On the silent open ground, Kou stood quietly at the edge of the crowd. He had already suppressed his shock and was calmly observing the old man at the center.
The white-robed people formed a semicircle, facing the old man in the middle.
The old man looked coldly at the hundreds of solemn-faced people before him. His wrinkled face showed no unnecessary emotion.
His white hair gleamed silver in the sunlight. The patterns in his Mangekyō Sharingan slowly rotated, as if measuring each person before him.
"I've told you many times already. Stop coming to me."
His voice was not loud, but it was exceptionally cold.
"It seems... you haven't taken my words to heart."
He looked down at the white-robed crowd through his eerie Mangekyō Sharingan, his tone dripping with condescension.
"You ants from the Ninja Sect."
"You!!!"
A black-haired young man couldn't hold back and rushed forward.
His face flushed red, his eyes filled with barely suppressed fury.
The young man opened his mouth, about to say something, but the middle-aged man in front of him reached out to stop him.
"Stand down, Naoto."
His voice was quiet, but carried an unquestionable authority.
The young man clenched his teeth in frustration, his eyes still fixed on the old man as he protested unwillingly.
"But, Father... Chief, he..."
"I said, stand down!!"
The middle-aged man turned to him, his weathered face stern.
He lowered his voice further, until only the young man could hear him.
"Know your place. We're here to ask this elder for help."
The young man's expression struggled for a moment.
His lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he lowered his head.
"Yes..."
His voice was so quiet it sounded like a sigh.
The old man watched the scene