Inoiki was surprised—but not entirely. He understood well by now that Naruto had a rare ability: the power to move others simply through his words. It was so pronounced that even his fans jokingly referred to it as a technique—Talk no Jutsu.
After a long day of travel, the team finally returned to Konoha. It was early evening; the sun had already dipped below the horizon, leaving only the fading glow of twilight in the sky.
They went straight to the Hokage's office.
Once inside, Kakashi stepped forward and delivered a detailed report of the mission. He carefully laid out the key events—though, as expected, he withheld a few sensitive details not meant for the wider audience.
Tsunade listened carefully, her face stern but composed. When he finished, she nodded, visibly relieved that Naruto had managed to maintain control—thanks, in large part, to Inoiki's intervention.
She turned to Inoiki, her tone shifting. "Tell me honestly—did you let Sasuke go on purpose?"
Inoiki met her gaze and shook his head. "Absolutely not. I'm not foolish enough to do something like that. I admit I misjudged the situation. I should've gone after Orochimaru and Kabuto first—or at the very least ensured they had no way of escaping."
He paused, then added with a grim note of acceptance, "But the truth is... they probably would've escaped anyway. Orochimaru's a master of deception—and when it comes to slipping away, he's unmatched."
Everyone in the office nodded in silent agreement. Inoiki's assessment was accurate, and none of them could deny it.
Tsunade then dismissed the room.
Everyone began to leave—except Kakashi and Yamato, who remained behind. Tsunade noticed immediately. She knew that if they hadn't left, there was something more they needed to share.
Sure enough, Kakashi reached into his jacket and pulled out the envelope containing the classified ANBU ninja files. He handed it to Tsunade and said, "We found this on Sai. Danzo gave it to him—to use as leverage in negotiations with Orochimaru."
Tsunade opened the envelope. Her eyes scanned the contents, and as the full weight of what she was seeing hit her, her jaw tightened. Rage flickered across her face.
"That damn bastard," she muttered, teeth clenched. "Still scheming. Still trying to claim the Hokage seat for himself."
Kakashi and Yamato said nothing. Neither of them could afford to speak too freely when it came to Danzo.
Tsunade let out a slow breath, then looked up at them. "What's your opinion on Sai?"
Kakashi answered first. "He's been through Root's training, yes. But he hasn't completely lost his emotions. There's still something human left in him. And after talking with Naruto during this mission, I'd say those emotions have started to resurface—even strengthen."
Yamato nodded. "I feel the same way."
Tsunade considered their words, then gave a short nod. "Alright. I'll decide what to do with him. Until then, leave him be."
Both Kakashi and Yamato acknowledged her with a bow, then turned and quietly left the Hokage's office.
After the mission, Inoiki's life returned to a quiet, disciplined routine. He devoted himself entirely to a new goal: improving the efficiency of his techniques—delivering the same power with less chakra. His aim was precise—if a technique required one unit of chakra, he wanted to achieve the same effect using a fraction of that.
It was a difficult challenge, but not beyond him.
Through this focused training—minimizing chakra expenditure while maximizing mental output—his mental strength grew steadily. The more he leaned into this method, the more both his chakra reserves and mental power increased in tandem.
During this time, news reached him that a new Team Kakashi had been officially formed—not as a temporary unit, but as a permanent squad for the foreseeable future. The team now included Kakashi, Yamato, Naruto, Sakura, and Sai.
Sai, it seemed, was integrating well, and Yamato's continued presence was a precaution—to help manage Naruto's Nine-Tails chakra, if needed.
And just like that, a month quietly passed in Inoiki's world—marked not by battle, but by steady growth and quiet preparation.
Inoiki stood calmly in the Third Training Ground.
By now, this place had all but become his personal domain. Behind him, his massive sword hovered in the air—silent, imposing.
Suddenly, the giant blade fragmented, breaking apart like pieces of a puzzle. Each section took the shape of a sword and floated upward, rising into the sky. One by one, they aligned horizontally, forming a pattern across the air. Threads of lightning connected them, crackling with growing intensity.
Within moments, a storm cloud formed above—dense and volatile. Then, without warning, bolts of lightning began to rain down in a relentless barrage, striking the barren ground below like divine wrath unleashed.
The earth was already scorched from countless repetitions of this same technique—charred, pitted, and broken. Inoiki had practiced it here daily, refining its destructive precision.
For two straight minutes, the thunderstorm roared. And then, just as suddenly, it stopped.
Silence returned to the field. The storm cloud began to dissolve, and the sky cleared. Below, only craters and scorched earth remained.
At that moment, an ANBU Ninja appeared behind Inoiki, dropping to one knee.
"Lord Inoiki," he said. "Lady Hokage has summoned you. She has an urgent mission."
Inoiki gave a silent nod. Above, the floating blades responded to his will—reassembling midair, locking back into the form of a single colossal sword, which slowly descended behind him.
The storm was gone, but its presence lingered.
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