"You truly did undo Danzō's seal of obedience on me." Riko's voice was quiet but edged with disbelief. She flexed her fingers, testing her body as though she expected the invisible leash to snap back into place. It didn't. Her expression shifted, the sharp relief plain on her face. "I no longer feel the oppressive weight of his chakra in my body."
Untied now, she rose slowly to her feet, her stance guarded but no longer submissive. She fixed her dark eyes on the masked woman in front of her. "Who are you?"
Raven reached up, fingers brushing the edge of her mask. She lifted it away with deliberate calm, revealing her pale features and steady gaze. "My name is Raven Kamazaki."
Riko's brows twitched slightly, but she nodded once, accepting the answer without further challenge.
"OK, Raven." Her tone was flat but searching. "What can you tell me about my plan for vengeance against Danzō for killing my brother, Shin?"
Raven's expression didn't waver. "First of all, the art of subterfuge. If you want to advance in rank, you need to know how to bring down the people in charge. That creates a vacancy you can exploit."
Raven tilted her head, eyes narrowing. "Do you have any upcoming assignments?"
"Yes." Riko crossed her arms tightly. "Me and my superior have an upcoming assignment together. It's supposed to be basic training."
"Excellent." Raven's tone sharpened. She reached into her cloak and drew out a slim needle tipped with green liquid that caught the faint glow of the chamber's seals. She held it out between two fingers. "While you're out on this training, use this."
Riko's eyes narrowed, but she stepped forward. Raven's voice dropped, quiet and precise. "Be very careful with this. It's extremely poisonous. All you have to do is stab your superior in the neck. Within a week of the mission being complete, they will fall dead."
Riko stared at the needle, silent. Raven continued, her words deliberate. "Danzō hates empty ranks. He only promotes from within, relying on those already conditioned with his seal and training. By killing your superior, you'll make yourself the natural choice for promotion."
The silence stretched. Then Riko let out a sharp breath and repeated back, as though testing the logic aloud. "You're saying I can poison my superior on the mission, and they won't even know. When they drop dead, Danzō—because of his paranoia and his obsession with filling positions—will simply promote me."
"Exactly." Raven's voice was firm. "Trust me, Danzō's so paranoid he won't even think one of his own poisoned a Root agent. He'll look for external threats. That paranoia will drive him to promote you without suspicion."
Riko's eyes narrowed further, suspicion mingling with the faintest spark of hope. "Are you serious right now?"
Raven's answer was quiet confidence, steady as stone. "You'll be surprised." Her mouth curved slightly, a knowing smile that carried certainty rather than amusement.
Riko studied the needle for a long moment before closing her fist around it. "Fine," she muttered. "I'll trust you this time. But I don't think Danzō's that stupid."
"You'll see." Raven's head tilted in faint dismissal.
Riko tucked the needle carefully away, her movements sharp with intent. "Then I'll test your theory. If you're right, I get closer to my revenge. If you're wrong, you've set me up for failure."
"You won't fail," Raven replied evenly.
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