The air in the corridors of the Hokage Building seemed to have frozen.
Baishi wore a bamboo hat, his shadow stretching long behind him. He did not look back. His steps were steady, each one falling squarely along the corridor's centerline.
Behind him, Shikaku Nara hurried to keep up, carrying an encrypted scroll that had just arrived from the ANBU communications unit.
"Lord Hokage, Fugaku Uchiha from the Defense Department has arrived at the meeting room. Hyuga Hiashi is there as well. They both believe we should immediately launch a full-scale operation to eliminate the target."
Shikaku kept his voice low enough that only the two of them could hear.
"Fugaku's Konoha Military Police Force and the Hyuga Border Defense Force have submitted a joint operation request."
Baishi did not slow down.
"I know."
That was all he said.
Three minutes later, in a small emergency meeting room on the top floor of the Hokage Building.
The atmosphere on both sides of the long table was tense.
Fugaku Uchiha sat ramrod straight in his Konoha Military Police Force uniform, his hands folded on the table and his gaze sharp. Hyuga Hiashi had his eyes closed as though deep in meditation, but the tight line of his jaw gave away his stance.
Tsunade leaned back in her chair with her arms crossed and her brow furrowed. She had been summoned in a hurry, and the grim air surrounding the military commanders across from her made her deeply uncomfortable.
The door opened.
Baishi entered. Shikaku followed and distributed a stack of documents to everyone present.
Rather than head straight for the seat at the head of the table, Baishi stopped before the enormous map of the Shinobi World. His gaze settled on the red mark in the Southern Border's G-7 grid.
"I