"Shikaku, it's been a while." The day after Uchiha Yi single-handedly routed Kirigakure, Shikaku Nara arrived at the front with the main force.
Yi welcomed Shikaku into the command tent. His warmth gave Shikaku a bad feeling. People didn't act this friendly without wanting something.
Yi was usually easy enough to get along with, but he had never been this welcoming to Shikaku.
Yi was, after all, the strongest man in the Shinobi World in many people's eyes and the future Hokage. Why would he need to treat Shikaku like this?
"Heh. We really haven't seen each other since graduation.
I never expected you to make such a name for yourself in just a few years," Shikaku said with a wistful sigh.
Shikaku had come hoping to build a good relationship with Yi. As a clever man, he could see what Hiruzen Sarutobi intended: he was paving the way not only for Yi, but for Ino-Shika-Cho as well.
Torifu Akimichi might have been like an uncle to Yi, but that connection wasn't especially strong. It was important for those of Yi's own generation to get close to him too.
Yi was the future Hokage. Shikaku had to build a good relationship with him, and now that the opportunity was before him, he couldn't afford to let it slip.
"Heh, sorry to trouble you with this. I haven't touched any of the paperwork yet. I'm hoping you can take it over for me," Yi said, looking a little embarrassed.
"You... I..." Shikaku stared at the towering stack of scrolls on the table, dumbfounded.
"We're both new to this, and much of it was Mitokado Homura's responsibility. But he's still receiving treatment and can't take any of it on. For now, we can go through it together and do our best to