Menma's words were blunt, but they struck directly at the heart of the matter.
It wasn't that Shibuki had never considered this reality before. Rather, he had been unconsciously avoiding it, comforting himself with wishful thinking and temporary reassurances. Now that Menma had laid everything out so plainly, there was no room left for self-deception.
For a long moment, Shibuki fell silent.
Because Menma was right.
The greatest risk facing Takigakure was not some hypothetical future involving another missing-nin or another jinchūriki.
It was Menma himself.
The Nine-Tails Jinchūriki.
That title alone was enough to shake the shinobi world.
The moment Menma's true identity became public knowledge, Takigakure would immediately be thrust into the spotlight of every major shinobi village. Compared to that, whether they accepted one more missing-nin or one more jinchūriki would hardly make a meaningful difference.
Furthermore, Kirigakure was located far away across the sea in the Land of Water.
Even if the Hidden Mist wanted to launch a large-scale operation against Takigakure, it would be an extremely difficult undertaking. Their forces would have to travel through multiple territories and overcome countless logistical obstacles.
In the end, Takigakure's immediate concerns would still come from the surrounding nations rather than Kirigakure itself.
When he thought about it carefully, Menma's reasoning was difficult to refute.
After a long silence, Shibuki finally let out a slow breath.
"You are right, Menma-kun."
His expression gradually became calm.
"We no longer have the luxury of retreating. The only path left to us is forward."
Then his gaze sharpened.
"Although it may sound strange to ask this now, I still need to hear your answer."
Shibuki looked directly into Menma's eyes.
His expression had never been more serious.
"Can I truly trust you?"
"Not ordinary trust."
"The kind of trust that comes at any cost."
The atmosphere inside the room instantly became heavy.
Shibuki's fists unconsciously tightened at his sides.
This was not merely a question from a village leader.
This was the question of a man who had wagered the future of his village on a single decision.
Menma met his gaze without the slightest hesitation.
"Of course."
His answer was immediate.
"Takigakure is my village now."
"I need Takigakure, and Takigakure needs me."
His voice was calm, yet carried absolute conviction.
"I will not betray the trust that you and Elder Satoru placed in me."
"I will not allow either of you to regret your decision."
"That is my promise."
The sincerity in Menma's eyes never wavered.
Shibuki stared at him quietly.
Several seconds passed.
Finally, he nodded.
"Very well."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"Then I'll leave it to you, Menma-kun."
Whether his decision was correct or not, Shibuki no longer knew.
But one thing was certain.
There was no turning back.
Unless he was willing to march to Konohagakure right now and expose Menma's identity personally.
Yet even if such a thing were possible, what would Takigakure gain?
Nothing.
Instead, they would lose the greatest opportunity they had possessed in generations.
More importantly
If Menma were cornered and the Nine-Tails broke free…
Shibuki did not even want to imagine the consequences.
He had never witnessed the power of Kurama firsthand.
However, every record from the night of the Nine-Tails' attack painted the same picture.
Absolute destruction.
Such power was not something Takigakure could withstand.
Since they had already chosen this path, there was no point in regretting it now.
Perhaps this road would lead to ruin.
Or perhaps it would lead to a future brighter than anything Takigakure had ever known.
Only time would tell.
"Don't worry, Shibuki-san."
Menma nodded firmly.
"I won't disappoint you."
Soon afterward, the two continued discussing matters related to the village's barrier team and security forces.
Only after everything had been finalized did Menma finally leave the administration building.
Standing alone in the office, Shibuki watched Menma's departing figure disappear into the distance.
A trace of anxiety surfaced in his eyes.
Yet it lasted only a moment.
Soon, determination replaced it.
Grandfather Satoru…
Please watch over us.
Watch over Takigakure.
Whether the village would fall into destruction or rise to unprecedented strength, only those two possibilities remained.
Unlike Shibuki, however, Menma had never hesitated.
From the moment he chose to leave Konoha, he had already made peace with the consequences.
If he had been the type to waver, he would never have defected in the first place.
Remaining in Konoha would have been infinitely safer.
But that was not the life he wanted.
He had chosen this path because he wanted to carve out a new future with his own hands.
A future where he could live according to his own will.
That conviction had never changed.
After leaving the administration building, Menma returned directly to his residence.
Several people were already waiting for him there.
Besides Karin and Suigetsu, four young Takigakure shinobi stood nearby.
Three males.
One female.
All of them were under twenty years old.
These four had consistently demonstrated the best performance during the past two months of training.
More importantly, they possessed the strongest chakra reserves among the younger generation currently available in Takigakure.
By the standards of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, they would barely qualify as chūnin.
However, Menma believed they had the potential to reach jōnin level in the future if properly trained.
Naturally, much would still depend on their own efforts.
Fortunately, Menma lacked neither training methods nor combat experience.
And when it came to forbidden techniques, ninjutsu theory, and advanced shinobi knowledge, Orochimaru's resources were more than sufficient.
As a result, Menma had selected these four individuals as the first core members of the force he intended to build within Takigakure.
Looking at them, Menma spoke in a serious tone.
"I will be leaving the village soon."
"During my absence, Suigetsu will temporarily oversee the Barrier Team."
"If any problems arise, report them to him immediately."
"The operation and maintenance procedures of the barrier system will continue according to the protocols we established."
"If additional support is required, contact Ajun directly."
"Is that understood?"
"Yes, Menma-sama!"
The group immediately bowed.
"We understand!"
"Good."
Menma nodded in satisfaction.
After explaining a few additional details, he dismissed them.
The four Takigakure shinobi departed first.
A short while later, Suigetsu also left.
Only Karin remained.
Watching Suigetsu's figure disappear completely from his sensory range, Menma finally turned toward her.
"Karin."
"Hm?"
"While I'm gone, keep an eye on Suigetsu."
Menma smiled helplessly.
"His strength has improved considerably, but he's still immature. If anything unusual happens, report it directly to Shibuki-san."
"This mission is also a test for him."
Karin nodded confidently.
"Leave it to me."
Then she tilted her head.
"But are you really leaving that soon?"
"Shouldn't you make more preparations first?"
Menma chuckled.
"Of course."
"I won't leave immediately."
"I still need confirmation from Orochimaru regarding several pieces of intelligence."
"And before I depart…"
A meaningful smile appeared on his face.
"There is someone else I need to meet."
Karin blinked.
"Someone?"
Menma shook his head.
"More accurately…"
"A beast."
"…A beast?"
Karin looked utterly confused.
Unfortunately for her, Menma had no intention of explaining further.
Instead, he turned his gaze toward the distant south.
At that moment, his eyes became deep and thoughtful.
Far beyond the borders of Takigakure.
Somewhere in that direction.
A tailed beast was waiting.
And Menma intended to find it.
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