Chapter 26: Dad, He's Just My Friend
After she spoke, Ino immediately felt a twinge of regret, afraid she had scared Akiyama Makoto. The Yamanaka clan's abilities allowed them to occupy another's body with their own mind and control their thoughts. For a young person accustomed to peace, it was a rather unsettling power. Back in the Warring States period, it wouldn't have been strange for the Yamanaka to be treated as an evil cult.
To her surprise, however, Makoto wasn't afraid at all. Instead, he smiled and countered, "I don't know the specific jutsu of the Yamanaka clan, but I am aware of your general combat style."
"But it's just like the Mystical Palm Technique. It can be used like a kunai to slit an enemy's throat, or it can be a scalpel to heal a comrade's wounds."
"The difference lies in whether the person wielding the jutsu is a friend or an enemy."
Makoto took hold of Ino's wrist and, to her surprise, pressed her palm against his own chest. "Ino, you are my friend," he said. "I trust you, so I can entrust my body to you."
"Go on. I'm counting on you."
With that, without waiting for her to agree, Makoto closed his eyes. His heart beat calmly and powerfully against her palm. The sound, like the beating of a war drum, echoed in Ino's ears, causing her face to gradually start steaming. Luckily, Makoto didn't see this, or she wouldn't have known how to hide her embarrassment.
A few seconds later, Ino let out a long breath. "Since you're not afraid, I'll begin. Don't regret it later if I happen to read your memories."
"If you want to read my memories, you're welcome to try. It's just that my memories might not be very pleasant."
Makoto spoke calmly, not at all worried about Ino reading his mind. The current him already knew how to use some sealing jutsu to protect his thoughts. These techniques from the Sand Village might not work against Yamanaka Inoichi, but they were still beyond what Ino could break through.
Besides, it was just as he had predicted. Although Ino's words were threatening, her chakra flowed cautiously through his meridians, showing absolutely no sign of wanting to enter his brain. Among the Rookie 12, Ino was actually the most considerate one, knowing how to carefully maintain friendships.
And so, under Ino's guidance, Makoto's chakra finally began to follow the correct pathways.
By the time he could gradually refine his chakra on his own, half an hour had passed.
[Ding! Chakra connection with the high-aptitude female ninja, Yamanaka Ino, maintained for half an hour. Pheromone collection is complete.]
Seeing the prompt before his eyes, Makoto revealed a satisfied smile. While Ino was carefully completing her mission from the Hokage, he was also trying to take her pheromones. Now that both had gotten what they wanted, it could be called a win-win situation.
By this time, Ino had long since withdrawn her hand, but she still sat quietly cross-legged opposite him, this time admiring his face from the front. When Makoto's eyelashes trembled, signaling he was about to wake up, she quickly turned away, picked up her teacup, and pretended to be admiring the wonderful scenery on the ceiling.
"Thank you, Ino," Makoto said with sincerity.
Although Ino teaching him about chakra didn't help much with improving his actual strength, it gave him a legitimate reason for being able to use it normally. More importantly, she was the second female ninja to voluntarily deliver her pheromones to his doorstep. Makoto decided that in a future simulation, he would definitely let Ino have a good taste of what happiness felt like.
"Don't be so polite. It was nothing." Ino drank her tea in one gulp and said, "Since you've already learned how to refine your chakra, I should be going."
"I'll walk you out."
"No need, I'm way stronger than you!"
"This has nothing to do with strength. Besides, I also wanted to buy something from the Yamanaka flower shop."
"Oh... okay." Ino had originally thought it was just an excuse, but when she saw him grab his money, she realized he wasn't lying.
"What are you planning to buy? We only sell flowers and some craft items."
"I want to buy some flowers to decorate my bedroom. Do you have any suggestions?"
"Eh, you have that kind of hobby?" Ino looked at him in surprise, then her interest was piqued. She began to tick off on her fingers, recommending the various products from the Yamanaka shop. Ino didn't like learning ikebana, but that was just a young girl's natural desire to play a little longer. In reality, she had shown interest and talent in flowers and managing the shop since she was a child.
By the time the two arrived at the Yamanaka Flower Shop, laughing and talking, they saw a stern-faced Yamanaka Inoichi walking out.
"Dad, are you going on a mission this late?" Ino asked.
Yamanaka Inoichi's suspicious gaze swept over Makoto and Ino. When he looked at Makoto, he seemed to have the urge to use the Mind Body Switch Technique on him.
Ino saw through her father's thoughts and a foxy smile curved her lips. "Ah, Dad, let me introduce you. This is my new friend, Akiyama Makoto."
"By the way, Grandma said that he's to be an honored guest of our Yamanaka clan!"
"Good evening, sir," Makoto said calmly.
Inoichi could only squeeze out a smile. "A young man with a fine presence. I'm sorry to trouble you to walk Ino home this late."
"I will be sure to educate her properly and make her understand her limits, so she doesn't bother others so late at night again."
Inoichi only had one daughter, and he naturally doted on her. Unfortunately, despite being able to read others' minds, he couldn't guess the thoughts of his rebellious teenage daughter. And this earnest fatherly love only made Ino feel suffocated.
So, Ino simply grabbed Makoto's arm and said, "I wasn't bothering Makoto-kun at all, right, Makoto-kun?"
Makoto looked at Ino's foxy smile, then at Inoichi's darkening face. How could he not understand that he had been caught in the crossfire between this pair's clash of control and rebellion? So, what should he do? Play the peacemaker between them, or pick a side?
The answer, of course, was to stand firmly on Ino's side.
Makoto believed that sucking up to Inoichi wouldn't improve his relationship with Ino. But if he got on good terms with Ino, then no matter how much her father disliked him, he would still end up being a help to him. Such was the helplessness of a father with only one daughter.
And so, Makoto opened his mouth and said, "Ino is the most thoughtful and earnest girl I have ever met. I am lucky to have a friend like her."
Ino had been prepared for Makoto to back down in the face of her father. After all, Inoichi was a famous Jōnin in the village; his mere presence was imposing. But to her surprise, Makoto stood by her side without hesitation. This made her stare at him, momentarily stunned.
This, however, caused the forced smile on Inoichi's face to crumble, replaced by a dark scowl.
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