When Ino got home, even the delicate pastries her mother had prepared tasted like ash.
She sat by the window, fingers absently twisting the hem of her blouse while the scene after school replayed in her mind.
What on earth does Mizuki want with Naruto?
She distinctly remembered her father once mentioning the former Ninja Academy instructor at the dinner table.
Mizuki had long since been stripped of his right to teach.
Word was, during one mission he'd personally finished off an injured teammate to complete the objective.
That betrayal of the Ninja way had made him infamous throughout the village.
(Sakumo Hatake: please enter text)
When Naruto arrived at the training ground and Ino told him, he only smiled.
That was just like him—he treated everyone in the village like family.
"Only someone as good-natured as Naruto would still call that man 'teacher.'"
Ino murmured to herself, picturing the blond boy politely addressing "Mizuki-sensei."
That golden-haired kid was always respectful to everyone.
The thought made Ino suddenly stand up.
She hurried to the study—she would tell her father about this.
Someone like Mizuki approaching Naruto could only mean trouble.
At the study door, the conversation inside froze her in place.
"Lord Inoichi, Uzumaki Naruto has fled toward the eastern forest with the scroll of seals. Hokage-sama orders you to pursue him immediately."
It can't be…
Ino clapped a hand over her mouth, stumbling half a step back in disbelief.
Naruto would never do something like this…
Inside the study, Yamanaka Inoichi's face was equally grave.
Naruto suddenly stealing the scroll of seals was suspicious enough, but the Sandaime specifically dispatching an Anbu messenger was clearly testing the Yamanaka Clan's loyalty.
After all, these past years Ino had been closer to Naruto than anyone.
This whole affair might be a trial—yet why would the Sandaime test him?
"Naruto's not that kind of person; that bastard Mizuki must have tricked him!"
Ino shoved the study door open, her voice trembling with fury.
She stood in the doorway, fists clenched, eyes blazing with conviction.
"That's enough, Ino. This doesn't concern you!"
Inoichi rose at once to rebuke her, though his gaze stayed fixed on the dog-masked Anbu.
As clan head, he had to make the safest choice in this sudden storm.
"Understood."
Inoichi answered in a low voice, subtly signaling his daughter with his eyes. "I'll set out at once and bring him back alive for the Sandaime!"
He stressed the word "alive," both to show the Anbu his stance and to reassure his frantic daughter.
At the doorway he gently took Ino's hand and bowed respectfully to the Anbu.
"My daughter's been spoiled; please forgive her."
The Anbu waved dismissively, voice flat behind the mask: "I'm only the messenger. I came tonight solely to deliver Hokage-sama's order—Lord Inoichi, make haste."
"Very well!"
Inoichi led Ino out of the house at a brisk walk.
The night wind was cool; moonlight stretched their shadows long across the ground.
At the first corner he lowered his voice: "Ino, run to the Nara house and tell Uncle Shikaku everything. Dad will intercept Naruto first and explain he's been deceived."
Tears still glimmering in her eyes, Ino looked up and saw the steady reliability she knew so well.
Inoichi gave her a reassuring smile and lightly patted her shoulder.
"Mm, I understand."
Ino nodded firmly, wiping the tears away.
At the next fork father and daughter split up without another word.
Inoichi vanished across the rooftops toward the forest beyond the village, while Ino spun about and sprinted for the Nara estate.
Whenever a critical choice loomed, the Ino–Shika–Chō trio's "external brain" was the surest guide.
——————————
Hyuga Estate.
Hyuga Hiashi sat seiza in the tea room; after listening to the Anbu's orders he gave a calm nod.
"Tell the Sandaime to rest easy—there's no escape from the Byakugan. I'll bring the boy and the scroll back to him."
"Lord Hiashi, go at once!"
The Anbu inclined his head and vanished into the night.
Outside the sliding door Hanabi clamped both hands over her mouth, stifling any sound.
She could scarcely believe what she'd heard—Big Brother Naruto had stolen an important village artifact and fled?
In other words… he'd defected?
How could this happen?
That warm-smiling big brother who practiced shuriken with her, sparred, and conjured funny little tricks—why would he do this?
Hanabi's heart pounded.
That's right—Big Sis!
She and Big Brother Naruto were closest; she might know something!
Lifting her hems, Hanabi tiptoed down the corridor and ran toward Hinata's room.
————————
Deep in the forest, Naruto—poring over the scroll of seals—had no idea his intended "cast" had quietly changed.
The Iruka who should have appeared had been replaced by Inoichi and Hiashi, now racing toward him.
Moonlight filtered through the leaves onto the unfurled scroll, line after startling technique leaping out: Four Symbols Seal, Multiple Shadow Clone, Twin Explosive Tags, Edo Tensei, Flying Thunder God Technique, Eight Gates, Bringer-of-Darkness Technique… "There's quite a lot in this scroll!"
Naruto murmured in admiration.
Spotting the Eight Gates, he couldn't help grinning.
He'd already learned that one from Teacher Guy and could now open the Gate of Limits.
But every other forbidden jutsu here was either mechanically brilliant or staggeringly powerful.
"These are all treasures!"
He muttered, gaze lingering on Edo Tensei.
He remembered some ancient Naruto fan-fics where the protagonist deliberately killed himself to exploit Edo Tensei's properties; seeing the full technique now, it proved far more intricate than he'd imagined.
"As expected of Konoha's forbidden compendium…"
Naruto drew a deep breath and began memorizing the precious formulas at lightning speed—who knew when he'd ever touch the scroll of seals again.
Outside the forest, Yamanaka Inoichi—locking onto Naruto's Chakra with refined sensory Ninjutsu—curled his lips in a "gentle" smile.
Brat, I've finally got the perfect chance to "educate" you.
He already had the whole script mapped out.
First he'd use the Mind Body Disturbance to make the blond walk right over, then deliver a thorough "lesson of love."
After beating some sense into the boy, he'd interrogate why he'd stolen the scroll of seals.
These years Ino had mentioned "Naruto" at home more and more—first occasionally, now practically every other sentence sparkled with that blond's name.
Seeing his daughter's eyes light up whenever she spoke of Naruto always left Inoichi feeling sour.
The family cabbage kept rolling toward the pig, and the old father didn't like it one bit.
Rubbing his fists, Inoichi sensed Naruto's Chakra drawing nearer and his grin grew ever more "kind."
He'd been itching to give that blond brat a beating!