Shikamaru listened to Uchiha Shunichi, remaining silent for a long time.
As one of the few truly clever people in Konoha, how could he not understand the current situation?
He simply did not want to admit it!
Because he was afraid... afraid of war, afraid that this newly appointed Hokage would act recklessly because of his youth and put Konoha in danger.
But only today did Shikamaru realize that this Hokage, who was his own age, saw much further ahead than he did and judged the situation with remarkable accuracy.
Perhaps that was why he had become Hokage at such a young age.
And Shikamaru seemed to have been too clever for his own good.
"Lord Hokage, I understand. I'll discuss this with the other ninja in the Intelligence Department and draw up a flawless attack plan," Shikamaru said, somewhat ashamed.
Instead, Uchiha Shunichi shook his head at those words. "No, this isn't an attack. We're defending Konoha. Only when we eliminate everyone who tries to use schemes and underhanded tricks against us will Konoha truly be safe."
Shikamaru froze for a moment, but quickly caught on.
"Yes, Lord Hokage!"
After Shikamaru left, Uchiha Shunichi casually put the matter out of his mind. To him, it was a minor issue, hardly worth worrying about.
Soon, Konoha's ninja sprang into action. Abandoning their usual friendly approach, they became decisive and ruthless in killing.
The change naturally caused panic in the surrounding villages. The other four great shinobi villages, in particular, all sent representatives to Konoha to ask what exactly had happened.
Even though they had prepared for the worst, not one of them dared voice any dissatisfaction with Konoha now.
Normally, secret operations between shinobi villages were never disclosed. This time, however, Uchiha Shunichi publicly announced all his objectives.
Though they