"Now it's just the two of us again. Shall we continue?" Uchiha Gen said with a faint, teasing smile.
"Hmph. You're awfully bold. Shouldn't you be worrying about how to escape instead?" Mabui retorted, her chin lifted in defiance.
"Are you worried about me?" Gen's eyes narrowed with amusement.
"Pah. Don't flatter yourself." She rolled her eyes, refusing to meet his gaze.
"Hahaha…"
Instead of being angered, Gen laughed heartily, then stretched in the Raikage's massive chair. "I've been running around all day. I'm actually a little tired. Why don't you massage me to loosen my muscles a bit?"
"You wish… Fine." Mabui's eyes flickered with something unreadable.
Gen tilted his head. "Oh? Changed your mind already? You must be plotting something. Planning to strike me during the massage?"
"Hmph. If you're scared, just admit it," she replied with feigned composure.
"You definitely plan to attack me." His smile lingered. "Forget it. No need to throw your life away. Instead, I'll just use my own methods. For a refined and elegant woman like you, it'd be a shame to crush such a flower."
Her eyes widened slightly. "You… what do you mean?"
"Look into my eyes."
"No—!"
She tried to turn her head, but Gen's hand clamped her chin in place. In the end, her gaze was caught by the whirling tomoe of his Mangekyō Sharingan.
The Genjutsu snapped into place. Mabui's body trembled, her eyes losing their luster as her limbs went slack. Slowly, mechanically, she stood up.
Gen shifted to make room. Without resistance, Mabui sat down beside him on the Raikage's throne. The oversized chair easily fit two.
He leaned back into her soft embrace, propped his feet on the desk, and let his head rest comfortably. A lazy grin played on his lips as Mayumi's cool, slender hands gently massaged his temples.
While Gen enjoyed the Raikage's secretary's reluctant service, Hidden Cloud was already moving under emergency command.
Civilian staff were evacuated from the Raikage Building, villagers were cleared from nearby districts, and layers of defensive lines were drawn up around the Raikage's office. Orders flowed smoothly; every measure was systematic and disciplined.
But no matter how meticulous the arrangements, nothing that involved shinobi movement could escape Gen's Soul Perception.
By mid-afternoon, around three, the Fourth Raikage and his party finally returned, only to be met with grim news: Uchiha Gen was holding Mabui hostage inside the office.
Without hesitation, the Raikage stormed straight there.
Bang!
The doors slammed open.
Inside, Mabui was bent over, dutifully massaging Gen's legs. Gen, who had been feigning sleep, cracked open his eyes just as they entered.
It was worth noting; Gen wasn't wholly cruel. For every half hour of work, he allowed Mabui a ten-minute rest.
"Oh, you're back?" he said casually, stretching with a yawn. "Finally. I waited until the flowers withered."
He looked like a guest greeting the host—lounging comfortably in the Raikage's chair.
Rage surged through the Fourth Raikage's chest. His face turned storm-dark. This bastard had sat in his chair, used his office, impersonated him, toyed with his secretary, and even ordered her around like a servant.
"Bastard! I'll kill you!"
In a flash, the Raikage's chakra flared, his figure blurring into motion. His chopping hand blade arced down like lightning—
...but Mabui suddenly darted forward, blocking the strike. The Raikage was forced to halt mid-motion, his blade hand trembling as he pulled back.
"Mabui, you—!"
Her hand snapped out instead, stabbing with a kunai charged with Lightning Release. It struck his Lightning Release Armor, but the force still blasted him back across the room.
"Big Brother!" Killer Bee flashed in, catching him before he crashed into the wall. His face hardened. "She's under Genjutsu."
Gen's voice carried across the chamber, calm, almost bored. "Lord Raikage, don't be reckless. Your secretary is unharmed, she's just doing some physical work. I'm not here to kill. I only came to collect my wager."
He dropped his feet to the floor and rose, smiling faintly.
The Raikage's eyes narrowed. "If I give you the Lightning Release Body Technique, will you release Mabui?"
Gen chuckled. "Your secretary is actually quite capable. I wouldn't mind taking her back to Konoha as my personal attendant. What do you think, would Lord Raikage part with her?"
"Never!" The Raikage's shout cracked like thunder. Mabui was not only a valued aide but privy to countless secrets of the Cloud. Handing her over was unthinkable.
"In that case, I won't press." Gen's grin sharpened. "Once I have the Body Technique and a safe distance between us, I'll release her."
The Raikage's gaze was sharp as blades. "What if you betray your word halfway and kill her?"
"I'll honor my promise." Gen's voice was steady. "Think about it: I've been in your village for half a day, yet I haven't destroyed anything or killed anyone. Isn't that sincerity enough? The wager was already decided when I walked away before. As long as you don't force me, I have no reason to fight. Or… is the great Raikage a sore loser?"
The Raikage sucked in a deep breath. "Fine. I'll trust you this once." He snapped his fingers. "Darui, bring the scroll."
Darui handed it over. The Raikage hurled the scroll toward Gen.
But Gen didn't catch it. His Sharingan spun, reading the surface, yet still he waved Mabui forward to pick it up.
The Cloud shinobi's faces darkened. If the scroll had been laced with poison, it would have been Mabui who suffered. They silently cursed his caution and his cruelty.
Expressionless, Mabui unrolled it. Gen kept one eye on the Raikage and his men, the other scanning the scroll's contents.
"Hmph," the Raikage growled. "Don't worry. I wouldn't stoop to trickery. Without the right physique, no one can master it anyway."
Gen smirked. "Heh. Who knows? Your village's reputation for honor is… questionable. But whether I can cultivate it or not, that's my concern, not yours."
He confirmed the scroll's authenticity, tucked it away, then wrapped an arm around Mayumi's waist and strolled toward the window.
"By the way, Raikage—you might want to check the paper on your desk."
Killer Bee darted over, lifted the paper, and froze mid-breath.
"This—!"
"What is it?" the Raikage demanded.
"Big Brother… this paper records the troop distribution around this very office. Every detail is exact. Perfectly accurate."
The Raikage stiffened. His gaze snapped to Gen. "I see. Soul Perception. That's how you uncovered our canyon ambush too, wasn't it?"
Gen gave him a mocking smile. "Took you long enough."
The Raikage's jaw clenched. Damn this man and his endless arsenal of jutsu!
Gen's voice carried over his seething anger. "I hope you've withdrawn everyone. Otherwise, if a spy among them sparks trouble, bloodshed will be unavoidable."
The Raikage ground his teeth. "…Darui. Withdraw them all."
"Yes, Lord Raikage."
Only when Gen sensed the retreat did he move. Holding Mabui by the waist, he leapt through the window and bounded up the snowy cliffs until they reached a windswept peak overlooking the sea of clouds.
The Raikage, B, Yugito, and others pursued closely.
Gen snapped his fingers. The Genjutsu shattered. Mabui blinked rapidly, her mind clearing, her limbs once again her own.
"Until next time," Gen said lightly. He set her down gently, gave the Cloud shinobi a mocking wave, and stepped backward—falling into the swirling abyss.
They rushed to the cliff's edge.
Below, a cotton-like cloud rose from the sea, catching Gen's body like a cradle. His form reclined leisurely as the cloud shimmered into white light and dissolved back into the rolling mist.
"…From this day forward, set outposts on every mountain peak." The Raikage's voice was low and grim.
The others nodded silently, their faces solemn.