Raven stood tall in the dim light of the abandoned building, her masked face unreadable as her Rinnegan glowed faintly in the shadows. Akane Ishimura sat bound before her, trembling, the ropes digging deep into her wrists. Raven's voice cut through the silence, sharp and cold. "You recently took in a young infant named Naruto Uzumaki. Is that correct?"
Akane's lips quivered, her eyes darting wildly. "Y-Yes… I know of him. The Elder Council delivered him to me. I don't know much. He's another victim of the Nine-Tails' attack… but there are rumors. The villagers whisper that he caused it. I-I don't know what's true. Why—do you want me to do something to him? I can't! The Elders watch him closely. If anything happened, I'd be ruined. What are your intentions toward that child?"
Raven's gaze hardened behind her mask, her tone merciless. "My intentions are simple. You will clothe him. Feed him. Care for him. If you neglect him again, you'll find your body at the bottom of a lake—cold and forgotten."
Akane shuddered, her voice breaking into frantic pleas. "Please… please, take this bag off my head! I need to know who I'm speaking with."
Raven's voice stayed flat, unyielding. "You don't need to know who I am. You only need to obey."
Yumi's golden eyes flickered from the side, her telepathic voice amused. "You realize your face is already hidden behind a mask, right?"
Raven's answer came grimly, her thoughts directed back at Yumi. "You can never be too careful. Especially with Danzō."
Yumi gave a quiet, knowing chuckle. "Touché. You're right. That old miser has eyes everywhere."
Raven's tone dropped low, heavy with certainty. "And I don't yet have the strength to confront him. Not for some time."
Yumi dipped her head. "True."
Raven turned her attention back to the matron. She raised her hand, striking Akane sharply across the face. The crack of the slap echoed against the hollow walls. Then another strike followed, and another, each blow harsher than the last. Akane sobbed beneath the force, her cries muffled by terror.
Raven's chakra surged through her palm, molding the matron's features until her face twisted grotesquely. In place of her human visage, a swollen pig's head stared back, snout curled, eyes bulging in panic. Akane writhed, squealing soundlessly through her fear.
Raven leaned in close, her voice cold as steel. "This pig's head is your reminder. From now on, every coin you've stolen will be redirected to Naruto's care and education. He will be fed. He will be clothed. He will not suffer because of your greed. Do I make myself clear?"
Akane's sobs broke into frantic gasps, her words tumbling over one another. "I-I don't know who you are, but I swear—I'll do it! I'll care for him properly! Please, no more… just don't hurt me again!"
Raven straightened, her voice final, unrelenting. "Good. Remember, I'll be watching. If I sense even a whisper of betrayal or negligence, you'll vanish from this world without a trace."
Akane whimpered, her body trembling violently as Raven's hand lifted once more. With a swift strike, Raven knocked her unconscious, her head slumping forward against her chest.
By the time Akane awoke, she was back in her quarters at the orphanage, her pig-like visage still glaring back at her from the polished surface of a mirror. Her screams rang through the night.
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