Tsunade rose abruptly, grabbing an empty bottle from the table.
"An Uchiha? Those damn Uchiha dare to come here now?!" she shouted, furious.
The servant, terrified, backed away hastily.
"Tsunade-san, calm down, please," Shikaku intervened, gently grasping Tsunade's hand before she could throw the bottle.
Then, a small figure appeared in the doorway. Breathless, her cheeks flushed with effort, Izumi entered the room.
"Please, Tsunade-sama, Master Nara... Shikai needs you!"
Shikaku frowned.
"Shikai? What happened?"
Tsunade quickly approached Izumi and grabbed her by the shoulders, shaking the girl violently.
"Shikai! What's wrong with Shikai?!"
Izumi groaned under Tsunade's firm grip.
"Tsu-Tsunade-sama... you're hurting me!"
But the Sannin did not release her hold.
"Speak, you damn Uchiha!" she roared, her eyes burning with a mix of rage and worry.
Izumi, paralyzed with fear, felt her legs give way.
"Tsunade-san, calm down!" Shikaku intervened again, placing a reassuring hand on Tsunade's shoulder.
Reluctantly, Tsunade let go of Izumi, who stepped back a few paces, visibly shaken.
"So, what's going on, Izumi?" Shikaku asked, his calm tone contrasting with Tsunade's explosive attitude.
Izumi took a deep breath to calm herself.
"The ANBU... they took Shikai shortly after he woke up. He didn't even have time to recover, and they forced him away..."
At these words, Tsunade's face grew even darker. She turned quickly, grabbing her coat and ninja pouch.
Izumi and Shikaku exchanged an incredulous look.
"Why... why is she taking her summoning scroll?" Shikaku murmured, confused.
He swallowed, seeing veins appear on his forehead.
"Umm... Tsunade... you're not planning to... "
But before he could finish, Tsunade clenched her fist, trembling with rage.
"Those old bastards dare to go after him?!"
With a fluid motion, she kicked the sliding door, which opened abruptly.
"Tsunade-sama!" Izumi cried out in despair.
Shikaku ran a hand over his face, exasperated.
"Tsunade... calm down, for God's sake. You can't just charge in blindly."
But Tsunade wasn't listening. Her footsteps echoed heavily as she headed for the exit, ready to face anyone who stood in her way.
...
Located in the depths of a discreet building, well hidden from prying eyes, Konoha's interrogation room was designed to instill a sense of fear and helplessness as soon as one set foot inside. It was not just a room, but a tool. Every detail, from the lighting to the materials used, was carefully considered to test even the strongest minds.
The entrance, a heavy reinforced metal door, bore seals all around its frame. These seals were not merely decorative; they served to limit the chakra abilities of those who entered, preventing any escape attempts. Once inside, one found themselves immersed in an oppressive atmosphere. The air was cold and slightly humid, a chill that seemed to penetrate the bones.
The low ceiling accentuated the feeling of suffocation, giving the impression that the room was closing in on itself. Lighting came from two suspended lamps, whose flickering, pale light cast moving shadows on the bare walls. These walls, made of raw concrete, were marked with cracks and dark stains that betrayed their past usage.
At the center of the room was a simple metal chair, firmly bolted to the floor. This chair, devoid of any comfort, was designed to keep whoever sat in it in an uncomfortable position. Worn leather straps, attached to the chair's arms and feet, were used to immobilize the most restless detainees. A metallic table, also fixed to the ground, was placed a few steps away from the chair. On this table, various instruments were carefully arranged.
Among these tools, one could see sharpened kunais, scalpels, and other less identifiable objects, whose use seemed sinister. Some of these instruments bore visible traces of rust or dried blood, easily hinting at past interrogations. A small adjustable lamp, attached to the table, allowed direct illumination of the prisoner's face, making any attempt to avert one's gaze nearly impossible.
The headband was removed from his eyes, and Shikai, momentarily blinded by the room's harsh light, squinted to make out his surroundings. The first thing he saw was the weathered and scarred face of a ninja he didn't immediately recognize, but whose severe and cruel expression was enough to make him understand he was in grave danger.
"Where am I?" Shikai asked in a trembling voice, feigning ignorance and fear.
He looked around with calculated gestures, his eyes quickly scanning the room. To his right and left, masked ANBU remained impassive, their arms crossed, but their postures betrayed latent tension. Before him stood the austere faces of Hiruzen Sarutobi, Danzo Shimura, and two elders he knew vaguely for their reputation as grumpy, conservative, and disconnected.
"Sandaime-sama? But..." Shikai began, trying to display sincere confusion.
Danzo, with a grave but measured air, interrupted him with a voice rougher than the context required.
"I advise you to answer all our questions, kid. Otherwise..."
Hiruzen cut off Danzo, who was always quick to make a scene.
"No need to scare him. We just need clarifications to understand what happened. Your sensei Minato is dead, and Kushina is still unconscious. You're the only one who can enlighten us. Do you understand, Shikai?"
Shikai slowly nodded, forcing an expression of docility.
"I understand, Sandaime-sama," he said humbly.
'Asking questions, really? In a place like this? Not a chance, Hiruzen. You won't get me that way.' Shikai thought, his mind already racing to anticipate the next exchanges.
One of the elders, a frail figure but with an authoritative voice, stepped forward slightly.
"So, Shikai Nara-Senju, can you assure us that the Uchiha clan has nothing to do with what happened?"
Shikai nodded confidently.
"Yes, elder. The Uchiha clan has nothing to do with this. I only vaguely remember the man who fought me. His abilities were... strange. He called himself Madara."