Just then, Minato, who had been listening Minato, suddenly spoke up, his bright blue eyes gleaming, and said, "Because one person was unharmed, while they all suffered the same treatment, coupled with the illusion, they will think that person might be a spy. This will make any explanation from the remaining person seem like a cover-up to conceal their identity, and will further arouse suspicion towards that person!"
"Yes, that's right." Araki nodded again.
"Not only that, the person who seemed completely unaffected kept trying to explain, but the more he explained, the less those people believed him, causing internal strife to develop between them!" Minato, at this point, couldn't help but give Araki a thumbs up, saying, "That was a brilliant move!"
"When only one person stands out from the group, they find themselves in a situation where they can't defend themselves. People are more willing to believe what they want to believe than what that person actually says. Even if we are there to testify, no matter what we say, they won't believe us. What I just did was plant a seed of doubt in their hearts!" Araki said with a sigh.
This is a tactic to sow discord.
It's not that high-end, but it's very easy to use.
Nobody cared how many bowls of noodles Liu Zi ate.
Of course, nobody cares whether the person who caused the accident actually couldn't step on the brakes!
Araki did was to isolate the last remaining Kumogakure ninja. That way, it wouldn't matter what that person said or not. Those five people who had experienced extremely tragic events had already become part of the same faction, and they had been divided into two factions.
" Jiraiya-sensei, it's up to you now. As you lead them back to Konoha, you must constantly use words to sow discord between them," Araki said to Jiraiya.
"No problem." Jiraiya and said, "I'll tell those five people from time to time that he's already told us everything!"
"That won't do."
Araki immediately shook his head, rejecting Jiraiya's idea, which was a traditional and ancient interrogation method.
Although it's also a psychological tactic, it's easy to have flaws.
"You don't need to make anything up. Let's just tell the truth. You just need to occasionally emphasize that the person didn't say anything, was very stubborn, and we couldn't do anything about it. That's all," Araki said.
"Isn't this revealing all our cards?" Jiraiya was utterly puzzled.
"They won't believe it," Araki said confidently with a smile.
"Alright, I understand. I'll take them back to the village now." Jiraiya nodded again and prepared to walk towards the group.
"Etc."
Araki called out to Jiraiya again, then focused his gaze on the five people slumped on the ground. These people were no longer trembling, so the antidote seemed to be working quite well.
"These people will be waking up soon. While they regain consciousness but aren't fully recovered, let me perform a play first, and then I'll hand it over to you."
After saying this, Araki didn't wait for Jiraiya's reply and immediately started walking towards the Kumogakure ninja.
Their conversation was deliberately kept in hushed tones, so it didn't reach the ears of the remaining Kumogakure ninja. As for the other five ninjas, they were already in a state of mental confusion and couldn't distinguish any external sounds.
Araki quickly walked up to the person.
What are you going to do?
The Kumogakure ninja shrank back slightly. Even though he had prepared himself mentally, he still felt a strong sense of resistance when he saw Araki walk up to him. He didn't want to have even the slightest close contact with Araki.
Hehe~
Araki didn't answer, but instead raised his hand and patted the other's shoulder. Streams of green Chakra surged out, briefly sealing the latter's Chakra meridians.
He then untied the ropes binding the Kumogakure ninja, putting them in a relatively "free" state.
"Waaaaah--waaaah--"
The Kumogakure ninja wanted to say something more, but when he was about to speak, he suddenly found that he could no longer speak. It was as if something was stuffed deep and full in his throat, pressing directly against his throat and suppressing his ability to speak.
"We know you've worked very hard for the village all these years, and the information you've provided has been invaluable. However, now is not the time for you to return; there are more important things for you to do."
Araki's voice wasn't loud, but it contained a special kind of magic, clearly reaching the ears of the five poisoned ninjas lying on the ground.
The five people had just regained some consciousness when, in their hazy state, they heard this sound.
They then exerted tremendous effort to open their eyes. In the scene, which was as if veiled, they could vaguely see Araki patting the shoulder of the remaining Kumogakure ninja, who was not restrained at all.
Please.
Araki sensed the gazes of these people, immediately squatted down, picked up the rope from the ground, and retied the Kumogakure ninja.
" Jiraiya-sensei, please take them back. These Kumogakure ninjas are too tight-lipped; we couldn't get anything out of them. I must say, as expected of Kumogakure people, they have real backbone!"
Chapter 25: Keep acting! Keep acting!
"?????"
The five ninjas, who had just woken up, still had big question marks appearing on their dazed heads.
Do you think we're fools?
You were so obvious just now, not even trying to hide it from anyone, but now you're acting like you've just been interrogated.
They didn't say anything?
It's definitely possible!
After all, that person could very well be one of your own!
These five ninjas from Kumogakure all endured immense suffering. The Red Spirit's poison gradually subsided within their bodies, but the sensations it caused remained vivid in their memories, perhaps unforgettable for the rest of their lives.
The unbearable itching and pain, especially the sensation of ants crawling under their skin, is still extremely strong in their minds.
Furthermore, before they had fully regained their consciousness, they each experienced different hallucinations. Even Araki didn't know what each of them was seeing, but what was certain was that they all saw Araki and the remaining Kumogakure ninja talking non-stop.
None of the five Kumogakure ninjas spoke. Even as their consciousness gradually returned, they concealed their recovery, wanting to hear more clearly what Araki and the others were saying. They were all convinced that the remaining Kumogakure ninja was likely the traitor among them.
It was precisely because of the existence of this mole that they were discovered!
That's right!
That must be it!
They hadn't been in Konoha for very long and thought they were well hidden, but they were just happened to run into this group.
This is far too much of a coincidence!
Something unusual must be going on!
There must be something wrong here!
In an instant.
The five Kumogakure ninjas who had experienced inhuman treatment were convinced that the remaining person was the traitor who had betrayed them.
"I told you not to interrogate me, but you insisted on trying. The ninjas of Kumogakure are notoriously stubborn; even the Anbu ninjas might not be able to get anything out of them. You've wasted so much time for nothing!"
Jiraiya's voice rang out slowly at this moment. He clearly understood Araki's meaning, then walked to Araki's side, pulled the ropes binding the six Kumogakure ninjas, and said, "Wait for me here. I will take them into the village and be back soon."
"Yes," Araki replied immediately.
"Yes!"
Minato and Kushina echoed, though they were a beat slower than Araki, clearly stating their stance.
The next moment.
Jiraiya led the six ninja from Kumogakure towards Konoha.
only...
Everyone has their own thoughts on their mind...
Especially after what Jiraiya said, the five Kumogakure ninjas unanimously concluded that they were just acting, and acting awkwardly at that. After all, in their eyes, Jiraiya and the others claimed to be interrogating them, but apart from making them feel torture, they didn't ask them a single question.
Is interrogation without questions still interrogation?
After Jiraiya led the six Kumogakure ninjas a distance, the Chakra in the throat of the remaining Kumogakure ninja finally dissipated, and his vocal cords returned to normal, allowing him to speak normally again.
I didn't say anything!
The remaining Kumogakure ninja immediately spoke up to explain, saying that when he uttered those words, I didn't realize there was anything wrong with them; I was simply expressing my truest thoughts.
That's what he's thinking right now!
He can die!
He can endure torture!
However, he could not allow his companions to misunderstand him; he could not let them die with a misunderstanding of him, for this matter concerned his reputation.
"..."
The five Kumogakure ninjas remained silent for a moment, none of them responding. They had been wondering if there was some misunderstanding, but the man's blatant attempt to explain was simply treating them like fools.
"I really didn't say anything!"
Seeing that none of his companions responded, the remaining Kumogakure ninja grew anxious and hastily offered another explanation.
This explanation follows.
A silence fell over the room.
The only sounds in the air were the continuous calls of birds coming from the bushes on both sides.
We're getting closer and closer to the gates of Konoha.
"He really didn't say anything." Jiraiya spoke slowly, his expression extremely solemn and serious, showing absolutely no sign of lying.
only...
Even Jiraiya performed flawlessly.
But it would have been better if he hadn't said anything; after he did, the room fell even more silent.
It's a classic case of making things worse the more you try to explain.
"You may not believe your comrades, but you cannot disbelieve me. I am Jiraiya, one of the Konoha Sannin, Jiraiya I never lie. I stand by what I just said. His mouth is sealed tight; he didn't say a word. We couldn't get any information out of him. I'm willing to stake my reputation on it!"
Jiraiya the silence on the scene, Jiraiya suppressed the urge to laugh, then added fuel to the fire, further intensifying the pressure on the five people.
certainly.
Jiraiya remained silent.
He was telling the absolute truth.
That person really didn't say anything, and Araki didn't ask anything either, so there was no deception involved.
All the misunderstandings are simply the result of their own imaginations!
"I really didn't say that!"
The remaining Kumogakure ninja looked like he was about to cry. After all, this was too painful for him. He felt he was burdened with an unbearable misunderstanding and harbored immense resentment towards Araki. Why did he have to be chosen? Compared to this inner torment, he would rather endure physical pain.