Menma nodded without the slightest hesitation.
Only then did Ajun finally relax.
In his view, Takigakure was still one of the hidden villages of the shinobi world, possessing considerable military strength and, more importantly, a Jinchūriki who housed the Seven-Tails, Chōmei. Ajun simply could not imagine that a small group of outsiders would dare harbor hostile intentions while willingly returning to the village with them.
Naturally, that confidence stemmed from one crucial misunderstanding.
Ajun knew nothing about Menma's true identity.
Had he known that the young man standing before him was the son of the Fourth Hokage and the Nine-Tails' Jinchūriki, he would never have been so relaxed. At Menma's current level, he could already draw upon several tails' worth of Kurama's chakra. If he truly wished to create chaos within Takigakure, few people in the village would be capable of stopping him.
After all, not all tailed beasts were equal.
Among the tailed beasts from One-Tail through Seven-Tails, differences certainly existed, but the gaps were not overwhelmingly large. Chakra reserves and combat abilities varied to some extent, yet they remained within a comparable range.
However, beginning with the Eight-Tails, Gyūki, the disparity became obvious.
Gyūki possessed combat power far exceeding that of the earlier tailed beasts, and the Nine-Tails stood at an even higher level. Kurama's chakra reserves alone dwarfed those of most other tailed beasts. In direct combat, a single tailed beast would have little chance against the Nine-Tails unless several of them joined forces.
This was one reason many people jokingly claimed that the Sage of Six Paths had favored Kurama when dividing the Ten-Tails' chakra.
Whether the Nine-Tails possessed one-third or one-quarter of the original Ten-Tails' chakra was impossible to determine precisely, but there was no denying that Kurama had inherited a vastly greater portion than any of the others.
The Nine-Tails was truly exceptional among the Bijū.
Of course, tailed beasts also suffered from a fatal weakness.
The Sharingan and Wood Release.
Without those two overwhelming counters, Kurama would have been even more terrifying than history recorded. Although legendary figures such as Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju likely still possessed the strength necessary to defeat the Nine-Tails, Kurama certainly would not have been controlled as easily as a domesticated beast.
Ultimately, it was the power inherited from the Sage of Six Paths that made such feats possible.
Madara's Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan and Hashirama's Wood Release both possessed extraordinary suppressive effects against tailed beasts.
Fortunately for Menma, none of those threats were present here.
Some Taki shinobi remained behind to clean up the battlefield, while the rest began returning to Takigakure.
Although the incident appeared to have shaken the entire village, the actual number of Taki shinobi directly involved in the coup was surprisingly small.
Excluding outsiders such as Menma's group and Midori Aoi's Amegakure forces, only two to three hundred Taki shinobi had participated.
That represented barely a tenth of Takigakure's total military strength.
Under normal circumstances, such a limited rebellion should never have escalated into a serious threat to the village. Yet because of Shibuki's personality and the unique circumstances surrounding Takigakure, the crisis had grown far more dangerous than it should have.
Fortunately, everything had concluded with the best possible outcome.
The neutral factions within the village quickly chose to cooperate with Shibuki after the rebellion's failure. They helped apprehend prisoners, maintain order, and stabilize the situation.
Although most of the fighting had occurred near the village's main entrance, the aftermath still attracted considerable attention.
The villagers were not fools.
Given the previous tensions surrounding Shibuki and Shibuki's opponents, many naturally connected the disturbance to internal political conflict.
However, the fighting ended so quickly that widespread panic never had a chance to spread.
Shibuki personally stepped forward to reassure the population, restoring calm before rumors could spiral out of control.
Any remaining dissenters could only suppress their thoughts.
After all, Shibuki was the legitimate village leader.
Unlike the situation in the original timeline, where his authority was weak and easily challenged, the current Shibuki had gained significant support and prestige. With external threats eliminated and the coup crushed, very few people possessed either the courage or the influence to openly oppose him.
Thus, Takigakure gradually returned to its normal rhythm.
As Menma's group returned to the village, Shibuki personally came to greet them at the entrance.
"Lord Shibuki!"
The moment Ajun saw that Shibuki was unharmed, the last of his worries disappeared.
Earlier, he had failed to intercept his assigned target and instead fallen into an ambush orchestrated by Amegakure. During those desperate moments, he had feared the worst.
Had Tayuya, Suigetsu, and the others not arrived in time, he likely would have died on the battlefield.
Given how carefully the enemy had planned the trap, Ajun naturally assumed that Shibuki would be facing an even greater danger elsewhere.
Thankfully, that had not happened.
"Welcome back, Ajun-san."
Shibuki nodded slightly.
"You've worked hard."
"This is my duty, Lord Shibuki."
Ajun immediately lowered his head.
"You should take the wounded for treatment first. Afterward, come to the administrative hall."
"Understood!"
Several Taki shinobi had died during the battle, while many more had suffered injuries.
Ajun himself was no exception.
After bowing respectfully, he departed with the injured shinobi.
Only after Ajun's group had left did Shibuki turn toward Menma.
"Fang-san, please come with me."
"Of course."
Menma smiled and nodded.
Then he turned toward Tayuya, Suigetsu, and the others.
"Wait here for now."
"Yes, Menma-sama."
The group answered immediately.
A short while later, Menma and Karin followed Shibuki toward the administrative hall located near the center of the village.
The spacious hall had already been prepared.
All doors and windows were shut tightly.
Inside sat several of Takigakure's most important figures.
Shibuki occupied the main seat.
On the right side sat Menma, Karin, and Fū.
On the left sat Ajun alongside three senior Taki jōnin.
Each appeared calm on the surface, but Menma's sensory abilities allowed him to perceive the tension hidden beneath their composed expressions.
After surveying everyone present, Shibuki spoke.
"There are three matters that must be addressed today."
His voice carried a confidence that had not existed before.
"First, the traitor Shibuki's faction has been completely suppressed. The primary conspirators, including Shibuki himself, have been executed. The remaining participants will receive reduced sentences according to the severity of their crimes."
He turned toward Ajun and another jōnin.
"Ajun-san. Fushimi-san. I will leave the details to you."
"Yes, Lord Shibuki."
Both men immediately acknowledged the order.
Shibuki nodded.
"Second."
His gaze shifted toward Menma and Karin.
"These two are Fang-san and Karin-san. Beginning today, they will officially become members of Takigakure. Elder Mizuno Satoru personally approved their admission before his passing."
The room immediately became quieter.
"From now on, both of them will assist with various village affairs. I hope everyone will cooperate fully."
The three jōnin exchanged brief glances.
Although they harbored questions, none voiced any objections.
After all, Menma's strength had already been demonstrated on the battlefield.
Adding capable shinobi to the village's ranks could only increase Takigakure's overall power.
"Understood, Lord Shibuki."
The three jōnin answered together.
Menma rose politely.
"I look forward to working alongside everyone."
Karin also stood and bowed.
The atmosphere quickly became much more cordial.
"Welcome to Takigakure."
"We'll be relying on your assistance as well."
"Please take care of us."
Smiles appeared throughout the room.
Whether genuine or not, at least on the surface everyone appeared united.
Shibuki allowed the moment to pass before speaking once more.
"The third matter concerns Elder Mizuno."
The room instantly became silent.
A heavy atmosphere descended.
Shibuki's expression grew solemn.
"Elder Mizuno Satoru passed away earlier today."
The announcement struck the room like a thunderclap.
Shock appeared on every face.
Although Elder Mizuno's health had steadily deteriorated over the past year and many expected the worst, hearing confirmation of his death was still difficult.
For Takigakure, his passing represented the end of an era.
"I want his funeral handled with the highest level of respect."
Shibuki's gaze settled on one of the jōnin.
"Dōran. You will oversee the preparations."
"Y-Yes, Lord Shibuki."
The man immediately stood.
Shibuki nodded.
"The village has just experienced internal conflict. More than ever, we must stand united. I expect everyone's full cooperation."
"Yes, Lord Shibuki!"
Ajun and the others answered in unison.
Watching from the side, Menma couldn't help feeling both admiration and caution.
Shibuki had changed.
The timid and uncertain leader of the past was gradually disappearing.
In his place stood someone beginning to resemble a true Kage.
That development was beneficial in the short term.
Yet it also created complications for Menma's long-term plans.
If Shibuki continued earning the complete loyalty of Takigakure, influencing the village from behind the scenes would become increasingly difficult.
Still, that was a concern for another day.
For now, securing Takigakure's cooperation was more than enough.
Eventually, Ajun and the others departed to carry out their assignments.
Once they were gone, Shibuki turned toward Fū.
"Fū."
She raised her head.
"For the time being, please remain in the village. At least until Elder Mizuno's funeral is over and the situation stabilizes."
"Alright."
Fū nodded quietly.
Her usual cheerful smile was nowhere to be seen.
For her, Elder Mizuno had been family.
The grief of losing him could not disappear overnight.
As Fū slowly left the hall, Shibuki watched her retreating figure.
A trace of sadness appeared in his eyes.
"Grandfather raised her personally."
His voice was soft.
"For Fū, he was everything."
Menma understood immediately.
Those words were not spoken only for Fū's sake.
They were also meant for him.
"Elder Mizuno was someone worthy of respect."
Menma met Shibuki's gaze directly.
"Being able to receive his guidance was an honor. What he taught me will remain valuable for the rest of my life."
The sincerity in Menma's words was genuine.
Shibuki remained silent for several moments before finally nodding.
"Then I will be relying on you from now on, Menma-kun."
"No."
Menma smiled.
"I should be the one saying that."
At that moment, Shibuki truly accepted Menma as a member of Takigakure.
Not merely an ally.
Not merely a guest.
But one of their own.
After a brief pause, Shibuki asked:
"What are your plans moving forward, Menma-kun?"
"There is nothing special I require."
Menma answered calmly.
"A residence is enough. Beyond that, treat us like any other Taki shinobi."
Then he added:
"However, I will need to leave the village temporarily. There are still several matters that must be resolved."
Most importantly, he needed to return to Orochimaru.
There were plans to discuss, arrangements to make, and future moves to prepare.
In addition, Menma intended to relocate portions of his research and experimental facilities to Takigakure.
Now that he had successfully established a foothold within the village, the next stage of his ambitions could finally begin.
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