Ōnoki looked at his mentor standing before him, brimming with excitement.
"All right, Ōnoki, stop acting like you've never seen the world. Don't embarrass yourself," Mu said mildly, using his fork to spear the fine food before him.
Ōnoki nodded vigorously, his mouth bulging with food. His hands barely stopped moving, as though he hadn't eaten in days, leaving the waiter beside him staring in bewilderment.
That couldn't be right. Were there still refugees fleeing famine in this day and age?
"Ōnoki, from everything you've been telling me, it sounds like Iwagakure isn't in a very good position these days?" Halfway through the meal, Mu decided the time was right and turned to ask Ōnoki.
"Sniff! Waaaah, Master!!" At Mu's question, Ōnoki's hand, which had still been spearing meat with his fork, froze for two seconds. Then the meat dropped onto the table. His body trembled slightly, his eyes gradually reddened, and snot somehow began dripping from his enormous nose.
Mu stared at Ōnoki, taken aback.
"Master, waaaah, Iwagakure, Iwagakure, waaaah!" Ōnoki clutched his chest in anguish, pouring out his woes through tears and snot.
"What happened?" Mu paused, then reached out to pat Ōnoki on the head.
"Ever since I took office, I've spent all these years walking on eggshells, wanting nothing more than to make Iwagakure flourish. But decades have passed, and I've realized I really can't do it, Master!!" Ōnoki lamented bitterly.
"Has something gone wrong? It shouldn't have. You're the Third Tsuchikage, the rightful successor I personally appointed. There couldn't possibly be voices opposing you in the village. I've also been following Iwagakure's development online all these years. Ōnoki, you've done very well," Mu said, looking somewhat gratified.
"Really, Master? Have I really done well?" Hearing his mentor say that, Ōnoki couldn't help smiling as he