The Nara Clan Compound.
Shikaku Nara and Inoichi Yamanaka were playing shogi, with Choza Akimichi sitting beside them.
It looked like an ordinary game, but all three wore extremely grave expressions.
Inoichi Yamanaka asked, "Shikaku, do you think Danzo really killed himself?"
Hearing this, Shikaku quickly put down his piece and scanned their surroundings. Once he saw nothing unusual, he replied quietly, "Since Lord Hokage said so, it probably isn't a lie."
Choza Akimichi said, "Shikaku, there's no one else here. Just tell us what you really think."
"Sigh..."
Shikaku let out a long sigh and rubbed his head, his face filled with distress. "What a pain, all these things happening lately. Though I don't want to admit it, I keep feeling that Danzo was connected to the Uchiha massacre. It might even have involved Lord Hokage..."
Inoichi Yamanaka and Choza Akimichi exchanged a glance, then nodded and replied:
"We feel the same way. That's why we came straight to you for your opinion when we learned Danzo had died. Do you think... Lord Hokage might have been responsible for his death...?"
"Shh! Don't say that without evidence." Shikaku Nara hurriedly cut Inoichi and Choza off.
Inoichi Yamanaka said, "I could find evidence, but Lord Hokage won't let me look..."
Choza Akimichi said, "Danzo's body has already been buried, and we still have to attend his funeral shortly. Finding the truth through his body is practically impossible now."
Shikaku Nara asked, "How has Uchiha Xia Yu reacted?"
Inoichi Yamanaka said indignantly, "That's what baffles me the most!
"From the way Xia Yu arrested Danzo before, he clearly knew the truth. Yet he hasn't objected at all to Lord Hokage's subsequent cover-ups. Instead, he's actually been smug about his promotion to captain of the Konoha Military Police Force!"
Shikaku Nara pondered