Chapter 51

"Hey... what are you doing, Ruri? Did something happen?"

Shiraishi's peripheral vision confirmed that the person who had silently appeared behind him was Ruri, and a relaxed smile appeared on his face.

However, the fact that Ruri had managed to stand behind him without making a sound made Shiraishi realize that her strength had increased significantly.

The Uchiha bloodline was truly terrifying, and Ruri, who could easily control this power, was even more so.

Ruri did not remove the kunai from in front of Shiraishi's throat. Her voice, close to his ear, suddenly broke the dimly lit laboratory:

"Have you been hiding anything from me?"

"Eh? Why do you say that?"

Shiraishi was taken aback, scratching his head in confusion, as if he didn't understand Ruri's words at all.

"Your behavior today was a bit strange. Usually, when you go out to buy things, you just leave without saying anything. But today, you came to me first to say goodbye. So, I've been thinking, are you hiding something from me?"

Ruri's expression was nonchalant, and her eyes were the same as usual, but they gave the impression that nothing could escape her notice.

"Hey... when did you learn to joke around? It was just a sudden whim."

Yes, just a sudden whim. Shiraishi was also trying to convince himself of this.

"A sudden whim that only happens once every few years? That's quite a coincidence. So, I've been thinking, are you meeting someone behind my back?"

"You're misunderstanding me. You should know my social circle, right?"

"That's true, but precisely because of that, it feels a bit off. I can sense someone else's scent on you, and it's a woman's."

Ruri even sniffed Shiraishi's shoulder lightly.

You're not a member of the Inuzuka clan, you're an Uchiha! Shiraishi was too exasperated to comment.

Just as Shiraishi was about to say something, Ruri removed the kunai from his neck, her tone no longer as cold as before:

"But never mind. Who you meet is none of my business, right? I'm not your anything."

As she said this, a faint smile appeared on Ruri's lips, which made Shiraishi feel even more terrified.

Ruri usually didn't joke around.

"Hey, you're overthinking it."

"Really, you haven't been secretly meeting anyone?"

She claimed not to care, but she clearly did.

Her eyes grew darker, and the killing intent was almost visible.

"Of course not. Don't you know me? I never lie."

Shiraishi looked at Ruri with sincere eyes.

"Then how do you explain this photo?"

Ruri took out a photo showing Shiraishi and Ayane together, taken right in front of Shiraishi's old home, just as they were about to enter.

"..."

Shiraishi found himself at a loss for words, his brain shutting down completely.

"Really, you're too careless. It was so easy for me to catch you. If someone else did this, your secret would have been exposed long ago. Then it wouldn't be like this, but rather a special interrogation by the Yamanaka clan."

Ruri sighed, a bit disappointed.

Eh?

No scolding, no beating, no anger?

This was not right!

"Th-that... this is..."

Seeing Shiraishi's stunned expression, she probably didn't know what was going on.

"While you have many good qualities, you're too naive in many aspects. You also don't realize the importance of senjutsu. Senjutsu is more important than you think. Two or three years ago, when you started your senjutsu research, I had my parents prepare two hundred different breeds of wild cats, which were sent to Konoha through various official channels to serve as my informants."

Since they were ordinary cats, not ninja cats, and there were many stray and domestic cats in Konoha, even the Anbu didn't notice anything unusual.

After all, these cats were sent to Konoha in batches over several months.

Moreover, these cats roamed around the outskirts of Konoha, behaving like ordinary cats, and didn't need to do anything special. Even when passing information, they did so in public, meowing in code, so no one noticed.

"..."

Shiraishi was petrified on the spot.

Seeing Shiraishi's almost petrified expression, Ruri seemed satisfied and smiled:

"However, during this process, I unintentionally discovered some of your little secrets, which I didn't expect. You're still researching the Hyuga clan's Caged Bird seal, right?"

Ruri didn't know the specifics of what Shiraishi and Ayane discussed, but she could infer some information.

"Ah, that... how should I say, my thoughts are a bit jumbled... so, you knew all along?"

"About a year ago. Although I was a bit careless, you and Ayane had your own ways and methods of meeting. If I hadn't been paying close attention, it would have been hard to notice. Even if I did, it would just look like a short meeting between friends. In this era of frequent wars, the Anbu have limited manpower and don't have the time to focus on you."

The Anbu had between sixty to seventy active members.

One squad was on secret missions abroad or gathering important intelligence.

Another squad was stationed within Fire Country to prevent enemy sabotage and to report and request support if needed.

The remaining two squads patrolled the entire village, monitoring dangerous ninjas with clear anti-Konoha sentiments or enemy spies.

Shiraishi's combat record was average, and he had passed the Fire Will exam with distinction, showing no anti-Konoha tendencies. There was no reason to monitor him, making him a loyal Konoha ninja.

Even his frequent interactions with the Uchiha didn't draw much attention from Konoha's upper echelons.

While there weren't many civilian ninjas with good relations with the Uchiha, there were still dozens or even hundreds, including some Jounin and Chunin.

After all, the Uchiha were part of the village, and many ninjas had no special bias against them, even considering them reliable teammates on the battlefield due to their strength, which naturally led to good relationships over time.

Ruri had placed the two hundred cats in Konoha as a precaution, to detect and eliminate potential threats early, further ensuring Shiraishi's safety.

Regarding senjutsu, Ruri couldn't be as careless as Shiraishi.

Despite Shiraishi's belief that he had hidden himself well enough.

Shiraishi slowly closed his mouth. He had thought he had hidden himself well, but now it seemed that it was all thanks to Ruri.

Should he say that she was a genius from a prestigious clan?

Whether in planning or in dealing with unexpected situations, her methods were flawless.

He could predict some future events based on his knowledge and historical and political perspectives, but the details were often off.

"Phew..."

Being discovered by Ruri, for some reason, made him feel relieved.

Shiraishi chuckled and said, "Nothing escapes your notice, as always. You've always been sensitive to things."

"Years of comfort have made you complacent, with no improvement. Be more careful next time. Let's go out for dinner now."

Ruri put the kunai back in her weapon pouch and walked ahead.

"Ruri, were you concerned about me just now?"

Behind her, Shiraishi's laughter echoed.

Ruri stopped, turned her head, and looked at Shiraishi with a cold, almost disdainful expression.

"Which eye do you think I was concerned about you?"

"Eh, not really?"

"You idiot, I'm just interested in senjutsu. Don't flatter yourself. Power is the only thing that matters. What you do and what you get are just a matter of will. Wake up from your daydreams."

With that, Ruri turned and walked forward, her black hair gently swaying as she moved, her figure proud and solitary.

"Is that so? You're interested in controlling others... can I assume that?"

No one answered his question as he walked forward.

Shiraishi helplessly scratched his head, feeling that it had been a chaotic day.

...It shouldn't be a big problem, right?

But, in a way, could he now bring Ayane here openly for a check-up?