"Ah, so these are the interrogation tools."
Takumi pretended to examine the items on the racks with feigned curiosity.
Truthfully, he knew this place better than his own home… he could probably count the number of floor tiles blindfolded!
But he played along, acting completely unfamiliar with his surroundings.
"Alright, that's enough. We can leave now," Asuma said, his voice strained.
The successive visits to the hospital, morgue, and now the Interrogation Division had pushed his mental endurance to its limits.
But Takumi had no intention of letting him off easily.
"It's over? But we haven't even witnessed an actual interrogation yet."
"..."
"What exactly do you want to see?" Asuma asked miserably.
"The interrogation process itself, of course! How can one truly understand the importance of every mission without experiencing what it feels like to be captured and tortured by the enemy?"
"Don't you agree, Asuma-sensei?"
Takumi's face maintained its mask of pure innocence, while Asuma felt like he was being roasted over open flames.
But what could he do?
He had to tough it out!
Under Ibiki's guidance, the three entered an interrogation chamber.
An active interrogation was underway.
The prisoner was an Iwagakure's Shinobi from the Land of Earth, currently being whipped, his body already marked with bloody stripes.
"This..."
The sight immediately caused Kurenai significant discomfort, forcing her to close her eyes.
Asuma was also struggling to endure.
The brutally marked body and the agonized screams were severely impacting his psyche!
Takumi, however, was completely different.
Calm and composed!
The screams didn't sound harsh to his ears at all, and he felt no particular reaction.
After all, he had decades of interrogation experience.
This level of interrogation, in his eyes, was about as intense as children slapping each other.
One, two, three...
Takumi moved tirelessly from cell to cell.
He examined each prisoner carefully, even asking their names, occupations, and what crimes had landed them here.
Kurenai covered her ears, her eyes fixed on the floor.
Asuma grew paler, his steps unsteady, his body continuously breaking out in cold sweat.
Finally…
At the fifth prisoner.
Asuma completely broke.
He leaned against the wall, vomiting violently!
"Asuma-sensei?"
"Asuma-sensei, what's wrong? Why are you vomiting?"
Takumi twisted the knife, asking with feigned concern.
Kurenai watched from the side, shaking her head in disappointment.
'Was this really Asuma?'
'All that posturing earlier, and now he's the one who can't handle it?'
'Trying to test someone else's mental fortitude, only to be the first one broken by the experience? He's completely shaming Konoha's Shinobi!'
Ibiki frowned and signaled his subordinates to escort Asuma out.
Though Kurenai wanted to leave too, she stayed, concerned that Takumi might reach his limit.
"Alright, that's enough. You may leave now."
Ibiki waved his hand, no longer interested in hosting Takumi's group.
If someone else started vomiting, it would just mean more cleanup.
"Then let's see just one more."
Ibiki nodded, and Takumi entered the nearest cell.
However…
He stopped the moment he stepped inside.
Because the prisoner in this cell was the very first one he had dealt with in his last simulation!
That Kumogakure's Shinobi!
The one who experienced the blackboard and glass torture!
He even remembered the man's name: Nishino Isamu.
"Ibiki-sensei, this man... why does he seem completely unafraid?"
Takumi asked, already knowing the answer.
Ibiki sighed, "This scum is a spy from Kumogakure. He's professionally trained, and has high stress tolerance. I couldn't break him myself."
"Oh, I see..."
Takumi responded quietly, then walked further into the interrogation room.
"Hey, Takumi! What are you doing? Get out! It's dangerous!" Ibiki shouted.
But Takumi simply crouched down about a meter away from Nishino Isamu.
"Um... what's your name? Can you tell me?"
"And... why do you do bad things?"
Takumi's 'innocent on the outside, dark within' performance went into overdrive!
This Nishino Isamu was his very first interrogation subject.
His memories of him remained vivid.
"Get lost, you Konoha brat, before I kill you." Nishino Isamu spat contemptuously.
Takumi frowned.
But in the next moment, he directed his unique aura toward Nishino Isamu.
The aura of death, tempered through over sixty years of interrogation work!
Instantly…
Nishino Isamu sensed something wrong.
He twitched, raising his head nervously!
'This brat's face looked completely innocent.'
'But the aura emanating from him was incredibly sinister and foul!'
'It felt... like a mass murderer who had killed thousands!'
"Hey! You! Who are you!?"
"D-don't come any closer!"
Nishino Isamu trembled violently, frantically scrambling backward, kicking his legs, trying to shrink into the corner!
The scene left both Ibiki and Kurenai utterly stunned!
"Get him away! Hurry up and drag him out!"
"This person! This person is a maniac!"
"No! Don't come any closer!"
Nishino Isamu screamed hysterically, his face twisted in terror as if he'd seen a ghost!
Ibiki was dumbfounded!
'Even when I personally took charge and applied severe torture, this Nishino Isamu had held firm.'
'But now...'
'Just seeing Takumi had terrified him to this extent!?'
"Wh-what's happening!?"
"What's wrong with him!?"
"Has he gone mad?"
Takumi continued releasing his aura, his face still the picture of innocence.
"Ara? What are you talking about? What maniac?"
"I'm just a child, you know..."
As he spoke, Takumi directly activated the system's second ability: Memory Share!
Instantly, memories of the gold-rimmed glasses, the clean suit, the blackboard, chalk, glass...
All kinds of agonizing memories flooded Nishino Isamu's mind!
"You! It's you!!??"
"Noooo!"
Nishino Isamu's screams shifted from fear to desperate pleading!
He was so terrified he even wet himself!
That genuine pain, those memories etched into his bones... it didn't feel like an illusion at all!
It felt utterly real!
"Please! Stop torturing me!"
"I'll talk! I'll tell you everything!"
"Please, just stop!"
Nishino Isamu pressed his face to the floor, kowtowing frantically to Takumi!
This scene not only stunned Kurenai and Ibiki nearby.
Every Anbu's member in the Interrogation Division, even the other prisoners, stood frozen, watching in stunned silence!
"Ibiki-sensei."
Takumi stood up.
His expression was one of confusion and hurt.
"He says he'll talk. Aren't you going to question him..."
…
Hokage Tower, Sandaime Hokage's Office.
Hiruzen puffed on his pipe, gazing out the window with a complicated expression.
"How is Asuma?"
An Anbu's Shinobi nearby immediately responded, "He's recovered, but still needs several days of rest."
"Hmm."
Hiruzen nodded, his hand unconsciously tightening around his pipe.
His son was so useless!
Trying to test another student's stress tolerance, only to end up being the one who broke!
If this got out, it would be a huge joke, making him, the father, lose all reputation!
"Keep watching Asuma. Report any issues immediately."
The Anbu acknowledged and left the office.
Ibiki, standing nearby, stepped forward to console him, "Hokage-sama, you can't really blame Asuma. After all, those extreme environments aren't something everyone can handle..."
---
FOR EVERY 50 POWER STONES, I'LL UPLOAD ONE CHAPTER