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In the end, is he still unqualified?
Mizuno Satoru pondered silently in his heart.
But at this point, even if Shibuki truly wasn't suited to be the leader, they could only brace themselves and take it one step at a time. Never mind that his own life was nearing its end—even if he could live for another two years, was there a more suitable candidate in the village?
It had to be said, this was the tragedy of the Hidden Waterfall Village.
Although he didn't want to admit it, Mizuno Satoru seemed to foresee a future where his village would only grow weaker. Or perhaps this was simply the fate of the Hidden Waterfall. Ever since the internal rebellion decades ago, not only had they lost any hope of truly catching up to the Five Great Ninja Villages, but they had also been steadily declining over the years.
If not for the existence of the Seven-Tails, the Hidden Waterfall likely wouldn't even compare to the Hidden Rain or the Hidden Grass anymore.
"Shibuki, life and death are destined by heaven. I have lived to 70 in vain; there is nothing to worry about. You are now the leader of the village. You cannot show such weakness, do you understand?"
Mizuno Satoru took a deep breath, looking at Shibuki with a very serious expression.
Since there was no other choice, they could only walk this path to the end.
Besides, Shibuki's personality wasn't completely without merit. At least it wouldn't incite opposition from the neutral factions within the village, right?
Of course, this was just Mizuno Satoru comforting himself.
"Yes, Grandpa Satoru. I've disappointed you," Shibuki replied with a look of deep guilt.
The more he saw Shibuki act like this, the more disappointed Mizuno Satoru felt. He truly wished Shibuki could become tougher and bolder, instead of acting so timid and shrinking back.
This was absolutely not how a qualified ninja village leader should behave.
However, Mizuno Satoru showed none of this on his face.
Instead, he gently shook his head, patting Shibuki's head with a gentle expression. "No, you've done well. There's no need to blame yourself so much. How is the situation with Suien? Shibuki, I've been in a coma for several days, haven't I? Is there any other news from these past few days? Has Suien been captured?"
This was currently the most critical issue for the Hidden Waterfall Village.
As said before, Mizuno Satoru knew Suien too well.
If Suien wasn't dealt with in time, their village would face immense chaos from within.
"Ah, about that, don't worry, Grandpa Satoru. I've already confirmed Suien's location and sent Jun-san to lead a team in pursuit. As long as no major accidents occur, they should be able to capture Suien successfully."
Mentioning this, Shibuki nodded heavily, speaking with a rare tone of certainty.
"Oh? Is that so? That's good. You should add another order: if Suien resists fiercely, kill him on the spot. Do not hesitate."
Hearing Shibuki's answer, Mizuno Satoru's spirits lifted.
If they could truly deal with this rogue ninja Suien in a short time, the village's internal turmoil could be settled quickly.
There wouldn't be a need to worry about excessive problems.
"Kill him on the spot? Grandpa Satoru, isn't that a bit too..."
Shibuki revealed a look of hesitation. Even at this point, he still felt that if the problem could be solved through negotiation, he should try to avoid taking that final step. After all, his relationship with Suien was still relatively okay, and with Fu involved, Shibuki felt he needed to consider things more carefully.
"Shibuki, this is a major issue concerning the stability of the ninja village. You cannot have any hesitation!"
Seeing Shibuki's old habit flaring up again, Mizuno Satoru wore a very solemn expression and spoke in the strictest tone possible.
Indecision leads to chaos.
Shibuki's gentle nature was originally a virtue, but on a ninja village leader, excessive gentleness was a disaster.
A leader should certainly have benevolence and a loving heart, but absolutely not unchecked indulgence. That would be a massive threat to himself and the entire village.
Suien had already defected.
For the Hidden Waterfall Village, and for Shibuki, he was an enemy that had to be eradicated. He hadn't defected due to differing ideologies or some unspeakable reason; he had defected for naked power and status.
Therefore, there could be no hesitation.
He had to be dealt with immediately.
Seeing Mizuno Satoru's incredibly strict demeanor, Shibuki swallowed the words on the tip of his tongue. After a moment of silence with a hesitant expression, he slowly nodded. "Mhm, I understand, Grandpa Satoru. Don't worry, I'll issue the order later."
"Mhm, that's right. You are the leader of our Hidden Waterfall Village. You must show the corresponding capacity. There can be no womanly benevolence."
Seeing that Shibuki wasn't completely stubborn or weak, Mizuno Satoru revealed a look of relief. His fear was that the boy would always remain soft-hearted—how could he possibly awe the entire ninja village then?
"You don't need to worry about me. Remember your duty. The current situation in the ninja world is very delicate; you must grasp the nuances yourself."
Mizuno Satoru let out a long breath, speaking with a very serious expression.
"Yes, Grandpa Satoru, I know. I definitely won't let you down."
"Mhm, good. By the way, how was that guy Suien's trail exposed?"
Mizuno Satoru nodded with satisfaction, then, as if realizing something, asked directly.
"Oh? It was that girl Fu who discovered him. That bastard Suien tried to abduct Fu but was heavily injured by her on the spot. She sent Echizen to deliver the message, and that's why I sent Jun and the others to pursue him. If everything goes smoothly, Suien should be captured within a day or two. Given that he was heavily injured by Fu, it's impossible for him to have fled too far."
Shibuki was stunned for a moment, then answered naturally.
"Oh? Is that so? It was Fu... Wait, Fu discovered him? That guy Suien went to find Fu?"
Mizuno Satoru nodded subconsciously at first.
Then, as if realization struck, his expression changed drastically.
Mizuno Satoru wasn't Shibuki.
His understanding of Fu and Suien far exceeded Shibuki's.
Although there was no direct evidence, this conversation sparked a very dangerous thought in Mizuno Satoru's mind.
"Yes, what's wrong? Grandpa Satoru?"
Shibuki was stunned by the sudden change in Mizuno Satoru's expression, completely unable to react to what was happening.
"Quickly, tell me everything that has happened recently, especially regarding Fu!"
The older ginger is spicier [experience counts].
Sensing the acute danger, Mizuno Satoru spoke immediately, looking at Shibuki with an unprecedentedly grim expression.