The glow of the Rinnegan lingered faintly as Raven's hand pressed against the back of Riko's neck. The seal pulsed beneath her skin, crooked chakra lines flaring with each heartbeat. Riko's breath came uneven, her bound body tense, but her eyes never left Raven's masked face.
"You'll really give me the choice of how to get revenge on Danzō?" Her voice was rough, sharp with skepticism. "Does that include killing him?"
Raven's reply was calm, precise, each word weighed like steel. "Not outright assassination. His death would only draw suspicion to you, and Root would retaliate. But you can make his life a living hell. Rise through his ranks, sabotage his missions, twist his victories into failures. Someone like Danzō values results, not loyalty. Strip those away and you strip his power."
Riko fell silent, her jaw set. She blinked water from her lashes and finally gave a short nod. "If you can truly unbind me from the Seal of Obedience, I'll work for you. But only if I keep the right to choose how to avenge my brother. Train me, prove this isn't a trick, and I'll join you."
"Fair." Raven straightened, the words clipped. "You gain freedom of choice. I gain a foothold in Root. We both get what we want."
Riko's lips pressed into a thin line, suspicion lingering but faltering as Raven laid bare fingers across the mark at her neck. The chakra pattern writhed like worms under the skin, jagged lines etched deep.
Raven's voice dropped to a murmur. "Orochimaru's handiwork. Clumsy. He stole Uzumaki methods but never understood the art."
Yumi's tail flicked once, her golden gaze sharp. "He stole what he could take. He never had the lineage."
A faint smile tugged beneath Raven's mask, unseen. "In time I'll reclaim the Land of Whirlpools as well. His thefts won't stand forever."
Her fingers moved, threads of violet chakra weaving outward. The chamber hummed as she inscribed delicate overlays, precise Uzumaki counter-seals wrapping around the existing brand. Each stroke diverted commands before they reached Riko's mind, rerouting them through Raven's latticework of seals. To any cursory scan, the mark remained untouched—obedience intact. But beneath, the leash had been cut.
Riko clenched her jaw hard, her body trembling as the counter-seals dug deep, but she did not scream. Sweat rolled down her temples. The hum built to a high-pitched tremor before settling, the mark flickering once, then stabilizing.
Raven removed her hand and stepped back. Her voice was flat, testing. "Try to move."
Riko twisted against the chair restraints, her eyes wide. Her thoughts no longer snagged on invisible hooks, no phantom command dragging her into compliance. For the first time since her branding, she felt her mind wholly her own. Her breath caught. "You… you did it."
Raven's tone carried no triumph, only fact. "The seal remains cosmetically intact. Danzō's checks will show you as obedient. But my counter-layer intercepts the commands. You can refuse and lie convincingly when tested. As long as you play the role, you'll be safe."
Riko's lips twitched into a bitter smile, the weight of years of anger pulling at her expression. "Sabotage from within… I can live with that. But I'll need proof. Training. I won't take your word alone."
"You'll have it." Raven's answer was immediate. She tucked her glove back on and adjusted the mask. "But understand—this isn't a game. You'll play the loyal soldier in Root. You'll follow orders, gather trust, climb higher. Then you'll strike where it hurts most. I'll feed you intel, and I'll give you the strength to survive it."
Riko leaned forward as far as her bindings allowed, eyes burning. "Then we have a bargain."
Raven regarded her for a long moment before she reached down, untying the cords that lashed Riko's wrists to the chair. She offered a hand up. Riko hesitated, suspicion flickering one last time, then grasped it. Their eyes locked—mutual recognition of danger, of necessity, of trust not yet earned but forced by circumstance.
"We start tonight." Raven's tone was firm. "First you learn to fake absolute obedience. Next you learn how to survive Root's cruelty. And after that, you learn how to ruin Danzō."
Riko nodded once, sharp and certain.
Yumi padded closer, circling them with tails flicking, her eyes glowing in the dim seal-light. "Then let's begin. Plans, contingencies, escape routes—you'll need all of them."
The three bent over maps and crude lists Raven unrolled across the mat. Points of patrol, supply caches, infiltration methods. Riko leaned in, her bound hair still dripping faintly, her lips curling as she read.
"Sabotage from the shadows," she muttered. "Perfect."
Join my patreon today to read up to chapter 83 8n advance your support is my inspiration join for only 3 to 5$
patreon.com/everstone