It wasn't until Shikamaru stepped out of the Hokage Building that he finally let out a breath of relief. His calm expression crumbled at last. The evening breeze brushed against him, and he felt a chill—only then did he realize that his back was drenched in cold sweat. Fortunately, he had worn a black shirt today, which concealed the moisture under the dim light.
Even though Shimura Danzō was over seventy years old, he was still far beyond someone Shikamaru could handle at this stage. During the earlier conversation, when a trace of killing intent momentarily flashed from Danzō, Shikamaru had nearly bolted out the door. But considering they were inside the Hokage Building, and his father, Nara Shikaku, was aware that he had been summoned by the ANBU, it was unlikely that Danzō would dare kill him here and cover it up. That thought allowed him to calm down slightly. Still, the feeling of having his life in someone else's hands with no way to fight back was far from pleasant.
There was no doubt about it now—he had made an enemy out of Shimura Danzō.
This man, entrenched in power for years, had long developed the habit of cloaking his actions in lofty ideals and the so-called "greater good." He liked to impose the will of the collective on others. The moment someone disobeyed, they were selfish and a threat to the village. Shikamaru knew he would have to clash with Danzō sooner or later—but he hadn't expected it to come this quickly.
There was no way he would allow himself to be drawn into "Root" and be at Danzō's mercy. If he were to join any black-ops unit, it would be the ANBU under the Hokage's direct command—not Root.
When Shikamaru returned home, he explained everything about the meeting and conversation with Danzō to his parents, Nara Shikaku and Nara Yoshino. Upon hearing that Shikamaru had flatly rejected Danzō's offer, Shikaku visibly relaxed.
"It's a good thing you refused him. That guy's political views have long been controversial," Shikaku sighed. "Some of his covert operations in the past caused Konoha quite a bit of trouble. But he still believes he's never done anything wrong. In recent years, he's gone underground, fading from the public eye… I didn't expect him to come looking for you."
As an experienced jōnin who had fought on many battlefields, Shikaku understood Danzō's character well. "Training in Root is extremely harsh. Danzō rules it with an iron fist. And since he's a Konoha elder, if you voluntarily join, even I—your father and clan leader—would have no say."
"I think Danzō's already prejudiced against me," Shikamaru said, recalling the look in Danzō's eyes and the tone of his voice during the meeting. He let out another sigh.
"What should we do then? He's still a Konoha elder after all," Yoshino said worriedly, looking at Shikamaru. Though she didn't blame Shikaku, she was clearly concerned. Against someone like Danzō, even the head of the Nara clan had little leverage.
"It'll be fine," Shikaku reassured her. "The Third Hokage is still alive. No matter how ambitious Danzō is, he can't act arbitrarily in the village. Elders only assist the Hokage—they don't make the decisions."
Shikamaru nodded in agreement, echoing his father's words. But in truth, they were just trying to reassure Yoshino. So long as the Third Hokage lived, he could suppress Danzō. That was why Danzō had secretly colluded with Orochimaru—to assassinate Hiruzen Sarutobi and take over the Hokage's seat.
Unfortunately for Danzō, Jiraiya returned, and elders Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado opposed his ascension. In the end, Tsunade became the Fifth Hokage. But Danzō didn't give up—instead, he grew more active, continuously challenging Tsunade's authority.
When that time came, Shikamaru would truly be in trouble.
Although the enmity with Danzō was unexpected, Shikamaru knew that for a shinobi, strength was still the most important thing. That was the foundation. He couldn't afford to live in constant fear because of this.
The next day, Shikamaru got up early. After washing up, he skipped breakfast, greeted his parents, and headed out. His destination was a teahouse in the village, where he had arranged to meet Sarutobi Asuma. Asuma planned to introduce him to a medical-nin skilled in chakra control.
Shikamaru thought he had arrived early, but Asuma was already waiting.
Since he was asking for help, Shikamaru remained respectful. After exchanging greetings, the two chatted idly outside the teahouse while waiting.
Soon, a slim man with short black hair and black-rimmed glasses appeared in the distance. When he saw Asuma, he paused for a second before jogging up to them.
"Ah, sorry for being late, Asuma!" The man, who appeared to be in his thirties, scratched his nose awkwardly and lowered his voice. "Have you two been waiting long?"
"Not at all, Aogen," Asuma replied, shaking his head and extinguishing his cigarette. He patted the man on the shoulder with a grin. "Let's head in and get some breakfast—I'm starving."
Inside the teahouse, Asuma introduced the two. The man's name was Chiba Aogen, age twenty-seven, a Tokubetsu Jōnin of the Leaf Village specializing in medical ninjutsu. Though his taijutsu was weak, he worked in the Emergency Medical Corps. Despite his shy, introverted nature, he had somehow become close friends with the bold and laid-back Asuma.
Shikamaru found Aogen easy to talk to. He didn't treat him like a junior, which made the conversation flow naturally.
By now, Shikamaru was quite well-known in the village. Ever since the story of him bringing back Zabuza Momochi's Decapitating Carving Knife from the Land of Waves, his performance at the Academy and the use of the Fourth Hokage's signature technique had resurfaced in public discussion. Not just within the Nara clan—but across the whole village—people began comparing him to Hyūga Neji, last year's strongest genin. Many speculated that the title of "strongest genin in Konoha" would go to either of the two.
As for Uchiha Sasuke, while his background drew attention, his reputation was far behind Shikamaru and Neji.
"Aogen, I asked you here today because I need a favor," Asuma said once the introductions were over. "Shikamaru has a natural talent for chakra control, but self-study is too inefficient. I was hoping you could give him some guidance. No one understands chakra control better than you medical-nin."
"Huh?" Aogen looked surprised. He glanced at both Asuma and Shikamaru, then scratched the back of his head with a smile. "Sure, I'll do my best to teach him."
Shikamaru's potential was already starting to show. As long as nothing went wrong, he would surely grow into a capable shinobi. Offering guidance now would earn him a debt of gratitude in the future. And with Asuma's request on top of that, Aogen had no reason to refuse.
"I'll be in your care, Aogen-senpai!" Shikamaru said gratefully.
Meanwhile, inside the Hokage Building's large conference room—nestled beneath the stone faces of the Hokage monuments and surrounded by the village's most important structures—Konoha's four highest-ranking elders were discussing matters concerning Team 10.
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