The idea that Shinki couldn't handle the Anbu's affairs was absurd. He returned to the village with accolades and sat in the Anbu office with confidence. Who would dare challenge him?
The body of Hanzo of the Salamander had not even been turned into a puppet yet.
Faced with his senior's pointed question, Shinki laughed freely. "Nothing serious, I just feel like there are too many minor tasks piling up, so I need help."
"You brat." Nara Shikako felt his blood pressure spike.
So, because there was too much work, Shinki pulled him in to handle the mundane tasks?
"Can I refuse?"
"Sorry, you can't."
"..."
"Are you sure you're only going to hand off trivial matters and make the significant decisions yourself?" Nara Shikako wasn't afraid of handling routine tasks; he feared Shinki would dump everything on him.
He knew Shinki's ways all too well from their time together.
An unreliable leader would leave the Anbu to the deputy, while the leader ran off to the battlefield. If the deputy was also unreliable, he, as the secretary, would be driven mad. Despite the power associated with the Anbu, Nara Shikako had no desire to wield it.
"Don't worry, senior. I'll handle the major issues myself. You'll just need to take care of the small stuff," Shinki said sincerely.
Although he had tricked Nara Shikako into helping, Shinki wouldn't abandon the Anbu entirely. He couldn't afford to.
Nara Shikako's face darkened, and he ground his teeth. "Remember your promise, or don't blame me if I suddenly fall ill and need to recuperate."
Just a subtle warning, but if pushed too far, he would refuse to cooperate.
"No problem. Thank you for your hard work, senior," Shinki said with a grin, pushing a stack of documents and scrolls toward Nara Shikako. "You can start now."
Nara Shikako: "..."
Can I take that back?
He had spent his life working tirelessly, handling the Third Hokage's various duties, and now he was being pulled into the Anbu to help Shinki with the same.
Nara Shikako's capabilities were undeniable. It seemed his skills were passed down, as Shinki had already set his sights on Nara Shikako's son, Shikaku.
With Nara Shikako's assistance, Shinki took over the Anbu, and Tsunade departed for the front lines, feeling confident that the Anbu was in capable hands. Her main concern was the Hokage's office and the two elder advisors.
With the mundane tasks delegated to Nara Shikako, Shinki found himself with more time to focus on strategic matters.
On the fifth day after Tsunade's departure, news came that electrified the village. The infiltrators in the Land of Fire had been driven out, and Hatake Sakumo had slain two significant figures from Sunagakure—Lady Chiyo's son and daughter-in-law.
The couple had been unlucky. While retreating, they encountered the formidable Sakumo, who swiftly ended their lives.
As Shinki reviewed the latest intelligence scrolls, he passed one to Nara Shikako. "Senior, do you think something feels off about Senior Sakumo?"
"Off how?" Nara Shikako, buried in tasks, hadn't kept up with the news circulating in the village.
Shinki handed over the scroll. Nara Shikako read it carefully, his brow furrowing as he absorbed the information.
"You're right. This news spread unusually fast, almost as if someone were pushing it. The promotion of Sakumo's achievements feels orchestrated."
Celebrating the elimination of important enemy leaders made sense, but this level of attention was different. Shinki's own feat of defeating Hanzo had been acknowledged but not overly promoted. In contrast, Sakumo's success was being broadcast everywhere.
Shinki didn't envy Sakumo's fame; it just seemed suspicious. Was the Third Hokage behind this?
Nara Shikako immediately suspected as much. The effort to elevate Sakumo's status was likely an attempt to overshadow Shinki's own accomplishments.
Shinki chuckled, "It seems someone doesn't want me to stand out as the village hero, preferring to elevate Senior Sakumo instead."
After a brief laugh, Shinki lost interest and tossed the scroll aside. The Third Hokage's strategy was clear but flawed. Did he not realize the risks of over-praising Sakumo? In the original tale, Sakumo was praised to such an extent that he was granted privileges akin to Hokage's.
This laid the groundwork for the conspiracy that followed.
Shinki smirked. "Go ahead and praise him. I'd love to see how this plays out."
With Sakumo's straightforward nature, Shinki doubted he would react with suspicion or animosity toward him. The Third Hokage's plan would likely backfire, elevating Sakumo further without impacting Shinki's standing.
Nara Shikako, watching Shinki's reaction, relaxed. His initial worries were unfounded; Shinki bore no resentment toward Sakumo.
As for the Hokage's office... Nara Shikako thought, *Hokage-sama, do you really understand who Hatake Sakumo is?*
>>>>>
Up to Chapter 290 available on Patreon.com/c/GGFanfiction :)
Gimme power stonesssss
Also, leave a review FFS