Aoba looked at her with suspicion on his face, "You really controlled it?"
"Of course! If you don't believe me, ask Isaribi!"
Anko spoke righteously, even loudly asking Isaribi for confirmation, "Isaribi, hurry and tell him, did I or did I not control my diet?"
Hearing this, Isaribi looked at the childish Anko, holding back a laugh as she nodded, "Nee really has been very restrained. She only eats a few skewers of dango every day now."
"You hear that?"
Anko immediately puffed out her chest proudly, showing off a figure not inferior to Tsunade's.
Aoba smiled and said to Isaribi, "Isaribi, if Anko-Nee threatened you, just blink your eyes."
"Eh?"
Isaribi didn't react in time and actually blinked her eyes just as he said.
Anko: "?"
Aoba looked at Anko playfully, then snatched the dango from her hand with quick reflexes and took a bite.
"You bastard!"
Anko's eyes went red.
The book in her hand was thrown aside as she lunged at Aoba, pressing him down on the sofa.
Under Aoba's surprised gaze, Anko leaned down and snatched the dango right out of his mouth.
But before she could swallow it, he stole it back again.
"Mm?"
The two of them started a fierce struggle over that poor dango. But in the end, where the dumpling went, or who ate it, no one knew.
"Your weight hasn't changed. Looks like Anko-Nee really has been controlling her diet."
As a ninja, his sense for weight was very sharp.
From the weight pressing on him, Anko really hadn't changed much.
"Hmph!"
Anko didn't plan to get up, still pressing down on Aoba, staring straight at him, "You still haven't said why you suddenly grew up like this?"
Aoba sighed and explained his Roran experience once again.
Anko's eyes widened slightly, clearly shocked by what he had gone through.
"You're really okay?"
She started running her hands all over Aoba, trying to confirm whether he was hurt.
"Don't worry, I'm fine."
Aoba smiled as he spoke, not stopping her from taking advantage of the situation.
But after a bit of searching, Anko's expression suddenly changed slightly.
She realized the other party seemed not just mature on the outside, but inside too.
Suppressing her panic, Anko pursed her lips and asked, "You already went to see Shizune and the others first, right?"
Aoba froze, then nodded.
He had thought she was sulking a little, but then she suddenly showed a relieved expression and hugged him.
"Carry me inside, I've got to give you a proper check."
Anko didn't know how to comfort or show care. Words were nothing compared to actions.
But she was also a bit scared. Without someone else to draw fire, she might fall apart.
Hearing that he had already gone to see Shizune and the others, she truly felt relieved.
Aoba's mouth twitched. How could he not see through her thoughts now?
Anko was still the same, cowardly yet brave.
But he didn't say anything. He simply picked her up and stood, because this was indeed his purpose in coming.
Even though every time he came to Anko it was for this purpose, it didn't feel great. But if she didn't have this need, she wouldn't look for him at all.
At this moment, Isaribi had just finished brewing tea, but before she could bring it out, she saw the bedroom door already closed.
Her cheeks suddenly burned.
She quickly ran into her own room and locked the door.
She had also heard Aoba's explanation earlier. He seemed to have only been gone a few days, but in truth, it had been three years.
If Anko couldn't handle it and dragged her in, what then?
She wasn't mentally prepared yet. The pace was too fast, at least it should start from kissing, right?
———
The sudden rain had just stopped.
Anko was panting heavily.
"Anko-Nee, why do I feel like you've gotten weaker?"
Aoba thought it over. During the fight she not only lacked a bit of her old drive, but her endurance was also much shorter.
"That's not my fault. Must be because you've been holding back too long, so when you let loose, you didn't know your own strength," Anko rolled her eyes speechlessly.
"No way. It's more likely you got money and then lazed around every day, skipping training."
Aoba figured it wasn't really his problem. He'd just gone through a big battle before coming here.
"Anyway, it's definitely not me slacking. I still exercise every day."
Anko suddenly gritted her teeth, "Every time I eat dango, I make sure to work it off! Otherwise, how could I keep this figure?"
"Really? Then congrats, Anko-Nee, for avoiding the fate of turning into a sweet potato."
Anko rolled her eyes again. While resting, she complained, "I really do exercise every day. So it's your problem."
Aoba hadn't expected Anko to have such a stubborn side.
But he didn't keep arguing. Instead, he asked, "Want to keep going?"
Anko's expression shifted. She pinched the soft flesh at his waist, "You bastard, are you trying to kill me?"
"I was just asking your opinion."
Aoba explained.
Anko ignored him and muttered, "If only there was someone to share the load."
"What do you mean?", Aoba's heart skipped, and he turned to look at her.
Anko gave him a playful look.
"You really don't plan to call Isaribi over? If you asked, she definitely wouldn't refuse."
Aoba was speechless, "You're really trying to push me out there, huh?"
"What else? I really can't handle this alone."
Anko looked totally resigned.
Aoba's mouth twitched, "If I go to Isaribi, it'll feel like using kindness as leverage."
"There's no such thing. Why don't you guess what Isaribi's doing in the next room right now?"
Anko's face was mischievous. She might not know Water Style, but she could tell at a glance that Isaribi had talent for it.
Aoba stayed silent. How could he not know? He'd seen it with his own eyes last time.
Seeing this, Anko sighed helplessly. Looked like she'd have to act herself, otherwise that girl Isaribi would suffer quite a bit.
Aoba didn't know Anko was already plotting how to bring Isaribi into his "family." Suddenly, he said:
"I actually have a way to increase your strength."
"What way?"
"The Yin Seal!"
The Yin Seal could finely regulate chakra, allowing instant healing, boosting attack, and increasing speed.
If mastered, one could rely on the low output and fine regulation of the Yin Seal's chakra to stay youthful and improve bodily functions.
In the end, it allowed the body to stay in peak condition for a long time.
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