This kid... Inoichi Yamanaka took in the entire scene from afar, a complex mix of emotions churning in his heart. He keenly sensed that the boy named Sai seemed to be responding to his daughter's affection in a clumsy, almost bizarre way.
Yet he had to admit it worked, as his own daughter's heart was indeed precisely targeted.
Inoichi's normally gentle face instantly collapsed into a serious, grave expression as he looked at Sai and Sai's drawing.
It was well-drawn, but he didn't like it.
He glanced back at his beaming daughter, the urge to use Sai as fertilizer growing increasingly intense.
Feeling a sudden, oppressive wave of killing intent, Sai shivered violently.
"Ahem." Shikaku gave a dry cough, breaking the delicate atmosphere. He knew that if this continued, a major incident would happen.
Shikaku stepped forward, attempting a rational approach. "We all understand Naruto's plan, but the method—"
"Shikaku-dono," Zero interrupted, his tone stiff. "The Commissar said that the result of 'discussing it long-term' is just endless delays, but time waits for no one. The enemy will not leave us time to hesitate and agonize."
"You..." Shikaku was at a loss for words.
At that exact moment, a suffocating fluctuation swept over from the village.
"Stop it, all of you!!!"
Accompanied by a furious roar, the ground seemed to tremble three times.
Tsunade arrived like a whirlwind, accompanied by Shizune. Her complexion at that moment was darker than the bottom of a pot.
She looked at the litter-strewn ground and the bombed-to-pieces tree, the anger in her chest practically scorching her reason away.
"Zero!!" Tsunade stomped the blue-stone pavement beneath her feet to pieces, pointing at his nose as she cursed. "Do you have any idea what you're doing?! Using this kind of weapon inside the village?!"
The fingers