Uchiha Ryota's prison cell.

Looking at his brother's dead body that was dragged out of the cell, Ryota's face distorted and rage-filled his face. ​​

The sclera of his eyes was bloodshot red and three tomoe rapidly spinning in the scarlet copy-wheel.

Ryota did not cry, because there was no point in it, but he swore in his heart, 'Nii-san, I will definitely avenge your death!'

...

One week later.

These days Kuroto would casually go to the prison dungeon from time to time to check up on Ryota's progress in cracking the seal and irritate him sometimes, of course, he did not stop the torture as that can make Ryota suspicious.

Overall, Kuroto was able to conclude that Ryota was indeed breaking the seal to escape.

It's just that he was being too careful and his progress was too slow for Kuroto's taste.

With the speed at which Ryota was cracking the seal, it will take at least two to three months for him to successfully break free.

Kuroto obviously can't afford to wait for so long, because there is no telling how the situation will change during this period, so he can't let Ryota stall so much time.

After mulling over a little, Kuroto had an idea.

Currently, he was inside Ryota's prison cell, and after delivering the daily dose of torture he said to the wooden puppet, "I have to go on a mission and I wouldn't be coming for the next ten days, so in the meantime, you have to keep watch over him and you don't need to give him any nutrition, just water is enough."

All while Kuroto spoke this, Ryota didn't seem to be paying any attention; his eyes were currently unfocused as if he was in a tranced state, there was no reaction on his face and he did not even bat his eyelids.

But Kuroto can confirm that this is just Ryota's façade because he has already noticed that as soon as his words were finished, the frequency of Ryota's heartbeat increased slightly.

Kuroto pretended to not notice this change and muttered, "I have already got bored of this torture game; so I have decided that after I return from completing the mission, I will put him out of his misery, that way we wouldn't have to bother about him anymore and I will dispose of him."

There was again a slight increase in the frequency of Ryota's heartbeat but it soon returned to normal.

Kuroto ignored the change and left the prison cell calmly.

As soon as the gate of the prison cell was closed, Ryota's opened his eyes and his murderous energy started leaking unconsciously, "Ten days huh…?"

…

Back to his study room, Kuroto sat on a chair and reviewed his plan, repeatedly confirmed that there were no loopholes and after he was sure about this, he nodded and soon started the preparations.

For the final 'Despair Test' ten days later, the entire dungeon prison will be a test site, so he must arrange all the props now.

Regardless of whether the final test results in a success or failure, this dungeon prison will be abandoned after the test, therefore, Kuroto has to make sure to clean up all the traces that might point towards him through the grapevine.

After completing what he had to do, Kuroto left the Dungeon Prison and came to his secret laboratory in the Death Forest.

Coming to Cell Cultivation Lab, Kuroto stopped before the large nutrition tanks.

Two clones were floating in these nutrition tanks, but they are not the clones he planned to use for the fusion in Chimera Technique, rather they were simple clones he cultivated using DNA extracted from his own cells.

Checking all the data displayed, Kuroto analyzed the parameters of the two clones and calculated all the next steps to be taken.

With the technical means he currently has access to, the cultivation of a simple low-quality clone takes at least half a month.

The two clones floating in the nutrition tank were already bred a week ago, so counting the time, they should be successfully completed in about a week for the last stimulation test, that is if nothing unaccepted happens.

With everything proceeding according to the predetermined plan, Kuroto did not waste time anymore and sneaked back to the village.

During this week the hunting operation against Amatsukami has come to a sudden halt.

This is because no matter how much manpower or material resources are used, there has been no successful result. The so-called bounty-nin organization named Amatsukami seems to have never existed at all. This has made more and more people feel that something is wrong.

All signs point that Amatsukami has not had any substantial interaction with any underground organization other than their hostile relationship with Akatsuki.

And considering that the members of Amatsukami have not made any appearance since the Uchiha Ryota went missing, a strange reputation about Amatsukami has started to permeate.

Amatsukami seems to suddenly appear out of nowhere in the shinobi world and then suddenly disappear, making people feel unpredictable.

And precisely because of the repeated failures, people have started to take the rumors about Uchiha Shisui being Homusubi seriously.

Everyone can't help but make secret speculations, among the Uchiha shinobi, Uchiha Shisui is the only one who is officially known to have the Mangekyou Sharingan, so the possibility that the rumors are correct is very high.

And if it is true, does that mean Amatsukami is hidden in Konoha!?

All these things have prompted Sandaime not to be able to sit by any longer and he must take corresponding steps.

Soon, Hyuga Kuroto received a personal summons under Hokage's orders.

Coming to the Hokage office, Kuroto frowned slightly as he looked at the people present in the room.

At this time, not only Sandaime-sama but even the three elder advisors, the Patriarch of Hyuga Clan, Hyuga Hiashi, as well as the toad Sannin Jiraiya were present in the Hokage Office.

What surprised Kuroto, even more, was the presence of a small elder toad who stood on the table next to Jiraiya, the toad was green in color with white hair, white beard, and white eyebrows, wearing a brown cloak.

This toad was obviously not simple and Kuroto recognized him as Fukasaku, one of the 'Two Great Toad Sage' from Mount Myoboku.

'Even someone like him was called to be present during the interrogation?' – thought Kuroto in surprise.

Calming down himself, he kneeled before Sandaime-sama and spoke, "Eagle of Team-11 reporting, Hokage-sama!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen put down the tobacco pipe which has become more and more inseparable these days and said, "There are some questions, you have to answer them truthfully!"

Kuroto who was already removed his Eagle Anbu Mask nodded, "Yes, Hokage-sama, I will answer every question to the best of my ability!"

Sandaime said, "Report everything about the events on the night when the Kumogakure delegation was attacked. How did you and Uchiha Shisui encounter the enemy, the entire battle process, including every other detail?"

Kuroto and Shisui have already discussed everything repeatedly, so Kuroto did not need to think too much and recounted the fabricated details.

After listening to all the explanations, everyone in the Hokage office was thinking and trying to find loopholes in Kuroto's words.

Hyuga Hiashi was staring at Kuroto with a little worry in his eyes.

So far, only Kuroto, Shisui, Hiashi, and some members of the Hyuga Clan are actually aware of what transpired in the Hyuga territory that led to Watanabe's death, therefore, Hiashi was worried that the suspicion on Uchiha Shisui might also drag Kuroto into this mess!

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Read up Chapter - 452 on P.a.t.r.e.o.n. Page: p-atreon.com/Milta_translations