The Unexpected Exposure of a Core Key and ANBU Inspection Intervention

The meeting room door was pulled open, then gently closed again.

Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu walked out one after the other without looking back, their backs seeming somewhat rigid beneath the corridor lights.

The heads of the various departments around the conference table rose in succession. They exchanged far fewer glances, gathered the documents before them, and hurried out with their heads lowered. The room that had been packed just moments ago was empty by more than half in the blink of an eye.

The taut string in the air seemed to have snapped, yet seemed not to have snapped at all.

Shikaku Nara did not move. He carefully placed the newly co-signed transfer order and the related meeting minutes into a document bag. His movements were slow and meticulous, as though he intended to smooth out every crease.

"Hokage-sama." Shikaku sealed the document bag and offered it to Baishi with both hands.

Baishi did not take it. His gaze remained fixed on the unchanging sky beyond the window.

"Shikaku, tell me—what kind of talent is the hardest to come by?" he asked softly.

Shikaku froze for a moment. The question had come without warning. After thinking for a while, he answered cautiously, "Someone who understands the rules, and also understands how to get things done within them."

"That's right." Baishi withdrew his gaze, picked up the cup of tea on the table that had long since gone cold, and drained it in one gulp.

"So those who don't understand the rules need to learn them properly."

He rose to his feet, picked up the heavy document bag, said not another word, and walked straight out of the meeting room.

Shikaku stood where he was, watching the Hokage disappear. Behind his lenses, an indescribably complicated emotion flashed through his