THE EVIL OF UCHIHA BYAKUYA

After Byakuya's outburst, an oppressive silence settled over the entire conference room.

"Hokage-sama, what are your orders?"

Nara Shikaku was the first to speak, sensing the tension in the air.

Sarutobi Hiruzen gave a slight smile, concealing his inner discontent.

"Hmph… it seems the Uchiha clan is eager to take the lead in this war," he said with a composed tone.

"In that case, we'll assign them to the front lines against Sunagakure. As for the other battle zones, your respective clans will receive individual assignments shortly."

Although Byakuya had been blatantly defiant and even disrespectful, Hiruzen didn't lash out. On the surface, he remained calm. But inwardly, his mind was calculating.

'So the Uchiha want to show off their power? Fine… Let them charge into the storm. Against the full might of Sunagakure, even the Uchiha won't escape unscathed. Their arrogance will be their downfall. And once they're weakened, they'll be easier to control.'

As he concluded his thoughts, the heads of the major clans began to rise.

"We understand, Hokage-sama."

"We'll begin preparations immediately."

One by one, they excused themselves from the conference room to ready their forces.

Once they were gone, Sarutobi turned to Nara Shikaku and handed him a sealed scroll.

"Shikaku, this contains the strategic information for the Uchiha deployment. Pass it along."

Shikaku accepted the scroll silently but hesitated before speaking.

"Hokage-sama… Are you truly planning to let the Uchiha face the entire Sand offensive alone? If we miscalculate, the consequences could be irreparable…"

Sarutobi's eyes narrowed slightly. "You raise a fair point. What would you suggest?"

The Nara clan was renowned for their intelligence and tactical foresight. As clan head, Shikaku was not only a jonin but also one of Konoha's key military advisors. Hiruzen often consulted him on complex matters.

"We should assign a support unit to work alongside the Uchiha—not to interfere, but to monitor and provide backup if necessary," Shikaku proposed. "It'll give us early warning if anything goes wrong on the front."

Hiruzen nodded slowly, acknowledging the logic. "Hmm… a good plan. But who would be suited for such a delicate task? The Uchiha don't take kindly to interference, even from allies."

"They'll need to be discreet, yet capable and trusted by the village leadership," Shikaku replied. "Ino-Shika-Chō can handle it."

Both Akimichi Chōza and Yamanaka Inoichi blinked in surprise but quickly caught on.

"That's right," said Inoichi. "We've worked together for generations. We'll take the mission."

"Count on us, Hokage-sama," Chōza added, albeit a bit more hesitantly.

Hiruzen studied the three of them, then gave a nod of approval. "Very well. I'll entrust this operation to the Ino-Shika-Chō formation. Maintain coordination with the Uchiha—but also report back to me."

"We understand," all three said in unison.

It wasn't until they returned to the Nara residence that Chōza voiced his concern.

"Shikaku… what are you thinking? Why'd you volunteer us for something this risky?"

Inoichi echoed the worry. "Yeah. This isn't some skirmish. It's a full-scale assault from Sunagakure. If something goes wrong on the frontlines, we'll be right in the middle of it."

Shikaku glanced at both of them, his tone serious.

"I know. But if we don't go, and the Uchiha are wiped out—or if they don't get wiped out and decide to take advantage of the chaos—who's going to keep balance within the village?"

He sighed. "We're not just going there to help. We're going to make sure Konoha doesn't fall apart from the inside while it's under attack from the outside."

Chōza and Inoichi fell silent. They understood.

"This is clearly a setup against the Uchiha clan..."

Yamanaka Inoichi frowned deeply as he spoke, unable to hide his concern.

"The Uchiha being ordered to take on the Sand's main offensive force alone—it's practically a death sentence."

Akimichi Chōza nodded heavily. "This reeks of manipulation. Hiruzen-sama might be trying to thin their numbers under the guise of duty."

Both men turned to Nara Shikaku, who remained uncharacteristically silent.

"Shikaku, why would you go along with this? You had to know this would lead to their ruin." Inoichi pressed.

Shikaku opened his eyes slightly, his voice calm but laced with unease.

"What do you think of Uchiha Byakuya?"

"Byakuya? He's reckless. Arrogant. Doesn't even show proper deference to the Hokage," Inoichi snapped back.

"Yeah," Chōza added. "The way he talks back to the elders—you'd think he's got a death wish."

"You're both right. He is arrogant…" Shikaku muttered. "But haven't you noticed? No matter how far he goes, no matter how many lines he crosses—no one stops him. Not the Hokage. Not the elders. Not even Danzō."

Inoichi and Chōza exchanged glances, now visibly more tense.

"He's humiliated Konoha's leadership, even struck Koharu and Homura in public. And yet… no punishment. No suppression. No assassination attempt. He's still walking free."

"That's… strange," Chōza admitted.

"It's more than strange," Shikaku continued, fingers interlaced beneath his chin. "It's calculated. If Hiruzen thought he could silence Byakuya, he would've done it already. But he didn't. Because he can't."

"You mean… he's that strong?" Inoichi asked, skeptical.

"There are only two kinds of arrogant shinobi," Shikaku said, echoing an old saying. "Fools who don't know their limits, and geniuses who do. Byakuya isn't a fool."

"So, you believe he can actually hold back the Sand's main force by himself?"

Shikaku paused, eyes narrowing.

"I don't know if he'll win. But I do know this: sending him out alone wasn't a punishment—it was a test. And if he survives... then the Uchiha clan will no longer just be a problem to contain. They'll be a force even the Hokage can't afford to cross."

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