Whether it was for public appearances or private reasons, Shibuki knew he had to handle Fu with the utmost seriousness. He couldn't afford to be even a little dismissive.
This wasn't just about whether he could hold onto his seat as the leader of the Hidden Waterfall Village; it concerned the stability of the entire village.
Unlike the Five Great Ninja Villages, which always had strong Kage-level figures to hold down the fort even in their weakest moments, the Hidden Waterfall had never truly recovered from a rebellion decades ago. The three Great Ninja Wars had further sapped the village's vitality.
Because of this, Fu's importance became even more glaring.
The Hidden Waterfall could not afford to lose the Seven-Tails Jinchuriki.
Nor could Shibuki withstand the consequences of Fu standing against him.
That would be a devastating blow to his leadership.
Not to mention, Shibuki truly treated Fu like his own little sister. Emotionally speaking, he desperately wanted her to trust him and stand by his side forever.
Of course, Shibuki also understood that Suien held a special place in Fu's heart. After all, much of Fu's training growing up had been completed under Suien's supervision.
He wasn't just some random stranger to her.
"Can I really trust you, Big Brother Shibuki?"
Fu stared straight at Shibuki, her voice lower and more serious than it had ever been.
Shibuki nodded heavily, his expression solemn. "Of course, Fu. I swear on my Ninja Way that everything I've told you is the truth. And if Suien-san is willing to turn back, we can still sit down and talk things out properly."
"Okay. Then I believe you, Big Brother Shibuki!"
Fu seemed to study Shibuki deeply for a moment before nodding fiercely after a brief silence.
"Then, Big Brother Shibuki, I'll leave the matter of Uncle Suien to you. If you find him, please tell me immediately. I want to ask him to his face why he had to go this far. Whatever the issue is, couldn't we just sit down and talk it out?"
Fu seemed to revert to her usual cheerful self, speaking with a determined expression.
"Yeah, don't worry, Fu. Once we find Suien-san, I'll let you know right away."
Seeing that Fu had evidently accepted his explanation, Shibuki felt the weight in his chest lift instantly. His biggest fear had been that Fu would reject him and refuse to trust him—that would have been a disaster of epic proportions.
"I'll head back now; I haven't finished today's training routine yet. Oh, right! Big Brother Shibuki, is Grandpa Satoru feeling any better? If he has time, make sure he comes to watch me train. He promised me last time, but he hasn't shown up in ages. Tell him if he doesn't come soon, I'm going to pluck out every hair in his beard next time I see him!"
Before getting up to leave, Fu seemed to remember something.
She turned sideways, looking at Shibuki in the leader's seat, and raised her right fist, shaking it gently as she spoke.
"Yeah, I'll definitely pass the message to Grandpa Satoru. Don't worry, he dotes on you the most. His health has improved a lot recently—didn't you see he was recovering well last time? I'm sure he'll come to visit you in a few days."
Shibuki paused for a split second, seemingly taken aback, before smiling and replying to Fu.
"Mhm, mhm!"
Fu nodded, looking very happy.
Then she turned and walked away.
But the moment she turned around—something no one noticed—a look of profound sorrow and disappointment flickered deep within Fu's pupils. However, it lasted only for a second before being quickly concealed.
She then strode directly out of the Hidden Waterfall's administration hall.
"Well then, please excuse me as well, Lord Shibuki."
The young Waterfall ninja, Echizen, who had accompanied Fu, hurriedly bowed to Shibuki before quickly chasing after Fu.
"Phew..."
Watching Fu's figure disappear into the distance, Shibuki quietly let out a sigh of relief.
He hadn't let the situation spiral into the worst-case scenario.
Shibuki felt this was already a pretty good outcome.
Only Jun, standing to the side, looked at Shibuki with a trace of worry. "Lord Leader, I think we need to pay close attention to the situation with Fu. After all, the relationship between her and Suien is quite special. If..."
"Relax, Jun-san. There are no 'ifs.' Fu is young, but she has the basic ability to distinguish right from wrong. There's no need to worry about that. Besides, Grandpa Satoru is still here, so there's even less reason to worry about Fu causing trouble. It's just that Grandpa Satoru's health has been deteriorating lately, and he was so angered by Suien's betrayal that he needs to rest for a while. Otherwise, if we let Grandpa Satoru speak to Fu personally, there would be absolutely no issue."
Shibuki waved his hand and spoke softly.
Mizuno Satoru.
He was the only remaining ninja in the Hidden Waterfall Village from the same generation as Shibuki's grandfather—the leader from two generations ago. He had served as a village elder for nearly thirty years.
He had provided immense help to the previous leader and to Shibuki now in stabilizing the Hidden Waterfall's regime.
However, the old man was nearing seventy. He had suffered injuries in his younger years that were manageable in his prime, but as he aged, various health issues came knocking one after another. His body had become increasingly frail over the last two years.
He had almost completely stopped managing affairs and was in a state of convalescence.
Some time ago, he was critically ill and almost kicked the bucket. Although he pulled through, the mental blow from Suien's defection nearly caused the old man to lose his breath for good.
The village doctors had solemnly warned that Elder Satoru must rest properly and could not be disturbed by outsiders.
But Elder Satoru's importance to the village went without saying.
Therefore, aside from a very select few, no one in the village knew the true state of his health.
Shibuki's subconscious lie to Fu just now came from a place of good intentions. It was for the sake of the village, and he didn't want Fu to worry unnecessarily.
After all, as the leader, Shibuki knew very well that Fu's training during this period was crucial.
It concerned whether Fu could fully master the Seven-Tails' power.
This was a matter of great significance for the entire Hidden Waterfall Village.
Naturally, Shibuki didn't want anything to affect Fu.
But Shibuki's "good intentions" were destined to ruin things.
It was just that the current Shibuki hadn't realized this yet.
"The core of the problem right now is still Suien. Contact the Daimyo and expand the search range as much as possible. If necessary, we can try to secure assistance from other ninja villages."
Shibuki took a deep breath and looked at Jun in front of him.
"Yes, Lord Leader, I understand!"
Jun nodded with a grave expression, bowed, and then turned to stride out.
"Suien, why on earth did you do this? Is the position of leader really that important?"
Shibuki muttered silently in his heart, his expression complicated.