This is all under orders from Elder Shikora.
"...For the future of the clan... and... your own future..."
Rika's face twisted in pain; after being corroded by this level of Illusion Technique and still holding out, Ruri couldn't help but look at him with newfound respect.
Then an even stronger donjutsu surged forth.
"Aaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"
His agonized howl echoed through the corridor.
Ruri stood before him, expressionless, arms crossed over her chest. Rika's gaze was vacant, drool trickling from the corner of his mouth, his whole body twitching and trembling.
"Answer me. What is your purpose? Depending on your answer, I might spare your miserable life."
"...No...can't say...I...can't say...Kill me...Ruri...just kill me..."
Rika spoke in broken phrases, pleading with Ruri to end him.
Ruri frowned, fury flickering in her eyes.
Kill him?
Like hell it's that simple.
Honestly, she's been putting up with these idiots for too long.
Whether it's this village, or the clan.
Do these people really enjoy testing her already limited patience?
Root, the Hokage, and now some folks in the clan too.
Hardly anyone around her has a working brain.
Ruri's patience was gone; she raised a hand, ready to unleash another jutsu, but her palm was grabbed and stopped by someone.
It was Hakushi who stopped her.
Ruri's face darkened in displeasure.
"What are you doing?"
"Enough. Just pretend none of this happened. No matter what, he's still your clansman. If you keep hitting him with Illusion Techniques, his mind will break and he'll die."
Hakushi had initially meant to come clean with Ruri tonight; he really didn't want something like this to ruin her relationship with the clan.
Ruri shook off Hakushi's hand from her arm, her face ice cold.
"It'd be better if this trash died. I put up with Root's bullshit before, I put up with the Third's laughable attempts at compromise, but these morons are my own clan. As a Jonin of the clan, I deserve to know the truth. Are you going to stop me?"
Seeing Ruri's resolve, Hakushi knew there was nothing he could say to change her mind.
Rika's body, kneeling on the floor, slumped forward, smashing hard into the ground and losing consciousness.
"Throw this trash out for me. I'll be right back."
Ruri dropped these words, her face covered in frost, and left using Instant Body Jutsu.
"What the hell is this mess..."
Come to think of it, why would someone try to assassinate me right now? That's just weird. Hakushi was baffled, scratching his head in confusion.
Watching Ruri leave, Hakushi let out a long sigh.
I hope nothing blows up.
Though given Ruri's dislike of getting the short end of the stick, hoping she won't stir things up is just wishful thinking.
◎
Nankai Shrine.
As war erupts, the Uchiha Clan has an obligation to lend strength to Konoha.
Regarding who to send to the battlefield, a swarm of Jonin Uchiha assembled here for an urgent nighttime meeting, waiting for orders from the radical leader, Uchiha Shikora.
"Now that war has broken out, it benefits us and harms us. Sure, a lot of people will die, but it also means that our Uchiha Clan is one step closer to the Hokage seat."
Uchiha Shikora sat on the lead cushion, his face deeply lined with wrinkles, and spoke with a steady and imposing aura.
"The Third Hokage is old and nearing retirement. To build enough reputation to become the Fourth, I hope everyone will cooperate and work together."
"Yes!"
"The era of Senju governance will end, and Konoha's future belongs to our Uchiha."
Uchiha Shikora swept his eyes over the faces of all the Jonin Uchiha attending, seemingly satisfied with their spirit and strength, nodding in approval.
These are the clan's elites. This strength is the foundation for protecting the clan and intimidating outsiders.
"Wake up from this nonsense and stop dreaming. Hokage this, Hokage that—you sound like a bunch of kids."
The sudden remark echoed into the ears of the gathered Jonin Uchiha. Several looked furious, searching for the speaker.
Ruri stepped out of the shadows, facing puzzled and astonished gazes; she walked straight toward the front, and nobody knew what she was about to do.
Uchiha Shikora's aged face showed signs of agitation.
Ruri stopped before him, saying nothing.
Boom!
Everyone's faces went blank, their minds stunned, unable to process what they were seeing.
Ruri had grabbed Uchiha Shikora by the throat and slammed him against the wall, making a hole.
The elder's old face twisted in pain, wrinkles tightening like a shriveled fruit.
"Wait, Ruri, what are you doing?"
"Don't be reckless!"
"Let go of Elder Shikora now!"
"Are you trying to start a rebellion, Ruri? Let go, now!"
The Jonin Uchiha all sprang up, surrounding her, some urging her to stop, others threatening force, demanding she let go of Elder Shikora.
"...No...wrong..."
Elder Shikora squeezed these words from his lips.
"Wrong? Are you saying I'm falsely accusing you?"
Ruri's tone was dripping with danger.
The warnings and threats from her fellow Jonin didn't even register.
"...Your eyes...wrong..."
Elder Shikora stared at Ruri's Three-Tomoe Sharingan and spoke cryptically.
"My eyes?"
Ruri raised an eyebrow.
What's supposed to be wrong with my eyes?
"I see...You couldn't even deal with a Medical Ninja, that trash...The mission failed, did it?"
Elder Shikora's face suddenly lit up in realization, as if he'd figured something out.
"Don't try to change the subject and distract me. You've pissed me off for good, old bastard."
Unfazed by Ruri's threats, Elder Shikora turned his head and addressed those Jonin Uchiha poised to subdue Ruri:
"All of you, leave."
The Jonin Uchiha looked at each other, unsure why Elder Shikora would give such an order.
"Leave. I have things to discuss with Ruri alone."
The Jonin hesitated briefly but ultimately chose to obey Elder Shikora, shooting Ruri threatening looks on their way out, warning her not to cross the line.
Even if they didn't know what conflict existed between Ruri and Elder Shikora, that didn't justify attacking the elder casually.
Once all the Jonin Uchiha exited the conference room, only Ruri and Elder Shikora remained in the empty space.
Cough, cough.
Ruri released Elder Shikora, letting him cough greedily and desperately for air.
"Have you finished gasping yet?"
To Ruri, it was just an act for her benefit.
Elder Shikora glanced at Ruri, then suddenly let out a sigh: "What a shame. If you'd just killed me right when you walked in, it would've been so much better."
Ruri looked at Elder Shikora, baffled.
"What the hell do you mean by that?"
"It's because...you haven't awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan, Ruri."
Elder Shikora stared deeply at Ruri, his cloudy yet sharp eyes filled with boundless regret.