Shikaku leaned forward slightly, his gaze crossing the chessboard and settling on Shikamaru's face with almost tangible weight. "Some things, you hear and pretend you didn't. Some things, you understand and pretend you don't. And some questions, you know the answers to perfectly well, but keep your words vague."
"That's what it means to 'play dumb.'"
"Play... dumb?" Shikamaru turned the phrase over in his mind, the confusion on his face deepening.
It seemed to run counter to the Nara Clan's belief in solving problems through intelligence.
"Why? Wouldn't it be better to see the problem clearly and then solve it?"
Shikaku smiled. There was little warmth in it, only the clarity of someone who had seen too much and a faint trace of mockery.
"Solve it? Son, many problems in this world—especially those involving people's hearts, interests, and power—can't simply be 'solved.'"
"Sometimes, pointing them out only makes things worse. You leave everyone embarrassed and put yourself at the center of the storm."
He pointed at the chessboard. "It's like this game. Some positions are so tangled that barging in could bring the whole board down."
"So it's better to leave them alone for now, maintain a delicate balance, and wait for a better moment—or let time sort them out."
His smile faded, and his voice regained the steady tone of an elder instructing a younger generation.
"This art of 'playing dumb' is one reason the Nara Clan survived the bloody Warring States Period, endured three Shinobi World Wars, and still holds high positions in a village like Konoha, trusted by the Hokage."
"It isn't because we're always right. It's because we know when to be clever and when to be a little 'stupid.'"
With that, Shikaku seemed to have passed on something important. He slipped back into his