"This is so sudden!" Erina was startled at first, but quickly broke into a beaming smile. "Soji, you're an official now? You'll have to remember us old teammates from now on!"
With one hand gripping Todo's scarf and the other vigorously pounding Soji's back, she seemed even happier than if she'd been the one praised. From the refined young lady she'd been when they first met to the tomboy she was now, good buddy Erina's cheerful, sunny side had grown more and more apparent with time.
By contrast, Akimichi Todo, who had once seemed carefree and always eager to share snacks with his classmates, had taken a completely different path...
Perhaps because Nara Motochika was someone whose bond with him went beyond that of family, the chubby boy usually seemed like a mouse facing a cat in his daily interactions with Team Five, instinctively keeping himself in check...
At that moment, with Erina tugging on his scarf, Todo was just as pleased about Soji's promotion. But with Inoue Reina, an outsider, present, he still maintained a certain degree of reserve.
He tried to pull his scarf free from Erina's grasp, and even helped smooth things over for Soji. "Ahem, ahem... Erina, don't say things like that. Soji has always been conscientious. I'm sure he'll be impartial in his work. There's no need to talk about looking after us or anything..."
"Oh, right, right~ Strictly business, strictly business~" Erina laughed, narrowing her eyes as she took back her words with a teasing grin.
As the center of everyone's discussion, however, Soji displayed the composure of a seasoned commander.
He didn't let his delight show, nor did he immediately join his two teammates in laughing and joking around. He didn't fidget nervously or try to excuse Erina's jest, either.
The boy had simply straightened his back as soon as he received his appointment, then made his position clear to the enigmatic Miss Inoue Reina with utmost seriousness.
"Yes. I'm grateful for the trust my superiors have placed in me!
"However, the Coordination Commissioner position is of great importance. I'm young and inexperienced, and fear I may fall short of the expectations of all of you and the Lord Third. Why not ask Director Usami or Director Chosokabe to take on this role instead?"
As the person involved, Soji had needed less than a second to understand why the position couldn't be entrusted to Hanbei or the old director. But knowing that didn't prevent him from playing dumb—he understood that some formalities had to be observed, and certain gestures could not be omitted.
And the unsmiling Miss Inoue didn't disappoint Soji.
Following the boy's words, she quickly gave the response he'd expected.
"Yamada-kun, there's no need to be modest. This appointment was proposed by Lord Motochika, then discussed by the Hokage and the Advisory Council, and ultimately approved by all of them. Please do not decline."
"Since that's the case, I'll do everything in my power and give my all to the construction of Jingu Forest Field Hospital."
"That's good." Inoue Reina stepped back half a pace and bowed. "Then, in thirty minutes, a planning meeting for the next phase of work will be held at the Temporary Command Post. Your previous duty roster will be suspended for now, Yamada-kun. Everything else will be arranged after the meeting."
"Understood!"
"Please excuse me. I have other duties to attend to. Goodbye."
"I'll see you out."
Lifting the tent flap, Soji accompanied her all the way outside.
Only after she hurried away on swift ninja steps did the boy discreetly clench his fists, a resolute gleam flashing in his eyes.
...Learn, build experience, endure, and bide his time.
The twelve years since Soji had crossed over had been far harder for him than for an ordinary ninja.
The boy knew that the path to success could be replicated, but the road was long and difficult, and every step was a struggle...
Especially in the world of ninja, where individual strength was the foremost measure of a person, the path to success was even more winding and treacherous for an ordinary person like Soji, whose limits were plain to see.
But ten years of planning! Two gambles! One fierce battle!
The boy, once as insignificant as dust, had seized this once-in-a-lifetime ladder of advancement. Bound by countless hardships, he'd ridden the tailwind that could change his fate before the Second Shinobi World War!
Though, in terms of authority, the Coordination Commissioner was merely a temporary position created specifically for the Jingu Forest construction project, having a place in a project personally overseen by the village's top leader was worth far more than a mere official title!
Yet after a brief surge of excitement, Soji quickly regained his composure.
Opportunity and danger were two sides of the same coin, inseparably intertwined...
Having finally gotten his hands on the key to power, the boy knew he had no time to let success go to his head!
For Soji, if he wanted to make this the first step toward rising to the top and joining the ranks of the privileged, his immediate priority was to meet his superiors' expectations to the best of his ability.
But being the Coordination Commissioner was only a ticket in the door. It couldn't provide him with much immediate help in his day-to-day work.
To do the coordination work well and ensure that the battalion completed its mission as planned, he would still have to rely on his own ability and intelligence.
As for his abilities, Soji's strength in socializing wasn't the sort of skill that could produce results in a short time. And his actual combat strength was still nowhere near enough to steamroll eight hundred enemies and flatten everything in his path...
In the short term, his record of wiping out a Waterfall Ninja squad might still carry some weight.
But a single piece of evidence wasn't enough to prove a case. Given enough time, he was bound to attract criticism from all sides...
"The Superman Drug is gone, and aside from Sudden Rain and Torrential Rain, the Rain Woman's Heart Technique probably won't develop any new variations in the near future.
"Fortunately, I used the medicine's remaining effects to refine and improve the way chakra moves through my body. Perhaps I can expand my energy reserves somewhat. If..."
Soji clenched his fist, unconsciously thinking of the cheat he'd activated a year ago.
—Just one Accio had benefited the boy immensely after he'd spent a long time developing and studying it. If he could get another boost during this crucial window, perhaps he could make it through this challenge.
But Soji had no control over such a chance occurrence. Whether his cheat appeared or not was basically up to fate.
Given his personality, the boy would never stake everything on an event with such low odds.
Soji quickly composed himself, and his thoughts turned to other possibilities.
"Building new relationships in a short time is certainly difficult. But if I make the most of the relatively stable connections I've already cultivated, perhaps that could still have a positive effect on the current situation."
Setting aside Teacher Motochika, on the Guard Unit side, Erina was a relative of the Lord Third, while Todo was the descendant of one of Konoha's great clans.
Even though they were both young and couldn't influence their clans' decisions, their backgrounds alone were excellent bargaining chips.
As a civilian, Soji had originally had no roots or connections in the political sphere. But if he could invoke the influence of these two powerful allies, he'd naturally have more leverage in resolving conflicts within the team.
On top of that, before this happened, the boy had exchanged goodwill with Usami Hanbei, a representative of the younger generation. Perhaps he could use that as a point of entry to take advantage of the conflict between the younger generation and the Conservative Faction!
Of course...
Aside from these matters directly related to the work of the Coordination Commissioner, Soji hadn't forgotten to spare some thought for the construction task facing the Frontline Support Battalion.
—Teacher Motochika's instructions to Erina to prepare "No. 2 Turret" were still fresh in his mind. It was obvious he had a plan and intended to take the initiative to break the unfavorable stalemate.
If Soji could see through his intentions ahead of time, perhaps he could go with the flow and raise his own value in the process!
"The question is, what exactly is Teacher Motochika planning?"
The boy furrowed his brow and folded his arms, sinking into thought once more.
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