The Vicissitudes of Human Relationships

The bearded Asuma Sarutobi left Konoha directly after parting ways with Mizuki.

The old man had come to plead with Mizuki on his own initiative. He had truly picked the wrong person.

When the master was weak and the subordinate strong, when authority was held upside down, it would certainly lead to trouble over time.

It was not a major issue for a subordinate to surpass their superior. The difficult part was lacking the means to keep them in check.

Whether in personal strength, the authority he held, or his influence within the village, only Hatake Kakashi could compare to him—and even Kakashi had obvious disadvantages.

The Mangekyō Sharingan's Kamui was indeed immensely powerful, but it was still uncertain whether it could handle Mizuki, who was equally proficient in the Flying Raijin Jutsu. No one in Konoha was more skilled than Mizuki at sealing and barrier techniques. Without being able to suppress him in mobility, Mizuki could rely on his all-around abilities to defeat every enemy one by one.

He could attack when advancing and defend when retreating. Without overwhelming him in absolute strength, sheer numbers were utterly ineffective against Mizuki.

After more than three years of painstaking effort, Mizuki's absolute strength had yet to make him invincible beneath the heavens, but no one could kill him head-on through force anymore.

The once-unrivaled Third Raikage had been besieged by tens of thousands of Iwagakure Ninja for three days and three nights before ultimately dying of exhaustion.

Mizuki would not face such trouble. If he was outmatched, he could retreat at any time, wait quietly for an opportunity, and then make a comeback.

A thief could strike for a thousand days, but no one could stand guard against a thief for a thousand days.

If Mizuki was willing, he could drag