A heavy silence hung in the vast office of the Raikage, broken only by the monotonous ticking of the wall clock. The air was thick, charged with tension. Omoi, his jaw clenched and his eyes clouded with deep fatigue, stood rigidly in front of the wide black oak desk. He was soaked, his clothes still bearing the marks of a fierce battle. His Kumo headband was slashed, and dried blood stained his cheek.
The Fourth Raikage, A, observed his shinobi with piercing eyes. His massive build and steely gaze could make even the bravest warriors tremble. He tapped his finger slowly on the armrest of his chair, a sign of simmering impatience.
"So?" he growled. "Speak, Omoi. I hope you have a good explanation."
Omoi sighed inwardly, gathering his thoughts before speaking.
"We tracked them near the northern district… he was definitely wearing a Konoha headband."
"How many were there?!"
"…Two."
A deathly silence fell in the room. A stopped moving. His face, frozen at first, slowly twisted into a grimace of fury.
"TWO?!" he roared, rising so abruptly that his chair slammed against the wall. "Two rats… Two MISERABLE rats managed to cause chaos in MY village?! And how many were in your unit, Omoi?!"
"Ten, according to the report. Karui was leading the squad."
The Raikage's face briefly contorted at the mention of her name. His fist clenched.
"And where is she? Why isn't she the one making this report?"
Omoi lowered his gaze, his throat tightening. Honestly, he was usually a chill and calm guy, and he knew his answer would send the Raikage into a furious rage… and frankly, the man had every right to be angry.
"Missing…"
"What?!"
"I don't know what happened. I arrived much later and… I only found mutilated bodies scattered around… there was one man still standing. He refused to identify himself, so I fought him and took him down…"
At that, the Raikage's fury seemed to ease slightly—but he wasn't ready for what came next.
"But it turns out he was just a clone…" Omoi finished.
"Wait!?" A growled, massaging his temple where veins were beginning to bulge. "…So you're telling me a single clone slaughtered ten of this village's jonin…?"
How do you answer a question like that? Omoi knew exactly the kind of situation he was in—no matter what he said, a sermon awaited.
"Well…"
He couldn't finish the sentence. His voice broke, drowned by shame. He lifted his eyes nonetheless, ready to take the chief's wrath.
But what he saw wasn't ordinary anger. The Raikage was shaking. Not from fear—but from a black, volcanic rage. His fists were clenched so tightly that the veins in his arms looked ready to burst.
"You're seriously trying to tell me… that two unknowns from Konoha not only survived your pursuit but KIDNAPPED Karui… and decimated a jonin squad without a trace?!"
He slammed his palm down on the desk, which literally shattered under the impact, sending splinters flying everywhere.
"BRING DARUI, NOW!!" he roared through the wall. Two ANBU appeared instantly to carry out the order.
Omoi didn't flinch, even as a splinter lodged into his arm. He couldn't. He had to stay composed—for Karui. For his team, and for his life. The Raikage's pride had just taken a serious hit… one wrong move, and he could be the one to pay for the intruders' chaos.
The Raikage ran a hand over his forehead, trying to regain composure. His breathing was heavy.
"Something's off, Omoi. These intruders… You fought one of their clones?"
"Yes. He wore a long black coat and wielded a katana. From what I saw, he was skilled… and if that was only a clone, he likely has more techniques up his sleeve."
"They're not just ordinary thugs, then."
"No, Raikage-sama. Despite not being from here, they knew our patrol patterns. They bypassed the barriers as if they had designed them themselves."
A growled, then closed his eyes briefly.
"This wasn't a simple intrusion. They're planning something…"
The door burst open, cutting off his thoughts. Darui entered—calm as always—but his eyes betrayed a heightened alertness. He gave a short bow.
"I heard."
"Good. Darui, I need you to form a special unit immediately. Omoi stays with you. I want Karui found—and I want those two scum brought to me DEAD OR ALIVE."
"Understood."
"I'm putting the entire village on alert. I want reinforced checkpoints on all three circles. Use the central tower's sensors. Activate Black Lightning protocol."
Darui nodded.
"They won't escape."
"Good. Omoi, you'll submit a full written report within the hour. Then mandatory rest—four hours. Darui will need you afterward."
"I can go back out now, Raikage-sama, I—"
"NO. You're no good to anyone if you collapse from exhaustion. Four hours. That's an order."
Omoi reluctantly nodded.
"Very well."
As he turned to leave, A added in a lower, tense voice:
"And Omoi… if you see the one who took Karui again… don't let him escape."
"You can count on me."
As he left, silence returned. Darui stepped closer to the Raikage, his expression serious.
"Boss, do you suspect any group in particular?"
"Not yet. But I've got a hunch. These guys… they're different. They have a specific goal. And if Karui's still alive, it's because they want to negotiate… or experiment."
He clenched his teeth, eyes blazing.
"They're going to regret laying a finger on my village."