Public and Private Matters

"Uh..."

"Uncle Shikaku, let's start with the personal matters!"

Seeing Shikaku with an interrogative look, Yoroi couldn't help but smile wryly, thinking that his uncle had indeed come to give him a hard time.

Moreover, Shikaku's words made it clear he intended to "interrogate" him on both public and personal matters. Feeling troubled, Yoroi decided to tackle the personal matters first.

Why start with personal matters?

Simply because Yoroi felt confident about how he handled official duties, believing there was little for Shikaku to criticize.

Shikaku's serious expression softened slightly upon hearing Yoroi's choice.

Especially when his gaze fell upon Yoroi's injured shoulder, Shikaku sighed deeply and said with heartfelt concern, "Yoroi, you've done very well, even Minato has been praising you. Without you, our Konoha's rear would have been in chaos, and an entire medical unit might have perished in the Mist's encirclement. As a Konoha ninja, I feel truly proud of you."

"But Yoroi, you must understand."

"You are not just a Konoha ninja; you are the future of our Nara clan!"

"Most importantly..."

"Yoroi, you are my beloved nephew!"

Yoroi could see Shikaku's eyes welling up with tears, causing him to lower his head in silence, filled with guilt. "Uncle Shikaku, I understand my mistake."

"Yoroi, I'm not asking you to admit fault; I want you to recognize your situation."

Hearing Yoroi's apology, Shikaku shook his head and sighed, "Yoroi, even in a few months, you'll only be five years old. To have such achievements at such a young age means you are the future of Konoha."

"Why strive to be so competitive? When we older generation become useless, some responsibilities will fall to you, whether you like it or not, because that's the duty of a Konoha ninja. But for now, I hope you think more before acting. If anything happened to you, how could I face your father?"

"Of course, I was also wrong in some ways."

"For instance, placing you in the rear medical unit to keep you away from the battlefield was a mistake."

"Yoroi, if you truly want to gain experience, I will assign you tasks of appropriate difficulty in the future."

"This mission scared me half to death!"

Indeed, the original Shikaku Nara was an understanding father, only troubled by Shikamaru's lack of ambition.

In his exchanges with Shikaku, Yoroi was deeply moved by his uncle's heartfelt words and felt a warm sense of family connection.

The more he appreciated Shikaku's concern, the stronger Yoroi's resolve to protect the Nara clan grew.

Sometimes, the desire to protect something comes not from coercion but from a deep, heartfelt willingness.

Just like Yoroi, who, despite Shikaku never explicitly asking him to protect the Nara clan, felt honored to be part of it and was willing to protect it for his uncle's sake.

After Shikaku finished discussing personal matters, leaving both their eyes slightly red, the topic shifted to public matters.

Shikaku wiped his eyes vigorously, then glared at Yoroi and sternly asked:

"Alright, Yoroi, we've covered personal matters!"

"Now let's discuss official matters!"

"Yoroi, do you realize your mistake?"

"Huh?"

Yoroi was taken aback by Shikaku's sudden question.

There was no error in personal matters?

Then what mistake could there be in handling official duties?

Yoroi was genuinely puzzled.

However, as if expecting Yoroi not to realize his mistake, Shikaku coldly smiled. Without giving Yoroi time to react, Shikaku smacked him on the head and angrily scolded, "Taking the Third Hokage's son on such a dangerous mission without permission, Yoroi, do you still not see your mistake?"

"This time you were lucky, and Asuma returned safely, but if something had happened to him, how would our Nara clan handle you?"

"Yoroi, as I said earlier, you must consider things more carefully!"

"Now Asuma has run away again. If the Third Hokage holds you accountable, it won't just be your problem; our entire Nara clan could be in trouble!"

"I can forgive you this time, but Minato may not be so lenient!"

"Your merit in this mission might be overshadowed by a small mistake!"

"But remember this, Yoroi!"

"Don't hold any grudges against Asuma; it won't do you any good. Understand?"

Listening to Shikaku's lecture, Yoroi could only say "Understood" repeatedly.

Was that even possible despite Shikaku advising Yoroi not to hold any grudges?

Great!

Asuma caused trouble, and with the Third Hokage backing him, nothing happened to him.

Yoroi worked hard on the mission, only to have his efforts negated because of one person. What kind of justice was that?

Was it corruption?

The more Yoroi thought about it, the angrier he became.

If Asuma were right beside him, he'd likely get a severe beating.

Shikaku understood Yoroi's grievances but had no choice. As protectors of the Hokage, Yoroi had to face unfair treatment in certain matters. Asuma's status complicated things, forcing Shikaku to reprimand Yoroi publicly to avoid future troubles.

Just as Shikaku finished his reprimand and the room fell silent, a familiar voice filled the room.

Hearing the voice, Shikaku felt relieved, knowing his efforts to reprimand Yoroi had paid off.

As for Yoroi, upon hearing the familiar voice, first glanced at Shikaku with curiosity before focusing entirely on the speaker's words:

"For completing a mission for our village, how could there be no reward?"

"Shikaku, scaring a child isn't a good thing!"

"And Yoroi, don't sulk! If your uncle won't reward you, your sensei will!"