Raven leaned toward Yumi, her words a low telepathic whisper. "I want to try a classic interrogation trick."
Yumi tilted her head, brows lifting slightly. "What trick?"
Raven's concealed smile sharpened. "Watch."
She crossed to the washing station at the edge of the chamber, lifted a dented metal bucket, and filled it to the brim. The water sloshed softly as she carried it back. Without hesitation, she tilted the bucket forward, dumping the cold water over the unconscious girl's head.
Riko jolted awake with a strangled gasp, coughing and sputtering, water dripping down her cheeks. She shook her head violently, wet strands of black hair clinging to her skin. "What kind of bitch dumps a bucket of water on someone's head? That's so cliché," she spat, glaring through the droplets. Her voice was thick with defiance.
Then her gaze darted to the restraints biting into her wrists and ankles. The reality of her predicament sank in. Her eyes narrowed. "Oh. Right. I've been kidnapped. That's standard procedure."
Raven stood silently over her, her mask expressionless.
Riko's lips curled in contempt. "Who are you? What is this? I work for the village. I answer to Danzō."
Raven's voice cut through the damp air, even and cold. "Riko. I know you. I know about your brother, Shin. He saw things he shouldn't have. So Danzō had him removed."
Riko's chin lifted, her eyes blazing. "So what if you know? Even if you're right, I'm branded. The Seal of Obedience keeps me shackled. What can you possibly offer me? To betray Root?" She snorted. "I don't think you understand my position."
Yumi let out a low, amused chuckle. "She's got more nerve than most rookies."
Raven's tone was dry. "Nerve is easy when you have already lost everything."
Riko scoffed, spitting words like daggers. "You think I'll dance for you? Danzō controls Root with an iron fist. No one breaks free. I'll avenge my brother myself—and if I walk out of here alive, I'll report every word of this."
Raven stepped closer, her presence tightening around the girl like a noose. "You can be useful to me. I won't erase the mark on you—but I can subvert it. You will appear obedient to Danzō while being free to act for me. In return, you'll rise through Root with my training, with resources, with information. You'll have the tools to tear him down from the inside out."
Riko barked a bitter laugh. "You're insane. That seal was built by Danzō and Orochimaru. It can't be undone."
Raven's tone cooled, dropping like ice. "You don't understand Uzumaki sealing techniques."
The silence that followed was heavy. Raven tilted her head, voice sharp. "How old are you, Riko?"
Riko blinked, caught off guard. "Fifteen. Why?"
Raven studied her carefully—shoulder-length black hair plastered to her cheeks, dark green eyes defiant but edged with raw anger. "Fifteen. Young enough to be molded, stubborn enough to burn with revenge. You're the perfect candidate."
Riko tugged against her restraints, bristling. "Don't size me up like a tool." But her voice wavered at the mention of her brother, and the fury in her gaze cracked, leaving a flicker of pain beneath.
Raven's cloak shifted as she straightened, her tone steady and commanding. "Watch carefully. I don't perform miracles. Only true skill."
She extended her hand towards Riko's neck. The faint pulse of the Seal of Obedience glowed there, visible only to the Rinnegan. The chamber's walls hummed faintly, the resonance of the mark vibrating like a curse waiting to be triggered.
Her fingers hovered, then pressed lightly against the chakra-etched seal. "If you cooperate, I will give you the freedom to choose how you exact your revenge."
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