Hunter ran as fast as he could, taking quick moments to sense the positions of his pursuers. With each scan, he felt them drawing closer.
Finally, when he sensed that they were only about 500 meters away, he came to a stop.
He leaned against a tree, breathing heavily.
It was almost dusk now, and in the distant sky, the sun had nearly set, casting the forest into deepening shadows.
Hunter looked around, as if trying to take in one last glimpse of the fading light.
"Captain, Lightning, Sakumo... it looks like I won’t be able to stay by your side anymore. What a pity—just when I’d found such a great captain and teammates."
Hunter muttered regretfully to himself. Then, he took out a kunai, gritted his teeth, and prepared to thrust it into his own heart.
But just as he moved to end his life, a force struck the back of his neck, plunging him into darkness.
Behind Hunter, Kamizuru Ishigawa, who had delivered the blow, let out a sigh of relief.
"Just in time. If this little mouse had managed to kill himself, all my efforts would have been for nothing," he thought, feeling a mixture of frustration and relief.
Fortunately, he had inherited not only the sensory skills of his mentor, Mu, the Second Tsuchikage but also his stealth techniques.
These were the specialized methods of concealment taught by Mu, allowing Kamizuru Ishigawa to completely evade Hunter’s senses as he approached and prevented the self-inflicted death.
Soon, the other Iwagakure ANBU arrived.
As they saw the unconscious Konoha ANBU lying on the ground and noted their commander’s dark expression, they quickly realized that they had been outmanoeuvred once again.
"Tie him up and prepare for interrogation!" Kamizuru Ishigawa ordered coldly, his voice dripping with frustration at the repeated failures.
Now, his only hope was to extract some valuable information from this captive.
The idea of a broader ambush against the Konoha ANBU had already vanished from Kamizuru Ishigawa’s mind the moment he realized they had been tricked.
It was obvious what the other Konoha ANBU would do now that this one hadn’t returned to them—of course, they would relocate their base and change any information the captive might have known, minimizing potential losses.
But this would take time.
What Kamizuru Ishigawa needed now was to act quickly and extract whatever information he could from this prisoner before the Konoha ANBU could finish adjusting their positions.
So, he planned to conduct the interrogation right here, without delay.
All he could hope for now was that the captured ninja knew enough to make this whole effort worthwhile—otherwise, this entire operation would have been a complete failure.
When Hunter awoke, he found himself surrounded by a circle of Iwagakure ANBU.
He was tied tightly to a tree, and his heart sank as he realized his predicament. Instinctively, he tried to bite down on the poison capsule hidden in his mouth, but it was already gone.
Moreover, he quickly discovered that his jaw muscles had been manipulated, making it impossible for him to exert any force—his captors had clearly taken precautions to prevent him from taking his own life.
"Looks like Konoha’s ANBU training is quite thorough. They’re all prepared to die if necessary," said a cold voice.
Hunter looked up and saw a middle-aged man approaching him step by step.
The man wasn’t wearing a mask, and under the flickering torchlight, Hunter could clearly see his face.
He gasped, a look of shock spreading across his face.
The man standing before him was none other than Iwagakure’s ANBU commander!
Kamizuru Ishigawa’s expression darkened slightly as he replied.
"It seems my identity isn’t much of a secret in Konoha."
He sighed, continuing, "It’s truly impressive how Konoha’s ANBU manages to gather information. We still don’t know who your ANBU commander is."
Kamizuru Ishigawa’s face grew even more severe as he spoke.
Indeed, he found it troubling that while Konoha’s ANBU had information on him, Iwagakure was still in the dark about who led Konoha’s covert operations.
He stepped closer, gripping Hunter’s chin firmly and studying his face.
"Such a young face... It’s really enviable, tch, the talent Konoha has.
"From the way you tried to end your own life without hesitation, it’s clear that you have the resolve of an ANBU... and that you hold important intel.
"I’d wager that you know either crucial strategic plans or the whereabouts of important personnel.
"Your eyes tell me that I’m right."
Kamizuru Ishigawa’s voice was confident as he grinned, brimming with certainty about his interrogation skills.
"As I’m sure you know, ANBU interrogation techniques are quite... thorough. Tell me, how many rounds do you think you’ll last before you break?"
Kamizuru Ishigawa paused, then leaned closer, his voice becoming more insidious.
"Tell us what you know. It would be a waste for someone as young as you to die here. I’ve heard that many of Konoha’s ANBU are orphans, with no ties or family.
"So why not join us? In Iwagakure, you could make your life last longer and be more valuable.
"Choose wisely, because time is precious.
"After all, the end result is the same—whether you reveal the information willingly, or we extract it from you during interrogation."
Kamizuru Ishigawa’s confidence was absolute, as though he had no doubt that his methods would eventually break the captive.
Hunter, however, found his body trembling involuntarily.
Yet, his gaze remained defiant, glaring straight at Kamizuru Ishigawa.
Kamizuru Ishigawa hesitated for a moment, then sighed.
"I see you’ve made your choice—the hard way it is."
With a gesture of his hand, several Iwagakure ANBU stepped forward.
And soon after, the forest echoed with the sound of tortured screams.