"The village can make them thrive if it wants them to, and if it has no need for them, they will naturally fall into the dust. Those clan heads understand this perfectly well, which is why they have never dared do anything against the village's wishes."
As though those words had awakened him from a dream, Ran suddenly came to his senses. "Right. In the end, it's still because I'm not strong enough. If I were strong enough, I could intimidate those parasites in the country and make them afraid to cause trouble."
Torikaze nodded. "Otherwise, why would I say your question was stupid? The Shinobi World is, after all, a world where strength reigns supreme. Everything ultimately revolves around those two words: strength."
"So while you study how to govern a country, you cannot neglect your own training. As the Daimyo, you must possess the greatest strength in the nation to properly govern it. Otherwise, there will be problems everywhere in that country."
Ran agreed earnestly. "I understand. Strength is the most important thing. No matter what methods of governing I learn, without strength, it's all empty talk. Grandfather was only able to establish the Land of Whirlpools because of his strength."
Torikaze was very pleased with this. "It's good that you understand. Konoha's Trial Tower is a fine thing. You're already Kage-level, but you lack combat training. When you have time, visit the Trial Tower more often. Your strength will improve quickly."
"The Trial Tower?"
Ran was somewhat curious. He had heard of it before. Supposedly, the tower was incredibly mysterious, containing a strange space completely different from the outside world. One would not truly die inside it, and could indulge in battle to one's heart's content.
But he had never been there. When Torikaze had introduced Konoha