Why so unlucky?

"Goodbye, little brat~"

Tsunade's cheeks flushed with a rosy tint, as if satisfied, she waved her hand at the young man.

As for Uchiha Sōgetsu, he looked utterly drained—eyes vacant, legs wobbling, propping himself against the wall as he stumbled out of Tsunade's room.

Don't get the wrong idea—he absolutely hadn't used hypnosis to do anything bad to Tsunade.

"Forcibly performing psychological suggestion on the subconscious mental ocean of a Kage-level ninja really isn't easy." The spirituality that had just recovered a bit was already showing signs of depletion again. Two consecutive massive drains of spirituality made Sōgetsu feel like whispering murmurs were echoing in his ears, a sign that his potion was on the verge of losing control.

He could never take such a reckless risk again.

The danger of the Potion System was severe—one misstep and he'd face the risk of losing control. This time, it had taught him a lesson.

"Uh, Doctor Sōgetsu, are you... alright?"

A passing Medical Ninja, seeing Sōgetsu leaning against the wall as he walked out of Tsunade's office, immediately wore an expression of utter shock.

Even without reading his mental body's aura, Sōgetsu could guess what this guy was thinking. He quickly explained, "I was treating Lady Tsunade, and my chakra consumption was just too high."

"Mm-hmm, I get it, I get it, Lord Sōgetsu."

The man patted his chest, wearing an expression that said, "You don't need to explain, I understand." "Don't worry, Lord Sōgetsu, I, Morita, have the tightest lips—I definitely won't go blabbing."

As if I could believe you. Sōgetsu's mouth twitched, a cold sweat sliding down his face. "I really was treating her!"

"Of course!" Morita flashed a weird grin. "No need to explain, Lord Sōgetsu. I'm rooting for you and Lady Tsunade, you know~"

With that, before Uchiha Sōgetsu could say another word, he scurried off with a face full of "I know a huge secret," disappearing around a corner.

Damn it!

Sōgetsu cursed inwardly. If he weren't afraid of losing control, he'd give this bastard a taste of the Saw Game: Mind Edition.

Under the curious, gossipy gazes of the passing Medical Ninjas and nurses, Sōgetsu finally managed to drag himself out of the hospital, silently shedding two tears in his heart.

From now on, his reputation was ruined.

He didn't even need to think about it—the gossip maniacs in the hospital would spread the news everywhere.

He just hoped that when Tsunade found out, she wouldn't come to beat him up.

Sōgetsu pinched the bridge of his nose, calming his restless mind, and decided to head back to the Uchiha Residence to rest for a while.

As he turned a corner into an empty alley—

Shh!

An Anbu wearing a Cat-face mask popped up like a ghost.

"Uchiha Sōgetsu, your mission has arrived. Follow me." The Cat-face Anbu's tone was hostile, his gaze cold and fixed on him.

Sōgetsu frowned almost imperceptibly.

Beyonders of the Spectator Pathway, though weak in combat at the early stages, possessed exceptional Mental Strength and sharp observational skills. After advancement, their observation was no longer limited to the surface but delved into deeper realms like auras and Ether Bodies. Combining the two, they could even read others' thoughts.

And right now, deep in the Cat-face Anbu's eyes, he read emotions like indifference, hostility, and Killing Intent.

Trouble's coming.

Sōgetsu thought to himself, his expression unchanged, and calmly nodded. "Alright."

The Cat-face Anbu led him to the Forest of Death.

"Are we there?"

Seeing the Anbu ahead stop, Sōgetsu pushed up the frames of his glasses and surveyed his surroundings.

A dense primeval forest, massive canopies like umbrellas casting wide patches of shade, intertwined branches, and the occasional chirping of insects and birds from the thicket—it was actually a scenic spot.

"We're here."

The Cat-face Anbu turned around, his gaze beneath the mask growing even colder.

No ambush around—just him alone.

Sōgetsu relaxed a little, once again marveling at how useful Spiritual Vision was. Even if a ninja could hide their presence and form, they absolutely couldn't conceal the aura of their biological Ether Body.

"Uchiha Sōgetsu, per Anbu protocol, I will now interrogate you." The Cat-face Anbu said, "You've used your identity as a Psychologist to cast genjutsu on many people in the village. What was your purpose? Was Uchiha Fugaku behind it? Are you still loyal to Lord Hokage?"

"More than the interrogation, I'm curious who sent you to me."

Sōgetsu's eyelids lowered, a deep vortex seeming to swirl in the depths of his eyes. "How about I take a guess?"

"Uchiha Sōgetsu, don't change the subject!" The Cat-face Anbu's voice suddenly sharpened, a kunai already in hand, a glint of Killing Intent in his eyes. "This is an order. Anbu ninjas don't ask questions, don't need emotions, don't need personal will—they only execute orders. Understand?"

"Tch... Where have I heard that line before?" Sōgetsu wore a playful smile, scrutinizing the Cat-face Anbu from head to toe. "Oh, I remember now. There's only one place in all of Konoha where people go on about not needing emotions or personal will. You're from 'Root,' aren't you."

"It seems you intend to refuse the interrogation."

The Cat-face Anbu formed the Tiger hand seal, chakra stirring restlessly, his tone dripping with Killing Intent. "No matter. From the start, Lord Danzo knew you Uchiha Clan members wouldn't comply."

Shh!

Leaves scattered in place.

The next instant, the Cat-face Anbu used the Body Flicker Technique at lightning speed, directly avoiding a frontal approach and striking at Sōgetsu from behind.

The sharp kunai thrust toward a vital point, with not Even a Bit of intent to hold back.

Puchi!

The kunai pierced Sōgetsu's chest, but the latter wore an appreciative expression.

Bang!

The Sōgetsu struck by the kunai instantly turned into a puff of smoke.

"Not good, it's a Shadow Clone!" The cat-faced Anbu's pupils contracted as he realized he'd been tricked, hastily retreating.

But just a few steps back, he heard a sound cutting through the air behind his head.

Over a dozen high-speed spinning Shuriken carved astonishing arcs through the air, like a net cast from heaven, already sealing off his escape route in advance.

Damn Uchiha, when the hell did he use a Shadow Clone?

The cat-faced Anbu, shocked and furious, pulled the short sword from his back, spun around, and slashed several times in succession, deflecting all the Shuriken.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Just as the cat-faced Anbu's strength waned and his sword swing ended.

Sōgetsu seized the opportunity, his Chakra suddenly erupting from his feet like a black lightning bolt, charging straight to the front of the cat-faced Anbu.

The moment their eyes met, the cat-faced Anbu saw three crimson magatama spinning rapidly in Sōgetsu's pupils.

In the ninja world, a saying circulated.

When encountering a ninja from the Uchiha Clan, if the opponent has a Sharingan, in a one-on-one fight, you must flee.

To some extent, this phrase also signifies just how great an advantage an Uchiha with a Sharingan holds in single combat.

Usually, the moment two people's eyes meet, the battle is already over.

Bang!

Yet, under the gaze of the Sharingan, the cat-faced Anbu turned into a puff of smoke.

"A very correct response. Should I expect nothing less from Danzo's subordinate?" Sōgetsu's expression remained calm, unsurprised.

After all, this was an Anbu. If he got taken out in one blow without even that much skill, how could he have lasted this long in a place like 'Root'?

You could call 'Root' disgusting, but you could never call 'Root' weak.

"Let's end the probing here."

Sōgetsu's gaze fixed on a certain treetop, the three crimson magatama in his eyes slowly spinning: "Both our time is precious, no need to waste it here."

"Uchiha Sōgetsu, you really aren't as simple as you appear."

A figure leaped down from the treetop—it was the cat-faced Anbu: "As you wish, I'll show you what true cruelty means."

Buzz buzz buzz buzz.

A dense swarm of black insects flew out from the cat-faced Anbu's sleeves.

Countless black specks, like a massive Black Mist, quickly enveloped the cat-faced Anbu's body. The insects were so tiny that even the Sharingan struggled to see them clearly. Anyone with trypophobia would probably feel suffocated and want to die just from one look.

The black insects buzzed their wings, their carapaces scraping together, producing a chilling sound.

"Someone from the Aburame Clan."

Sōgetsu raised an eyebrow. Such an obvious trait—only the Aburame Clan in all of Konoha had it.

"Lord Danzo long anticipated your refusal, so he sent me."

The Aburame Anbu said coldly: "Our Aburame Clan's ninjutsu cannot be copied even by the Sharingan, and furthermore... the massive swarm of insects perfectly counters your Sharingan!"

Asking for a wave of collections, recommendations, and investments~ Us new authors have it tough, and early Follow-up Reading data is also important. Dear readers, I beg of you!