Yamanaka Inoichi sat as if he were glued to his chair, not daring to move.
Without the Hokage's word or Elder Torifu's approval, he wouldn't dare move at all. Even if Uchiha Sōken took his anger out on him, he still wouldn't dare. There was no need to think about whether to choose his clan or himself: it didn't matter if he, the clan head, died, but he couldn't let anyone think the Yamanaka Clan had joined forces with the Uchiha, like the Kurama Clan had.
To be honest,
the Kurama Clan had already been excluded from the social circles of many clans these past few days.
The Uchiha Clan... were genuinely unpopular! Even though all these clans knew the truth behind the village's slander of the Uchiha, they really didn't like dealing with that bunch of arrogant snobs. That dislike had taken root back when Madara Uchiha lost the Hokage election to Hashirama Senju.
After decades,
it had nearly become a habit!
Breaking that habit wasn't something that could be done easily!
Although Danzo's near-death had made many clan heads look upon Sōken a little more favorably, that goodwill extended only to Sōken. They still kept their distance from the Uchiha Clan—not provoking them, but never drawing close, either.
"Clan Head Yamanaka? Are you feeling unwell today?"
Sōken pressed him for an answer.
"No, um..." Yamanaka Inoichi wasn't much of a smooth talker. He stammered, not knowing how to bluff his way out of it, while beads of sweat the size of beans rolled down his forehead. Just as Nara Shikaku clenched his fists, ready to help his friend out—
"Police Force Captain Uchiha, don't waste time on such trivial matters."
Elder Mitokado interrupted Sōken's questioning.
He didn't know what Uchiha Sōken was trying to do, but he knew