Inoichi's face was full of emotion.
Yes—he was truly moved.
It really had to be the Nara clan.
When it came to foresight and planning, they always thought things through from every angle.
Without anyone noticing, they had already secured a fallback.
And no one could accuse the Ino–Shika–Cho of betraying the Hokage faction.
After all—
it wasn't that the entire trio of clans had defected.
They could always say "some traitors arose among us, but alas, under Uchiha protection we couldn't act against them immediately."
Verification? Impossible.
Their so-called "internal disputes" had been ongoing for generations—everyone in Konoha knew of them.
What they didn't know was that these feuds had been staged all along.
"Enough, Inoichi.
Now that you know, go back and make arrangements.
In my estimation, within three days the shinobi from the Hidden Stone front will return.
And one more thing—remember this well.
Even if part of our people go over to the Uchiha, we who remain are still Hokage faction.
No matter what happens next, we must give our all for Hokage-sama.
We cannot pretend. We cannot just go through the motions. We must commit fully.
Don't take others for fools—understand?"
Shikaku's tone was heavy.
This point was critical.
Honestly, he didn't worry much about the Nara—their brains were in their blood, few of them ever acted stupid.
But the Yamanaka and Akimichi… he wasn't so sure.
So he had to make it clear.
Inoichi nodded.
As a clan head, he naturally understood the weight behind Shikaku's words.
Taking a deep breath, he answered solemnly:
"Rest easy, Shikaku.
When I return, I'll warn everyone.
I know how dangerous this shift of allegiance is. I'll make sure no mistakes are made."
Shikaku gave a small nod.
Good—his old friend understood. Otherwise, Shikaku would never sleep soundly.
For what they were attempting, though clever, was still a tightrope walk.
One misstep, and it could mean total ruin.
"Good that you understand.
But it's fine.
Tomorrow, when Akimichi Torifū and Chōza arrive, we'll discuss matters carefully and make our arrangements.
For now—I'm exhausted. I need rest.
Inoichi, go home too."
Inoichi agreed.
He saw how worn out Shikaku was, and with his questions answered, he didn't dare impose further.
He rose, said a word to Yoshino, and left discreetly.
The next morning, just as Shikaku groggily rose from bed—
Before he could even brush his teeth, Inoichi arrived again, this time bringing Akimichi Torifū and Chōza with him.
The elder, Torifū, barged in with a scolding tone:
"Shikaku, what's going on?
Inoichi told me the rough outline. Is it really this serious?
This step… is not easy to take!"
His face was grave, his presence heavy.
Yes.
From Inoichi's words, he had been stunned.
He knew Hiruzen and his lot well—he, too, had once been a student of the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama.
So he understood them better than most.
And even if the Uchiha now had a formidable rising star, Torifū still hesitated to oppose Hiruzen.
Not because of old camaraderie—
but because he knew, more than anyone, how ruthless Hiruzen and his comrades could be.
One wrong move, and the consequences would be unbearable.
Meanwhile, Shikaku, still bleary-eyed and preparing to wash his face, could only stare blankly at Torifū.
Good grief.
Was there any need for such urgency?
He sighed inwardly, but Torifū was still an elder he had to respect.
"Torifū-senpai, please sit in the tea room first.
Chōza, Inoichi, keeps him company. Yoshino, make tea for our guests.
And… senpai, as you can see, I need a moment to wash up."
Yoshino hurried off to prepare tea.
Chōza and Inoichi quickly tried to smooth things over.
Torifū, not a fool, realized Shikaku's weariness and that his own impatience had shown.
So at last, he nodded reluctantly and went to the tea room.
Shikaku, meanwhile, splashed his face with water, sighing heavily.
Ever since becoming clan head, his mind had known no rest.
If only he had won against Kōji back then—
then it would be his brother who bore this burden, and Shikaku himself could spend his days in leisure.
But instead, here he was, endlessly troubled, his brain spinning twenty-four hours a day.
Another sigh escaped him as he braced himself and washed up.
Ten minutes later, refreshed enough to function, Shikaku returned to the tea room.
Torifū, as the elder, sat at the head. Shikaku took the left seat, representing the Nara main family.
Looking at the expectant faces around him, Shikaku didn't waste time.
He briefly explained Uchiha Kai's rise and the Uchiha clan's current standing.
Then he laid out the Hokage faction's strengths and weaknesses, both sides' advantages and flaws.
At last, he ended with a weary sigh:
"You all know why I became clan head.
In truth, I lost that contest.
The true brightest mind of the Nara clan is my cousin, Nara Kōji.
And this decision—was not mine alone.
It was made after Kōji and I deliberated together.
And we both believe—the time has come."
His tone was firm, his gaze unwavering.
But the others froze in shock—
not at the decision itself, but at something else he had let slip.
Torifū blurted out:
"Shikaku, you're not joking, are you?
You said Minato Namikaze—Jiraiya's student?
Even if he has fallen out with Hiruzen?
That can't be true, can it?"
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