Chapter 75: Truly Amazing Talent
Watching the reluctant Hinata, who was holding the hand of the yawning, sleepy Hanabi, walk through the gates of the Hyuga Clan Compound, Naruto turned around only to bump into Ino, who was leaning against a street lamp.
The girl crossed her arms, the orange light casting alternating shadows and bright spots on her face, which was usually bright and smiling, but now filled with resentment.
"Ohhh—"
She deliberately dragged out her tone and walked closer, step by step.
"So, Naruto, are you using the Language of Flowers I taught you to comfort other girls?"
Before Naruto could speak, Ino grabbed his sleeve, looked up, and pressed him: "Have you already fallen for Hinata's constant 'Naruto-kun's?"
"Or do you simply prefer those gentle, soft girls?"
Seeing her pouting look, Naruto couldn't help but laugh.
He gently held Ino's hand, which was gripping his sleeve, with his other hand, his blue eyes filled with gentle light.
"That's right! I like gentle people."
He admitted it decisively and frankly, his voice carrying a serious weight.
"Because all my knowledge about flowers was taught by Ino, I've kept it well in mind. That's why I unconsciously said those words just now."
"And speaking of gentleness..."
Naruto watched Ino's slightly widened eyes, his tone becoming even softer.
"Although Ino sometimes shows a more spirited side, you are actually a very gentle person, aren't you?
Before graduation, didn't you always comfort Hinata and Sakura when they faced setbacks during training? I noticed that."
This sentence made Ino pause slightly, and the grip on her hand involuntarily loosened.
The night breeze swept past, carrying a faint fragrance, as if even the air had softened.
In this suddenly shortened distance, Naruto realized for the first time that the "maiden's scent" described in novels was actually real.
He clearly smelled an elegant fragrance, like the jasmine commonly found in the Yamanaka Flower Shop, mixed with the freshness after a bath, and intertwined with a unique, indescribable faint scent.
He had originally thought it was just rhetoric written by authors to stimulate the reader's imagination, but now, on this early summer night, next to Ino's slightly flushed cheek, he received concrete proof.
"Ahem, Ino, aren't you going home yet? It's so late."
A voice filled with obvious displeasure suddenly sounded on the street.
Ino jumped in fright and immediately let go of Naruto's sleeve.
Naruto also withdrew his hand.
"Dad, why are you here?"
The person who arrived was Inoichi Yamanaka, accompanied by Nara Shikaku and Akimichi Choza.
Shikaku and Choza were supporting the unsteady Hyuga Hiashi, one on each side.
When they started drinking, no one expected that the Hyuga Clan Head's tolerance for alcohol was so poor; he was already tipsy after just a few cups.
"Hello, Uncles."
Naruto quickly offered a polite greeting.
"Hello there, Naruto."
Choza smiled and raised his hand in response, his round face full of kindness.
"Tch, what's so good about this late hour?"
Inoichi frowned in dissatisfaction, stepped forward, and pulled his daughter to his side.
"Naruto, hurry home; the Third Hokage wants to see you. Ino, come back with Dad."
Inoichi scrutinized Naruto with undisguised vigilance, his gaze like that of someone examining a wild boar trying to steal his carefully cultivated cabbage.
"Alright, Inoichi, don't scare the boy."
Shikaku helplessly intervened, supporting the drunken Hiashi and taking half a step forward.
"Well, it's getting late. Naruto, you should go home and find the Third Hokage. Don't keep Hokage-sama waiting anxiously."
Ino, who was being tightly pulled by her father, pouted reluctantly, but after meeting Inoichi's serious gaze, she obediently lowered her head.
Under the moonlight, she secretly winked at Naruto.
Naruto nodded knowingly and waved at the elders: "Then I'll take my leave."
As he turned, he could still feel the scorching gaze of Inoichi Yamanaka behind him.
After the group saw Hiashi home, Shikaku pulled Inoichi aside under a tree when they reached the intersection to part ways.
"The children are already old enough to go out on missions, Inoichi, don't be too strict."
Shikaku advised gently.
Going out on missions usually means they might encounter danger, so the number of children dating or even getting engaged surges at this time. Not to mention the Sengoku period, even twenty years ago, many people married at this age.
"Hmph, if he focused on treating Ino well and only her, naturally I wouldn't say much."
Inoichi crossed his arms, his brows tightly furrowed.
"But you saw it too, he's very close to Hiashi's daughter, and he even gave that little girl flowers.
And now there's also the girl named Sakura Haruno in Kakashi's Team.
I heard that girl previously brought food and things to Naruto's house, and Naruto even fought someone because of that girl named Sakura."
Shikaku pondered for a moment, the moonlight casting mottled shadows on his wise face: "Wasn't that all before they entered the Academy? Didn't the children of our various families often bring ingredients to Naruto's house later on?
Naruto had a hard life when he was little; merchants either refused to sell him things or charged exorbitant prices. Sakura Haruno was probably just helping him."
Shikaku couldn't do anything about the villagers' resentment.
Danzo fanned the flames, the Third Hokage tried to smooth things over, and the other two Advisor Elders were enriching themselves at the expense of the public.
Furthermore, because of the existence of those four, others didn't dare to interact much with Naruto.
All he could do was restrain the shops of the Ino–Shika–Chō clans; he couldn't control the villagers' shops.
"That's exactly why it's even more worrying!"
Inoichi sighed deeply, his face full of worry.
"This means she knew Naruto earlier, and now they're in the same team. Ino can't compete with these connections."
Shikaku gently patted his old friend's shoulder: "You have to believe in your daughter. If you continue to obstruct them like this, you will become the biggest obstacle between them.
Do you want Ino, when she looks back on her youth, to first remember her father's obstruction preventing her from finding happiness?"
"The children are grown up and have their own opinions. What we should do is support them."
——————————
Naruto pushed open his front door, and the first thing that caught his eye was the dining table, which had been tidied up simply.
The dishes were neatly stacked, but there were still some grease stains on the tabletop.
Piled up in the corner was a small barbecue grill, half a box of charcoal, and more than half of a processed deer carcass.
The Third Hokage was sitting on the sofa, smoking his pipe. His aged cheeks were flushed with the redness of alcohol, and his eyes were slightly hazy; it looked like he had drunk quite a bit tonight. The lingering scent of barbecue and the mellow aroma of sake permeated the air, the two smells interweaving to tell the tale of the lively gathering that had just taken place.
"Grandpa Third Hokage, you were looking for me?"
Naruto asked softly.
The Third Hokage nodded slowly, his pipe flickering at his lips.
"Mhm."
He took a deep puff of smoke, his gaze fixed on Naruto through the haze, seeing the shadow of an old friend.
The Third Hokage nodded slowly, his pipe flickering with the movement.
"Mhm."
"Where is the Sealing Techniques scroll Grandpa gave you before?"
"I'll go get it."
Naruto turned and walked into the bedroom, returning to the living room shortly with the ancient scroll in his hands.
The Third Hokage took the scroll and gently rubbed it. Concern showed in his hazy, drunken eyes: "How much of the Sealing Techniques on it have you learned?"
"More than half!"
Naruto scratched his cheek, his voice carrying a hint of shyness.
"Recently, I've been practicing variations of the Four Symbols Seal, but the Chakra conversion is still a bit unstable."
The Third Hokage was stunned.
He managed to learn the Four Symbols Seal just by looking at the scroll and figuring it out himself?
What truly amazing talent!
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