Inoiki's voice was calm, but there was steel behind it. "Don't worry about it. I won't do anything reckless. They want to harm my family politically, right? Then I'll respond in kind. I'll harm them politically as well."
Inoichi's brows knit together, a flicker of worry crossing his face. "And what exactly are you planning to do?"
Placing a reassuring hand on his father's shoulder, Inoiki met his gaze steadily. "Don't worry, Dad. I'm not going to cross any dangerous lines. I'll simply do what needs to be done—nothing more, nothing less."
Inoichi still couldn't quite read his son's intentions, but he had no choice but to trust him in this matter.
Tsunade leaned back in her chair, her eyes locking on Inoiki. "Fine. But remember, I'm placing my faith in you. Don't betray that trust. You are not to go overboard."
Inoiki gave a single, firm nod.
With that, Inoiki, Ino, and Inoichi left the Hokage's office. Ino had remained silent the entire time inside—this was a conversation among high-ranking shinobi, and she knew it wasn't her place to interrupt. But once they stepped beyond the gates of the Hokage building, she turned to her brother.
"Brother," she said, her voice steady, "teach the people who plotted against Father a lesson they won't forget."
A faint smile curved Inoiki's lips. He reached out, gently patting her head. "I will."
From the side, Inoichi couldn't help but smile and shake his head. "Just tell me if you need anything—any help at all," he said quietly.
"I will," Inoiki replied, his tone certain. "Definitely."
With that, the three of them continued walking toward home, the afternoon light casting long shadows ahead of them.
-----
At midnight, deep within the Mitokado clan compound, silence blanketed the grounds. In the private quarters of Homura Mitokado, the air shimmered for the briefest moment before Inoiki appeared out of thin air—materializing like a phantom in the darkness. He had used his teleportation technique to slip inside undetected.
Moving with deliberate, noiseless steps, Inoiki approached the bed where Homura lay sleeping. He placed a hand lightly on the elder's head, his touch almost imperceptible. With his vastly enhanced mental powers, Inoiki was able to pierce into Homura's mind effortlessly, sifting through thoughts and memories without so much as stirring him from slumber.
He began his search, combing through years of political maneuvering and hidden dealings—looking for the black material, the leverage Homura possessed. Inoiki knew all too well that men like Homura and Koharu survived not on strength of arms, but on strength of politics. And in politics, survival depended on having a hold over one's rivals. That was the kind of ammunition Inoiki sought.
Before long, he found it—an entire web of information that could topple reputations and dismantle influence. His eyes narrowed slightly, and he gave a single approving nod.
Guided by the memory he had extracted, Inoiki moved to a seemingly unremarkable section of the room. He located the hidden compartment with precision and, using the exact method recalled from Homura's mind, opened it without hesitation. Inside lay stacks of documents and hard evidence—carefully hoarded secrets accumulated over years. Inoiki retrieved them all, leaving nothing behind.
As he vanished from the room just as silently as he had entered, Homura remained lost in a deep sleep. Inoiki had crafted for him a pleasant dream: one where Homura Mitokado sat proudly as Hokage, his clan standing as the most powerful in the village under his leadership. It was a fantasy of prestige and triumph—a perfect illusion to keep the old man sleeping soundly, unaware that his most valuable secrets had just been stolen.
After leaving Homura's residence, Inoiki made his way to the Utatane clan compound, where Koharu Utatane lived. There, he repeated the exact same procedure—slipping into her room unseen, placing his hand lightly on her head, and diving into her mind with surgical precision. Just like with Homura, he unearthed every piece of leverage, every hidden secret, and every scrap of incriminating evidence she had gathered over the years. Once he had it all, he quietly retrieved the physical records from their concealed hiding place.
And, as with Homura, he left Koharu peacefully sleeping within the comfort of a crafted dream—one where she basked in the prestige and admiration of a perfect life.
These dreams weren't planted for amusement. There was a calculated reason behind them. Even with his unmatched mental abilities, Inoiki knew that mind-reading caused slight discomfort—a faint headache that, for ordinary people, would be negligible. But Homura and Koharu were former shinobi; even the smallest jolt of mental strain could trigger their instincts and snap them awake. By weaving dreams filled with happiness and fulfillment, Inoiki ensured that their minds remained anchored in the illusion, ignoring any pain until he was long gone.
By the time dawn broke over Konoha, both elders awoke in their respective homes feeling groggy and nursing faint headaches.
In the Mitokado household, a sharp knock sounded at the door before Homura could even collect his thoughts. Irritated, he called out, "What is it?"
A voice answered from outside, "Father, the Hokage has summoned you. She says it's an urgent matter. An Anbu was sent specifically to inform us."
Homura scowled, rubbing his temple. "What happened? Did the Akatsuki attack the village? Has Naruto Uzumaki gone missing?"
His son stepped inside, shaking his head. "No such news has reached me."
"Then what exactly happened? Why did Tsunade call me? Ugh… this headache…" Homura muttered. Still grumbling under his breath, he began to dress, ensuring he at least looked presentable as a Konoha Elder.
Over in the Utatane household, a near-identical exchange took place between Koharu and her son. She too prepared herself and made her way toward the Hokage's office.
Meanwhile, in that very office, Tsunade sat across from Inoiki, her sharp eyes fixed on him. "Where exactly did you find these black materials?" she asked.
Inoiki answered evenly, "They had hidden the materials well, but I know how to extract information without alerting the subject. I simply… used that skill."
Tsunade exhaled heavily, a trace of satisfaction mixing with her disapproval of the methods. "With this evidence, their political careers are finished. And it won't stop there—the clan members who aided them in these schemes will also be implicated."
With that settled, the two of them waited in silence for Koharu and Homura to arrive.
----
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