Raven's masked figure crouched in the shadows, her Shadow Clone's cloak brushing the earth as Yumi settled beside her. The glow of her Rinnegan pulsed faintly beneath the hood, her gaze locked on the orphanage window where Naruto slept. Her voice, carried telepathically, was cold and certain. "I must act. The Akane will learn to treat Naruto with proper respect and care until I'm strong enough to take him into my custody myself."
Yumi tilted her head, her golden eyes gleaming with faint curiosity. "And how do you plan to achieve that?"
Raven's lips curved beneath the mask, her tone sharp. "The Uzumaki have never been known for civility. I'll use brute force to beat some sense into her."
Yumi's tail flicked, her expression dimming with concern. "Aren't you worried about alerting the elders or Danzō? They'll notice if you stir too much trouble."
Raven shook her head, her eyes unwavering. "No. She wouldn't dare risk it. The condition of this building, the way these children are kept—it's obvious. She's embezzling money. If anyone investigated, it would expose her."
A small gleam lit Yumi's eyes as she gave a slow nod. "You're smart. Yes, the signs are obvious—funds funneled into her own pocket while the children starve."
Raven's voice hardened like tempered steel. "Exactly. No coin is going to my son's care. That ends tonight."
Hours later, the orphanage lay hushed in slumber. A lantern burned faintly in the matron's private quarters. Akane Ishimura, a stern woman with streaks of gray in her dark hair, sat at her desk with a tired sigh, shuffling through papers she scarcely read. She rubbed her eyes, oblivious to the silent presence slipping in behind her.
Raven's Shadow Clone moved with the quiet of a predator. In a blur, a coarse sack dropped over Akane's head. Her cry was muffled instantly, her arms seized and forced behind her back. Rope bit into her wrists, cords lashing her ankles as she was toppled sideways. She thrashed wildly, but the knotwork held. Terror spilled out in muffled sounds beneath the bag.
Without a word, Raven hefted the bound woman across her shoulder and slipped into the night. Yumi padded silently at her side, her tail swaying as if nothing unusual was happening. The streets were empty, the air heavy with ash as they crossed into a derelict building not far from the orphanage. Dust and silence clung to the abandoned walls.
Raven dropped Akane into a chair, rope scraping as the matron squirmed. With one tug, the bag came free. Akane's face emerged pale and wet with sweat, her eyes wild. She gasped, words spilling out between desperate breaths. "Please—please don't hurt me! I'll give you anything you want. I've saved some money over the years from running the orphanage. It's yours, just don't kill me!"
Raven's eyes narrowed behind the mask, her gaze hard. She turned slightly toward Yumi, her voice sliding into the fox's mind. "I told you. She was embezzling. How else would she try to buy her life so quickly?"
Yumi rolled her eyes with quiet disdain. "Then what do you intend to do with her?"
Raven stepped closer, the glow of the Rinnegan shimmering like firelight in the dim room. Her voice was colder than stone. "Like I said… Uzumaki aren't known for being gentle."
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