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Shimomura brought Midorima to the Mizukage's office, hoping to grab a cup of tea, but Yagura promptly kicked them out.
Now, only Yagura and Midorima remained in the Mizukage's office.
For a moment, Midorima questioned whether he had made the right choice.
Two people alone in a room—many things could happen.
"Midorima Asachi…" Yagura's gaze was filled with admiration. "You've done well."
"No, I haven't done enough. I failed to bring Akizaki-senpai back."
Since Kirigakure's higher-ups had chosen to label Akizaki as a "hero," Midorima decided to go along with it.
Of course, he had to play the part convincingly. He tried to squeeze out a few tears but failed.
"Enough. It's just you and me here. There's no need for pretenses. Both you and Mei Terumī are hypocrites. Akizaki nearly killed you, yet you act as if nothing happened. Can you really accept that?" Yagura chuckled.
Midorima hadn't expected Yagura to be so direct, tearing down the façade between them without hesitation.
Other Kirigakure shinobi might not know the full extent of Akizaki's actions, but Yagura was the Mizukage. He had countless ways to uncover the truth behind Akiba's death.
Apparently, Yagura didn't believe in the saying, "Leave room for reconciliation—you may meet again someday."
"What choice do I have? If I tell you the truth, will you uphold justice and reveal it to the world?"
"No." Yagura answered without hesitation.
Midorima wasn't surprised.
As the Mizukage, Yagura wasn't concerned with right or wrong—only with maintaining Kirigakure's stability.
Especially since he had just taken office, he needed the support of high-ranking shinobi more than ever.
On one side were two new genin who hadn't even passed their graduation exams. On the other was the deputy commander of the ANBU. Anyone with half a brain would know which side to favor.
Besides, Yagura hadn't planned to punish Midorima or Mei in the first place.
"Then… how do you intend to deal with me?" Midorima countered.
"Why would I deal with you?" Yagura shook his head, opened a drawer, and pulled out a forehead protector. "Your performance during the mission was exceptional—unbelievable for someone who hasn't even passed the graduation exam. So, congratulations. From today onward, you are an official shinobi."
Yagura stood up, walked over to Midorima, and personally tied the forehead protector around his head.
"I'm honored," Midorima said with a slight bow.
"You've earned it. If there's anything else you'd like as a reward, feel free to ask. Money? Women? Time off? Or perhaps… jutsu?"
Money?
For shinobi, money was crucial. Even the Akatsuki struggled with finances.
Midorima was no exception.
But how much could he realistically ask for?
Ten thousand ryō? Too little. Hundreds of thousands? The village might not be willing to pay.
Women?
'Ahem…' Were there any female shinobi in Kirigakure's younger generation more attractive than Mei Terumī?
Besides, he planned to travel outside the village someday—at the very least, he wanted to see Tsunade in person.
As for jutsu…
Well, he 'did' want some, but Yagura might not be willing to hand them over: 'You're a medical-nin, why would you need an A-rank Water Release technique? What? You even want secret techniques? Go sit under a tree and cool off…'
"Ahem, Lord Mizukage. I'm a simple man. I don't need much money, and the mission reward is already substantial. Once it's deposited, I won't be lacking for a while."
At the very least, he had to secure the S-rank mission reward—it was rightfully his. And while he was at it, he might as well remind Yagura: 'The job's done, where's the money?'
An S-rank mission should be worth at least several million ryō, right?
He wasn't greedy—just ten thousand would suffice to solve his basic needs.
Yagura nodded, thinking Midorima's demands were reasonable. Just as he was about to agree, Midorima added, "If you 'must' reward me, I'd like the opportunity to participate in more missions outside the village in the future."
"Huh?"
Yagura blinked. 'Wait, so the mission reward doesn't count as part of the reward?'
Seeing Midorima's earnest expression, Yagura couldn't help but kick him out of the office.
Shimomura, who had been waiting outside, approached Midorima and asked what had happened.
Midorima spread his hands helplessly.
What else? He'd been thrown out.
Shimomura entered the office cautiously, studying Yagura's expression before relaxing. "Lord Mizukage, what do you think of Midorima's thesis? Will it pass?"
"The thesis itself is fine, but Kirigakure and Konoha are fundamentally different. Blindly copying their methods might not yield good results," Yagura replied.
Shimomura grew anxious.
He had his own agenda.
For years, he had wanted to reform the Medical Division. Midorima's thesis aligned perfectly with his long-held ambitions.
The problem was, he had never dared to confront the opposition head-on.
Now, with Midorima Asachi as the frontman, he wasn't about to let this opportunity slip.
If he could secure the Mizukage's approval, the Medical Corps might expand. In a decade or two, it could even evolve into a full-fledged Medical Division.
This would mean the medical-nin branch would flourish under his leadership.
Moreover, Midorima's performance during the "Hunt for Kagemaru" mission had proven the thesis's value.
From every angle, this was a golden opportunity.
"But over a decade ago, Konoha also—"
Yagura waved his hand, cutting Shimomura off.
"My approval alone isn't enough. You'll need to convince the other departments. Unless you want me to become another 'him'?" Yagura's gaze shifted upward to a portrait on the wall—the Third Mizukage, his narrowed eyes exuding silent authority.
Shimomura lowered his head and said nothing more.
"Tomorrow, do your best to persuade them. And don't forget—Igawa's funeral is in the afternoon," Yagura reminded him.
Shimomura nodded silently.
…
Kirigakure had a dedicated cemetery for fallen shinobi, though the scale of funerals varied.
The sensor-nin buried that morning had only a handful of mourners.
Midorima left a bouquet of flowers, watching the grieving family with mixed emotions.
By afternoon, the scene had changed entirely. Dozens of clan members, all clad in black mourning attire, stood out starkly in the cemetery.
Mizukage Yagura himself attended to pay his respects, giving the Igawa family face.
Normally, as the last person to work with Igawa, Midorima would have been expected to give a eulogy glorifying the deceased's deeds.
Fortunately, Igawa's family knew his accomplishments were few, so they skipped the formality, only allowing Yagura to deliver a brief speech.
Still, Midorima was forced to stand in the front row, enduring the entire process—from carrying the coffin to the burial and the final sealing of the grave—without a chance to slack off.
Only when the funeral ended did he finally exhale in relief.
That had been 'agonizing'.
As Midorima turned to leave with the crowd, the Igawa family passed by him. Leading them was a middle-aged man in his forties, his face expressionless yet streaked with tears.
Midorima's heart skipped a beat.
Throughout the funeral, Bu had stood obediently beside Yagura, never overstepping.
Bu seemed to notice Midorima too, shooting him a glare before disappearing into the crowd.
Cold sweat broke out on Midorima's forehead.
For a moment, the pressure radiating from Bu had been suffocating.
'I need to get stronger.'
Midorima clenched his fists.