Deidara Makes Tea

At that moment, Nara Shikaku stepped forward and blocked Danzo's path. He said solemnly, "Lord Danzo, without conclusive evidence or leads, I don't believe either you or Root have the right to investigate anyone—unless you have an order from Lord Hokage!"

Of course, Danzo did not have Hiruzen Sarutobi's orders. And he did not need them, either.

For a long time in the past, Danzo and Root had always operated this way: the Hokage did the Hokage's work, Danzo did Danzo's work, the Anbu did the Anbu's work, and Root did Root's work. Neither side interfered with the other.

It was an understanding between him and Hiruzen Sarutobi, but it absolutely could not be spoken of in public.

Now, Nara Shikaku was deliberately using the banner of "the greater good" to corner him. Danzo could only withdraw the Root Ninja in frustration and leave unwillingly.

Yet the gloomy look in his single eye as he departed told everyone clearly that he would absolutely not let this go.

"What an awful old man. He's even more infuriating than the old man in my family!" Deidara grumbled endlessly.

After all, when he was nine, this guy had stolen Iwagakure's forbidden techniques and then gone on a rampage of destruction throughout the village, forcing his teacher—the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki—to personally kick him out.

Even Ōnoki had been unable to keep such a troublesome boy in line, let alone Danzo.

If his Chakra had not been sealed, Deidara would have stuffed hundreds of tiny bird bombs up Danzo's ass!

Houka ignored him and smiled as he invited Nara Shikaku, Akimichi Choza, and Yamanaka Inoichi inside.

Once they reached the living room, Houka said to Deidara, "What are you standing around for? Go make some tea!"

"Damn it, are you treating me like a servant?!"