Chapter 128: Ino’s Embrace

At the Fire Daimyo's mansion.

Shinho had just arrived when he spotted Shikamaru Nara lounging in a tree, clearly slacking off.

It was July, and the weather had grown hotter. The sound of cicadas filled the air, adding to the oppressive heat.

Suddenly, Shinho received a notification: 

[Achievement unlocked—Kurama Yakumo's 'Please; My Other Self'. Reward: Snow Fairy Gu.]

[Snow Fairy Gu: A Rank-3 Gu, an ice transformation Gu. When used by a woman, it transforms her into a Snow Fairy.]

Shinho raised an eyebrow. Has Yakumo resolved things with herself?

As for the Snow Fairy transformation... it certainly sparked some interesting thoughts. It reminded him of a certain manga from his previous life. 

Who should I test this on?

For some reason, Konan's face appeared in his mind—probably because her cool demeanour fit the image of a snow fairy.

"Shikamaru," Shinho called out, walking over.

Startled, Shikamaru blinked his eyes open and saw Shinho. He sighed in relief and patted his chest. "Phew. I thought it was Asuma-sensei."

"Where's Ino?" Shinho asked, getting straight to the point.

"Figures you're looking for Ino," Shikamaru replied, unsurprised. "She's over that way."

"Thanks," Shinho said, glancing in the direction indicated. "I'll treat you guys to barbecue another time."

"Chōji will love that," Shikamaru chuckled. "You should've seen Asuma-sensei's face the first time he treated us. He looked like he was in agony."

"Asuma-sensei should be pretty loaded, right?" Shinho joked, recalling Asuma's high bounty from the bingo book.

Cough. That joke was a bit dark.

Sure, Asuma didn't have much money, but his father, Hiruzen Sarutobi, definitely did.

"He says he's saving his money to marry Kurenai-sensei," Shikamaru said after a pause.

Well, that's bold!

Like a general planting flags, setting the stage for future glory.

"Yeah, I know," Shinho nodded. "We just did a mission with Kurenai-sensei."

The way Shinho called her Kurenai-sensei made her name, Scarlet Sunset, feel even more appropriate.

[tl/n: Some chinese wordplay, I bet. It's sentences like that make me want to study Chinese literature.]

"Two teams on one mission?" Shikamaru asked, curious.

"Not quite," Shinho smiled. "I can only say it was a B-rank mission."

"B-rank, huh? I'm not surprised," Shikamaru shook his head. "I'm just glad you're not on my team. D-rank missions are the perfect excuse to slack off."

Same old lazy Shikamaru, Shinho thought. But who could've guessed that this laid-back guy would eventually become the Eighth Hokage?

Shinho waved and continued toward Ino Yamanaka, who was crouching in some bushes, her eyes scanning the grass around her.

"Here, kitty, kitty. Come out," she cooed, her golden hair peeking out from between the leaves.

Hearing footsteps, Ino looked up and saw Shinho approaching.

"Shinho-kun!" she exclaimed happily, instantly forgetting about the missing cat.

"Any luck finding the cat?" Shinho asked, crouching down beside her.

Ino's heart skipped a beat. With him so close, she could clearly see his face.

"Not yet," she replied absentmindedly, still staring at him.

"Is there something on my face?" Shinho asked, noticing her intense gaze.

"No," Ino cleared her throat awkwardly, then quickly asked, "Did you finish your mission already?"

"Just wrapped it up," Shinho said, pulling out a scroll. "I brought you a gift."

"A gift?" Ino's eyes lit up as she opened the scroll, but her expression quickly turned confused.

 The scroll was filled with strange symbols and sealing techniques—nothing she recognized at first glance.

"Do you remember when I told you about Yin Release?" Shinho asked.

Ino nodded eagerly. She hadn't forgotten. It was thanks to that conversation with Shinho that she had started taking her clan's secret techniques seriously.

"Yin Release—creating something from nothing," Shinho explained, pointing at the scroll. "This scroll contains a sealed Yin Release creature."

Ino's body stiffened at the word "creature," and she almost dropped the scroll in shock.

"Take it home and ask your dad to wipe out its consciousness, leaving only the pure Yin energy," Shinho said calmly. "Then you can use it to help with your training."

Ino blinked, her mind racing to process the situation.

This sounds dangerous, she thought, staring at the scroll. But Shinho-kun went through all this trouble for me?

Her emotions surged, and before she knew it, she was hugging him tightly.

The scent of flowers filled the air as she buried her face in his chest.

Shinho was caught off guard by the sudden hug. He blinked, unsure of how to react.

Ino's golden hair brushed against his face, her cheeks flushed pink, her skin soft and youthful. She hadn't fully grown yet, but Shinho thought back to how she would eventually develop—one day, she'd be as stunning as Hinata.

Ino's heart pounded in her chest.

Did it work?

Shinho hadn't pushed her away, and that was all the confirmation she needed.

Hell yeah! Victory!

Ino Yamanaka, the queen, had triumphed!

But just then, a noise interrupted them. Ino jumped back like a startled bird and turned toward the source.

It was Chōji Akimichi, backing away awkwardly after stepping on a branch.

"I didn't mean to interrupt!" Chōji shouted as he turned to flee. "You two can carry on!"

Carry on?!

Ino's face flushed a deep red, like a freshly steamed bun.

"I'll help you find the cat," Shinho said with a chuckle, amused by the situation. 

She's kind of adorable.

Ino, still flustered, nodded but kept her face turned away, too embarrassed to meet his gaze.

Shinho extended his hand, sending out his kikaichū to search the area.

"You must've worked hard to seal that thing, right?" Ino asked, gripping the scroll tightly.

"It wasn't too bad," Shinho replied, then paused. "There, found it."

Guided by the insects, they spotted the missing white cat lounging on a rooftop.

"Wait," Shinho said, grabbing Ino's wrist before she could climb up. "It'll get spooked and run again If you go up there."

"Then what should we do?" Ino asked, glancing down at his hand holding her wrist.

"Let's get Shikamaru," Shinho said, releasing her wrist.

Ino bit her lip, feeling a small pang of regret as he let go.

"I'll go get him," Shinho said, walking back to the tree where Shikamaru was still lounging.

"Shikamaru, come help us catch this cat."

Shikamaru sighed, feeling a tinge of regret. His time slacking off had come to an end.

"Shadow Imitation Technique!"

Standing under the leaves, Shikamaru formed a hand seal, his shadow extending out to link with the cat's shadow.

At that moment, Shinho Aburame leaped through the air and, with the cat's wide, terrified eyes locked on him, and gently scooped it up.

"Thank you, Shinho-kun," Ino said with a smile as she took the white cat from him.

Shikamaru released his shadow technique and glanced around. Should I even be here right now?

"Shinho-kun," Ino began, "want to join me for lunch?"

"I'll pass on lunch, but we could go grab some dango," Shinho replied after thinking for a moment.

"Alright! Just wait a second," Ino said, and then she ran off toward the Daimyo's mansion to return the cat to its owner.

"I'll go get Chōji," Shikamaru called over his shoulder as he walked away, yelling, "Chōji! Time to eat!"

In a flash, Chōji Akimichi appeared.

Shinho couldn't help but twitch at the sight. What kind of British sorcery is this?

[tl/n: I dunno]

"I'm back!" Ino jogged up to Shinho, slightly out of breath. Her blonde bangs bobbed in the wind as she caught her breath.

"Let's go," Shinho said, leading them to the dango shop on the street. "It's on me, so eat as much as you like."

Chōji immediately lit up with a wide grin. After all, his favourite thing was when someone else picked up the bill.

"Shinho-kun," Ino whispered as they sat down, scooting closer to him. "Are you sure you brought enough money? I have some if you need it."

Ten out of ten rich girls.

Shinho noticed the purse Ino pulled out. Instead of taking it, he pushed it back toward her.

His Nine-leaf Vitality Grass continued to earn him a steady stream of money, so a simple meal like this was hardly a problem.

"I'll let you know If I run out, " Shinho said with a smile.

Ino tucked her wallet away and said, "Alright. But don't hesitate to ask."

That's definitely a sugar mommy line.

Shinho chuckled. "Save your money for ninja tools or explosive tags," he suggested.

 Supplies were expensive for most ninjas, especially in the early stages of their careers, where explosive tags were considered a luxury item. Most Genin couldn't even afford to use them.

"Got it," Ino nodded obediently.

Shikamaru watched the two whispering back and forth and couldn't help but question if coming along had been the right choice. 

He glanced over at Chōji, who was already happily munching on his dango, and sighed with envy.

Must be nice, he thought. Just eat, drink, and don't overthink about a thing.

Shinho ordered two additional portions to go. Ino, assuming they were for Tsunade and Shizune, didn't question it.

"See you next time," Shinho said, waving as Ino walked away.

Ino waved back, turning on her heel. Her ponytail swayed behind her with each step, and the spring in her walk made it clear she was in a good mood.

Shinho couldn't help but smile. 

A cheerful flower girl.

He turned and headed toward the treehouse deep within the Forest of Death.

At this time of day, both Chisori and Karin were at their secret base, practicing sealing techniques. Over the past five years, they had developed into skilled practitioners, though their overall strength still capped out around Chūnin level. 

However, their chakra reserves were extraordinary, allowing them to outlast most Jōnin in prolonged battles. When paired with their powerful sealing techniques, they could be quite formidable.

The only downside was that neither of them had awakened the special abilities of the Uzumaki clan, like Adamantine Sealing Chains or Kagura Mind's Eye.

In the original story, Karin only unlocked her potential under life-threatening circumstances.

As Shinho approached the treehouse, Chisori and Karin spotted him immediately.

"Shinho-nii!" Karin called out, rushing over, her red hair flying wildly in the wind.

Compared to her younger self, she had grown into a fine young woman.

Her delicate features were filled with excitement, her red eyes sparkling. She wore a purple top and short shorts, the hem of which just covered the top of her thighs, leaving her legs exposed down to the tops of her long, black stockings, which dug slightly into her skin, creating a faint indentation. 

Her slender legs were wrapped tightly in the stockings, showing off their perfect proportions.

"Good afternoon!" Karin greeted him, hugging him naturally.

Her red hair brushed against his face.

"Karin, mind your manners," Chisori scolded, her face stern.

Karin turned to make a face at her mother, clearly unafraid.

At first, she had been very cautious around Shinho, but after getting to know him, she had grown comfortable and now acted without any restraint.

Chisori could only sigh. Sometimes, she thought Shinho was too indulgent. Still, despite Karin's mischievous nature, she always listened to him, so it wasn't too much of a problem.

Plus, Chisori had gotten to know Shinho's character well over time, so there was no need to worry about being cast out with nowhere to go.

"Alright, it's not like we haven't seen each other in ages," Shinho said, patting Karin on the back.

"A day feels like forever," Karin teased, rubbing her cheek against his before finally letting go.

"I brought your favorite dango," Shinho said, holding up the plastic bag.

They took the elevator platform up to the third floor.

"Welcome home," Chisori said, opening the door and bowing as Shinho entered.

The gesture made her look like a maid, her submissive posture on full display.

"Chisori-auntie, you don't have to be so formal," Shinho said, feeling a bit awkward. He had asked her to stop doing that many times, but she never listened.

"Shinho-nii, come on in!" Karin called, already inside, her black stockings making a soft sound as she stepped across the wooden floor.

Shinho couldn't help but glance down. I've seen Tsunade's bare feet plenty of times, so a little black stocking action is a nice change of pace.

Though, technically speaking, Karin wasn't wearing true stockings, but that could be fixed later.

Shinho glanced over at Chisori. Perhaps she'd look good in them too...

But after a moment, he dismissed the thought. Better not.

Karin unpacked the dango from the bag, handing one box to her mother.

"I'll feed you!" Karin said mischievously, holding up a skewer of dango and adjusting her glasses, a glint of excitement in her eyes.

"Stop fooling around," Shinho scolded, rolling his eyes. "I'm not a kid, and besides, I already ate."

He knew Karin's tricks all too well.

"Fine," Karin pouted and sat down beside him, her legs folded neatly to the side. She took a bite of the dango, licking it slowly before taking another nibble.

Shinho couldn't help but be reminded of Anko Mitarashi, who also had a thing for dango. 

To prevent Karin and her mother from getting too carried away with sweets, he figured once he mastered the Yin Seal, he would teach it to them.

As Uzumaki clan members, they were naturally suited to learning the technique. In fact, Shinho suspected the Yin Seal itself had originated from Uzumaki sealing techniques.

"Weren't you out on a mission today?" Karin asked between bites.

"We finished it rather quickly," Shinho said, leaning back on the couch.

"I wish I could go on missions with you," Karin said, her face filled with envy.

Shinho fell silent, lost in thought.

In the past, he had kept Karin hidden away, worried that Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo Shimura might target her.

But now, with Tsunade as Hokage, things were different. She was much friendlier toward the Uzumaki clan.

Perhaps it was time to consider bringing Karin into the spotlight. He just had to think of a way to bring the matter up to her.

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