Chapter 39: Ken's Inner Struggle
Ken headed back to the village and made a beeline for the Tsuchikage's place. He shared the story of his encounter with Sakumo and how he barely escaped in one piece. Ken was a bit downcast.
After hearing Ken's report, Onoki got pretty angry and gave off a strong vibe. Ken worried that Onoki might use his power to control him.
But then, surprise surprise, Onoki said, "Good job, Ken. There's a rule for lower-ranked ninja to run when they face Sakumo. So I won't punish you. But I'll cut your pay for the mission in half."
Ken looked at Onoki, processing this news. At that moment, it seemed like Onoki saw a different side of Ken, like a hidden part of him. But Ken quickly looked away and said, "Okay, Tsuchikage-sama. I'll take a few days off."
Just so you know, Ken wasn't mad at Onoki. He was actually mad at himself for not measuring up to Onoki's level.
Ken stood there, thinking about everything that had happened during the mission and his talk with Onoki.
"I just want to retire as a respected Jonin or maybe a lower-level Kage. By the time the Fourth Ninja War comes around, I'll probably be in my thirties. I thought everything would go as planned, but meeting Sakumo changed things. The idea of giving up without a fight doesn't sit right with me. I can't slack off. The butterfly effect shows that small changes can lead to big consequences. If Onoki dies during the Third War, Iwagakure will face internal strife over the next Tsuchikage. The powerful families won't be affected, but I don't come from a powerful family. I'm from a regular background, so they might use me as a pawn. The next Tsuchikage role might look simple, but my teacher's family and Onoki's family will fight for it. I'll be stuck in the middle. And the Raikage might take advantage of that. I want power and status. I might be an elder, but I need more power. I'm going to strive for the next Tsuchikage position. Even if I lose, I'll become an assistant to the new Tsuchikage or to Onoki. In some way, I'll make Iwagakure the first ninja village."
Lost in thought, Ken's chakra suddenly surged to Jonin level in an instant.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone