Your Person Is Mine, and Your Life Is Mine

As a spy, Nonō's intelligence was always online.

As soon as the explosion sounded, she realized it was a trap set for Neji and herself.

What Nonō couldn't understand was why Danzo would abandon her.

She had served the village with great merit for years as part of Root, and she hadn't made any mistakes.

Furthermore, with the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal, there was no need to worry about her leaking secrets.

Who would have thought she would end up as a discarded pawn.

Yakushi Nonō glanced at Neji.

She remembered Kabuto was about the same age as Neji when Danzo took him away, only six years old.

She wondered how Kabuto was doing now.

Was he trained as a medical ninja by Danzo? Or did he become a professional spy like herself?

Nonō turned her head again, her beautiful eyes looking at the ceiling, and said with a heart as dead as ashes, "Since you know my identity, you must understand that Root ninjas cannot betray Danzo."

Although the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal was planted on the tongue, it directly affected the ninja's brain nerves.

It eliminated the possibility of Root ninjas leaking secrets in any way.

No one had ever escaped the control of this cursed seal.

Unless Danzo died.

But if that happened, Kumogakure wouldn't need her anymore.

Neji's eyes narrowed upon hearing Nonō's words.

This woman had the resolve to cut ties with Root.

Her leaving Root after the Third Shinobi World War to establish an orphanage was the best example.

It was just a pity that Danzo couldn't bear to lose such an excellent tool as Nonō.

The orphanage operated for only a few years before Danzo threatened Nonō, using the excuse of the village's funding shortage, to return to Root and serve him.

With the orphanage and the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal as her two weaknesses, especially the former.

Nonō could only be manipulated by Danzo.

However, Nonō would never have imagined that Danzo, who held her weaknesses so tightly, would choose to silence her.

Let alone Nonō, even Neji, with his God-like perspective, couldn't understand.

Nonō was a woman who couldn't even lift a chicken, posing no threat to Root.

Danzo silencing Nonō was all disadvantage and no benefit.

Yet Danzo chose to silence her.

Neji withdrew his thoughts, his Tenseigan scrutinizing the pitiful, helpless blonde woman on the bed.

To subdue Nonō and make her useful to Kumogakure, oh, no, it should be for his own use, he first had to remove the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal.

Even the powerful Reaper Death Seal could be broken, let alone the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal.

In the original story, after Orochimaru subdued Yakushi Kabuto, he must have removed the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal on Kabuto.

"Auntie Nonō, every technique has a weakness, and the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal can also be removed."

As he spoke, Neji walked in front of Nonō and said directly, "Open your mouth and let me see."

Nonō's eyelashes trembled slightly.

She didn't quite believe Neji could remove the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal.

But it wouldn't hurt to try.

Nonō lightly parted her cherry lips and stuck out her pink little tongue.

Neji leaned forward, veins bulging on his forehead, and used his Byakugan to observe carefully.

Most sealing techniques shared the same principle.

That is, using the caster's own chakra to influence the target's chakra.

The Five Elements Seal, the Four Symbols Seal, and so on were no exception.

Neji gazed intently for a long time.

This process only ended when Nonō felt physically uncomfortable and her mouth secreted saliva.

"Did you find anything?"

Seeing Neji looking so seriously for so long, nodding and pondering from time to time, Nonō couldn't help but feel curious.

Neji nodded slightly, "Unlocking it isn't difficult."

Upon hearing this, Nonō sat up excitedly.

"Can you undo it?"

"No."

"..."

Nonō shot Neji an annoyed glance, thinking, If you can't, why are you staring at it for so long?

Neji rubbed his temples.

To undo the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal, one first needed extremely refined control over chakra, and second, a certain level of understanding of the seal itself.

He currently had less than a ten percent chance of success.

If he failed, Nonō's life would be forfeit.

He had to be absolutely certain before acting.

Fortunately, there was no immediate rush.

"Stay put here for the time being and continue being the proprietress."

"Wait."

Nonō, seeing Neji about to leave, said frantically, "They won't let me go. Are you... are you making me bait?"

Neji shook his head. "I'm their primary target. They won't risk coming after you again before they deal with me."

"With patrol teams searching everywhere for suspicious individuals, Root won't dare show themselves for a while. As long as you're still in Kumogakure, you're safe."

Nonō stood up, hesitant and uncertain. "How about this? You hand me over to the Fourth Raikage, and you won't have to worry about the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal."

She trusted Neji.

But she didn't trust his abilities.

The Fourth Raikage was the boss of Kumogakure.

Neji was a genius, but he was only six years old. How capable could he really be?

Neji walked up to Nonō and examined the gentle, warm, blonde beauty. He reached out a finger and hooked her chin.

"Auntie Nonō, the reason you're still alive is because of me. You need to be absolutely clear whose person you are."

"I must remind you, from the moment I saved you, you belong to me, and your life belongs to me."

After leaving the izakaya, Neji headed straight for the Raikage's office to meet the Fourth Raikage.

Root ninja had infiltrated Kumogakure.

And not just one or two, but at least a dozen.

The Barrier Team hadn't noticed anything.

Clearly, there was an inside mole planted by Root within the village.

Kumogakure's barrier codes were completely different from Konohagakure's, changed regularly with no discernible pattern.

This mole must have access to the barrier codes, meaning their position and status were likely quite high.

He had to be rooted out.

Neji explained the entire incident to the Fourth Raikage.

Only the information about the Tenseigan was withheld.

Upon hearing that Neji had been attacked, the Fourth Raikage flew into a rage, tearing his desk in half with his bare hands.

And upon learning that a large number of Root ninja were lurking in the village, Dodai, standing nearby, frowned deeply and fell into silence.

Neji took out the cloaked figure's left arm from a storage scroll and said slowly, "This cloaked figure's swordsmanship is bizarre, and he's skilled in the Shadow Imitation Technique. He's suspected to be a ninja from the Nara Clan."

"I severed his arm. We can start here and flush out Root."

The Fourth Raikage said, "Dodai, investigate thoroughly."

"If we investigate too openly, it might provoke resentment from the major ninja clans and unease among the villagers."

Dodai pondered for a moment, then raised an eyebrow. "But if we don't investigate thoroughly, with Root's stealth capabilities, it will be difficult to find them."

The Fourth Raikage raised an eyebrow. "You have a plan, don't you?"

Neji interjected at this point. "Lure the snake out of its hole."

Dodai glanced at Neji. "Root ninja are like emotionless robots. They won't stop until their mission is complete. Unless they receive Danzo's retreat order, they will act again, and that's when our opportunity will come."