"Sakura, what are you thinking?"
Ino returned to the back of the flower shop, her face slightly flushed. Seeing Sakura resting her chin on her hand in thought, Ino's heart skipped a beat. Had Sakura seen what happened earlier? Or perhaps guessed something?
Earlier, to get Yoichi to leave, Ino had been pinned against the counter and kissed for several seconds. Doing such a thing in the flower shop was both thrilling and nerve-wracking for her.
She had quickly pushed Yoichi away, glaring at him furiously before he left. Only after closing the door behind him had Ino calmed herself down and retreated to the back room.
"Well, Ino," Sakura said, breaking the silence, "don't you think it's strange? The owner of the pharmacy hasn't been in Konoha for long, yet he already seems to have someone he likes. Do you think he plans to settle down here in the village?"
Sakura chuckled and continued, "If the person he likes is a Konoha ninja, he might end up becoming one of us someday."
Ino's expression stiffened. The thought of Yoichi settling in Konoha made her feel uneasy. It seemed inevitable that she might have to make certain sacrifices for such a thing to happen, but she was determined to avoid it.
Moreover, before leaving, Yoichi had given her a small, ornate bottle of medicine. However, with Sakura still present, Ino refrained from taking it out to inspect it, knowing she couldn't explain it away.
After chatting about other topics for a while, Sakura finally got up to leave. Ino felt a wave of relief but also a pang of guilt. They had been close friends for over twenty years, yet today, she found herself hoping Sakura would leave early.
As they walked to the front of the shop, Sakura suddenly stopped and pointed to a bouquet of cosmos. "Ino, isn't that the bouquet Yoichi-san ordered? He didn't take it with him?"
Caught off guard, Ino quickly fabricated an excuse and laughed. "Oh? It is! Haha, that guy is so forgetful. I'll send it to him later."
Sakura smiled. "Leaving behind a bouquet for someone you like? What a careless guy." With that, she waved goodbye and left the shop.
Once Sakura was gone, Ino finally exhaled deeply, clenching her fist. "It's all that guy's fault. Too bold!" she muttered, her face flushed. She touched her lips, the memory of that impulsive kiss still vivid. Shaking her head, she turned to the bouquet of cosmos, placed it in a vase, and decided, I'll return it tonight, along with that mysterious medicine.
Ino pulled out the ornate bottle and the note Yoichi had given her. Reading it, she was shocked.
"A level-five secret medicine? It can restore one's appearance from ten years ago and last for 30 to 40 years? Is this real?"
Initially intending to return it, Ino hesitated. Such a rare medicine was too tempting to disregard. She knew how difficult it was to acquire a level-five secret medicine. The last one she heard of had the power to make an ordinary person stronger than Sakura. Even Konoha's resources wouldn't be enough to trade for such a treasure.
"Forget it. I'll deal with this tonight," she decided after much deliberation. Being married, she knew the events earlier were a mistake that couldn't continue. Resolving to end things, she planned to return both the bouquet and the medicine to Yoichi.
Meanwhile, Yoichi was experimenting with his ability [Divine Punishment and Blessing], which granted treasures at the cost of calamities. After activating the power, he frowned. "This time, the scope affects the entire world?"
Using his ability's roulette wheel, Yoichi discovered that the summoned monsters and treasures weren't something he could control.
"Three days until the next summon. Maybe I should inform someone in Konoha about this—starting with Ino."
Thinking further, Yoichi began devising a larger plan. While Konoha's technology had advanced significantly, mobile communication remained rudimentary, with only landlines and basic devices. Even Denki, a recent graduate in a few years, only used a small laptop for internet access.
"I could use my Tenseigan clone to establish a mobile communications company across the shinobi world. That would significantly enhance intelligence gathering."
Satisfied with his idea, Yoichi began preparing for this venture, choosing the ability [Research Assistant] from his roulette. This ability allowed him to make logical deductions from known information, accelerating technological development.
With his shadow clones handling the learning, he could focus on other tasks like researching Yin-Yang techniques and building the communication network.
Later that evening, as Yoichi expected, Ino came to visit.
At around 9 PM, Yoichi sensed her chakra entering the first floor. Smiling, he opened the door after a few knocks. "Ino-san, welcome."
"Inside. Now," Ino demanded, her tone firm as she stormed in. After ensuring the door was closed, she jabbed her finger at his chest, scolding, "You're unbelievable! Coming to the flower shop like that—you almost got us caught by Sakura!"
Before she could continue, Yoichi pulled her into an embrace. His apology, paired with heartfelt words, made Ino's defenses crumble. Memories of her romantic past surfaced, and despite her married life, she found herself swept up in Yoichi's charm.
"You can't... not at the shop," she murmured, her voice softening as she turned her face away.
Yoichi leaned closer. "Ino-san, it's been three days, but it feels like three years to me." His words struck a chord, and before long, her resistance faded entirely.
Hours later, both lay on the bed, catching their breath. Yoichi smiled at the umbrella on the floor—it had seen plenty of use tonight. Though tempted to continue, he decided to pace himself. For now, he handed Ino a glass of warm honey water.
"I need to go home. I have to make breakfast for my family tomorrow," Ino said, trying to regain her composure.
"Wait, Ino-san," Yoichi interrupted, pulling her closer. "I have something important to discuss with you."
Her curiosity piqued, Ino stayed. Yoichi explained his vision—a dangerous prophecy of monsters and treasures appearing throughout the world.
"This isn't something I can handle alone. Konoha's network will be essential for gathering intelligence. I planned to tell Naruto about it, but you're a Konoha ninja too, so I'm sharing it with you first."
The gravity of his words left Ino silent, her hand gripping his tightly.
(End of Chapter)
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The next morning, Ino quietly returned home and quickly busied herself in the kitchen. Though last night's "exercise" left her utterly exhausted—so much so that she could barely walk—she recovered fully after taking a restoration pill before heading back.
As she prepared breakfast, Ino unconsciously touched her face. Her skin now felt incredibly smooth, as if she were 18 again, thanks to the rejuvenation pill Yoichi had forcefully fed her.
While she fretted over how to explain her noticeably youthful appearance to Sakura and others, deep down, a hint of joy bubbled up.
That guy… he cares about me so much~ Hehe…
A smile crept onto her face as she worked, her demeanor radiating such warmth that anyone who saw her might have commented that she looked like someone deeply in love.
"Mom, is breakfast ready?"
Her son, Inojin, snapped her out of her thoughts. Ino quickly stirred the pan and replied, "Almost! Go set the table."
Refocusing, she finished cooking and then turned to Inojin. "Inojin, have you been keeping up with your studies at the academy?"
"Pretty well. But now that the Hokage's son just enrolled, it's been a bit chaotic. Some of the kids don't seem to like him much, though I guess it's understandable, given what he did."
Inojin casually munched on bacon and bread, adding, "Still, he doesn't seem to care about what others think."
"Boruto, huh? He's a bit like Naruto was as a kid," Ino said with a soft laugh.
"The Seventh Hokage?"
Ino smiled warmly. "Yes, Naruto often did things that drew attention, but he never meant any harm. Once you get to know him, you'll see."
"Is that so… But…"
Inojin glanced at Ino's face, pausing before remarking, "Mom, you look really great today. There's… something about you. You look amazing."
"Do I? Haha, maybe it's because I slept so well last night."
As soon as the words left her mouth, Ino's face flushed. She had certainly not slept well—Yoichi had kept her busy all night like an unstoppable bull. If not for the secret medicine, she wouldn't even have been able to get out of bed.
"I have some things to take care of today," she said, redirecting the topic. "I might come home late, but I'll make dinner for you in advance."
After seeing Inojin off to school, Ino also left home and made her way to the Hokage's office. Having promised Yoichi the night before to convey his prophecy to Naruto, she felt it was a matter of great importance.
When she explained the situation to Naruto, his expression turned serious.
"A prophecy?" Naruto repeated, glancing at Shikamaru beside him. "Ino, I know he claims to be an Onmyōji, but disasters and treasures appearing from another world… It's hard to believe."
Shikamaru added, "We still have doubts about his identity as an Onmyōji. He just said it himself. And why would he tell you and the village about something like this?"
Ino's expression darkened. "You're even questioning his identity? The secret medicine he made—something even Lady Tsunade couldn't replicate—should be evidence enough."
Shikamaru remained skeptical. "We can't fully trust him. He showed up in Konoha out of nowhere with such unique abilities. We need more concrete evidence to verify his claims."
"How would you verify it?" Ino asked.
Naruto and Shikamaru exchanged looks before Naruto suggested, "We could consult the sages at Mount Myōboku. They know about Onmyōji and might help verify his identity."
Ino hesitated but eventually agreed. "Fine, I'll ask him. But I still believe he's telling the truth."
After Ino left, Shikamaru commented, "She seems to trust that pharmacy owner a lot."
Naruto chuckled. "Maybe it's genuine. Either way, we need to confirm his identity. If he's truly an Onmyōji, we'll need to take his prophecy seriously."
Ino later returned with Yoichi to the Hokage's office. Joining them were Sakura, Tsunade, and Kakashi, whom Shikamaru had summoned for their insight.
"Welcome, Yoichi-kun. I'm Uzumaki Naruto, the Seventh Hokage," Naruto said, smiling warmly. "Let me introduce you to everyone. This is Fukasaku of Mount Myōboku, my advisor Nara Shikamaru, Fifth Hokage Lady Tsunade, and my teacher, the Sixth Hokage Hatake Kakashi."
Yoichi smiled and introduced himself as a traveling Onmyōji, his gaze lingering briefly on Fukasaku. In his own world, that old toad had met its end by his hand.
Fukasaku was the first to speak. "It's been over a millennium since Onmyōji disappeared. You're the first I've seen in my lifetime."
Yoichi replied, "They didn't vanish. They simply saw no need to appear. I know about Mount Myōboku, the contract creatures of the Tenka clan."
With that, Yoichi traced symbols in the air, forming an intricate Onmyōji seal.
"The Kagura and Tenka clans share a connection. This Onmyōji seal, Kyuukyuu nyo ritsuryou, is one of their spells."
Fukasaku's eyes widened as he recognized the seal, identical to one hidden in Mount Myōboku's archives. Though he didn't know its significance, its authenticity was undeniable.
After verifying Yoichi's identity, Naruto turned serious. "Sorry for doubting you, but Ino's account was shocking. Can you explain the prophecy in detail again?"
Yoichi nodded and outlined the effects of [Divine Punishment and Blessing], describing the potential disasters and treasures that could appear from otherworldly portals.
Everyone listened intently, though Sakura seemed distracted. Glancing at Ino, she couldn't help but notice her friend's radiant appearance, as if she'd regained the vitality of her teenage years.
"This is what I foresaw: collisions between dimensions leading to sporadic openings of portals. These portals might bring forth terrifying beasts or devastating calamities, but they could also yield treasures and opportunities."
Kakashi raised a question. "Why do strong creatures bring treasures? Is there a connection?"
Yoichi shrugged. "Perhaps the treasures are what they guard, or maybe it's coincidence. All I know is that treasures accompany them in the visions I've seen."
Naruto asked, "When can we expect this to happen?"
"It could be as soon as the next second or as late as three days from now. As for where, that's beyond my ability to predict. It might be in the farthest oceans or right here in Konoha."
Yoichi's nonchalant tone belied the gravity of his words.
(End of Chapter)
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