Chapter 122: Nara Shikaku
At this moment, inside the Hokage's office—
Not only the Third Hokage, but also the two village advisors, Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane, as well as Nara Shikaku, who had recently returned from outside the village, all wore grim expressions.
The atmosphere was extremely heavy.
"The intelligence Danzō provided regarding Orochimaru's base has now been confirmed to be a trap."
"Stealing Uchiha Shisui's corpse for forbidden research, suspected collusion with the missing-nin Orochimaru, providing false intelligence with the intent of harming the Hokage..."
One charge after another was confirmed.
Even the two advisors, who understood both Danzō and Hiruzen better than most, had no desire to defend Danzō in the face of such overwhelming evidence.
After all, the Third Hokage had deliberately exposed Danzō's actions before them and allowed them to witness everything firsthand.
Even from the perspective of someone supposedly protecting Konoha from the shadows, Danzō had gone far beyond acceptable limits.
The unspoken rules that operated in darkness could never be brought into the light.
Once exposed publicly, they had to be judged according to official laws and regulations—unless the person involved possessed enough value to justify breaking those rules.
And clearly, in the eyes of the two advisors, Danzō no longer possessed that value.
"Did the Root members reveal anything else during interrogation?"
"No."
Shikaku shook his head.
"According to Ibiki's interrogation results, they were most likely placed under sealing techniques. We can't obtain any useful intelligence from them."
At this point, however, it no longer mattered.
Everything Danzō had already done was enough to make acquittal impossible.
The only remaining question was—
How should Danzō be punished?
The Third Hokage remained silent for a long time.
Finally, he let out a weary sigh and made his decision.
"For the time being... imprison him."
—
After leaving the Hokage's office, Nara Shikaku walked home with a troubled expression.
His mood was anything but pleasant.
"Hey, Shikaku!"
As he passed a yakiniku restaurant, a familiar voice called out to him.
Turning his head, he saw his longtime comrade, Akimichi Chōza, waving from inside the restaurant window.
Across from him sat another old friend, Yamanaka Inoichi.
After entering the restaurant, the three men moved into a private room.
"So Danzō..."
Chōza scratched his head.
"He's not actually going to be executed?"
"You can't exactly say he got off without punishment."
Shikaku sighed.
"His authority has been stripped away. He'll be imprisoned. If nothing unexpected happens, he'll probably spend the rest of his life there."
"But compared to what he's done, the punishment is too light."
Inoichi frowned.
"And they didn't even use harsher methods to force a complete confession."
"When Hiashi captured him earlier, I noticed something strange about half of Danzō's body."
He shook his head.
"Looks like the Third Hokage still softened at the last moment."
"Enough."
Shikaku raised a hand, stopping the discussion.
"No matter what, this is still a good outcome, isn't it?"
Inoichi understood what his friend was thinking.
As the leader of Konoha's Intelligence Division, he hadn't participated in the earlier discussion within the Hokage's office, but the fact that nobody had assigned him a mission told him plenty.
Even if Root members had sealing techniques preventing them from speaking, the Yamanaka Clan's secret techniques could directly read memories and thoughts.
The higher-ups hadn't called him in.
That likely meant they didn't want every secret connected to Danzō and Root dragged into the light.
"Come on, enough about that."
Chōza quickly pushed a huge bowl of sake toward them.
"Stop thinking about it and have another drink!"
"No, no."
Shikaku waved his hand repeatedly.
"If I go home drunk again, Yoshino will—"
"Hahaha!"
Chōza burst out laughing.
"You're still terrified of your wife, Shikaku!"
"It's not just my wife."
Seeing his friend's attempt to lighten the mood, Shikaku played along.
He casually picked up a piece of grilled meat and sighed.
"There's also Shikamaru. He doesn't nag me the way his mother does, but he never gives me a pleasant look whenever I drink too much."
"And with that personality of his..."
"When children grow up, they start noticing all the flaws in their parents."
Inoichi sighed as well.
"The more they understand, the more obvious those flaws become."
"Though having sons is still easier."
He rubbed his forehead.
"I genuinely have no idea how to communicate with Ino these days."
"She barely talks to me when she gets home."
"She spends all day tending those flowers and plants, and I don't understand any of it."
"A girl her age?"
Chōza grinned.
"She's probably got someone she likes."
"Your Ino is adorable. You should start worrying."
"Wouldn't be surprising if she ended up like that little Hyūga girl and fell for someone early—"
"No way."
Inoichi blinked.
"She's never mentioned anything like that."
"You literally just said she doesn't talk to you!"
Chōza pointed out.
"How would she tell you?"
"You know, women become gentle in front of the man they love. The worse your daughter treats you, the more she dislikes you—"
Before he could finish, Chōza stuffed another giant piece of meat into his mouth.
Watching his two friends immediately become concerned about their children, he looked genuinely confused.
"Do your kids really think that much?"
"Compared to Chōji?"
Shikaku laughed.
"Definitely."
"The last time I saw Chōji upset, I told him I'd buy him a bag of snacks."
"He started smiling instantly."
"That's my boy!"
Chōza proudly slapped the table.
"Chōji never keeps things bottled up."
"When he was little, no matter how much he cried, one yakiniku meal solved everything!"
"Hahaha."
"That definitely sounds less troublesome."
As the conversation shifted toward family matters and stories about their children, Shikaku's mood gradually improved.
"...Before we knew it, they're almost old enough."
Inoichi gazed out the window.
The setting sun shone through the branches outside, bathing the streets in a warm golden glow.
"Yeah."
Shikaku nodded.
"Time really flies."
"I wonder what Konoha will look like in the future."
He raised his cup and drained it in one gulp.
"I just hope this hard-earned peace... lasts a little longer."
"You literally said you weren't drinking anymore."
"...Tch."
Shikaku smirked.
"Forget it."
"I've already started."
"Fill it up. Fill it up!"
—
That night—
Nara Shikaku staggered home and had barely opened the front door before Yoshino unleashed a barrage of scolding.
He repeatedly nodded and apologized until his wife finally ran out of steam.
With a sigh, she went to prepare some hangover soup.
"Dad, you really should drink less."
"I'm not drunk..."
Leaning against the wall and slowly sliding toward the floor, Shikaku still instinctively answered.
"What a drag..."
With his trademark spiky ponytail, Nara Shikamaru let out a helpless sigh.
He rolled up his sleeves and dragged his nearly unconscious father toward the bedroom.
"Honestly, what a hopeless old man."
Normally, Dad doesn't even drink this much.
After wiping the sweat from his forehead, Shikamaru waved his hand in front of his face, trying to disperse the overwhelming smell of alcohol.
Then he headed to the kitchen to get the hangover soup.
"Dad, drink this before—"
A few minutes later, Shikamaru returned carrying the bowl.
Only to hear loud snoring coming from the bed.
"He's already asleep?"
"Tch."
Scratching his head, Shikamaru carried the untouched soup back to the kitchen.
"He fell asleep?"
Yoshino frowned as she looked at the still-full bowl.
"Yeah."
Shikamaru nodded.
"He's completely out."
"Is that so..."
To Shikamaru's surprise, Yoshino froze for a moment.
She quietly took the bowl and poured the soup away.
Her voice softened considerably.
"Then he must have run into something truly troubling."
"Huh?"
Shikamaru blinked.
"Mom, what did you say?"
"Nothing."
Yoshino shook her head.
"Let him sleep."
"You should go get some rest too."
After sending her son away, she finished cleaning the kitchen and let out a quiet sigh.
"...I'll just wake up early tomorrow and make him some porridge."
"A hangover's never pleasant."
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