"Genius?!"
The superior froze for a moment, suspicion flickering in his eyes.
But upon closer reflection, he realized that the village's past behavior toward the ramen shop owner, his subordinate, had indeed been peculiar. They had kept many critical pieces of information from them.
Seeing the superior's hesitation, the ramen shop owner, whose memories had been altered by Uchiha Shinji's genjutsu, urged, "The village is undergoing a massive upheaval right now. If we do nothing and wait for them to elect a new leader, do you think people like us will have a good outcome?"
The superior's expression darkened.
Kusagakure, the Hidden Grass Village, had incurred the wrath of many this time. Its survival hinged on its sensitive geographical position. Aligning with any one of the great nations would provoke suspicion from the others. The balance of power among the five great shinobi villages had allowed Kusagakure to barely cling to existence.
No one could predict whether the newly elected leader would sell out spies like them to the Hidden Leaf Village to gain their support.
The ramen shop owner pressed on, "This is our best chance. If we miss it, our fates will be in someone else's hands!"
After weighing the matter for a long time, the superior shook his head. "It's futile! At the end of the day, we're remnants of the 'Grass Seed' faction. Now that the 'Grass Flower' faction has regained control of the village, what can we do? We're too weak and isolated!"
The ramen shop owner countered, "Didn't I tell you? In our hands, we hold the village's future hope!"
The superior scoffed, "Even if they're a genius, what can a half-grown kid do? There's no time to wait for them to mature. Give it up. Our glory days are long gone. Surviving is the best outcome for people like us now!"
The ramen shop owner suddenly smirked. "You don't understand. She's already grown!"
"What?!"
The ramen shop owner continued, "If we back her, who becomes the village's new leader is far from decided!"
The superior cautiously asked, "Does she have the strength of a Jonin?"
Hidden Grass Village, though not one of the five great shinobi villages, was a significant shinobi village backed by the daimyo of the Land of Grass. Even in its decline, the leader needed at least Jonin-level strength to command respect.
The ramen shop owner nodded. "Yes! Otherwise, why do you think the elders risked sending her to the Hidden Leaf?"
The superior was immediately convinced.
A potential Jonin was an undeniable force in today's Hidden Grass Village. Even if she didn't secure the leadership, she could at least claim an elder's title and offer them protection.
The two began discussing the details.
To ensure the secrecy of Karin's line, Hidden Grass Village had assigned only a small number of shinobi, but each was an elite. The superior himself was a seasoned Chunin of the village. The line included two other Chunin like him and over a dozen Genin responsible for gathering and relaying information.
Before the village's turmoil, this force would have been insignificant. But now, things were different—especially with a "genius" Jonin backing them.
Hidden Grass Village.
The village, in desperate need of rebuilding, had turned into a massive construction site. Though the daimyo of the Land of Grass was thoroughly fed up with the village, he still provided the necessary funds without skimping.
The relationship between a shinobi village and its daimyo was delicate. An overly powerful village was bad news for a daimyo, but a nation without a shinobi village was unacceptable. For daimyo content with the status quo, having a shinobi village ensured their safety and maintained their rule.
Inside the Central Hall.
Several craftsmen from the Land of Grass were discussing the hall's restoration with Ryuzetsu.
At that moment, a figure rushed in from outside.
Ryuzetsu glanced over, exasperated. "Ryuzetsu, what's with the panic?"
Panting, Ryuzetsu replied, "Brother, we got word from the daimyo!"
Ryuzetsu's expression grew serious. "Oh? What did the daimyo say?"
As a Jonin of the 'Grass Flower' faction and someone who had earned considerable prestige by protecting many comrades during the Land of Grass's upheaval, Ryuzetsu was a strong contender for the village's next leader. Naturally, he paid close attention to the daimyo's messages.
Ryuzetsu pouted. "The daimyo said he won't attend the leader election conference. Just notify him of the results afterward!"
Ryuzetsu's face darkened.
He knew the daimyo's refusal to attend stemmed from concerns about the village's current instability. The daimyo feared something might happen if he came to observe the spectacle.
After a moment, Ryuzetsu sighed. "Fine, if he's not coming, so be it."
"What a coward!" Ryuzetsu muttered under her breath.
"Mind your manners!" Ryuzetsu scolded before adding, "This election conference must go off without a hitch!"
Ryuzetsu nodded. "Don't worry, Brother! Everyone supports you. You're sure to become the leader!"
Ryuzetsu said, "Masahiko and Yoshino still have a shot."
Swish.
Suddenly, a Hidden Grass Anbu appeared before Ryuzetsu, respectfully handing him a sealed letter.
Ryuzetsu took the letter and frowned as he read it.
Ryuzetsu asked, "Brother, what's wrong?"
Ryuzetsu replied, "Masahiko and Yoshino have withdrawn their candidacy for leadership!"
Ryuzetsu was stunned, then delighted. "That's great news! If they're out, doesn't that mean you're the leader?"
Ryuzetsu's expression grew grave. "No. They withdrew because they've united to back someone else."
"Who?!"
Ryuzetsu racked her brain but couldn't think of anyone in the village who could rival her brother.
After a moment of thought, Ryuzetsu instructed Ryuzetsu, "Stay in the village. I'm going to find out who this person is that Masahiko and Yoshino would abandon their candidacy to support!"
Ryuzetsu cautioned, "Brother, be careful!"
"Mm."
With a quick response, Ryuzetsu left Hidden Grass Village and arrived at a cave not far from the village.
Standing guard at the cave's entrance was none other than the ramen shop owner's superior.
Ryuzetsu recognized him immediately. "Mizawa, it's you?!"
Mizawa, the superior, smiled. "Ryuzetsu, long time no see!"
Seeing a familiar face, Ryuzetsu lowered his guard slightly and asked, "Who requested this meeting? What are you, Masahiko, and Yoshino up to?"
Mizawa replied, "Go inside, and you'll see."
Suppressing his doubts, Ryuzetsu entered the cave. There, he saw Masahiko and Yoshino, the village's remaining Jonin. His gaze then settled on the figure in the center—a person wearing a mask and a black cloak. He demanded, "Who are you?!"