Tsunade spoke with a grave expression, her voice low and steady. "When Inoiki was returning from his mission in the Land of Earth, he was ambushed. His body hasn't been recovered yet... but the amount of blood found at the scene, along with his shattered sword, strongly suggests that something terrible may have happened."
The news hit like a thunderclap.
Ino's knees buckled almost instantly, and all the color drained from her face. She looked as though the very ground beneath her had crumbled. Shikamaru rushed to her side, catching her before she collapsed. Gently steadying her, he murmured, "Ino, stay strong. We don't know anything for certain yet. Nothing's happened to Inoiki, alright? He's invincible, remember? You know him—he wouldn't go down so easily."
Naruto stood frozen for a moment, stunned by the revelation. But soon, his shock gave way to anger. His fists clenched, and his voice rose with barely contained fury. "Who was strong enough to ambush Inoiki and injure him that badly?"
Tsunade's eyes narrowed slightly. "According to the initial intelligence from Iwagakure, it's believed that the attack may have been carried out by the leader of the Akatsuki. Inoiki likely encountered him in battle."
She paused for a moment, then added, "And frankly, I believe that too. There are only a handful of people with the strength and ability to stop Inoiki—even if not defeat him outright. The Akatsuki leader is said to possess the power to manipulate gravity. That would disrupt Inoiki's flight abilities, keeping him grounded even if he wanted to escape. And Inoiki himself has admitted before—there are only three members of Akatsuki he genuinely considers a threat. The leader, of course. The second is Tobi. And the third... is Konan, the so-called Angel of the Akatsuki. As for the rest, he might not always be able to defeat them, but he can at least evade them. That much confidence he has in his own strength."
Tsunade's words carried weight—not wild speculation, but conclusions drawn from evidence and experience.
Naruto took a step forward, his eyes blazing. "Then send me to the Land of Earth. I'll find out what happened. Please, Granny—let me go."
But Tsunade immediately shook her head. "No, Naruto. I need to send someone who can move swiftly and reach the battle site without delay—someone who can investigate thoroughly without drawing unnecessary attention."
She looked out the window briefly before continuing. "I'm sending Jiraiya. He's the best suited for this kind of mission. And with him, I'll also send Inoichi, Shikaku, and Choza. They're highly skilled, experienced, and strategic. Inoichi, of course, will go regardless—I doubt I could stop him from going to check on his son with his own eyes. But the others will ensure the mission's strength and security. If there's another ambush, they'll be ready to defend themselves and return safely."
Kakashi folded his arms, his tone serious. "We need to consider the possibility that Iwagakure had a hand in this. They've employed the Akatsuki's services multiple times in the past. There's a chance they were complicit in Inoiki's disappearance—or at least aware of it."
Tsunade gave a solemn nod. "Believe me, Kakashi. That angle hasn't escaped me. It's already under consideration."
Naruto, still seething with frustration, opened his mouth to protest. "But—"
Before he could say more, Tsunade raised a firm hand to silence him.
"No, Naruto. I said no, and I mean it," she said sternly. "You're not in the right state of mind for a mission like this. And if this is a trap—something deliberately set up to lure you in—then it would be even more reckless to let you go. I can't afford that risk."
She turned to Kakashi then, her expression softening just slightly. "In the meantime, I want you to begin teaching Naruto the exclusive ninjutsu you told me—start earlier than planned. Keep Yamato close by for additional support and control. Naruto's emotions are volatile right now, and we can't risk him going out of control. Yamato's presence will ensure he doesn't lose himself... or worse, sneak away in search of Inoiki."
Kakashi nodded with quiet understanding. "Understood."
Without another word, he gestured for Naruto, Sai, and Sakura to follow him, and the three exited the office together. Slowly, the rest of the group began to file out as well, the heavy atmosphere weighing down on them. Shikamaru remained at Ino's side, supporting her gently as they made their way out. She hadn't spoken a word since the news, her mind likely racing through every possibility, clinging to hope.
Once the room had emptied, only Tsunade and Shizune remained inside the Hokage's office. The silence hung thick in the air.
Tsunade moved toward the wide window overlooking the village and rested her gaze on the stone faces of the past Hokage carved into the mountainside. Her voice was soft, almost a whisper. "Inoiki… wherever you are, I hope you're safe. I hope you managed to escape."
Shizune stood a few steps behind, her hands clasped tightly in front of her, and echoed the sentiment in a quiet voice. "We all do."
Meanwhile, word of Inoiki's disappearance began to spread through the upper echelons of Konoha like wildfire. Among the elite and leadership circles, murmurs turned into grave discussions. No one had confirmed whether he was dead or alive—but the uncertainty, in some ways, was even more haunting.
Inoichi, the father of Inoiki, was deeply shaken by the devastating news. The idea that his son—his prodigy, and one of the strongest shinobi ever produced by Yamanaka Clan—might have fallen in battle, was almost too much to bear. The thought alone made his chest tighten and sent a cold shiver down his spine. A profound sadness washed over him, threatening to overwhelm his composure.
But Inoichi was a veteran shinobi—disciplined, trained to keep his emotions in check even in the darkest of moments. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes for a brief moment, and steadied himself. Now was not the time to grieve. Now was the time to act.
Alongside his lifelong comrades, Shikaku and Choza, he made his way to the Konoha Gate. Waiting there was Jiraiya, already prepared for departure. The Legendary Sannin said nothing as Inoichi approached—there were no words of comfort he could offer that wouldn't ring hollow. Instead, he gave a solemn nod, a silent acknowledgement of the pain Inoichi was carrying.
Without delay, Jiraiya summoned four large toads—each one massive enough to carry a rider swiftly across great distances. One by one, the four men mounted their respective summons. With the weight of uncertainty pressing heavily on their shoulders, they set off toward the Land of Earth, toward the last known location of Inoiki.
As they rode, Inoichi couldn't help but think of his wife. A part of him wanted desperately to return home, to tell her the news face-to-face, to be with her during this moment of heartbreak. But he knew himself too well. If he went home now—if he looked into her eyes and shared that grief—he might not be able to walk away again. He might be paralyzed by their shared sorrow, and fail in his duty to investigate what truly happened to their son.
And so, he made the hard decision to say nothing for now. He would bear the burden alone until the mission was done.
Ino, on the other hand, had already broken the news to her mother. The moment her mother heard about Inoiki's disappearance, her legs gave out and she collapsed on the spot. Years of quiet confidence—the belief that her son was too skilled, too powerful to ever fall—shattered in an instant. She had built up that faith over countless sleepless nights, each one eased only by Inoiki's safe return from dangerous missions. And now, in the blink of an eye, it was gone.
The emotional blow was too much to handle. She lost consciousness and was rushed to the Konoha Hospital, where she was admitted for care.
Meanwhile, word of Inoiki's uncertain fate continued to ripple through the village. His friends and comrades, many of whom had fought by his side or looked up to him, were devastated. Each new whisper of his possible death deepened the sense of loss.
A heavy gloom descended over Konoha. The possibility that Inoiki might truly be gone cast a long, dark shadow across the hearts of those who knew him.
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