There Is No Misery in Inari!
Kaito narrowed his gaze at Inari, their eyes locking. An invisible force radiated from Kaito's pupils, rippling through the air like a Genjutsu taking hold.
For a brief moment, Inari's vision blurred, his mind drowning in a haze. When he snapped back to reality, everything felt strangely off.
Glancing at Naruto—who was visibly furious—Inari clenched his fists, then abruptly turned and ran out. His mother, Tsunami, rushed forward, concern etched on her face as she tried to comfort those around her.
Kaito smirked as he watched Inari flee. Without drawing attention, he slipped one hand into his sleeve, forming a one-handed seal—a technique used only by the most adept shinobi.
---
Meanwhile, Inari wandered aimlessly through the streets of the Land of Waves. Suddenly, a golden cross flickered in his eyes—an unmistakable sign of illusionary manipulation. His body stiffened like a marionette controlled by unseen strings. Without hesitation, he turned toward a woman passing by.
His small hands reached into her sash, pulling out a kunai. Then, with a sharp cry, he lunged forward, slashing at the startled woman.
She gasped, stumbling backward. "Help! Someone, help me!"
Her desperate cries pierced the air, drawing the attention of passersby.
"Hey, is that… Inari?" A villager murmured, eyes widening in shock.
Kazuo, a burly fisherman, followed his gaze. His expression darkened when he spotted Inari chasing the woman with a weapon.
"Don't just stand there—stop him!" Kazuo barked, sprinting forward.
With swift reflexes, he grabbed Inari by the collar and hoisted him off the ground. "What the hell do you think you're doing, kid?! Have you lost your mind?"
But Inari—still caught in the Genjutsu—only grinned eerily. His laughter sent chills through the crowd.
Kazuo frowned. "Hey, I'm talking to you! Snap out of it!"
Frustrated, he gave Inari a light smack across the head, hoping to knock some sense into him. Normally, Inari was a quiet, melancholic child, often muttering about how resistance was useless against Gato's men. But this? This was something else entirely.
Then, without warning, Inari's grip on the kunai tightened. His arm lashed out, stabbing Kazuo in the forearm.
"Gah!" Kazuo shouted in pain, instinctively hurling Inari away.
The boy hit the ground hard, but instead of crying, he let out another unsettling laugh.
The crowd gathered, murmuring in horror. What had gotten into Inari? And more importantly… who was controlling him?
Inari, surrounded by the villagers, did not show fear. Instead, he laughed—his voice trembling with something close to madness. Without hesitation, he tightened his grip on the knife and drove it straight into his own chest.
"Shhk!"
The blade sank deep, and crimson blood poured down the handle, pooling onto the dirt below.
Gasps echoed through the gathered crowd. For a moment, no one moved—frozen in shock at the boy's sudden act of self-harm. Then, the silence shattered.
"Someone help him! Don't just stand there!"
Even those who had once ridiculed Inari found themselves rushing forward. Despite their past bitterness, no one wanted to witness a child die before their eyes. Some villagers bolted toward Tazuna's house, desperate to call for aid.
A local doctor pushed through the crowd and pressed two fingers to Inari's neck. Moments later, he exhaled sharply and shook his head.
"He's gone..."
A hush fell over the onlookers. Then, like a wave, murmurs spread, and people began to back away.
Tazuna arrived moments later, flanked by Tsunami and Team 7—Kakashi, Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura. His eyes widened in horror at the sight of his grandson lying motionless in a pool of blood. With a strangled cry, he dropped to his knees, clutching Inari's lifeless body.
"Inari!" Tazuna's wails echoed through the village.
But amid the grief, Tsunami's reaction was... off. She did not collapse in sorrow, nor did she cry out in despair. Instead, for the briefest moment, a small smile flickered across her lips—so faint it could have been imagined. But it wasn't.
One person caught it.
A sharp gaze flickered toward her—Uchiha Sasuke's. His eyes narrowed slightly, though he said nothing.
"Something isn't right here."
With a final glance at Tsunami, Sasuke turned and walked away, already piecing together the puzzle in his mind.