Upon hearing of Menma's return, Shibuki was genuinely delighted.
After all, while Menma's identity as a missing-nin from Konohagakure undeniably carried enormous risks and could one day bring unforeseen trouble to Takigakure, those dangers remained merely potential threats.
The benefits Menma had already brought to the village, however, were real and tangible.
For that reason, Shibuki had always been concerned about Menma's safety.
Unlike when he had first accepted Menma solely because of Elder Mizuno Satoru's recommendation, Shibuki had gradually become convinced that Menma truly possessed the ability to lead Takigakure toward heights it had never reached before.
Moreover…
Shibuki already knew the true purpose of Menma's journey.
So when he learned that Menma had not only returned safely but had also brought back another shinobi whose chakra carried an extraordinarily powerful presence…
The smile on Shibuki's face became impossible to suppress.
The risks were still there.
That much was undeniable.
But none of those risks had materialized yet.
Meanwhile, Takigakure's strength had increased once again.
Now the village possessed three jinchūriki.
Even among the Five Great Shinobi Nations, how many villages could claim such a military advantage?
Although Shibuki lacked extensive political experience, even he understood what three jinchūriki represented.
That wasn't merely additional manpower.
It was overwhelming strategic deterrence.
Any village contemplating war would have no choice but to think twice.
Without any hesitation, Shibuki immediately called for his trusted subordinate, Ajun, who was working in the neighboring office.
"Come with me, Ajun-san."
"Ichi-san has returned."
"Let's go meet him."
Shibuki stood as he spoke.
Ajun raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"Oh?"
"Ichi-san is back?"
After a brief pause, he instinctively replied,
"But, Lord Shibuki… there's no need for you to personally go over there."
"It would be more appropriate for me to send someone to invite him here."
It wasn't that Ajun disliked Menma.
Quite the opposite.
He fully acknowledged Menma's contributions to Takigakure.
If the day ever came when Menma officially became one of the village's commanders, Ajun would willingly obey his orders.
However…
There was one principle he would never compromise.
The leader of Takigakure…
Could only be Shibuki.
The village could have only one voice at its summit.
Ajun could never accept a situation in which an outsider gradually eclipsed the village leader.
Not in the past.
Not now.
And certainly not in the future.
To him, hierarchy mattered.
Personal relationships mattered.
The distinction between superior and subordinate mattered.
That was the foundation upon which a shinobi village functioned.
Therefore, seeing Shibuki voluntarily lower himself to visit Menma caused Ajun to instinctively object.
A leader should possess the dignity befitting his position.
In ordinary times, equality and friendliness were perfectly acceptable.
But when official matters were involved, established etiquette had to be respected.
At least…
That was Ajun's unwavering belief.
Shibuki blinked in surprise.
Then, after seeing the seriousness in Ajun's eyes, he immediately understood what his subordinate was worried about.
A helpless smile appeared on his face.
"No, Ajun-san."
"It's not what you're thinking."
"The person Ichi-san brought back has a rather special identity."
"For the time being, it wouldn't be appropriate for that person to appear publicly inside the village."
"So it's more convenient if we go ourselves."
Ajun paused for a moment before bowing his head.
"I understand."
"My apologies."
Although he had misunderstood the situation, his loyalty remained unquestionable.
Shibuki simply smiled.
Sometimes…
Ajun truly was too serious.
Unlike his subordinate, Shibuki had never cared much about formal authority.
To him, the village's prosperity came first.
If someone else could genuinely lead Takigakure toward a brighter future, he had even considered relinquishing the position of village leader himself.
Among the leaders of the shinobi villages…
Shibuki was undoubtedly one of the kindest.
The two quickly headed toward the eastern district of Takigakure.
This area had gradually become Menma's exclusive training and research grounds.
Besides several secluded residences, there were also specially constructed practice fields and laboratories where Menma carried out his experiments.
Initially, some villagers had expressed dissatisfaction over the amount of land allocated to him.
But those complaints had completely disappeared.
The reason was simple.
The village-wide sensory barrier.
Ever since Menma had personally designed and completed Takigakure's large-scale detection barrier, numerous infiltrators from other villages had been exposed and captured before they could gather any meaningful intelligence.
The effectiveness of the barrier spoke for itself.
No one could openly question someone whose achievements had already protected the entire village.
As a result, Menma's prestige among Takigakure's shinobi had risen dramatically.
The barrier not only strengthened the village's defenses but also significantly increased internal stability.
Even so…
Menma knew that the other villages had undoubtedly noticed the change.
A village didn't suddenly develop such an advanced sensory barrier without attracting attention.
Fortunately…
The timing worked in Takigakure's favor.
The rapidly escalating conflict among Konohagakure, Kumogakure, and Kirigakure had seized the attention of nearly the entire shinobi world.
Compared with the growing tensions among the Five Great Nations…
Takigakure attracted far less scrutiny.
After all, a village improving its barrier techniques wasn't impossible.
Takigakure had once been considered powerful enough to rival the great nations.
Perhaps they had simply perfected research that had been underway for years.
As for the captured spies…
Such incidents occurred from time to time.
Few people viewed them as anything extraordinary.
The shinobi world was currently focused on something far more important.
Would another Great Ninja War erupt?
That question overshadowed everything else.
In a sense…
The conflict among the three great villages had inadvertently bought Takigakure precious time.
Provided Menma's existence remained concealed.
Of course…
Menma never entertained the illusion that his presence could remain hidden forever.
As long as clues existed, someone would eventually piece them together.
The only uncertainty was when.
Neither Menma nor Takigakure possessed the ability to erase every trace.
Even the Akatsuki had long existed within the intelligence files of every major nation.
Many influential figures already knew rumors concerning the Rinnegan.
Yet none of the great villages had acted decisively.
Why?
Because the greatest obstacle had never been intelligence.
It was human nature.
Arrogance.
Suspicion.
Greed.
Mutual distrust.
Each nation preferred waiting for another to make the first move.
Those conflicting interests often created exactly the delay Menma needed.
He had never intended to rely upon secrecy forever.
Ultimately…
Everything depended upon strength.
Only overwhelming strength could determine one's fate.
Which meant…
The current situation demanded that his plans proceed even faster.
As those thoughts crossed his mind, Menma quietly waited inside the residence.
A moment later, he sensed two familiar chakra signatures approaching.
He didn't even need to actively extend his perception.
Thanks to his increasingly refined mastery over Kurama's chakra, Menma's sensory abilities had advanced significantly.
Although he couldn't perceive emotions exactly as Naruto later would after befriending Kurama, his extraordinary sensory talent as an Uzumaki allowed him to detect approaching chakra signatures from remarkable distances.
Anyone attempting a conventional ambush would find it virtually impossible to catch him off guard.
Only instantaneous Space-Time Ninjutsu posed a genuine threat.
Otherwise…
Any approaching enemy would be detected long before reaching him.
"Looks like they're here."
Menma smiled slightly.
"Karin, could you get the door?"
"Mm."
Karin, who had just finished preparing tea, nodded before quickly walking toward the entrance.
The door slid open.
Standing outside were Shibuki and Ajun.
"Shibuki-san."
"Ajun-san."
Menma immediately stood to greet them.
"I'm sorry for troubling both of you by asking you to come here."
Shibuki waved his hand with an easy smile.
"No need to apologize."
"Considering Yūgao-san's current identity, this arrangement is much more appropriate."
As he stepped into the room, his eyes naturally fell upon Yūgao.
The joy in his expression became even more apparent.
Ajun, however, silently observed the unfamiliar woman with undisguised curiosity.
And caution.
His trust in Menma had never been absolute.
Elder Mizuno Satoru believed in Menma.
Shibuki believed in Menma.
Ajun acknowledged Menma's loyalty to the village.
But…
He still couldn't completely dismiss one concern.
Would Menma eventually seek control over Takigakure?
The newly established Barrier Team already answered directly to Menma in matters of village defense.
His influence had grown much faster than Ajun had expected.
Now…
Menma had returned with another powerful shinobi.
From Ajun's perspective, wasn't this simply another step toward strengthening Menma's own faction?
His vigilance naturally increased.
So this is the shinobi Menma recruited…
Strange…
Her chakra feels surprisingly restrained.
Perhaps she's deliberately concealing her strength because of her identity?
Ajun frowned inwardly.
Naturally…
He had no idea that Yūgao was intentionally suppressing her chakra.
Without specialized sensory abilities, he could never accurately judge the strength of a jinchūriki who was deliberately hiding her presence.
Yūgao, on the other hand, immediately noticed Ajun's scrutiny.
She didn't mind.
It was perfectly understandable.
Menma had already explained Takigakure's internal structure and the role he currently played within the village.
As someone who had joined halfway through, attracting suspicion was only natural.
What surprised Yūgao far more…
Was Shibuki.
Although she lacked Menma's extraordinary sensory abilities, years of synchronizing with Matatabi had sharpened her instincts far beyond those of ordinary shinobi.
She could clearly sense genuine goodwill.
Shibuki wasn't pretending.
He truly welcomed her arrival.
That reaction differed greatly from what she had expected before entering Takigakure.
After all…
She was a missing-nin from Kirigakure.
Menma was a missing-nin from Konoha.
Objectively speaking, the two of them carried enormous political risks.
Yet Takigakure's leader showed no trace of fear.
Only happiness.
This village…
It's rather different from what I imagined.
Yūgao silently observed Shibuki, Ajun, and Menma before quietly reaching that conclusion.
Once everyone had taken their seats, Menma sighed lightly.
"Originally, everything went according to plan."
"I intended to bring Yūgao back without attracting anyone's attention."
"Unfortunately…"
"There were quite a few unexpected developments."
Shibuki's expression became serious.
"Unexpected developments?"
"Does this involve Kirigakure?"
Ajun also looked puzzled.
He still had no idea why Kirigakure had suddenly entered the conversation.
That was understandable.
At present, the conflict among Konoha, Kumogakure, and Kirigakure had only just begun.
Most of the shinobi world still didn't know the details.
Only because of Orochimaru's intelligence network had Menma learned the situation ahead of everyone else.
"It involves the conflict that's currently unfolding among the three villages."
Menma nodded.
"There are several things you need to know."
He then recounted everything that had happened during his journey.
His encounter with the Konoha pursuit team.
His clash with the Kumogakure shinobi led by Darui.
Kirigakure's tracking forces.
And finally…
His confrontation with Jiraiya.
As Menma calmly narrated each event, the expressions of both Shibuki and Ajun changed repeatedly.
Especially Ajun.
By the time Menma finished, his eyes had widened in complete disbelief.
What…?
The person sitting beside us…
Is actually the Two-Tails' jinchūriki?
Menma encountered Kumogakure, Kirigakure… and even Konoha?
Jiraiya himself personally led Konoha's forces?
And Menma actually fought one of the Legendary Sannin… and escaped unscathed?
Ajun stared blankly at Menma.
For the first time in years…
He genuinely questioned whether his own ears had betrayed him.
Everything he had just heard sounded utterly unbelievable.
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