble in the slightest.

It was as though the bed that had made him shiver in fear and desperately look away just yesterday did not exist.

Yet his eyes remained locked onto that bed—the bed that had made him pass out from pain countless times.

After a long while.

Clang!

Li Yao, who had been sitting blankly and staring at the torture bed, suddenly smashed the large bowl in his hands. He picked up a shard gleaming with cold light and viciously stabbed it toward his temple.

This time, he did not hesitate at all.

"Freeze!"

At that very instant, Ran, who had been hidden in the left corner with his hands forming seals, appeared as though a chameleon had shed its camouflage.

The sharp bowl shard in Li Yao's hand stopped against the skin of his temple.

No matter how hard he tried, he could not drive it in. A powerful force held his body firmly in place, leaving him unable to move.