Ino-Shika-Cho

Senya got out of bed and rubbed his head.

Shizune was stirred awake by Senya's movements too, but she only pulled the white blanket tighter around herself and mumbled something indistinctly.

"We've only been asleep for a little while... You go on ahead. I'm going back to sleep..."

Her voice gradually faded, until only Shizune's soft snores could be heard.

Senya reached out to tuck the blanket around Shizune, gently stroking her cheek a few times.

He went into the living room, put on the clothes he had tossed onto the floor the night before, and prepared to head to the Police Force to deal with the day's paperwork.

Only after leaving through the window did Senya realize the sun had already climbed directly overhead, hanging in the center of the sky.

The autumn sun was not as scorching as summer's. Gusts of autumn wind swept past and stole away his body heat, yet the sunlight falling on him still brought a faint warmth.

Perfect. It was time to eat, and he had expended quite a bit of energy last night. Senya immediately changed direction, switching his destination from the Police Force to the Akimichi clan's barbecue restaurant.

Senya entered a private room and ordered every recommended item on the menu.

The server took the menu and left without any unnecessary fuss.

Senya was quite satisfied with that. He poured tea from the pot into his cup and slowly savored it while waiting for the meat.

A few minutes later, the server brought over freshly sliced meat and placed it on the rack beside him.

With practiced ease, Senya used his black chopsticks to pick marbled pork belly from the smooth, pristine white plates and lay it on the silver grill set into the middle of the brown wooden table.

The instant the pork hit the grill, the blazing heat rolling up from the red-hot charcoal beneath the mesh made it sizzle.

Milky, translucent fat was forced out of the slices by the heat, releasing wave after wave of fragrance that filled the private room.

Before long, Senya had arranged all the meat from two plates across the grill.

He turned over the hourglass beside him and waited quietly. Once the sand ran out, it would be time for Senya to eat.

In the private room next door, Akimichi Choza, Nara Shikaku, and Yamanaka Inoichi were having a meal together. A towering stack of empty grill plates had already piled up beside Choza.

Inoichi and Shikaku were tirelessly replenishing the grill with more meat.

Just then, the restaurant owner suddenly entered.

Choza paused his chopsticks and looked at Akimichi Dōdō.

"Dōdō, aren't you the owner? Why are you personally coming down to serve customers? And why did you rush in looking so flustered? Is someone causing trouble in the restaurant?"

Seeing the anxious look on Dōdō's face, Choza could not help thinking of unpleasant possibilities.

Shikaku set down his chopsticks and placed a hand on Choza's shoulder.

"Choza, ever since the Police Force was reformed, the village's security has improved greatly. It probably isn't someone making trouble. Let Dōdō explain first."

Dōdō then revealed something none of the three men in the room had expected.

"Clan Head, Senya Uchiha suddenly came to our barbecue restaurant. He's in the private room next to yours."

"What? Senya Uchiha? What is he doing here? Who did he come with?"

Dōdō shook his head.

"I don't know why he came. He's alone in the room and ordered quite a lot of meat. I overheard the server say so and came straight here to tell you."

For a moment, Choza had no idea how to handle this.

Then Inoichi suddenly spoke.

"Brother Dōdō, go on and get back to work. Leave this matter to the three of us."

Akimichi Dōdō left the private room and returned to managing the barbecue restaurant. After all, Shikaku was right. Since the Police Force reforms, hardly anyone had caused trouble in the restaurant. Even the occasional drunk would be taken away by the Police Force and fined.

Business had become much better because of it.

Once Dōdō had left, Choza narrowed his already small eyes and looked troubled as he turned to his two companions.

"What do you think Senya Uchiha's sudden visit means? Could he really just be here by chance for some barbecue?"

Sitting cross-legged across from him, Inoichi lowered his head in thought. He could not quite grasp Senya's intentions.

Shikaku tapped his fingers against the table and considered it for a moment.

"It probably isn't a coincidence. The three of us clan heads happen to be gathered here today. That newly appointed vice clan head of the Uchiha clan may have learned something and come to test us."

"Could it be that the Uchiha clan noticed Root's movements?"

Inoichi suddenly raised his head, recalling Root's actions from several days ago.

Bang!

Choza slammed a fist against the table.

"Root. Damn Root! What is the Third Hokage thinking, allowing Root to demand people from our Ino-Shika-Cho? And only children at that! Damn it!"

Shikaku let out a sigh. Even he did not know how to comfort Choza, because the Nara and Yamanaka clans, like the Akimichi clan, had each had two children taken by Root.

"Root's movements may already have been noticed by the Uchiha clan, or by Senya Uchiha."

"The village may look far more stable than before, but dark currents are surging beneath the surface. The Uchiha clan is likely lying in wait. It may not be long before they confront the village leadership."

The worry on Choza's face was replaced by determination.

"Shikaku, I know you'll have a way. What should we do this time?"

"Shikaku, don't worry. No matter what choice you make, we'll follow you without hesitation. We of Ino-Shika-Cho have always been one whole."

Inoichi, like Choza, gave Shikaku a resolute look. They both trusted Shikaku, the man who had weathered decades of storms alongside them since childhood.

Shikaku's fingers stopped tapping the table as he rose to his feet.

"Let's go. Since Senya Uchiha is here, we cannot be discourteous. Let's meet him first. I don't dare make a choice lightly yet."

"But after speaking with this newly appointed vice clan head, I will make the right choice."

Choza and Inoichi exchanged looks, nodded, and rose together to follow Shikaku.

The red walls and orange-yellow lighting in the private room greatly whetted Senya's appetite. This was already the third batch of meat he had finished.

After placing all the pork shoulder from the last few plates onto the grill, Senya poured himself another cup of tea and slowly drank the fragrant, refreshing brew.

The tea washed away the greasiness left in his mouth by the grilled meat.

"Sir, three people wish to visit you."

Dōdō spoke from outside the door on behalf of Shikaku's group.

Senya raised a brow. Who would come to visit at a time like this? Three people... Could it be the three Ino-Shika-Cho clan heads?

"Come in."

A black pineapple-like hairstyle, a red spiky hairstyle, and a light yellow single ponytail.

The three entered the private room and sat across from Senya.

Unexpected, yet perfectly reasonable. It really was those three clan heads.

Senya immediately began sorting through all the information he knew about Ino-Shika-Cho.

"May I ask what brings the three clan heads to visit a minor vice clan head like me at this hour?"

Shikaku waved a hand and smiled.

"Vice Clan Head Senya, you flatter yourself too much. You are the deputy chief of the Police Force and vice clan head of the Uchiha clan. Calling yourself a mere vice clan head is overly modest, isn't it?"

Senya looked at the three seated opposite him.

There were grease stains on Choza's chest. The three smelled of charcoal, more strongly than the charcoal scent in Senya's own room, and there was also a faint smell of alcohol on them.

Senya understood. It seemed they had arrived earlier than him, but by coincidence, he had come to the Akimichi clan's barbecue restaurant today as well.

The person who had opened the door earlier looked plump, with skin finer than that of an ordinary person, indicating he did not usually do hard labor. Yet the hand that opened the door bore calluses left by years of writing. He was probably the restaurant owner.

So his visit for barbecue had led these three clan heads to connect it with recent events.

And Hiashi had told him just a few days ago that Root had taken Neji away. In that case, Ino-Shika-Cho had likely had quite a few children from their main families taken away as well.

All the information Senya knew intertwined in his mind until, at last, he deduced the final answer.

Senya lifted the teapot, poured three cups of tea, and pushed them toward Shikaku, Choza, and Inoichi. Then he said something none of them expected.

"Shisui's death was Danzo's doing. Recently, we Uchiha have opened up the Police Force's authority. I recall that quite a few shinobi from your three Ino-Shika-Cho clans have applied to join."

Cold sweat began to trickle down Shikaku's temple, and his brow furrowed tightly. Senya Uchiha was clearly only sixteen—how could he possess such terrifying skill in negotiation?

He had poured tea for the three of them, and Shikaku had thought he meant to show weakness. Instead, he had opened with such a sharp subject.