Uchiha Kō slowly approached Danzo's tent. A ninja blocked his way. Kō looked up and saw that it was Aburame Shikuroo.
"Friend, what's this about?" Uchiha Kō asked with a frown.
"Sorry, it's my duty!" With that, Aburame Shikuroo began searching Uchiha Kō.
Kō had no choice but to hand over his kunai, shuriken, and the like. Aburame Shikuroo nodded, then said, "You may go in. Let me know if you need anything."
Kō nodded and lifted the flap of the tent. Shimura Danzō was reading a scroll. Without looking up, he asked, "Who is it?"
Come on, Kō didn't believe Danzō hadn't heard his conversation with Aburame Shikuroo. Even if he hadn't caught every word, surely he could recognize Kō's voice.
So Danzō knew perfectly well who had arrived. Why was he acting like this? It was a show of authority, a common tactic used by those in power to put their subordinates in their place.
Reward and reprimand in equal measure—many leaders used this trick. Though reward came first in the phrase, the reprimand was what mattered most. If you only ever showed kindness, people would think you were a pushover and wouldn't respect you much.
The display of authority was the core. Only after intimidating your subordinates could you grant them a small favor. That was how you managed people! It was just like the saying everyone had heard: give someone a slap, then offer them a sweet date.
Uchiha Kō knew exactly what Danzō was doing, but he didn't call him out. Instead, he played along, putting on a broad smile. "Commander-in-Chief, it's me, one of your soldiers, Uchiha Kō." Then he bowed.
Uchiha Kō didn't boast about his achievements or use his advice as leverage, acting arrogant because he was favored. Instead, he ingratiated himself