Chapter 23: An Honored Guest of the Yamanaka Clan
Although Ino was a year younger than Tenten, the highly sociable girl had already gotten to know her at the Ninja Academy. Now, she used their past acquaintance to get closer. Tenten was in a great mood and happily chatted with Ino, not even noticing that Ino was intentionally trying to fish for information.
It wasn't until Ino repeatedly mentioned Akiyama Makoto that Tenten grew alert. "Are you that interested in Makoto? You two don't know each other, do you?"
Ino had already prepared her excuse. With a look of anticipation, she said, "I heard he's writing a biography of the Uchiha clan, and I want to learn more about them. That way, I can understand Sasuke-kun better."
"I see..."
Tenten believed this reason. Her gaze towards Ino became a bit more cordial, feeling as if they now had more in common. The two walked and talked, and even had dinner together at Ichiraku Ramen before parting ways.
By then, Ino felt she had gotten all the information she wanted. The next day was the weekend, the perfect time to begin her mission. However, approaching Makoto so abruptly would still seem a bit strange... That's it! She could have her grandmother help out. Doesn't Makoto like to hear stories? Her grandmother, as a former Konoha Jōnin, could certainly tell stories that were out of the ordinary!
And so, the next afternoon, Ino dragged a reluctant Yamanaka Mayu, dressed in a simple kimono, to the front of Akiyama Makoto's house.
"Ahem, Grandma, you have to do as I say, okay?" Ino said with feigned seriousness. She had told her grandmother that this was a mission; otherwise, her grandmother would never indulge her in such nonsense.
Yamanaka Mayu nodded, then let out a couple of fake coughs. "Ino, aren't you going to present a visiting card to Makoto-kun?"
Ino immediately did as she was told. She walked up to Makoto's door, knocked politely, and then called out in a cheerful voice, "Good afternoon, Makoto-kun! The Yamanaka clan has come to visit!"
Makoto had known from the simulation that this would happen, but he was still a bit baffled by Ino's approach. Did it really have to be this formal?
Makoto could only stand up, make a welcoming gesture, and say, "You are most welcome. I am Akiyama Makoto. And you are, miss?"
"I am Yamanaka Ino, and outside is my grandmother, Yamanaka Mayu. My grandmother would like to tell you a story. I was wondering if you have time right now?"
Makoto nodded and accepted the formal visiting card. He then politely asked the old man who had been telling him stories about how the Uchiha used to raise cats to have some tea in the courtyard, before formally inviting Yamanaka Mayu inside.
Makoto was an orphan and shouldn't have known how to interact with people from a great clan like the Yamanaka. But he already had the experience of three simulated lifetimes, in one of which he had served as the Kazekage's advisor. Therefore, when facing Yamanaka Mayu, he was perfectly composed, his expression and demeanor even calmer than those of the sixty- and seventy-year-old retired ninja in the courtyard.
These abnormal behaviors immediately caught the attention of the Yamanaka grandmother and granddaughter.
After Makoto had prepared the tea and set out refreshments, Yamanaka Mayu couldn't help but praise him. "Makoto-kun, I don't know where you learned all these fine details of etiquette. You do them even better than my own granddaughter."
"Grandma!" Ino protested with a pout, but her eyes were already filled with amazement as she looked at Makoto. She had originally thought he was just a handsome boy who got lucky and was noticed by the Hokage. But now it seemed that, apart from being weaker than her in strength, he was superior to her in almost every other way. He even seemed more outstanding than Sasuke...
Ino was startled by her own thought and quickly looked away, pretending to be busy examining his room.
Makoto responded to Yamanaka Mayu with a faint smile. "You praise me too much, madam."
"There is a saying: within books, one can find houses of gold and beauties like jade. I have simply read many books and learned some rigid principles from them. It truly cannot compare to the deep heritage of a great clan."
For now, Makoto could only use "reading a lot" as an excuse. But unlike the trepidation he felt when first using this reason, his mindset was now completely at ease. He just needed to avoid offending the Third Hokage for the next half-year or so. By the time of the Chūnin Exams, he would be fully capable of reaching Jōnin-level strength. At that point, the world would be his oyster. This was the source of the confidence that now radiated from his entire being.
"A wonderful saying. I will remember it and use it to encourage the younger generation of the Yamanaka clan in the future."
Yamanaka Mayu's praise was sincere, but from her scrutinizing gaze, it was clear she didn't believe his words. If one could grow to Makoto's level of sophistication just by reading, then his house would need to be filled to the brim with books. But looking at his desk, there were only a few scattered books, most of which were newly bought. All of this indicated that Makoto had a secret... but what did that have to do with the Yamanaka clan?
Their consistent survival strategy was to do their duty and solve problems for the Hokage. Let the Hokage and the advisors worry about the rest.
"Since we're on the topic of books, Makoto-kun, may I see the one you've written? It would help me understand how best to tell the stories I know."
"Of course."
Makoto handed over the book, which was more than a volume long. Ino immediately took it, opened it in front of herself and her grandmother, and began to read with great interest. Although she was here on a mission, she was genuinely curious about his book.
After just one page, she was completely hooked, her heart gripped by the tense, bloody atmosphere of the Warring States period. Yamanaka Mayu, on the other hand, seemed to be reliving her own past life-and-death crises. Her face gradually paled, and her eyes glistened with unshed tears.
It wasn't until the two of them had finished the last page and Ino reluctantly closed the book that Yamanaka Mayu finally spoke. "Makoto-kun, you are truly a genius."
"I don't deserve such praise, madam. Please, just call me by my name."
"Then you shouldn't call me 'madam' either... Just call me Grandma. It's more cordial."
"Eh?!" Ino cried out in surprise. How did Makoto suddenly earn the right to call her grandmother "Grandma"? How had their relationship leaped so far without her noticing?
Yamanaka Mayu saw her granddaughter's confusion. She smiled and patted her head. "Makoto-kun will write many more books in the future. The books he writes will surely become classics celebrated throughout Konoha."
"Perhaps one day, the name of our Yamanaka clan will also appear in his books."
"A person like that should naturally be an honored guest of the Yamanaka clan."
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