It's Too Troublesome to be Hokage

"You're saying there are two other ninjas in the caravan besides our Konoha team?"

Nara Shikano stirred from his nap, his expression darkening slightly.

"One of them… is a caravan leader?"

"Yes, Clan Leader," Nara Shikadan replied seriously.

"According to my observation, the spiritual energy inside the leader's brain is extremely strong. On par with Brother Inoichi."

As the next head of the Yamanaka clan, Yamanaka Inoichi had spent years cultivating his clan's unique spiritual techniques. His spiritual energy was vast—one of the best even among elite jonin.

If this so-called "caravan leader" only had some chakra flowing through his body, Shikadan might've dismissed it.

After all, the world was chaotic. Learning a bit of ninjutsu for self-defense as a merchant wasn't unusual.

But to have spiritual energy that rivaled the Yamanaka clan heir?

That was anything but normal.

There might be rogue masters wandering the world, their names lost to history and unrecognized by the major villages. But elite jonin-level figures didn't just blend into the background.

So, the moment Shikadan noticed this anomaly, he'd stopped his training and reported directly to the Clan Leader.

As for rushing up and demanding an explanation?

He wasn't that reckless.

"That is… highly suspicious."

Shikano's brows furrowed even deeper, carving trenches into his forehead.

His thoughts aligned with Shikadan's.

If this caravan leader were merely a well-trained civilian with some ninja skills, Shikano could overlook it. Konoha's mission was simply to escort a few merchants to Kyoto, not interrogate every oddity they passed.

But the strength this man radiated—particularly spiritual strength—was too glaring to ignore.

Spiritual energy on par with an elite jonin…

A lead about the Chinoike Clan…

A caravan leader named "Oyashiro En"…

It didn't take a genius from the Nara clan to connect the dots.

This man could very well be the fugitive from the Chinoike Clan—the one who had allegedly massacred his entire clan and escaped into Fire Country territory.

Was it a guarantee?

No.

But the possibility was too dangerous to ignore.

"Shikadan," Shikano asked cautiously, "how did you detect his chakra presence?

"Inoichi has scanned the caravan multiple times. He didn't sense anything."

It was a fair question.

Yamanaka Inoichi was one of the sharpest sensors in Konoha. Shikadan, though talented, was just a newly minted Genin.

"He may have used some method to suppress or disguise his chakra signature."

Shikadan removed his sunglasses, revealing the calm, gleaming [Lacquer Eye].

"As for how I noticed… [Lacquer Eye] lets me observe the flow and presence of spiritual energy directly."

He wasn't hiding the technique anymore. Since he intended to share the skill scroll with the clan, there was no need for secrecy.

"[Lacquer Eye] can see spiritual energy too?"

Shikano nearly tugged out a tuft of his goatee in shock.

'These eyes… they're becoming the Nara clan's Sharingan!'

He exhaled slowly.

"Shikadan, I'm starting to regret not taking that scroll from you earlier…"

"My stance hasn't changed," Shikadan replied earnestly.

"You can take it whenever you wish. Also, with the war approaching, if our clan can master [Lacquer Eye], our survival rate will skyrocket."

As an A-rank ninjutsu, the [Lacquer Eye] wasn't easy to learn.

But Shikadan believed in one universal Nara truth: no lazy Nara could resist the charm of unsealed, hands-free jutsu.

Give them something overpowered and convenient, and they'd crawl over glass to study it.

Besides, he had already received so much from the clan leader—an S-rank secret scroll, monthly allowance, chakra metal, the clan's full medical database...

It was getting embarrassing, honestly.

"I understand," Shikano said, stroking his beard again.

But the matter wasn't so simple.

He needed to consider how this jutsu might affect other clans too.

The Nara clan wasn't the strongest in Konoha, but they were respected. Tacticians, squad leaders, medical system heads, political advisors to the Hokage—essential, if not elite.

Their position was balanced—stable, but not threatening.

To suddenly elevate their strength with a jutsu like [Lacquer Eye]…

To rise above the Akimichi and Yamanaka…

To rival the Uchiha and Hyuga…

It would break that delicate equilibrium.

And that, in turn, might invite pressure—from allies, from rivals, from the Hokage himself.

Unless—

Unless they followed the example of the Hozuki clan of Kirigakure.

Unless they produced a Kage-level shinobi like the Second Mizukage, Hozuki Gengetsu.

'War… family… survival… foreign clans… Hokage… Shikadan…'

In just a few seconds, Shikano weighed every angle.

And made a decision.

"After this mission, when we return to Konoha, give me the [Lacquer Eye] scroll. I'll begin limited circulation within the clan—strictly confidential."

Shikadan nodded immediately.

It was the right call.

Still… deep down, he sighed.

'Clan Leader, please stop raising death flags…'

"One more thing, Shikadan."

Shikano's gaze sharpened.

He had already decided: if the clan was going to bet on [Lacquer Eye], they needed to accelerate Shikadan's growth.

"Do you have the confidence to confront this Oyashiro En—the man hiding his true identity?"

Shikadan blinked.

"…Huh?"

Night fell.

Shikadan stepped out of the temporary tent, his expression unreadable.

He headed toward the far end of the camp where the caravan leader, Oyashiro En, was currently tending to his horses.

To be honest, Shikadan hadn't expected to be assigned this role.

Face a suspected elite jonin?

On his own?

But was he confident?

He walked quietly through the shadows. The moonlight glimmered overhead.

The shadows beneath his feet undulated—and suddenly split.

A perfect replica of him emerged.

[S-rank Technique: Shadow Clone Jutsu]

Shikadan took one more step—and vanished.

Thin as paper, he slipped into the clone's shadow.

[C-rank Technique: Flat Shadow Technique]

Inside the clone body, Shikadan clenched his fist.

'This feeling… light as air. Like I've transcended reality itself!'

If his chakra reserves were larger, he might live inside his clone 24/7.

He glanced back once, toward the dim silhouette of the Nara camp.

Shikano, Inoichi, and Choza waited in the shadows.

They were his silent guardians, just in case things went south.

Shikadan turned back.

Oyashiro En was hunched over near the horses, casually trimming hay with a sickle.

Shikadan stepped into the lamplight.

Warm yellow light stretched his shadow long across the ground.

"Boss Oyashiro."

The greeting startled the man.

"Agh—"

The sickle slipped and sliced into his palm. Blood welled up instantly.

"Damn kid!" he growled, turning with a wince.

Behind comically oversized, diamond-shaped sunglasses, his voice was irritated.

"Don't sneak up on people at night! What do you want?"

Shikadan's eyes dropped to the bleeding left hand.

He narrowed his gaze.

His main consciousness slipped back into the shadow.

The clone's mind took over.

The ink-dark shadow between them surged like a living beast, teeth bared and ready to strike.

As the shadows of both men overlapped—

Shikadan's clone spoke.

"Boss Oyashiro... have you ever heard of a technique called the Shadow Binding Jutsu?"

-End Chapter-

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