Inoiki reached into the inner pocket of his kimono-style jacket and retrieved the sealed letter. With a respectful nod, he handed it to Kitsuchi. Kitsuchi took the letter without a word and stepped forward, placing it directly into Onoki's hands.
Onoki tore the envelope open and began reading. The room grew quiet, the only sound the faint rustle of paper as his eyes moved steadily down the page. But the moment he reached the end, his expression twisted—and he abruptly shot up, practically hopping onto his chair as he barked, "What the hell are they even trying to do? Have these people of Akatsuki gone totally mad?!"
Because of his short height, him standing on the chair didn't look too unusual—what was unusual was how quickly he had moved. And that sudden motion immediately backfired.
A sharp twinge hit his lower back.
Onoki froze, his face contorting in agony before he started groaning loudly, "Ow—ow—ow—ow… my back…!"
Naruto nearly exploded into laughter right then. His hands flew up to clamp over his mouth, sealing it completely as his shoulders shook. His face turned bright red from holding it in. Inoiki's mouth twitched hard as he also struggled to keep a straight face, desperately suppressing the smile threatening to break free. Not here… don't laugh…
Finally, the spasm in Onoki's back eased, and he slowly returned to a seated position with a heavy exhale. Naruto, who had been on the verge of bursting, managed to calm himself—though a lingering grin still tugged at the corners of his lips.
Onoki, now steady, shifted his focus toward Inoiki and asked sternly, "Is this absolutely true?"
Inoiki met his gaze and nodded. "Absolutely true. I examined the entire situation myself and verified the information with my abilities. You don't need to doubt it."
Onoki held his stare for a moment, then nodded slowly. He knew neither Konoha nor Inoiki would joke about something of this magnitude. Accepting the reality of the news, he finally said, "I will definitely attend the Five Kage meeting."
Inoiki bowed his head slightly in acknowledgment. "Now that our work here is done, I would like to ask for your permission to leave, as we still have Kumogakure left to visit."
Onoki nodded at Inoiki's words and said, "I understand the importance of your mission, and it will be best if it is continued and completed as soon as possible. But before you leave, I would like to talk to you alone—privately."
Inoiki gave a small nod, though he wasn't exactly sure what Onoki wanted to discuss.
The moment Onoki mentioned a private conversation, everyone else in the room began to step out. Naruto paused at the doorway and glanced back at Inoiki, silently asking whether it was okay for him to leave. Inoiki gave him a reassuring nod. Only then did Naruto head out with Kitsuchi and Kurotsuchi, the door closing behind them and leaving the room quiet—just Onoki and Inoiki alone inside the Tsuchikage's office.
The air felt noticeably still.
Onoki didn't hesitate. Crossing his arms, he asked bluntly, "What are your feelings for my granddaughter? Kurotsuchi has already made her feelings quite clear toward you. So—what are yours?"
Inoiki wasn't caught off guard. He had expected something like this the moment Onoki requested a private meeting. He drew in a slow breath, choosing his words carefully.
"For now," Inoiki began, "I can only say that I don't dislike Kurotsuchi, nor her companionship with me. I enjoy being around her." He paused for a moment, his tone steady and honest. "But if I were to establish a relationship with her…it's not possible at this moment. Not until I've dealt completely with the Akatsuki—until I've stopped their plans and eliminated the person claiming to be Uchiha Madara, the one behind all of this."
His expression grew firmer, the weight of his mission reflected in his eyes.
"Until then," he continued, "I don't think I can officially give any name to this relationship, even if it's something as simple as boyfriend and girlfriend."
Onoki fell silent for a long moment after hearing Inoiki's response. His eyes drifted downward in thought, the wrinkles on his forehead deepening. Finally, he let out a long sigh and said, "Although I would like my granddaughter to be happy and live a peaceful life like any ordinary woman… you should understand something. In all of Iwagakure, the only person who can become the next Tsuchikage is my granddaughter."
His voice carried the weight of a man who had spent decades carrying a village on his shoulders.
"She has the talent," he continued. "And with time, she will reach the strength required for the position. I am placing my hopes on her becoming Tsuchikage. Honestly…" He clicked his tongue lightly. "I would not want someone from another village to be her lover—especially someone from Konoha, and a prominent ninja like you. But still, I will let you young people handle your own relationship matters."
Then his gaze sharpened, the air gaining a slight pressure. "However, my boundary is firm. Kurotsuchi will be the next Tsuchikage. I will not compromise on that."
Inoiki absorbed his words quietly, then nodded. He understood perfectly where Onoki was coming from. From an outsider's perspective, Iwagakure truly lacked a suitable successor. Many had political experience, but none held the raw strength and potential needed for the title of Tsuchikage. Kurotsuchi, on the other hand, had both.
"You're right about that," Inoiki admitted. "Let's leave this matter to our future selves. We can discuss it properly after the Akatsuki threat is eliminated."
Onoki nodded, satisfied with that answer.
Inoiki offered a respectful bow before turning and walking toward the door. As soon as he opened it, he stopped—because right outside, Naruto and Kurotsuchi were half-bent near the doorknob, clearly caught in the middle of eavesdropping. The moment the door swung open, both stiffened and snapped upright with guilty expressions, as though hoping the sudden act of innocence would erase what they'd been doing.
Inoiki's eyebrow twitched, but he ignored their antics completely.
He looked at Naruto and said calmly, "Let's go. We need to continue our journey."
Kurotsuchi stepped forward at that point, concern softening her voice. "It's already late at night now. Why don't you rest here for the night and leave tomorrow morning?"
Inoiki shook his head gently. "We can't do that. We have to reach Kumogakure as soon as possible and deliver the Hokage's invitation to the Raikage. We need to hurry. Next time, if we get the chance, we'll experience the culture of Iwagakure properly—and definitely stay."
Kurotsuchi's shoulders sank slightly. She knew she couldn't stop him, no matter how much she wanted to keep him in the village for a little longer. There was nothing she could say to change his mind.
Soon after, Inoiki and Naruto exited the Tsuchikage building. The cool night wind brushed past them as they walked through the quiet streets. After a few minutes, they reached the main gates of Iwagakure.
Inoiki pulled out a scroll, unsealing a large spherical metal ball. The polished orb hit the ground with a dull thud before rising smoothly into the air under his psychokinetic control. Naruto watched as Inoiki reshaped it—the metal bending and elongating until it formed into a massive floating sword. Inoiki stepped onto it with practiced ease, and Naruto quickly hopped on behind him.
Inoiki gave a final nod toward Kurotsuchi and Kitsuchi. Kurotsuchi lifted her hand slightly in response, though she said nothing. Then, with a burst of wind, the sword shot upward and away, carrying the two envoys toward their final destination—Kumogakure.
They flew through the night sky, the moonlight glinting off the sword's surface. By the time dawn began to break, they slowed down and rested for a short while, stopping a few kilometers from Kumogakure to regain their energy.
After resuming their journey, they reached the gates of Kumogakure in just half an hour—this time on foot rather than flying, since the distance wasn't far.
As expected, just like every other hidden village, the guards immediately stopped them at the gate. Inoiki gave the same calm explanation as before, stating they were here to meet the Raikage and deliver an urgent message from the Hokage.
The guards exchanged quick glances before one of them turned and ran inside the village, heading to inform the Raikage about the arrival of two Konoha shinobi claiming to be official envoys bearing an important message.
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