Chapter 175: With Strength, You Can Naturally Speak With Strength
"Stay for...?"
"Just stay!"
Akiyama Makoto nodded. "Then are you missing anything in your room? You can borrow some of my things for now." With that, he was about to go and get a couple of new sets of bedding for her.
Ino stared at him, about to walk out the door, and only then realized he had misunderstood her meaning.
She quickly hugged him from behind, her scorching little face pressed against his back.
"That's not what I meant—I mean, I want to stay with you."
"Just—just like Sakura!"
Poor Sakura. Who knew how many times she had been used as a shield today.
"Oh, so that's what you meant—"
He deliberately drew out the sound, then turned to look at her. The half-smile on his face made her realize that he had been deliberately pretending not to understand just now, to tease her.
She stomped on his foot, but he didn't budge. He just lowered his head and whispered in her ear, "Are you prepared for a decision like this?"
"Prepared? Prepared for what?" She looked away, pretending not to understand.
He straightened up. "If you're not prepared, then forget it. Your uncle will be worried."
"Who cares if he's worried! And you—do you have to make me say it out loud?!"
Seeing that she was about to explode, he finally gave up on the idea of teasing her. "Alright then. I'll go take a bath. Wait for me to come back."
"Mm—"
Her voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz. She only breathed a sigh of relief after he had left. She curiously looked around his room, paying attention to every detail. When she saw the flower arrangement she had made yesterday on the bedside table, she sat down on the bed and showed the flowers a shy smile.
She waited and waited, but he never came back.
This made her a little impatient. She wanted to go find him, but then remembered he was still in the bathhouse. The thought of running into a muscular Makoto made her sit back down, feeling flustered, and she chose to wait.
She lay on his pillow, smelling the familiar scent, and slowly closed her eyes.
As for why he was so late, there were actually two reasons. One was that he had run into Anko. She had had a few drinks with Kurenai today. As she helped him scrub his back, she told him about Kurenai's recent situation. The other was that after dealing with Anko, he had sensed through his perception that Inoichi had come again.
He stood at the door, hesitating to knock, as if he was worried about disturbing him, but also as if he was expecting his daughter to come out.
This time, Makoto didn't intend to start another small conflict with him. The morning had just been a small trick to set the stage. If Inoichi wanted to take her away now, he wouldn't refuse. He actually had no problem with him. A good father who loved his daughter deeply, who had even made a great sacrifice in the original storyline... how could he dislike such a person?
But what he didn't expect was that the long-hesitating Inoichi actually turned and left.
This was no longer a simple matter of acknowledging his and Ino's relationship. This was completely entrusting his daughter to him! Then he couldn't disappoint her father's expectations.
When he returned to his room, he was surprised to find that she was asleep. This was actually a good thing. If she were awake, he would have had to coax her to sleep. As for all the things she had been looking forward to, that would have to wait for another time.
But since she was already lying on his bed, he had to collect a little interest.
He lay down beside her, held the sleeping girl, and used her as a fragrant pillow. At the same time, he did not show favoritism. He opened his Yin Seal and began to channel his Yang chakra into her, continuing to charge her True Spirit Seal.
When she opened her eyes again, the first thing she saw was his strong, powerful chest.
Her mind was a buzzing mess. She subconsciously checked her body and, after finding that everything was intact, she looked at him with a mix of relief and disappointment. Then she realized that her body had changed. The life force coming from the True Spirit Seal gave her the illusion that she had grown taller in just one night's sleep.
She naturally understood that all of this was the result of his hard work cultivating her all night, and her heart was filled with emotion and warmth.
So, while he was asleep, she quietly got up, went downstairs, and used all her skills to make him a sumptuous breakfast. Finally, like a thief with a guilty conscience, she ran towards the Yamanaka compound, hoping to get back to her own room before her family noticed.
Unfortunately, her hopes were doomed to fail. Because her mother and grandmother were already sitting in her room, waiting for her. This made her, who had just climbed through the window into her own bedroom, show a look of fear.
"Ino, where were you yesterday?"
"Did you stay at Makoto-kun's house?"
"Ino, how many times have I told you—"
Seeing her mother's voice gradually rise, she quickly explained, "I was just too tired from training a new ninjutsu and fell asleep! If you don't believe me, you can try it yourself!"
With that, she assumed the stance for the Mind Body Switch Technique.
Seeing this, her mother, Rino Yamanaka, nodded, signaling for her to use the jutsu on her.
This time, she didn't hesitate. She activated the jutsu, wanting to prove her innocence.
Then, her consciousness entered her mother's body and stood side-by-side with her mother's consciousness, the two of them staring at each other.
She did not fight for control of her mother's body, so Rino could still see what was happening outside.
She saw her own body sway, then stand up again, looking a little dazed, and give her mother a peace sign.
This scene greatly shocked Rino and Mayu Yamanaka. They didn't yet know that Inoichi had obtained the Dual Heart Method, because he had not yet successfully cultivated it.
Seeing this, Rino and Mayu looked at each other, feeling they had wronged her.
Mayu smiled and played the peacemaker. "Since it was because of training, it's alright to stay there for one night occasionally. I hear his new house is quite large."
"Now that everything is explained, you should go take a bath first, and then we'll eat together."
Ino breathed a sigh of relief, thinking she had passed the test. But when her mother walked into the bathroom while she was halfway through her bath, she knew she had been too naive. She covered her True Spirit Seal and shrieked, wanting her mother to get out, but this time, Rino was firm and insisted on examining her daughter's body.
Helpless, Ino could only use the Formless Wave she had just learned to knock her mother out, then put on her clothes and rushed out of the house, coming back to his.
Looking at the tearful Ino, he was at a loss. But then, the furiously approaching Rino and Mayu made him realize what had probably happened.
"Makoto-kun, can you release our daughter?"
Rino's voice was calm, and her appearance was dignified. But in reality, she was a fierce kunoichi, who had only developed her current personality after becoming Inoichi's wife. Faced with this guy who might have harmed her daughter, she was already on the verge of attacking.
He looked at the Ino who was hugging him and refusing to let go, then at his mother-in-law outside the door, and decisively made a choice.
"If you can come in, Auntie, then I will not stop you from taking Ino away."
"If you can't, then please do not interfere with Ino's freedom in the future. At the very least, do not interfere with her freedom to come to my place."
Rino was silent. She just rolled up her sleeves and condensed chakra in her fists and feet. Then, she used a Body Flicker and charged toward him. It seemed her fist was about to smash into him.
But the next second, she was back where she started, still in his courtyard, with her mother-in-law, Mayu, beside her.
"Rino, why are you daydreaming?" Mayu was confused. Wasn't her daughter-in-law about to attack?
"Ah, sorry. I was just a little..."
Rino didn't explain and was about to attack again. But this time, she couldn't move at all, as if she were frozen.
Only then did Mayu realize something was wrong. She quickly assumed the stance for the Yamanaka's secret technique and aimed it at him.
Seeing this, Ino wanted to intervene, but he just patted her head, signaling for her to remain quiet.
His recent simulation experience had told him that he already had the capital to be forceful. Since that was the case, he would naturally reserve his patience and gentleness for the girls around him. And when facing the older generation, his choice was to show his strength. It just so happened that they also believed in this more.
"Mind Body Switch Technique!"
Mayu's jutsu shot straight at him. He just extended a finger and lightly tapped. The formless spiritual power was controlled by his even stronger spiritual power, suspended in mid-air, unable to advance or retreat.
At the same time, his spiritual power turned into a voice and flowed into hers. He said with a smile, "Grandma, I sincerely like Ino. She has already tested me with the Mind Body Switch. There's no need to trouble you to try again."
"If you don't believe me, you can ask your granddaughter."
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