174 CH_6.3 (174)

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Four genin were in charge of managing the camp with more than four hundred people. Three of them were Hidden Steam shinobi, while the fourth shinobi was a Hidden Leaf shinobi helping out until Hidden Steam could replace him with one of their own. The four shinobi had hired people from the camp itself to manage the sheer number of people.

Yeri was a Hidden Steam shinobi managing the camp. She was one of the two shinobi present on the camp during the incursion, the second being Takashi of the Hidden Leaf. The other two were out visiting the town for food and drinks.

The camp was significantly distant from the conflict. There was no reason for enemy shinobi to be this deep in the Land of Hot Waters. This was why only four genin were assigned to the camp—shinobi weren't needed to manage the camp; civilians could've done it on their own, showcased by the fact that the Hidden Steam was taking such a long time to replace the Hidden Leaf shinobi loaned out to them. The four shinobi weren't expecting an attack and were thus lax on security and focusing more on ensuring the refugees were adequately managed.

The incursion happened very quickly.

By the time Yeri got out of her tent, two rows of tents were already on intense fire. The first thing she saw was a Great Fireball rolling through tents in the distance. She and Takashi sprinted to the different parts of the camp and found black-clad shinobi causing destruction, mindlessly killing civilians—women, children, elderly—no one was spared.

She understood that they were outnumbered when she found the first enemy. If she and Takashi were occupied by an enemy each, the rest could continue to wreak havoc on civilians powerless to stop shinobi. The remaining two shinobi needed to return quickly—which they thankfully did. The violent fires were big enough to be seen from the nearby town.

Yeri finished off her first intruder in exchange of suffering some injuries. The next intruder wasn't difficult and surrendered with little effort when she was joined by the other two Hidden Steam shinobi. From the looks of it, Takashi had taken out an intruder… before he died at the hands of another.

And there was the other guy.

Takashi had told them that a Hidden Leaf shinobi was using the camp as a rest point on his travels to a border camp. They had no problems because of how little the shinobi had asked for such a short time.

So when Yeri saw a teenager fighting an intruder, she realized it was the Hidden Leaf shinobi. Yeri was grateful to him, but she didn't appreciate him ignoring her ask to capture the intruder instead of killing him. In cases like this, it was better for them to interrogate captives for information rather than kill them. They already had one captive, but it was always better to have at least two in case one of them didn't have complete facts or used two people to verify each other's information.

But things didn't stop there.

She glanced at the Hidden Leaf shinobi, who had introduced himself as Takuma, sitting in the corner of the tent. His breathing was labored, he was sweating a lot, and he was clutching a cane in his hands, but other than that, there was not even a single scratch on him.

'Just how much chakra does he have?' she thought.

The man had single-handedly put almost all the fires in the camp with his Water Release jutsu. It prevented a lot of loss because of the quick action. She was eternally grateful for that.

And yet, the camp was ruined; people had lost lives, and those who lived had lost their belongings. The war refugees who had been uprooted from their homes had lost their place of stay for the second time…

Yeri clenched her jaw. She could still hear the screams; the smell of smoke made her feel nauseous.

She was charged to keep the refugees safe, but she wasn't able to do a thing. She had failed miserably. Everywhere she looked, her failure was thrown back at her— the people who had lost their partners, the parents who had lost their children, the children who were now orphans—everything was her fault.

"Is the prisoner ready?" asked Takuma.

Yeri turned to see that Takuma now looked better than before.

"The other two are interrogating him," she replied.

He stood up, and his cane clicked as he walked to the other tent.

Yeri followed after him. "What are you going to do?"

"I would like to ask some questions as well," he said.

As they entered the tent with the prisoner, Yeri stepped in front of Takuma. "I'm sorry, but I can't let you do that." She was grateful to Takuma for the help he had provided, but she knew nothing about him. And this was the Land of Hot Water's matter, and she, as a Hidden Steam shinobi, couldn't let an outsider interfere.

"Miss, one of our brave shinobi died during this incursion. The Hidden Leaf will be more appreciative of our allies if they were… cooperative in this matter," said Takuma.

Yeri narrowed her eyes. Hidden Leaf? Was this Takuma some bigshot? Was that why Takashi had let him stay without asking them?

"We lost a third of the civilians in the camp—more than a hundred people died. We can't just let you do anything to the prisoner," she said.

"I simply wish to know the reason behind the attack so I can report it to my superiors, miss, so they will know why a shinobi so far from the battlefield is now dead, so they have something to tell to Genin Takashi's family. I'm not asking you to release him in my custody—he will remain Hidden Steam's prisoner of war until both of our superiors decide otherwise," he said.

Yeri bit the inside of her cheeks. She didn't trust him. He had killed two intruders already. And with Takashi dead, he might kill the last one in revenge as well.

If she had to be honest, Yeri didn't care if the prisoner died. The bastard was the reason why her countrymen were dead. She wished that he would die a horrifying death, and at the moment, she wanted nothing but to be the one to kill him—but she knew they needed him alive for his information.

"You can't kill him," she said.

"I simply wish to have some questions answered, miss."

Yeri stared at him, thinking about her decision one last, before stepping aside and letting him proceed.

Inside the tent, the last living intruder lay on the floor with only his underwear on his body, his hands and feet bound with thick iron chains. His face was swollen beyond recognition, and blue-black bruises covered his body. The two Hidden Steam shinobi had done a number on him.

Takuma didn't go to the prisoner and instead turned to the table with the shinobi's belongings.

"What are you doing?" asked Yeri.

Takuma didn't answer and ruffled through the belongings. Yeri didn't see the point; they had already searched their belongings for clues, but they didn't carry anything else but weapons, rations, and other shinobi equipment.

"You wouldn't find anything," she said. "They were clearly here for a covert mission. I don't think they would carry anything that would connect back."

Takuma held up a kunai. "This is a kunai design used by the Hidden Frost. It's a very successful design, used by more than a third of the Hidden Frost shinobi."

Yeri stared at the kunai. She had no idea the kunai was from the Hidden Frost; to her, it looked like any other kunai she carried. Maybe the hilt was a bit shorter than hers.

"Does that mean they are from the Hidden Frost," Yeri asked, her fist clenched.

"Most probably, but it doesn't matter. The Hidden Frost could simply deny any involvement and declare them rogue elements. The fact all of their gear is of the easily purchased variety makes it another dead end… Not even a blacksmith's touchmark to track."

"Then what are you doing?" she asked.

Takuma didn't reply and continued to go through the belongings. He turned their clothes upside down, checked every kunai and shuriken, eyed the explosive tags, leaving nothing untouched.

Rip! Takuma ripped a weapon's pouch, and his hands went still.

"…People would like to believe that humans are a logical species, but the truth of the matter is that we're illogical beings who often ignore logic and operate on emotions. Drug addicts would not throw away their hidden stash even when they're at risk of their house being investigated. That's just how our minds are wired. I believe it's one of our strengths that brings us together," from the two layers of torn leather, Takuma pulled out a photograph from a hidden pocket, "but it's also our biggest flaw that ruins people if they don't keep it under check."

Yeri gazed at the photograph of a man, woman, and child. It was very clearly a family photograph. She stared at the man in the picture and turned to their prisoner. The man smiling in the photograph was lying beaten in the dirt a few feet from her.

Takuma pocketed the photo and walked out of the tent.

"Where are you going?" Yeri asked as she followed him.

He went to the tent and lifted a metal table (a sturdy metal sheet as the tabletop supported by four legs). He carried the table into the prisoner's tent and used two bricks to prop one side of the table higher than the other.

"Lay him on the table," said Takuma as he once again went out to bring in two buckets full of water and a rag. "Make sure we never run out of the water," he said to one of the Hidden Steam shinobi as he filled his canteen with dirty water.

Yeri understood what Takuma was trying to do.

"Are you sure you can do that?" she asked. It was quite easy to accidentally kill someone during waterboarding.

"I usually outsource my tough interrogations to a professional, but I have seen her work enough to give it a try," said Takuma.

He took out a Hidden Leaf forehead protector and tied it around his head before turning to the prisoner.

"Let's face the truth here," Takuma said to the prisoner. "You're captured, all your companions are dead, and you are deep in enemy territory. There's no help coming for you; you're all alone, and it's in your best interest to cooperate because they can make your life hell if we want. So, answer our questions, and I will personally ensure that you don't suffer anymore."

The prisoner stared at Takuma, both of his eyes swollen until the eyes were only a slit. The prisoner chuckled before spitting some blood to the side.

"Are you sure? One more chance before we start."

The prisoner stayed silent.

Takuma sighed. "Let's begin then," he said as he put the rag on the prisoner's face and poured the water on the nose from the canteen.

Yeri narrowed her eyes as the prisoner began to struggle against his restraint as the water entered him. She didn't know how it felt, but from what she had heard, the feeling was worse than being drowned and then being pulled out for a moment before being drowned again and again until it became unbearable.

Takuma poured the water as the two Hidden Steam shinobi held the man down.

A few seconds later, he removed the rag and asked the prisoner if he was ready to answer a question. The prisoner wheezed and coughed, but said nothing, so Takuma put the rag on again and started waterboarding.

"Listen, you just killed hundreds of civilians. After that, it's natural that these people," Takuma pointed to the Hidden Steam shinobi, "won't care what happens to you. There's a war going on, and you're a prisoner of war—your future is bleak, but if you tell me what I want to know, I will ensure you're safe." Takuma pointed at his forehead, "See? I'm a Hidden Leaf shinobi. I don't have the grudge they have for you."

The two Hidden Steam shinobi seemed not to like Takuma's statements, but Yeri raised her hands and made them stop.

The prisoner refused to talk. He was again put through the process.

"Believe it or not, but I'm the closest thing to a friend you can get in a situation like this."

"I don't know what the people back home told you, but getting caught here isn't the end of your life. Prisoners of war get released all the time."

"One day, this war will end, and the two nations will make merry. That day, they will use pawns like you and me as peace gestures. Prisoners will be released, and you will be back home, happy to be alive."

"Your concern right now should be to remain alive in one piece. Adapting to these new circumstances is the top priority. I can make that easy for you."

"Oh no, you can't go dark on me. Hey, wake up! Good, good-good-good. So, where was I…"

"Okay, forget everything I said; let's start one simple question at a time. What's your name? My name is Tobi."

"Why did you come here?"

"What route did you use to breach the border?"

"What was the purpose behind this attack?"

"Do you have any additional objectives other than this camp?"

"Do you have a handler in the Land of Hot Waters to help you coordinate, or was your team an independent operation?"

The interrogation process continued, and after a little over an hour of being waterboarded, Takuma stopped and exited the tent. Yeri thought that he had given up, but she was wrong.

"Giving him a break will allow him to catch his breath, and calm himself down to the point he could think in peace. When he tastes that peace, the return to torture will be more impactful," he said.

"When will you use that photo?" she asked.

Takuma replied that it was not time yet.

 That day, Takuma held four sessions of one hour each. They had begun a few hours before sunrise, and by the time they had ended the fourth session, it was already ten hours, and the day had already reached the early afternoon.

Takuma told them to rest for a few hours before announcing they would start another cycle of four waterboarding sessions. In the middle of the evening, they began again. The same table, the rag, and the source of water. The questions were repeated. But there was no reprieve as long as the prisoner refused to answer their questions.

This time, though, Takuma went through phases of chatting with the prisoner mixed in with periods of silence where no questions were asked; no matter how much the prisoner begged to stop, no one said anything to him.

Yeri held no pity for the prisoner, but this was her first time seeing someone tortured for information, and the sight of Takuma standing beside the chained prisoner whom her Hidden Steam companions were pinning down was something that instilled fear in her.

At one point, the prisoner thrashed so much when he was having water forced down into his body that he broke a bone in his arm, which scared Yeri if Takuma was going too far. When she asked her two companions, they seemed to lack any nervousness she felt.

Takuma remained indifferent through the entire process. He would be animated in the tent with the prisoner, but during the break, he would sit near the tent's entrance, keeping an eye on the prisoner in silence. While the Hidden Steam shinobi used the breaks to help the town civilians clean up the destroyed camp, and smooth out the temporary establishment for the remaining refugees, Takuma seemed to be cut off from the rest of the world.

Eventually, the last session of the second cycle arrived. The sun had already set, and everyone was tired.

"It's time," Takuma said as one the final break of the day came to an end.

"What?" asked Yeri.

Takuma stood up and walked into the tent. The moment they entered the tent, the shivering prisoner began to struggle against his restraints. His breathing became labored, and there was fear in his bloodshot eyes as he squirmed on the floor.

"Are you ready to answer the questions?" asked Takuma.

The prisoner started begging to spare him, and his pleading became louder as the Hidden Steam shinobi placed him atop the raised table.

The prisoner was waterboarded once before Takuma stopped and spoke to the prisoner.

"This is the last session. Tomorrow, they will take you to the Hidden Steam. You're one tough man, my friend… Which is why a Yamanaka of the Hidden Leaf will be waiting for you there. If you don't know, Yamanaka have special ninjutsu, which allows them to mind-read. They will pull all the information out of your mind. I don't know if it will be painful or not."

The prisoner looked horrified, but at the same time, he looked peaceful. Perhaps now that he knew his suffering was only for a little more, he relaxed.

But then Takuma pulled out the photograph and held it before the prisoner's face.

"I'm going to give this picture of you and your family to them. The Hidden Steam wants revenge for the people you murdered. After they find the identities of your companions, they will send a team to all your homes who will kill your families—your family will be included, of course."

Yeri stared at the prisoner whose trembling eyes were glued to the photo..

"…But if you promise me to answer our questions here and now, there will be no need for the Hidden Steam to pay for the Yamanaka. They're at war, and Yamanaka's services are costly. You can save your family by answering the questions…. That's the best I can do for you, my friend."

The prisoner looked at Takuma, who urged him to talk.

"… S-Spare my family," said the prisoner.

The prisoner had broken down.

In the next hour, the prisoner told them everything he knew.

His team was tasked to infiltrate the Land of Hot Steams and set a camp on fire with the objective of killing as many as possible. Their motive was to cause chaos and crush the morale of the Hidden Steam shinobi and the entire Land of Hot Waters by causing a tragedy— while also stressing the forces on the border to stretch themselves thin to cover a greater area to plug potential routes.

They had chosen the camp because they had gotten the information that it was the nearest camp of substantial size from the border with very low security. Their team of five people, which included one chunin, was deemed enough to complete the objective.

According to the prisoner, they were to report a handler waiting for them in a major city in the Land of Hot Waters where they would get further instructions. The prisoner didn't know who the handler was, but he gave up his handler's location. He also gave up the route he took to breach the border and who else was involved.

After Yeri ensured the prisoner was properly secured, she headed to the other tent, where she noticed Takuma staring at a doll in his hands. He must've noticed her as he put the doll into his backpack.

"Do you need something, miss?" he asked without looking at her.

"A chunin will be arriving tomorrow to assess the situation," she said.

"I will leave by sunrise," he replied. "I had given myself one day of leeway, which I ended up using here. I hope you will ensure that Genin Takashi's personal belongings and his ashes will find their way to his family."

The first thing Takuma had done after putting out the fires was to give Takashi a shinobi's funeral. They had offered to help, but he had refused and completed all the preparations and rites by himself.

Yeri nodded.

"Did you torture him for two days for revenge when you had that photograph from the start?" she asked.

Takuma turned to face her. "He wouldn't have believed me if I had threatened his family from the start. It's completely illogical for the Hidden Steam to target a genin's family deep within the Land of Frost as revenge. I needed to break down his mental state to the point where he would have believed the threat as something possible."

She noticed Takuma hadn't refused her query.

"Please let me see you off tomorrow," she said.

But the next day, when she and her companions woke up, Takuma had already left.

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