Besides, Shinki had already played the trick of "killing a chicken to scare the monkeys" before taking action, which made the Anbu even more reluctant to get caught up in his bad luck.
"Do you have an order to arrest?"
Tiger and Eagle shook their heads in unison.
Their order was to surround the Shimura clan and prevent anyone from entering or leaving. There was no directive to make any arrests, and Shinki hadn't specified one.
They were unsure if there would be any further instructions.
Fortunately, it was only a siege mission and not an arrest, which made the Third Hokage feel slightly relieved.
He gestured for the Hokage Guard to step forward:
"Go tell the Shimura clan members not to panic. I will handle this matter personally, and the Anbu will not bother them again."
The Anbu were already in a tough spot, and the Third Hokage had no intention of making their position worse.
He instructed the Hokage Guard to relay the message across the encirclement without compromising the mission's terms.
Having delegated this task, the Third Hokage promptly left. He needed to head to Anbu headquarters to find Shinki and discuss the situation. The village was embroiled in conflict with the Sand Village in the River Country, and stability was paramount.
If Shinki continued causing disruptions, who knew what chaos might unfold?
The Third Hokage had no patience for bureaucratic infighting, especially when the village's stability was on the line.
He left the Shimura clan and headed straight to Anbu headquarters.
Shinki was still there, in the minister's office, reviewing documents sorted by Nara Shikashin.
Nara Shikashin would handle minor tasks on his own, but anything that required direct attention from the minister was flagged and set aside for Shinki.
Shikashin could handle these documents but preferred not to overstep his bounds, even if Shinki delegated authority to him.
Dealing with various matters was exhausting enough, and Shikashin had no interest in taking on larger responsibilities that would keep him perpetually stationed at headquarters. If he neglected home for too long, it would be hard to explain to his wife.
The Nara clan, known for their intelligence, were also famously henpecked. No matter how gentle a Nara wife seemed before marriage, she would inevitably become assertive over time.
As the Third Hokage approached, a puppet stationed at the door lifted its head, eyes glowing green in the dim night.
Several pairs of expressionless eyes fixed on him, making the Third Hokage's face darken.
"I want to see Hyuga Shinki!" he declared.
From inside the office, Shinki ordered the puppets to step aside and allow the Third Hokage entry.
"Hmph!"
The Third Hokage snorted, dissatisfied as he walked past the mechanical guards into the Anbu base.
The puppets' absence allowed him to reach Shinki's office unchallenged, but the Hokage's mood soured further as he realized how firmly Shinki controlled the entire base.
Anyone entering or leaving did so only with Shinki's consent.
Entering the office, the Third Hokage spoke bluntly: "Shinki, we need to have a serious talk."
"Please sit down, Lord Hokage," Shinki said, pulling over a chair made by Shikashin.
At least you didn't immediately try to flaunt your authority, thought the Third Hokage as he sat down with a stern expression.
"Shinki, the Anbu has been causing too much noise. The village needs stability, especially with the ongoing war at the front. This is not the time for disruption."
"You want the village to be stable, Lord Hokage?" Shinki asked, raising an eyebrow. "But isn't it you who started this trouble?"
"One day, the pharmaceutical department's supplies are blocked, and the next, the Anbu's privileges are stripped. People are wooing the Anbu members openly and secretly, and any hint of movement from the Anbu sends these people running to your office. They seem more eager to report to you than acknowledge me as their minister."
You started this, and now you tell me the Anbu is causing chaos and that the village needs stability? Where is your integrity?
The Third Hokage's face flushed, alternating between pale and angry shades. "The pharmaceutical department's supplies were not blocked by me, and I never ordered the Anbu's privileges to be revoked!"
"Then was it the two elders, the advisors?" Shinki asked pointedly.
Is this blame-shifting?
Fine, let's see if Utane Koharu and Mitokado Hamura deny it when I confront them.
Common interests can unite even enemies, while conflicts of interest can tear even allies apart.
Are the interests of the Hokage and the Elders aligned?
The Third Hokage fell silent, knowing that if anyone dared to confront the two elders, it would be Shinki. And those two, with their conniving ways, would surely try to push the blame back onto him.
"Shinki, can you put aside your prejudice against the Shimura clan? Right now, the peace talks are crucial."
"I have no prejudice against the Shimura clan, but they seem to have plenty against me," Shinki said with a wry smile, leaning back lazily. "Have you forgotten, Lord Hokage? The old man from the Shimura clan openly attacked me at a meeting. I am curious, when did I, Hyuga Shinki, ever wrong him?"
"I will reprimand him, and it won't happen again," the Third Hokage promised.
"Shimura, Sarutobi, and the clans behind the two elders won't cause you any more trouble."
"Five hundred sets of complete equipment," Shinki said, holding up five fingers.
If we're going to align interests, then let's make a deal. I have many puppets at my disposal, and the Anbu will need significantly more equipment.
"Impossible!" the Third Hokage snapped, his eyelids twitching. "Five hundred sets is far too much. You know how expensive full Anbu equipment is. The village can't afford that, not while we're at war. The maximum I can authorize is one hundred sets."
"Four hundred."
"One hundred."
"Four hundred."
"One hundred and fifty."
After some haggling, they agreed on 260 sets of Anbu equipment. The Third Hokage stood firm, refusing to increase the number any further.
"Alright, 260 sets of equipment. Once the equipment is delivered, the Anbu will stand down."
>>>>>
Up to Chapter 310 available on Patreon.com/c/GGFanfiction :)
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