I'm Done Pretending-I, Ōnoki, Am Going to Slack Off

If no one came looking to fight you to the death, I'd write the name Uchiha Yan backward.

"..."

His crooked thoughts having been seen through, Ōnoki felt somewhat awkward. "Ahem, Hokage, you're overthinking it. I have no such intention."

"Is that so?"

Yan studied Ōnoki with a faint, knowing smile, then shook his head slightly.

"Forget it. I've already suggested a solution. As for how you deal with the Raikage, that's your business.

"Whether you want to settle the war in one stroke or launch a covert attack, that's your call, Ōnoki. Please leave. I need to rest."

"Remember this: once you leave, we never met. No matter how things turn out, it will be Iwagakure's business alone. It has nothing to do with Konoha or me."

Yan had no desire to see Ōnoki and A start arguing, only for Ōnoki to drag him into it.

At the very least, he could not completely fall out with A yet. After all, Naruto still needed to be sent to Kumogakure for Killer B to train.

Once Naruto's training was more or less complete, he could be sent to Mount Myoboku.

Naruto and Sasuke had a full schedule waiting for them, all to help them grow stronger as quickly as possible.

It seemed he could not openly drag Konoha into this.

Ōnoki felt somewhat regretful, but he still took Yan's words to heart.

If Yan had not warned him, he could have justified dragging Yan in on his own initiative. But now that Yan had already made it clear, if he still dared pull him into this, things would look ugly for everyone if it blew up.

After leaving Yan, Ōnoki returned to his residence and could not help questioning himself.

*Have I gotten old? Has my thinking fallen behind the