"I haven't seen you, you were never here."
The Nara Clan absolutely must not get involved in this matter.
"I consider those who stand by and watch to be aiding a tyrant."
Shikaku's whole body froze. He could hear the meaning in Hiromi's words: the day Hiruzen dies would be the day the Nara Clan, who aided the tyrant, is exterminated.
He squeezed his wife's hand tightly, but she, who usually had a fiery temper, became unusually gentle at this moment.
"Shikaku, let's not run away this time."
Shikamaru also saw his father's conflict and spoke up, "Father, you've been checkmated. There's only one path left now."
In chess, when you are one move away from capturing the opponent's general, you must call out 'Checkmate'.
And "only one path left," Shikaku knew what that meant—choosing a side.
He closed his eyes in a sigh, his back to Hiromi full of defeat, and said as if pleading, "Can you spare my clan members?"
Hiromi asked in return, "Why didn't you save my clan members?"
Shikaku sighed, "Why did you come to me?"
Hiromi said, "I admire your ability, and although I quite dislike your character, I still wanted to give myself a reason to kill you."
Others hearing this might be speechless, feeling that Hiromi was being a hypocrite. But Shikaku heard another meaning.
"You... are going to wipe out the clans of Konoha?"
Hiromi didn't answer. Instead, he lowered his head, gently swirling his cup, watching the water ripple inside, and asked, "Do you know why I dared to kill the Hyuga Grand Elder back then?"
Shikaku was startled.
The Hyuga Grand Elder was dead, but the Hyuga Clan only said he was missing, not daring to mention he was killed by Hiromi. Now that it was said out loud, if it were to slip out...
His gaze became terrifying as he looked at his wife and son.
"Yoshino, take Shikamaru upstairs."
Yoshino nodded and immediately prepared to take Shikamaru upstairs.
Hiromi said, "Shikamaru can stay."
Yoshino held her son's hand, her lips pursed in tension, her palms sweating, but she gripped even tighter.
Shikamaru said, "Mom, you go upstairs."
"But..."
Shikaku glanced at the silent Hiromi, shook his head, and said, "Go upstairs."
Yoshino felt her whole body go limp. Full of worry, she let go of Shikamaru's hand and went upstairs alone.
Hiromi glanced at the somewhat nervous and uneasy Shikamaru, who was still standing nearby and hadn't sat down, then said to Shikaku, "You're quite responsible. Knowing I had come, you stayed in the living room to keep your wife company."
Shikaku knew Hiromi was speaking to him and could only smile helplessly.
Hiromi said with a smile, "Sit. As long as Hiruzen hasn't died, you'll certainly be fine—unless the Uchiha clan is exterminated."
Hearing the first part, Shikamaru felt relieved and looked for a place to sit. But hearing "unless the Uchiha clan is exterminated," he couldn't quite keep his composure.
What, so if Hiruzen dies, we might be exterminated?
And if the Uchiha clan is exterminated, we'll definitely be exterminated, right?
He almost wanted to ask Hiromi if the Nara Clan had offended him. Otherwise, why target the Nara Clan so much?
Shikamaru lowered his head, but both Hiromi and Shikaku could tell he was a bit huffy.
Shikaku was both gratified by his son's intelligence and helpless against the current situation.
He looked at Hiromi and said bitterly, "Hiromi, the Nara Clan is only trying to protect itself."
He still hoped Hiromi would spare the Nara Clan.
"Shikaku, Danzo was only trying to become Hokage."
Shikaku: "..."
Shikaku could see Hiromi's firm attitude toward this matter—there was no room for negotiation whatsoever.
Seeing this, he could only sigh and say, "Alright, what does the Nara Clan need to do?"
Hiromi shook his head slightly and repeated his earlier question, "Do you know why I dared to kill the Hyuga Grand Elder back then?"
Hearing this sentence for the second time, Shikaku's expression began to turn solemn.
But no matter how much he thought about it, he still couldn't quite understand. So, he shook his head slightly.
Hiromi said, "With your brain, you surely could have predicted the weak compromise of the Hyuga Clan."
"Wasn't that your goal?" Shikaku felt an inexplicable sense of unease in his heart.
Hiromi shook his head and smiled. "I could accept the direction of the Hyuga Clan compromising. However, if the Hyuga Clan had gotten hot-headed, I could have also accepted the direction of exterminating them."
The direction of exterminating the Hyuga Clan?
Shikaku was startled and began to speculate. If the Hyuga Clan had been hot-headed then, the Uchiha clan and the Hyuga clan would have gone to war. And because the incident started with Hiromi killing the Hyuga Grand Elder, it would certainly have been tacitly permitted by Hiruzen and spread until everyone knew about it. In that case, it would be the Uchiha's fault.
When the time came, Hiruzen would definitely side with the Hyuga clan and condemn the Uchiha clan. And Hiromi, having done such a thing, would certainly not compromise. Then the villagers would curse the Uchiha clan...
Wouldn't that be exactly the same as the current situation?
Thinking of this, he remembered something. Cold sweat broke out all over his body as he looked at Hiromi in terror, his voice filled with nothing but endless horror. "You want to massacre the village?!"