"What will it take for you to release me?"
After swallowing three huge buns, almost choking to death, Shizune even started to cry.
Hell is empty, and all the devils are here!
It's cold!
What's wrong with this world? Why does she have to suffer like this?
I never want to eat buns again, wuwuwu...
Don't get it wrong, Shizune isn't crying; she's just been stuffed with another bun and turning into a hamster.
"Release you? What are you thinking about? My fortress is missing a little maid who can serve tea, give massages, and warm the bed, so I've decided it's you."
"If you don't agree, see those... you'll have to eat all these dozen-plus buns right now!"
Since he was idle anyway, Aoba pretended to be fiercely intimidating Shizune.
Although the mask hid some of his expressions, giving his performance a slight flaw, Shizune still cooperated by showing a scared face.
By now, Shizune had also figured something out.
Although he constantly verbally threatened her, saying he would throw her into the sea to fish for sharks or have her warm his bed, he hadn't touched her at all these past two days.
He even gave her food and water every day...
Of course, it would be better if he weren't so rough!
But as a hostage, what more could she ask for?
Shizune realized that it was highly likely that he had no real ill intent towards her; otherwise, her situation would have been a hundred times worse by now. So, was the reason for her abduction probably just in spite?
"If only I had let Lady Tsunade sleep a bit longer," Shizune thought sadly.
Then her stomach began to growl...
Shizune's face instantly turned bright red; she had been forcibly holding it in for over two days.
She couldn't take it anymore; she had to endure. She couldn't embarrass herself again.
"After eating so much, why is your stomach still growling? Ha ha, the lady doth protest too much!" After saying this, Aoba stuffed another bun into Shizune's mouth amid her indescribable expression.
"Wuwu..." Shizune kept shaking her head, trying to spit out the bun.
"Eh? Why is your face so red? Are you embarrassed?"
"What? No, that must mean you're choking, have some water."
Sighing at his excessive kindness and understanding, Aoba 'mercifully' opened a bamboo tube, shoved it into Shizune's mouth, and began feeding her water.
Looking utterly hopeless, Shizune no longer struggled and swallowed the bun and the water together.
Then she finally said with great effort, "My stomach hurts, I need to..."
Aoba immediately scoffed, "Ha, this old trick again? I mean, can't you hostages devise a new escape method? Every time it's this or that, you think I'd believe that?"
Shizune's face flushed even redder, "It's true! I'm not lying!"
"Got any proof?"
"I..."
Just as Shizune relaxed, a loud noise echoed through the cave.
Then she completely froze, petrified.
Forget it. Just let it be.
I don't want to live anymore...
Shizune suddenly displayed a deathly pale expression and lay motionless on the ground.
Even Aoba, who thought she was trying to escape, was stunned; fortunately, he wore his N95 mask.
Who just farts like that!
Completely unhygienic!
Having no choice, he pushed aside the rock blocking the entrance, picked up Shizune, limp as a dead fish, and took her outside.
After finding a secluded spot nearby, Aoba untied Shizune while warning her, "Seeing as you've been somewhat cooperative, I'm giving you this chance. Don't think about running away, or you'll bear the consequences."
"By the way, can you sing? I want to keep hearing your voice, so no screaming."
With one end of the rope tied to Shizune and the other in his hand, Aoba gave some instructions and then disappeared around the corner.
At this moment, the gradually reviving Shizune considered whether to seize this opportunity to escape!
Once her hands were free, she could use her chakra scalpel to cut the rope at any time.
But even if she escaped, she might not evade his pursuit, and it would break the fragile trust they had barely started to build.
Most importantly, her stomach was already in turmoil.
"Let's wait for another opportunity."
Shizune temporarily suppressed her thoughts of escaping...
Then the rope around her tightened, "Start singing quickly, or I'll drag you back!"
Though deeply embarrassed, Shizune, her face flushed, began to sing softly.
It was such a humiliating experience. Shizune wanted to die!
Meanwhile, the search team that had gradually narrowed their search area suddenly made a discovery.
"Arf, arf, arf!" A pure black dog suddenly barked fiercely in one direction.
A member of the Inuzuka clan nearby perked up, "Kuroboshi found something! Over there!"
The others quickly became alert, "There's a gorge over there and a waterfall; it shouldn't be a place to hide."
"Kuroboshi is never wrong! The scent is strong!"
"Alright, let's go take a look!"
"Wait, should we inform the others first? The opponent is strong enough to confront Lady Tsunade directly; just a few of us might not be enough to hold him."
"Let's check the situation first, then inform the others."
"That makes sense."
"Hurry, the person might leave soon."
Shoosh, shoosh, shoosh!
Several figures quickly followed Kuroboshi towards the target location.
At this moment, Aoba was unaware that the ninjas from Konoha were already on their way, still listening to Shizune sing...
He had already set up the "Eye of Perception"; if Shizune tried to escape, he would know immediately, so holding the rope and making Shizune sing was superfluous.
This may have made him seem more cautious.
Of course, he would never admit he was a devil.
Minutes later, Shizune, her face flushed red, came out, looking at someone with gritted teeth, probably wishing she could rush up and bite him to death.
However, just then, Aoba suddenly sifted through her, and with a strange expression, he posed a soul-stirring question, "Do you... have the paper with you?"
Shizune suddenly stiffened, her face turning from red to blue to black.
Finally, it culminated in a furious roar!
"Damn you! I'll kill you!"
At that moment, Shizune threw all caution to the wind, raised her chakra scalpel, and charged at a particular 'troublemaker' to strike!