"Cut it out."
After finally suppressing his anger, Shikaku Nara regained his composure and said solemnly, "You're a smart man. You should know I didn't come here just to chat."
"What exactly are you trying to say?"
Shinichi looked at him with a faint, knowing smile.
"I want to know where you stand on Konoha, and more importantly, where you stand on the Third!"
A shrewd gleam flashed in Shikaku Nara's eyes as he said quietly, "That will determine how our three Ino-Shika-Cho clans treat you from now on."
Everyone knew the three Ino-Shika-Cho clans generally followed the Nara Clan's lead. The Nara Clan was known for producing clever people, and the others were happy to let those clever people do the thinking and make the right decisions for them.
"What stance could I possibly have?"
Shinichi shrugged helplessly. "I'm just an ordinary Chunin. My opinion hardly matters!"
"Shinichi, is playing dumb really that much fun?"
Shikaku's eye twitched, irritation creeping into his voice. "You've long since become a major force in Konoha. Even Lord Hokage has to watch your mood before acting. Don't assume everyone in Konoha besides you is an idiot. Your relationship with the Uchiha Clan and the Hyuga Clan..."
He left the sentence unfinished, but Shinichi knew what he meant.
"Enough."
Shinichi waved him off and interrupted, "You just want to know whether I'll harm Konoha, don't you? Then let me make this clear today: Konoha is my home. I'd have to be out of my mind to destroy my own home."
"Then why did you do all this?"
Shikaku finally felt relieved by that answer, but he still couldn't help asking, "Were you deliberately targeting Lord Hokage and Lord Danzo? Or do you want to become Hokage yourself?"
"Like hell I want to be Hokage!"