Sen's gaze did not waver. His Mangekyō Sharingan, five-pointed stars spinning within them, rested calmly on the two men.
There was no terrifying mental assault, no forceful wrenching of their consciousness. Uchiha Inabi and Uchiha Hitomi merely felt a brief haze, as though something had brushed gently across their souls.
The next moment, both men came to their senses, confusion filling their eyes.
"Done." Sen looked away and said to Yamanaka Inoichi, "Untie them. They aren't White Zetsu."
His tone was calm, but his conclusion left no room for doubt.
Inoichi immediately signaled his subordinates to untie the two men. He knew no disguise could fool Sen's Mangekyō Sharingan.
"I saw it in their memories," Sen said, his voice turning cold. "Right after they parted ways with Fugaku, they were attacked by two other versions of themselves. They lost consciousness instantly.
"Anyone who could imitate them so precisely and subdue two Uchiha Jonin at once without alerting anyone was no ordinary White Zetsu."
Nara Shikaku immediately grasped the implication, his expression darkening. "In other words, an enemy with exceptional skill at disguise and surprise attacks—and considerable strength—was behind this."
A name long buried in Sen's memory surfaced: Hiruko.
A rogue ninja from the Sannin's generation, expelled for his obsession with the Forbidden Jutsu known as the Chimera Technique, which fused Kekkei Genkai. A madman who craved the Sharingan.
If anyone could make perfect use of White Zetsu's abilities and push stolen Kekkei Genkai to their limits, it was him.
And now, this man who should have vanished without a trace had not only gained White Zetsu's help but had also stolen a pair of Mangekyō Sharingan.
The thought that Hatake Sakumo might be facing such an enemy filled Sen with foreboding.
He turned to Shikaku and Inoichi. In the square,