"As you command, Shogun."
The ninjas rose to their feet, stealing glances at the new shogun.
They had already learned of Orochi's death, but they had not expected the new shogun to be a young girl, and they were somewhat surprised.
Daikoku stepped forward and said gravely, "The shogun wishes to learn about the Ninja Village's current situation. Make preparations at once!"
"As you command."
The elders at the front answered excitedly.
Ninjas and samurai were Wano Country's two equally prominent forces, but ever since the pirates had moved into Wano Country, the Ninja Village's standing had plummeted.
Funding had dwindled, and there were no new talents to replace the old.
The village's circumstances had grown increasingly difficult. Even if they wanted to revive it, they lacked the means. Shogun Orochi did not care about the village at all.
They had to seize this opportunity.
Soon, the ninjas began their demonstration, putting on a dizzying display of all sorts of strange ninjutsu.
Shuriken.
The Clone Technique.
And all kinds of escape techniques.
"Good, look!"
Yamato's eyes sparkled as she grabbed Good and shook him hard.
"Those ninjutsu are so cool!"
"They're all right."
Good rubbed his chin, utterly unimpressed by the ninjas' performance.
They were thoroughly ordinary.
Most of the ninjutsu the ninjas performed were tricks of misdirection, and they were far too flashy, with little practical value in combat.
In his view, a ninja's first priority should be concealing their presence, allowing them to assassinate a target without a sound.
What was the point of all this flashy nonsense?
"Daikoku, is this all the Ninja Village amounts to?"
"My apologies, Good."
Daikoku lowered his head in apology.
The Ninja Village had long since fallen into decline. Had he not retained some affection for the village, he would not have