Meeting

Ignoring Choji's stiff expression, Samu Kokaze turned to Shikamaru. "Shikamaru, you came at just the right time. There are a few things I need you to investigate for me."

"What?" Still shocked by Samu Kokaze's appetite, Shikamaru answered reflexively when he heard the question.

"It's like this..." Samu Kokaze roughly repeated what Tanaka Keishi had told him after entering the room.

"You want me to find out whether what he said is true?" Shikamaru asked after a brief pause.

"Yes!" Samu Kokaze nodded and said gravely, "After what happened yesterday, I can't trust them now. I can only ask you."

Shikamaru frowned and nodded. "I'll ask my father to look into the details, but I think you'd better stay out of this. They were bold enough to come into Konoha and kill someone. If they attack you a second time regardless of the consequences, then with you as you are now..."

Before Shikamaru could finish, Ino, who had been listening nearby, suddenly rushed to the bedside, hugged Samu Kokaze's arm, and shouted, "I won't let you get involved in this anymore!"

Lowering his head to look at the worried Ino, Samu Kokaze smiled gently. "Don't worry! Once was already enough for something like this! I promise nothing like that will ever happen again."

Then he turned his head. "I'll leave it to you, Shikamaru."

Shikamaru frowned at that, but he still nodded in agreement.

"Come to think of it, where's Sakura?" Samu Kokaze looked around the room and asked when he realized someone was missing.

"Sakura's parents found out about what happened yesterday and dragged her home."

Choji somehow pulled out a bag of chips and answered while eating.

"I see." Samu Kokaze nodded in understanding. Sakura's family was not like Ino's; they were merely a civilian family. After something like this suddenly happened, it was only natural for them to take her home.

"Then that's it for now! Kokaze, get some proper rest! Once I've investigated this matter, I'll come tell you."

Shikamaru glanced at Samu Kokaze lying in bed as he spoke.

"Kokaze! We're leaving now. Tomorrow, I'll bring you even more food!" Choji slung the lunchbox from the floor onto his back, looking troubled.

As he watched Shikamaru head for the door, Samu Kokaze suddenly called out, "Shikamaru, wait!"

Shikamaru stopped mid-step and turned back to look at him in confusion.

A cold glint flashed through Samu Kokaze's eyes as he lay in bed. "Help me get some things..."

The sky dimmed as the sun sank in the west, leaving behind only its final rays. Several young figures walked along Konoha's streets.

"What do you think Kokaze needs so much stuff for?"

Naruto, dressed in yellow with three whisker-like marks on each cheek, asked curiously.

"Who knows!" Choji replied, slightly out of breath as he carried the lunchbox.

"But if he wants it, then it must be useful."

"True!" Naruto nodded and stopped thinking about it. Looking at Choji panting under the lunchbox, he thought for a moment before saying, "I'll help you tomorrow morning!"

"Thank you so much, Naruto!" Choji said with a touched expression.

"It's nothing!" Naruto chuckled foolishly.

"Kokaze!" As Ino followed the others, she occasionally lifted her head to look back. Her lowered face was filled with worry.

"Ino, don't worry about that guy. With his personality, he won't let himself get trapped in danger."

Shikamaru, who had been thinking ever since they left the hospital, saw Ino repeatedly looking back with a worried expression and spoke to comfort her.

"I'm fine." Ino shook her head and revealed a somewhat bitter smile.

Seeing that Ino was still the same as ever, Shikamaru sighed inwardly. He looked up at the sky and said, "Hurry up, all of you! My mom said that if I'm not back by six, I should prepare to get chewed out!"

A little earlier.

Inside the conference room of Konoha's Hokage Building.

The chairs arranged in a circle were filled with people. Shimura Danzō, seated in the elder's seat, opened his eyes and said flatly, "The Police Force must bear full responsibility for what happened last night."

Fugaku Uchiha, the head of the Uchiha Clan, did not look pleased at Danzo's accusation. Ever since the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, established the Konoha Police Force, its major posts had all been held by members of the Uchiha Clan.

However, he did not refute it. After all, maintaining Konoha's security was the very purpose of the Police Force, and an incident had indeed occurred yesterday.

"The person in charge of the Police Force last night has already received an internal clan punishment."

Fugaku Uchiha looked at Danzo across from him and replied in a low voice.

At those words, the people seated in the conference hall began murmuring. No matter how one looked at it, Fugaku Uchiha's response could be seen as directly confronting Konoha.

The Third Hokage, seated at the head of the table, looked below and sighed faintly. He raised his pipe and tapped it against the table.

Once the hall had fallen silent again, Danzo suddenly erupted. He slammed the table and shouted, "This is Konoha! Do you take it for your family's private matter? Internal clan punishment? The offender must be handed over to Root!"

"Impossible!"

Fugaku Uchiha flatly refused Danzo's demand.

Although he knew this would further deepen the rift between Konoha and his clan, Fugaku Uchiha had no other choice. The relationship between the Uchiha and Konoha was already like a powder keg on the verge of ignition; even as the Uchiha Clan head, he could not completely control it.

By his own wishes, he would have been willing to pay some price to ease relations with Konoha's upper ranks, but the clan elders and the faction advocating war would never agree.

Fugaku Uchiha sighed inwardly, and a trace of determination flashed through his eyes.

"Then let us vote!" Danzo was not surprised by Fugaku Uchiha's refusal. He said evenly, "We'll decide how to resolve this through a vote."

He had never expected to succeed this time. Danzo's real purpose was to use this matter to see who was now standing with the Uchiha Clan.

"In my capacity as Hokage advisor, Utatane Koharu... and Homura, we agree with Danzo's proposal."

As soon as Danzo finished speaking, the Hokage's two advisors were the first to voice their support. They had clearly prepared for this in advance.

Hyuga Hiashi, the head of the Hyuga Clan, had watched coldly ever since entering the conference hall. Only after hearing what Danzo had just said did his expression shift slightly.

As a great clan second only to the Uchiha and Senju Clan, and with the Senju Clan in decline, Hiashi did not actually want to see the Uchiha decline as well.

For now, the Uchiha could still stand at the front. Once they fell, who would be next? There was hardly any need to imagine it.

And do not say Konoha was incapable of doing such a thing. For Konoha's sake, Hiashi believed the Third Hokage could pay any price, just as he had with Hizashi a few years ago.

Ignoring the look Danzo cast toward him, Hiashi closed his eyes and waited for the others to speak first.

Knock, knock...

Just as Danzo was about to use the hidden pieces in his hand to press the attack, the Third Hokage tapped the table.

His face beneath the conical hat was calm. "Everyone, take a step back. Fugaku, have your people spend some time training on the front lines first!"

Hearing the Third Hokage break the tense atmosphere in the room, Fugaku Uchiha breathed a sigh of relief and nodded in agreement.