"Name your terms."
Money wasn't something the three men present cared much about—though claiming they were entirely indifferent would be an exaggeration. That said, none would lower themselves for a paltry sum.
(Kamizuki Hikari: I'm not targeting anyone here, but let me just say—you all clearly don't know me. If there's money involved, forget about "style" or "dignity." Unless it's murder or arson, I'm in!)
"Three bottles!" Hikari said, pointing at the deer antler sake on the table.
Shikaku studied him for a long moment before nodding slowly.
"Deal."
Hikari: Damn it—should've asked for more!
If he had known Shikaku would agree so easily, he would've added another zero to the end.
"Alright, what's the deal?" Hikari said, slumping like all energy had left his body.
"Then I'll get straight to it." Ignoring Hikari's theatrics, Shikaku continued.
"The movements of the Iwa and Kumo shinobi are too abnormal. I suspect there's something fishy going on."
"Fishy? Deep-fried or steamed?" Hikari rolled his eyes. "Just spit it out. It's just the three of us here. What's there to be shy about?"
"I was just setting the stage!"
Shikaku felt a little wronged. Everything needed proper buildup, didn't it?
Take a meal, for example—you had appetizers, the main course, and dessert.
Or take romance—first came hand-holding, then hugging, kissing, and lifting each other up, before finally reaching the pinnacle of yin-yang harmony.
Skipping straight to the last step? Unless it's a paid transaction, that's just playing dirty.
"Just say it. No need for buildup. It's not like Konoha is that big—what could possibly surprise me at this point?" Hikari scoffed. As one of Konoha's elite gate guards, he'd spent ten years watching that damn gate.
Did anyone even understand what he'd been through in those ten years?
Rain or shine, standing guard without fail—didn't he deserve some respect?
He absolutely did!
Such dedication to duty. Such admirable work ethic. Such—
(Hikari: Stop flattering me. Even I'm disgusted by your words.)
"It's simple. The Iwa and Kumo shinobi aren't actually planning to fight. If they were, we'd already be mobilizing for war instead of just gathering intel."
As he spoke, Shikaku couldn't help but sigh.
After over a decade of recovery, every village had regained its strength—yet their willingness to fight had diminished compared to decades ago.
Unless absolutely necessary, no shinobi village would willingly start a war.
Only those who had experienced the pain of war could truly understand the value of peace.
"Alright, who do you suspect?"
If there was a traitor, just find them—wasn't that simple? Hikari stared at Shikaku in disbelief. Three bottles of antler sake just for this?
"Ahem."
Hikari's bluntness made Shikaku slightly uncomfortable.
He shot Hikari a pleading look. Come on, give me some breathing room here.
"As for who the traitor is... I'm still investigating. No solid leads yet."
Hikari's eyes widened.
Seriously? You need to investigate this?
More importantly, in a military organization like Konoha, Shikaku was telling him they needed to gather evidence?
Are you kidding?
Tsunade had given him command of an ANBU squad, and he was just letting them sit around?
Truthfully, Shikaku had his reasons.
Tsunade trusted him—that much was undeniable. But in some ways, that trust was a heavy burden—one Shikaku didn't want to bear.
Being close to power was like being close to a tiger. The Hokage wasn't a literal tiger, but in some ways, she was even more dangerous.
A tiger only hunted when hungry and would spare its prey once satiated.
But the Hokage was the leader of a military organization. Right now, Tsunade trusted him, and Shikaku was grateful—but he didn't want to grow accustomed to wielding ANBU's power.
Habits were terrifying.
Once formed, even someone as disciplined as Shikaku would struggle to break them.
He already had suspicions about the traitor's identity—but he couldn't voice them.
"Fine, fine. Keep investigating. But what you've told me so far doesn't seem all that important." Hikari frowned.
Spies or high-ranking conspirators weren't exactly uncommon.
Anyone with half a brain would suspect as much—even Tsunade.
(Tsunade: You bastard. Are you implying I'm dumb? You better be ready to fight!)
"Of course, that alone isn't the issue. I just want you to pass a message to Tsunade-sama. Tell her to be cautious. My guess is that whatever they're planning won't stop here. Their next move will likely be to weaken the defenses around her." Shikaku laid out his theory.
Hikari had to admit—he was impressed.
So this is how a genius thinks?
His own solution was simple: find the mastermind and crush them. Problem solved.
But Shikaku's approach was purely intellectual.
Hikari's strength lay in his power and his knowledge of the shinobi world.
If someone like Shikaku knew the truth of the world, who's to say he wouldn't walk the same path as Orochimaru—using science to achieve what ninjutsu could not?
"Got it. I'll pass that along to Tsunade-sama."
Compared to the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, Hikari much preferred Tsunade's leadership.
Forget her figure and looks—her personality alone was something he admired.
If it had been Hiruzen, Hikari wouldn't have dared sleep in his office. The old man would've thrown him into road construction duty without a second thought.
But now? Getting paid to slack off?
Perfection.
"As long as you mention it, Tsunade-sama will understand."
Seeing Hikari agree, Shikaku felt relieved.
In the end, he hadn't misjudged him.
Kamizuki Hikari's loyalty to Konoha was genuine.
If only he knew Hikari's real motivations—keeping his cushy job and admiring Tsunade's... assets—he might have coughed up blood and dropped dead from sheer frustration.
"This sake isn't enough, Shikaku-senpai. How about two more bottles?"
After finishing his drink, Hikari relished the warmth spreading through his body and made his proposal.
Shikaku's face visibly darkened.
This deer antler sake wasn't some cheap swill—it was the real deal.
Each bottle was worth a small fortune. Three was already generous, and now Hikari wanted to drink more?
Unacceptable.
"I have work to do. Kakashi, keep Hikari company."
With that, Shikaku fled—using the Body Flicker Technique in his haste.
"Kakashi-senpai, about that—"
"Work calls. See you later, Hikari."
-----
Read 40+ advanced chapters on my P@treon.
p@treon.com/KakuzuTL