The next morning.
News of a sudden internal rebellion within the Ino-Shika-Cho Trio, followed by half their clansmen choosing to leave and ultimately defect to the Uchiha, once again landed on Sarutobi Hiruzen's desk.
Sarutobi Hiruzen's gaze turned vicious.
He did not even need to seek out Nara Shikaku to guess the real reason behind this.
They had merely realized that his side was in trouble and, for the future of Ino-Shika-Cho, had decided to spread their investments, had they?
Internal strife?
Everyone in the Nara Clan was naturally intelligent, and their lazy dispositions made the clan's internal atmosphere exceptionally harmonious. They had none of the filthy nonsense found in other shinobi clans.
The Yamanaka and Akimichi clans were much the same.
Because of their close ties with the Nara Clan, they rarely oppressed their own clansmen. In all these years, Konoha had never heard of any grudges within Ino-Shika-Cho.
And now?
The moment his side fell into decline, Ino-Shika-Cho suddenly had internal strife?
Heh!
Who were they trying to fool?
The half that remained and appeared loyal to him was likewise only there for the future of Ino-Shika-Cho.
So no matter who won or lost, Ino-Shika-Cho would remain safely on the sidelines?
Sarutobi Hiruzen snorted coldly to himself!
For the sake of the bigger picture, he would endure them for now. Once he killed the Uchiha, he would show them exactly how he planned to deal with them.
Yes.
He might not have been as smart as Nara Shikaku, but he had been Hokage for so many years. Naturally, Nara Shikaku's schemes could not fool him.
Thinking this, he calmed down once more.
Sarutobi Hiruzen took out a fresh pipe, smoked as he looked at the village beyond the window, and at that moment, he was still the Hokage