NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 17: Attack From Kusagakure
Konohagakure Intelligence Division - Interrogation Room
The Konohagakure Intelligence Division building is a heavily fortified structure located near the Hokage's administrative offices but set apart from the main village pathways to maintain secrecy. The exterior is made of reinforced stone, with minimal windows, giving it a bunker-like appearance. Torches and hidden seals line the walls, ensuring security both physically and against genjutsu infiltration.
Upon entering, a dimly lit corridor leads to a heavily guarded checkpoint where only authorized personnel are allowed to pass. The air is thick with the scent of parchment, ink, and something faintly metallic—likely from the tools of interrogation deeper inside. The main hall is lined with filing cabinets, filled with classified mission reports, surveillance data, psychological exams, and intelligence gathered from across the Shinobi world.
Beneath the main level, several underground chambers exist, each serving different purposes. Some are dedicated to information analysis, where intelligence operatives work around the clock decrypting messages, reviewing enemy movements, and cross-referencing reports. Others serve as interrogation rooms, soundproof and equipped with restraints, chakra-sealing mechanisms, and sensory deprivation tools.
At the heart of the facility is the interrogation chamber, a cold, dimly lit room where truth-seeking techniques—both physical and psychological—are employed. Yamanaka clan members are often stationed here, using their Mind Body Disturbance Jutsu to extract confessions and hidden secrets. A two-way mirror allows higher-ups to observe interrogations unseen, ensuring that protocol is followed—or quietly ignored when necessary.
The deeper one goes, the darker the secrets of the village become.
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The harsh, artificial light of the interrogation room casts long shadows on the cold stone walls. The room smells of mildew and stale air, a reminder that its sole purpose is to extract secrets, to break the strong and the proud. In the center of the room, a lone chair sits facing a table where Ibiki Morino stands, his intimidating presence filling the space.
On the other side of the table, the spy from Kusagakure is bound in his seat. His face, a mask of arrogance, does little to hide the tension in his shoulders. A smirk plays at the corners of his lips, his eyes flickering with defiance despite the bloodshot gaze, remnants of previous questioning.
Ibiki leans forward slightly, his arms crossed, and his voice low, deadly calm.
Ibiki: "You think you're clever, don't you? Hiding in plain sight, right under our noses. All the while feeding your lies to our village, hoping we wouldn't notice."
The spy scoffs, though his hands tighten around the chains restraining him. His voice is laced with bravado, though it's clear his composure is starting to slip.
Spy: "You think you've caught me? I'm just one of many. If you don't kill me now, my people will have already won. Information's been passed. You're too late."
Ibiki's lip curls into a smirk. On the other side of the wall watching the scene was Kotetsu Hagane and Hyuga Ayane, who had been waiting just outside the room, watching the interrogation up close added another layer of tension. Kotetsu's eyes remain cold and calculating, but Ayane's gaze is sharp, her Byakugan activated and trained on the spy.
Ibiki: "You must think you're invincible. Kusagakure's not known for being a powerhouse, but you're not the first we've seen, and you won't be the last. However, your arrogance is your downfall."
He walks behind the spy, his voice lowering, as he leans in to speak directly into the man's ear.
Ibiki: "You were hired by the Land of Lightning, weren't you? They're the ones who sent you to gather information on our defenses—our barriers, specifically. Your viThey think they can sell that intel for a profit, don't they?"
The spy's face twitches, his smirk faltering just for a moment before he sneers.
Spy: "So what if I was? The villages will pay a small fortune for it. You're too busy fighting your own wars to notice what's coming. We'll have your secrets, and soon everyone will know."
Ibiki straightens, a dangerous calm settling in his demeanor. He gives a small nod to Kotetsu, who steps forward, placing his hand firmly on the table. With his other hand, Kotetsu presses a seal against the surface, causing the room to shift. A low hum fills the air as the spy's eyes widen, realizing something is happening.
The walls of the room seem to grow, as if stretching, expanding. The air grows heavy, and the light dims, replaced by a sickly green hue. The spy's body tenses as he realizes what's happening: the torture chamber has been summoned.
Ibiki: "You think your mission was successful? You think you'll walk out of here and get paid by your puppet masters in the Land of Lightning? You've got another thing coming."
With a slow, deliberate step, Ibiki moves toward the center of the newly created chamber, his voice cutting through the tension like a knife.
"Summoning: Torture Chamber!" Ibiki yells with all the fire in his voice.
Ibiki: "You and your kind, you're all the same. Scum. You crawl around in the dark, pretending to be untouchable, exploiting the lives of others for profit and power. Well, not on my watch."
The spy begins to sweat as the room warps around him, the walls now pulsating with a sinister rhythm. The air is thick with the weight of impending pain.
Ibiki: "I don't need to break you to make you suffer. You've already betrayed your people. And now, I'm going to make sure the world knows what happens when you think you can play with fire and not get burned."
The spy struggles against his restraints, but it's clear he's caught. Kotetsu, his eyes narrowing as he looks at the man, as he can't help but think how cruel this world is. Wondering what type of mess he'll end up in next.
While Ayane observes, silently awaiting any potential movement.
Ayane: "He won't be walking out of here with anything. Not his pride, not his secrets. Nothing."
Ibiki gives a sharp nod, signaling the start of their interrogation for real this time. His reputation for breaking the unbreakable is legendary, and he won't stop until he extracts every piece of valuable information from this scum.
The spy, now realizing the severity of his situation, starts to squirm. But it's too late.
The technique Ibiki uses to summon an iron torture chamber around himself and the opponent. First, the enemy's arms and legs are captured by four chains, and then the walls of the cage appear flat on the ground, quickly folding together to box them in. Finally, a large statue falls atop the cage, which is then tightly bound in chains.
The floor of the cage is outfitted with a number of gears that can be turned to constrict garrotte wire, a common way to execute a person. The wire is tightly wrapped around the victim's body. With this Ibiki can control the entire space. Ibiki strangles the man making deep cuts along his limbs with the last one being on his neck, but that was the shallowest of cuts as to not kill the man yet.
As the tool is known for cutting into the neck, slicing through the carotid arteries. Because it is easily concealable, silent, and deadly, it is often used for assassinations in situations. When a jutsu is not a suitable option. It is also possible to use a cloth garrote (such as a scarf) to choke out a target without killing them as a means of capturing them. But here his limbs were cut into, with some parts of it them spinning along his thighs. Ripping him apart in the pattern of a spiral.
I thought the Hyuga girl would flinch from watching the man be tortured but she showed no reaction whatsoever. If anything, she was pleased by. Why am I not surprised the Hyuga is one of the more, darker clans of the shinobi world, of course she isn't bothered by it.
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Hokage's Office Late Evening
The Hokage's office is quiet, save for the soft flicker of a candle in the corner and the gentle rustle of papers as the Third Hokage, Hiruzens Sarutobi, reviews reports. The weight of his years is evident in the deep lines etched across his face, but his eyes remain sharp—still capable of seeing every nuance in the world around him. He sits behind a wooden desk that was made by the first hokage himself still stands. Its a symbol of power and authority, as just like the mighty big tree, has never fallen, as he can still feel the abundant chakra of his predecessors.
Ibiki Morino steps into the room, his tall frame casting a shadow in the doorway. His expression is unreadable, a mask forged by years of experience. He walks forward, his presence unmistakable. He had been working late in the village, interrogating the Kusagakure spy who had attempted to infiltrate Konoha's defenses. But now, it's time to report to the Hokage. Ibiki takes his place across from Hiruzens, standing at attention but showing the quiet respect earned from years of service.
Ibiki: "Hokage-sama, the operation was a success. The Kusagakure agent has confessed to his mission. His target was the barrier seal team. He was hired to gather information on their weaknesses in hopes of getting them killed during a mission—possibly even within the village itself."
Hiruzens doesn't flinch, but the brief pause in his movements tells Ibiki that the information has hit its mark. The Hokage's gaze hardens, his eyes reflecting a heavy understanding.
Hiruzens: "So they've come after the barrier team again, have they?"
Ibiki nods, his tone unwavering.
Ibiki: "Yes, sir. The Land of Lightning had hired him to see how our defenses were holding up, specifically the barrier team. He was meant to weaken us through assassination, and if not, by feeding this intel to other villages for profit."
The Hokage leans back in his chair, folding his hands together, his expression hardening further. A brief flash of a past memory crosses his mind—the devastating breach during the Second Shinobi World War, where the entire barrier team of that generation had been wiped out. Hiruzens had witnessed the effects firsthand. The barriers had been vital to the village's communication and defense on the battlefield. With their loss, Konoha's forces were weakened, unable to coordinate their movements, and it had taken two generations to rebuild a team capable of defending the village properly.
Hiruzens: "The destruction of Uzushiogakure... their seals were unrivaled. Since their fall, we've been using outdated seals, and our barrier team has struggled to make advancements to keep up with new threats. But still, we have survived."
His eyes grow distant for a moment, a sadness clouding his usual calm demeanor. The village, its people, the land—all have lost so much over the years. And though Konoha has grown stronger, there are always forces looking to undermine it.
Hiruzens: "We cannot afford to let our defenses be compromised again, Ibiki. Especially not by someone like Kusagakure. They've always been a thorn in our side, but now... we know they've been working with the Land of Lightning. I want this dealt with swiftly, but carefully. We can't allow this information to spread further."
Ibiki bows his head, his expression resolute.
Ibiki: "Understood, Hokage-sama. The agent has been neutralized, but we will continue to investigate any potential leaks. Kotetsu and Ayane have been invaluable in identifying this threat. I'll make sure their report is thorough, and I'll ensure no further weaknesses in our defense go unnoticed."
The Hokage nods in acknowledgment. There is no doubt in his mind that Ibiki has become a key asset to the village. The chief interrogator's loyalty is unwavering—a loyalty that has been proven time and again, even under the most extreme of circumstances. Ibiki's resilience is legendary. Not many would have survived the harshest interrogation in Konoha's history when he himself had been captured during the war and subjected to the very methods he now employs on others.
But Kotetsu. This is the second spy in two weeks of duty on his post Konoha managed to capture a spy and now he knows there's a connect between the land of lightning and the grass village, its possible a few more villages working directly together. How many spys have been slipping under the radar if only two were caught.
Hiruzens: "Your loyalty is unquestioned, Ibiki. You've proven yourself time and again, not just in the field, but in what you've endured. Your methods are not easy, but they are effective. And Konoha needs you now more than ever. Keep up the good work."
Ibiki's eyes flash briefly with a flicker of gratitude, but his stoic expression quickly returns. His mission is far from over.
Ibiki: "I'll continue to serve, Hokage-sama. The village's safety is my duty. No one will threaten Konoha's future."
Hiruzens leans forward, resting his elbows on the desk, his gaze steady.
Hiruzens: "Then let's make sure it stays that way. If anyone else thinks they can bring harm to this village, they'll soon learn how wrong they are."
With that, the Hokage stands, signaling the end of the meeting. Ibiki gives a small bow before exiting the room, ready to carry out his duty. The village may face threats from all corners of the world, but with people like Ibiki standing at its heart, Konoha will remain strong.