"You... were testing me?"
Seeing Hyuga Yukyō's smile, Maki froze for a moment before the corners of his mouth twitched slightly. "You... were testing me?"
To think he had been... tested by a child? He could not help but feel rather helpless.
"Forgive my rudeness, Captain. This mission is of great importance, and we need a reliable captain. We are not familiar with each other yet, so please forgive my improper test."
Looking at Maki, Hyuga Yukyō hurriedly apologized as soon as he spoke.
So that was it. An improper test? Maki's helplessness stalled at Hyuga Yukyō's frank apology, immediately turning into that thought.
Still, as expected of a member of the Hyuga Clan's main house. Such a sincere apology left him unable to say a single word of reproach.
But what he had done was right.
If he had not tested them, there would have been no way to establish trust within their team.
What they faced now was an absolute numerical disadvantage. The mission they were carrying out was practically a nine-out-of-ten death mission. A single misstep could lead to their entire team being wiped out. In fact, it could be said that if even one of them was discovered, they would inevitably all be wiped out.
Precisely because of that situation—the overwhelming numerical disadvantage and the pressure of not being allowed even the slightest mistake—everyone might feel the urge to retreat. And even if they did retreat, no one would blame them under such circumstances. They would not be punished even after returning to the village.
If they were to continue with the rescue mission, they had to ensure mutual trust, ensure that none of them would retreat halfway through. They also needed a reliable captain with firm resolve, someone who could steady everyone's confidence when morale