Thunderous Sweep at the Guesthouse and Suppression Beneath Diplomatic Rhetoric

The air in the Meeting Room froze the instant the ANBU operative finished speaking.

Riot.

Hostage-taking.

Breakout.

Each word was like a boulder crashing down onto the already turbulent table of the expanded advisory meeting.

Mitokado Homura, who had just leaned back in his chair, abruptly sat upright again. A flicker of astonishment appeared on his deathly pale face, along with a barely perceptible, chaotic anticipation.

The situation had spiraled out of control.

Even if Baishi had obtained irrefutable evidence, once deaths occurred at the guesthouse—especially if an Amegakure envoy died at the hands of Sunagakure hostage-takers—the weight of that evidence would be infinitely diminished.

In the end, all blame would still fall upon him, the Fifth Hokage who had mishandled the situation.

Utatane Koharu's eyes flickered as she almost instinctively looked toward Mitokado Homura. The two swiftly completed a silent exchange with their eyes.

Yet Baishi, seated at the head of the table, showed no reaction.

He did not even look at the kneeling ANBU operative. His gaze remained fixed on Mitokado Homura's bloodless face, as though he were enjoying the most riveting twist in a play.

That extraordinary composure made the dead silence in the Meeting Room even more suffocating.

"Hokage-sama!" Seeing that Baishi had not reacted, the reporting ANBU operative unconsciously raised his voice, a trace of urgency in it.

Only then did Baishi slowly withdraw his gaze, as if emerging from deep thought.

He neither rose nor displayed the slightest panic.

"Seal off every street around Guesthouse No. 3."

His voice was not loud, but it was exceptionally clear, carrying an unquestionable command.

"All outer perimeter guards are to hold their positions. Without my orders, no one is to advance inward or respond to any provocation."

"Yes!"

"Shikaku." Baishi turned his gaze toward Shikaku Nara at