After Morino Eaton finished speaking, he stared intently at Aoki, his eyes flashing with thick anticipation.
In an instant, Aoki froze. He looked at Eaton with doubt, and his mind immediately shifted to a high state of caution.
Something's not right! Definitely not right!
Aoki was naturally a cautious person. On top of that, he had been keeping a low profile lately, doing absolutely nothing for fear of exposing his secrets. Now, simply because he probed the emotions of a few kids... he was being offered a Captain position? Is the bar for becoming a Captain really that low?
Aoki immediately quieted his mind and quickly flipped through Morino Eaton's memories. These memory fragments, stolen via the Mind-Reading System, were stored in his brain like a library of films. Whenever he wished, he could call them up.
Instantly, Eaton's past actions flashed through Aoki's mind like a movie.
Aha!
After a careful search, the truth dawned on him. Morino Eaton had used this "promotion bait" more than once before. It was, in fact, another form of a test.
According to Eaton's logic, members of the Torture Force shouldn't value rank and promotion so highly. One must focus steadily on every mission. if your mind isn't settled and you're chasing status, you might miss a tiny detail during an interrogation—and in this business, a missed detail is a missed piece of vital intelligence.
"Aoki," Eaton's voice broke the silence, pulling Aoki back from his thoughts. "Why have you stopped talking? Are you too happy to speak? Truthfully, I really think highly of you! If you are ready, starting today, you are the Captain of the Sensory Ninja Team. What do you think?"
Eaton pressed further, his eyes narrowing to hide his true gaze. He wanted an answer. But that answer wasn't what his words suggested.
Aoki looked up at Eaton, his face remaining perfectly calm, showing no emotional change whatsoever.
Good grief. You actually have the nerve to say that's the truth! You old fox is full of tricks!
Aoki felt like he should hang a banner on the wall of this "little black room": "The longest road a member of the Torture Force walks is Captain Eaton's schemes."
One wave after another. If someone wasn't cautious enough, they'd never survive this.
"Ahem, ahem..." Aoki cleared his throat, intentionally appearing a bit nervous. "Captain Eaton... I don't think I'm suitable! And... I don't actually want to be a Captain."
Aoki meant it. To be fair, one part of Eaton's offer was tempting: a Captain carries greater responsibility. That usually meant more opportunities to read memories.
However, looking at Eaton's memories again, Aoki realized those were just empty words. Leaders don't actually do more "grunt work." They assign the work to subordinates. For Aoki, staying at the very bottom of the ladder meant all the "tiring" memory-reading tasks would fall to him! He didn't need to be a Captain for that.
Besides, a Captain is too visible. Low profile. He had to keep a low profile. His strength wasn't enough yet; any move that wasn't "steady" could lead to a miserable end in this chaotic ninja world.
"Oh?" Eaton expressed surprise, looking deeply at Aoki. "You don't want to be a Captain?"
Eaton wasn't sure if this was Aoki's real thought or just an excuse to decline.
"Captain Eaton, please don't joke with me. I know my own limits best," Aoki said with a bitter smile and a shake of his head. "Just probing the emotions of these 23 children nearly exhausted all my energy. You know my physical condition is poor. Right now, all I want is to contribute my strength to the village; I've never even thought about being a Captain. Besides, I wouldn't be able to handle the role."
Aoki's tone was firm. This was his truth. Even if Eaton wasn't "scheming," Aoki had no desire for the job. He just wanted to quietly read memories in the dark!
"Are you serious?" The look in Eaton's eyes shifted. He hadn't met many people who could resist the lure of a promotion. Most people he tested would fall for it, only to be harshly criticized and then "educated" to settle their minds.
Aoki's performance had exceeded his expectations. But it also felt... strange. It's bad if a subordinate wants to be promoted too much, but if they don't want it at all... isn't that a bit too much of a "salted fish"?
"I am serious!" Aoki nodded firmly.
"Aoki, think it over. You don't have to give me an answer so quickly. I really do think highly of you. If you don't take this chance, it will go to someone else. By then, it'll be too late for regrets!"
Eaton decided to keep testing. Who wouldn't want to rise above others? Would anyone really be content staying a low-level member if they had the chance to lead?
"I can't do it," Aoki waved his hands and shook his head. "I'm satisfied just having a job here in the Torture Force."
Eaton didn't speak this time. He just studied Aoki in silence. For a moment, the room fell into a heavy quiet.
"Fine!" Eaton took a deep breath and nodded. "I respect your decision. However... I will give you three days. During these three days, if you change your mind, come find me. After that, the offer is gone."
Eaton was going to see this through. He wanted to plant a seed in Aoki's heart and see if it would sprout over the next three days.
"Thank you, Captain Eaton!" Aoki bowed.
Internally, however, he was grumbling. So wicked! Ibiki definitely learned all his bad habits from you! One trap wasn't enough, you had to set a trap within a trap! Unbelievable!