"You're welcome!"
Morino Eaton felt like a man who had gathered all his strength for a massive punch, only to hit thin air. He had prepared a whole lecture to humble this "arrogant" newcomer, thinking Aoki would be flying high after such praise.
But he hadn't expected this. Not only was Aoki not getting ahead of himself, but his self-awareness was incredibly sharp.
And it was true—Aoki wasn't qualified to be a Captain. There were eleven people in the Sensory Team, and any of the ten senior members had more merit and experience than him. Finding six suitable spies among twenty-three children was considered "basic operations" in the Torture Force. Any decent sensory ninja was expected to be able to do it; failing to do so would make one unqualified, but succeeding didn't make one a prodigy.
Furthermore, Yamanaka Yuta had absolutely no intention of retiring!
"There's nothing else for now. Probing twenty-three children in a row must have been exhausting. I'm giving you three days off. Use this time to think clearly: do you want to be a Captain, or do you want to remain a subordinate?" Eaton said gravely.
"I don't need three days. I can answer you now: I just want to be a peaceful subordinate!" Aoki replied without a second's hesitation. He added, "Captain Eaton, I don't need the holiday either. I'm on standby, waiting for the next mission!"
"You..." On the surface, Eaton looked disappointed, but deep down, he truly began to appreciate Aoki.
"Captain Eaton, I'll be heading back then." Aoki bowed and left the "little black room."
Eaton watched Aoki's retreating back. For some reason, he felt this youth was unusual. Yet, he couldn't pinpoint exactly why.
"Aoki has poor physical fitness and zero ambition. He looks like a 'salted fish' just waiting to eat and die," Eaton muttered to himself. He shook his head, clearing his thoughts. "He'll officially join the Sensory Team in three days. We'll see if he has anything special then."
In Eaton's mind, Aoki had passed the preliminary screening. He could finally interact with the other members. Previously, Aoki had been kept in near-isolation—not just to make him feel his work was special, but to prevent him from getting tips or "answers" from the veterans.
In the Torture Force, everyone held vital intelligence. Screening new members had to be a serious, rigorous process.
Aoki returned to his dorm and locked the door.
"Phew..."
He let out a heavy sigh. He wasn't exactly nervous, but as a transmigrator watching Eaton set up trap after trap, he couldn't help but feel moved.
"The ninja world is too dangerous!"
Aoki realized just how much deception existed between ninjas. Just joining the Torture Force required layers of testing; he couldn't imagine what spies went through.
"I've passed the first hurdle... I wonder what tests await me in the team. I must be cautious! Laying low is the only way."
Aoki decided to become a grandmaster of "staying low"—a supreme-tier salted fish. No one would find a breakthrough in him.
For the next three days, Eaton really didn't assign him any tasks. No one disturbed him. It was as if Eaton was waiting for him to "change his mind" and take the Captaincy.
Aoki gave zero response. He stayed in his dorm, doing nothing out of the ordinary. He didn't train his body or practice ninjutsu. Anything that might expose his growth was put on hold. Cultivation could wait; the priority was becoming a permanent member of the Torture Force.
However, he wasn't truly idle. In his mind, he reviewed Eaton's memories countless times, absorbing nearly thirty years of elite interrogation experience. To him, these memories were his greatest "cheat code"—the power of information.
On the fourth day, as per their "agreement," Eaton should have sent someone. But there was nothing. Aoki was like a forgotten existence.
The fifth day was the same. On the sixth day, still no one.
"Captain Eaton, you're truly ruthless!" Aoki sat on his bed with a bitter smile. Even with memories to occupy him, the boredom of waiting was stifling.
Anyone else would have cracked. But Aoki knew from Eaton's memories that this was a test of endurance. Eaton wanted to show that since Aoki "missed" the chance for promotion, he was no longer a priority. It was a form of psychological "cold violence." Every passing minute was designed to destroy a person's composure.
Finally, on the tenth day, footsteps echoed outside his door.
Knock, knock, knock...
Aoki had never heard such a beautiful sound; it was like music to his ears. However, he immediately suppressed his instinctive excitement and calmed down.
"Must be cautious," he warned himself. He knew the true test with the Sensory Team was about to begin.