After Inoiki departed from the Hokage's office, Tsunade wasted no time. She summoned an ANBU operative with a sharp gesture, her voice firm as she issued her orders.
"Take Deidara into secure custody immediately," she commanded. "Ensure the highest level of vigilance is maintained. Read this scroll containing information about Akatsuki members, study it, and inform the Anbu ninjas guarding Deidara to be extra vigilant. Assume they're watching and have plans in motion."
The ANBU bowed silently, acknowledging the gravity of her words, then approached Deidara, took him by the shoulder, and disappeared with him in a cloud of white smoke to carry out the mission.
Just a few minutes after Inoiki's departure, the atmosphere in the office shifted again as the elders of the Konoha Council arrived in quick succession. Homura Mitokado, Koharu Utatane, and Danzo Shimura—each carrying the weight of decades of experience and political maneuvering—entered the room with purpose etched into their expressions.
Koharu was the first to speak, her tone clipped and inquisitive. "We were informed that Inoiki has returned. Why is he not present here in the office to give his report directly?"
Tsunade leaned back in her chair, exhaling slowly. "He came straight here after returning from the field. The journey was long and arduous, and he's significantly drained—both physically and in terms of chakra. I saw no reason to keep him any longer than necessary. He's earned his rest. Besides, he submitted a detailed report before he left, including the full account of his mission, the results of Deidara's interrogation, and several key pieces of intelligence regarding the Akatsuki."
Tsunade then handed them a sealed scroll containing the updated information on the Akatsuki.
All present understood that speaking directly with Inoiki was not an option. One by one, they read through the scroll in silence. When they had finished, they exchanged grave looks, the weight of the situation settling heavily in the room.
None of the people in the room knew anything about the masked man Inoiki had fought—none, that is, except Danzo. He possessed limited but significant information about the mysterious ninja. This masked figure had not only been present during the Nine-Tails' attack on Konoha, but was believed to be the mastermind behind it. He had battled the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, before disappearing. Later, he was also involved in the Uchiha massacre, working alongside Itachi.
That Inoiki had been able to fight such a figure to a standstill was telling. Neither of them managed to injure the other, but the fact that Inoiki could hold his own against such a dangerous opponent was a clear testament to how powerful he had become over the years.
In the aftermath of the encounter, a tense meeting commenced between Tsunade and the council elders. The discussion focused on how to prevent the Akatsuki from expanding further, what protective measures could be implemented, and how to prepare for future threats.
After leaving the Hokage's office, Inoiki flew towards his home, indifferent to the discussions that would follow. Whatever decisions were made in that room no longer concerned him—his thoughts were elsewhere. It had been nearly a month since he had last seen his family.
He landed softly in the courtyard of his home, his massive sword—on which he had soared through the skies—embedding itself into the earth as his feet touched down, standing upright like a steadfast sentinel. The house before him was cloaked in an eerie quiet, and a swift glance through its darkened windows confirmed that no one was inside.
Without delay, he headed straight for the bath. The warm water washed away the grime of travel and tension alike. Feeling refreshed, he stepped out just in time to hear the door open.
His mother entered, stopping in her tracks when she saw him. Inoiki stood there, a quiet smile on his face.
She smiled too, though concern flickered in her eyes.
"It's good to see you back in one piece, my son," she said gently. "I know you're a Jōnin now, and your missions keep you away for longer stretches—but this time, I heard you were in real trouble. Political trouble. Is everything... resolved?"
Inoiki hugged his mother tightly. "Don't worry, Mom. I'm not that fragile," he said with a quiet smile. "If they had really tried to force me into this, I would've left Konoha in a heartbeat—with you, Dad, and Ino. No hesitation. My loyalty is to this family, not the village. I care about you all more than some abstract duty to Konoha."
He pulled back and looked her in the eyes.
"But it didn't come to that. Lady Hokage had my back—she shielded me from the politics. So there's nothing to worry about. Alright? Now give me a smile."
His mother nodded, her eyes misty but relieved.
"And make something amazing," Inoiki added with a grin. "I haven't eaten since morning. I've been traveling, fighting—I'm completely wiped."
She chuckled and hurried off to the kitchen. Inoiki slumped into a chair at the dinner table, letting out a long breath as he waited, the smell of home beginning to fill the room.
Inoiki's mind wasn't idle as he waited. He sat at the table, quietly lost in thought, running through formation strategies and all the possibilities his newly crafted weapon opened up.
Barely fifteen minutes had passed when the front door opened. His father, Inoichi, and his sister, Ino, walked in—they'd come straight home after hearing Inoiki had returned to the village.
Inoichi took a seat and gave his son a steady look. "Did everything go well in the Land of Iron? And at the Hokage's office?"
Inoiki nodded. "Yeah. Everything went smoothly. No need to worry. The Hokage handled everything."
Ino leaned forward slightly. "Did the elders give you a hard time?"
"No," Inoiki said flatly. "I didn't even see them. No conversation, no conflict. But even if we had crossed paths, I wouldn't have cared. When I was a kid, I looked the Hokage in the eye and spoke my mind—even when I didn't have power. Now that I do, the elders don't intimidate me in the slightest."
He leaned back in his chair, arms crossed.
"I've kept things respectful with them over the years, but only out of consideration for Lady Tsunade. She's always shown faith in me, and I don't want to make things harder for her by picking fights with the council."
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