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*****
However, to Ximen Zhen's surprise, the results he had been expecting did not appear for quite some time.
[News of your relationship with Ino spreads quickly, and many people send their blessings.]
[Those who knew you had sent her flowers daily for years were especially moved by the romance between you two. Still, the doubt lingering in your heart remained unanswered.]
[A week later, you are discharged from the hospital. Ino takes you to the Yamanaka household, where her mother and grandmother warmly welcome you. Unfortunately, you don't see Yamanaka Inoichi.]
[Ino then pulls you into her bedroom. You're puzzled about her intentions—until you see her collection: over a dozen large flower-pressing albums.]
[It turns out that while you had been sending her flowers every single day, Ino had been preserving every one of them in these albums.]
[Ino tells you that at first, she only planned to keep one or two flowers as keepsakes, thinking you would eventually give up. But when you never did, she stubbornly continued the collection all the way to the present.]
[You originally wanted to ask Ino why, despite having feelings for each other for so long, things had dragged on until now. But as if reading your mind, Ino once again pushed you down.]
[She said she would only accept your confession in front of the over a thousand flowers you had given her. You gladly showered her with affectionate words, leaving her utterly enchanted, and the two of you shared a passionate night until dawn.]
[From that point on, you were granted free access to the Yamanaka household. Ino's mother and grandmother already regarded you as a son-in-law—but you still hadn't seen Yamanaka Inoichi.]
Ximen Zhen frowned... Could it all be because of Yamanaka Inoichi?
He suddenly recalled that, at the beginning of the simulation, Inoichi had extracted his memories. Could it be that he discovered something and told Ino, causing her to distance herself from Ximen Zhen?
It was a reasonable explanation, but it felt far-fetched. Surely, he hadn't uncovered the system's secrets, had he?
Moreover, Ximen Zhen had a vague feeling that Inoichi was intentionally avoiding him.
Of course, it might just be his imagination.
After all, Konoha—and the entire ninja world—was going through turbulent times.
Soon, Konoha would begin its pursuit of Kakuzu and Hidan, followed by Jiraiya's death, Pain's invasion, and the Great Ninja War that would last nearly the entire year.
Against this backdrop, it wouldn't be strange for Inoichi to be too busy to meet him.
Just as Ximen Zhen was looking forward to seeing if he'd make any notable contributions in this chaotic year—
He was disappointed to find that, despite becoming a master of medical ninjutsu, his simulated self still had little impact on the war.
Which made sense. The era of Tsunade healing an entire village and Naruto saving the whole Allied Shinobi Forces was near. Ximen Zhen's one-on-one medical jutsu simply couldn't compare.
[You continue working as a medical ninja. After Tsunade falls into a coma, you and Shizune become the strongest medical ninjas in Konoha, bearing the entire burden of the village's medical care.]
[Just when you thought you'd keep working quietly until the end of the war, news of Danzo's death arrives—and Yamanaka Inoichi comes to find you.]
Ximen Zhen's spirit was suddenly stirred. Was the long-standing mystery finally about to be revealed?
He found himself breathing faster, desperate to know what Inoichi was going to say.
But the next lines of text left Ximen Zhen silent for a long time—as if he had returned to that powerless night.
[Yamanaka Inoichi kneels before you in apology. Startled, you urge him to rise, but he insists that unless you forgive him, he won't get up. So you listen patiently. Then Inoichi tells you a truth that leaves you stunned.]
[It turns out the person who injured you three years ago was named Yamanaka Kaze, an ANBU under Danzo's Root, sent to probe your capabilities.]
[Inoichi believed that once you learned the truth, you would never forgive the Yamanaka clan. He thought there would be no good outcome if Ino stayed with you. That's why he blocked all contact between the two of you.]
Ximen Zhen stared at the words in silence. He naturally knew who Yamanaka Kaze was—an elite jonin, master of the Mind Puppet Curse Technique.
But he couldn't understand why Danzo would go so far as to investigate him, even resorting to an attack.
What had he done to attract Danzo's attention?
At this moment, the Ximen Zhen in reality and the one in the simulation seemed to become one. The simulated version echoed his own confusion and asked the same question.
[You ask Inoichi why Danzo did such a thing. What exactly had you done to deserve it? Inoichi's answer leaves you speechless: he personally heard Danzo say to Hiruzen Sarutobi—"It was just a casual probe by a subordinate. He didn't die, did he?"]
[In that instant, you understand—you hadn't done anything wrong. Danzo probably didn't even remember your name. He had simply ordered his subordinates to investigate any unstable factors in Konoha. That one strike that nearly killed you and altered your entire life… might not have even made it into Danzo's daily report.]
Ximen Zhen exhaled a long breath.
His recent growth had given him the confidence to change his own fate, but the simulation reminded him: in a world where human lives were as cheap as grass, true freedom was still a long way off.
"Danzo… Danzo…"
Ximen Zhen muttered, "If one day you become just another faceless character beside me, don't be foolish enough to ask my name."
The simulation continued coldly.
[You choose to forgive the Yamanaka clan. You understand that Root shinobi are all brainwashed by Danzo, and that Yamanaka Kaze has no real ties to the Yamanaka family anymore.]
[Inoichi is moved. He brings Ino to see you. With tears of joy in her eyes, he entrusts her to your care.]
[The next day, the Yamanaka family announces your engagement to Ino. Due to Danzo's death and the political unrest in Konoha, your engagement ceremony is attended only by the Ino-Shika-Cho clans, Ino's close friends, and key members of the Hokage's faction like Tsunade.]
[Soon after, the Fourth Great Ninja War breaks out. Yamanaka Inoichi dies in the war—you are powerless to save him from the Ten-Tails' Tailed Beast Bomb.]
[After the war, Ino remains trapped in grief, and you are too busy helping rebuild the Yamanaka family. As a result, your wedding with Ino is delayed.]
[Konoha Year 69: Ino gives birth to your son. You name him Yamanaka Tetsu.]
[Congratulations! The simulation has succeeded!]
[Calculating the bloodline potential of Yamanaka Tetsu. Please wait a moment.]
Back in reality, Ximen Zhen finally pulled himself out of his emotions, staring oddly at the successful simulation result.
He was, of course, thrilled by the successful simulation—especially given how many twists and turns this one had. It was no less intense than the simulation with Uzuki Yugao.
But still… wasn't the ending a little too abrupt?
(End of Chapter)