"..."
The oppressive night carried mystery and fear.
In the cramped bedroom, the air had nearly congealed!
Embarrassing as it was to admit...
When Soji finally rose from his sickbed and left under his own power after so many years, the first reaction of every Anbu member tasked with surveillance and security, both inside and outside the estate, was almost one of relief, as though a great weight had finally been lifted from their hearts...
—As the Hokage's most trusted direct subordinates, they had naturally undergone repeated training before taking on this mission. There were even specialists assigned to explain just how terrifying Director Yamada was!
More than anyone, they understood that beneath the sickly shell before them lurked a monster capable of suppressing the Demigod of the Shinobi World with a flick of his hand, and of playing the Lands of Wind, Water, Earth, and Lightning in the palm of his hand!
The nature of their work required them to be prepared for the worst at all times...
Thus, long ago, these Anbu had already prepared themselves to meet Soji in battle!
Countless times in their midnight dreams, they had aimed at the vital points of the young man before them. They had even considered secretly slipping poison into his daily meals... But due to the delicate, unresolved relationship between the Yamada Faction and the Hokage Faction, such methods had never had the chance to be put into practice. Instead, the prolonged standoff had tortured these elite Anbu severely.
And now, as Soji suddenly tore away his own "not long for this world" disguise, the Anbu—who had finally entered a combat-ready state after countless mental simulations—naturally let out an instinctive sigh of relief...
—But that illusion of relief lasted only an instant!
When Director Yamada began speaking to himself,