Ino: Next Time for Sure

Sunset.

The Capital City of the Land of Fire, the Konohagakure Intelligence Department camp.

Watching Naruto Ino enter the office, Yamato and Matsuri, who had been requisitioned as human cameras, felt as if they had been granted a pardon and quickly slipped away to the cafeteria to find food.

As the two sat down with their food, Yamato couldn't help but sigh.

"That's unbelievable! That nobleman just vanished?"

"Whoever allowed them to manipulate the ninja rebellion, that's a very serious crime." Matsuri remained relatively calm, but her face was still flushed, and her heart was pounding due to her extreme nervousness.

It's so magical, absolutely magical.

I thought it was already surreal that those nobles would use such a ridiculous excuse to make things difficult for the Intelligence Department, but when I thought about how they were nobles, their ridiculous methods didn't seem so ridiculous anymore.

Even if they break the rules and act arrogantly, the Intelligence Department can't do anything about them. Simply because they are nobles with lawless privileges.

Unexpectedly Naruto's system of procedural justice based on Discretionary Judgment actually worked, which seemed absurd, yet upon closer examination, it made sense.

After all, Naruto is Konoha High Command, and his connections are either the Hokage or the great Konoha Ninja. Ninja nobles may not have much power, but they do have armies.

Perhaps in the eyes of those nobles, the ninjas couldn't possibly punish them with those outdated laws. After all, their status was unequal; they were high-ranking nobles, and most of the Land of Fire's assets belonged to them.

They have money and manpower. Konohagakure is nothing more than a dog under the Daimyo's command, and the rule that ninjas must not harm civilians only makes them more unscrupulous.

After all, their logic is simple: if ninjas don't obey, just pressure Konohagakure to handle it. Use stronger dogs to tame weaker ones, and make them dogs for life.

In truth, Matsuri was also afraid of the powerful nobles, fearing their retaliation, whether it was bribing the village's higher-ups to hold them accountable or secretly hiring ninjas for revenge.

From the moment she entered that courtyard, her legs felt weak. She was so terrified that she remained silent and expressionless throughout.

"It's common for nobles to hire ninjas to commit crimes. I've never heard of anyone being able to beat up a nobleman, let alone kill him," Yamato said, still shaken.

"I was thinking, if it were a lowly ninja like us, we'd probably just have to swallow our pride and suffer the consequences. Even if the other side really broke the rules, no one would care if we recited those things."

"Naruto is different from us after all, and those nobles probably can't do anything about him." Matsuri put down her chopsticks and pursed her lips.

"Besides, Ino was there the whole time, wasn't she? Since she didn't say anything to stop it, that proves that nobles aren't actually that scary."

"But didn't those nobles also stall our project for several days with just a few words? Yamato when Ino came to visit, they didn't take him seriously," Ino retorted.

"That's because there hasn't been a war for too long. Those nobles have forgotten the nature of Konohagakure Village. We are a violent organization!"

"That's true, but..." Yamato sighed.

"Let's eat, and shut your mouth." Matsuri interrupted him impatiently.

Meanwhile, inside the camp office.

"Won't what we're doing cause trouble for Konohagakure?" Ino asked, holding a teacup, leaning against the desk with a furrowed brow.

"Kakashi will definitely have a headache for a while, but it shouldn't be a big problem." Naruto leaned back in his chair, looking relaxed and at ease.

"All our procedures were legal. It was Son Kazu and those nobles who acted recklessly and refused to repent. In the end, they got what they deserved, didn't they?"

"Hmm." Ino nodded. "Hopefully. Before the news reaches Konohagakure, I need to write down the situation and send it back to Konohagakure to avoid us being in a passive position."

"Okay." Naruto stood up and made room for Ino.

Ino sat at her desk, picked up her pen, and pondered for a while before finally writing. Without pausing, she clearly and concisely explained the situation and put it in an envelope.

Meanwhile, three other noble families in the Capital City were also shocked by the news of Son Kazu's sudden death. After learning the cause and effect, they found it even more unbelievable.

"What? Konohagakure ninjas? What's wrong with them?!"

"The charges are ridiculous! Manipulating ninjas to rebel? What kind of novel charge is that? Those ninjas are completely lawless, they've gone mad!"

"Have they forgotten who's been feeding them? They're even biting their owner, they're like mad dogs!"

"We must kill that mastermind ninja! Who is he?! Inform Konoha Village and have them kill that madman and hang his body at the city gate!"

"What! You don't know?"

"Spend money to find someone! I have plenty of money, find them for me! Whoever it is, who dared to lay a hand on a nobleman, I will kill them."

"What? The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki? Even if it's the Nine-Tails... wait, are you talking about that Nine-Tails Jinchuriki? Never mind then, let's observe for a while."

"Any news from Konohagakure? Go and urge them!"

"Son Kazu is truly laughable, daring to call himself a newly risen noble. Indeed, the refinement of nouveau riche is no match for us old-fashioned nobles. He can't distinguish right from wrong, and of all the ninjas he could have offended, he had to offend that plague god."

"Yeah, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, why did you offend him? Couldn't you have sat down and compromised? Now look what's happened, no wonder we've taken over his territory."

"These days, you still need to be well-informed. To fight to the bitter end without even finding out the information about the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki is really too hasty."

"What explanation? Oh, Konohagakure still needs to give us an explanation, otherwise what if this person bullies us in the future? Of course, we should be polite, since we weren't the ones who got into trouble."

The small envelope was sent from the Capital City of the Land of Fire back to Konohagakure, and even extended further afield through intelligence agents. Due to the distance, the message was naturally delayed by several versions.

At this moment, inside the Hokage Building.

Kakashi, head down in his office, felt a headache coming on as the letters poured in like snowflakes. Thick dark circles hung under his lifeless eyes, making him look like Impure World Reincarnation.

"Naruto, that guy, he's always getting me into trouble."

"Forget it, let's call him back and question him first. Killing a nobleman... this is really..."

A moment later, a female ninja in white robes wearing Anbu Mask walked in. She had purple hair, long legs, and an inconspicuous gray dagger strapped to her back.

"Lord Hokage," Uzuki Yugao said respectfully, removing her mask.

"Ah, take a look at this first." Kakashi handed the documents to his right-hand woman, Uzuki Yugao, rubbed his temples, and said, "Then let's set off and bring him back first."

"He killed a nobleman from the Capital City?" Uzuki Yugao glanced at him, her expression instantly changing, a sense of astonishment creeping into her heart. "Has he gone mad?"

"He's not crazy. That noble family had their eyes on the Intelligence Department's Communicator Project and was making Naruto difficult for Ino. Naruto just happened to stumble upon it," Kakashi explained.

"Moreover, his actions were completely in accordance with procedural norms, and there was nothing wrong with them; it's just that his reasons were somewhat far-fetched."

Hearing this, Uzuki Yugao looked strange.

"These nobles deserved it, didn't they? Of all people to mess with, they had to fight to the death. If it's in accordance with the rules, then they purely asked for their own death, and they have no one to blame but themselves."

"I know, but it would be best to bring him back for questioning, so as to give those nobles an explanation," Kakashi said with a sigh.

"That's not a problem, but what if he refuses to come back?" Uzuki Yugao fidgeted with her fingers and said awkwardly, "I can't beat him, so there's nothing I can do if he doesn't come back."

"Don't look at me like that. I'm his teacher. Do you think I can do it myself?" Kakashi coughed. "I can't bring him back either. You should just go find Ino."

Ino? Uzuki Yugao suddenly remembered that there were only a handful of people who could handle that jerk.

"Understood." With that, Uzuki Yugao left.

"Go back to Konohagakure? Why? I'm not going!" Naruto lay on the bed, looking at Ino beside him. "I've only been here a few days."

"Kakashi-sensei must be under a lot of pressure too, you have to go back anyway," Ino said.

"Huh? Kakashi wrote you a letter?" Naruto asked.

"No, the letter from Konohagakure hasn't arrived yet, but I estimate it will be here soon." Ino shifted her position, propping her head up on her side as she looked at him.

"I know there's nothing wrong with what you did, but you've already spent two days with me, that's enough. There's a lot of pressure in the village too. If you don't go back, Kakashi-sensei will probably have to work overtime again to deal with those nobles."

Naruto sighed as he looked at Ino's flowing golden hair.

"Alright."

Seeing Naruto's eager expression, Ino bit her lower lip, hesitated for several seconds, and then whispered in Naruto's ear.

"I've been there a few times already, I can't keep putting it off, I'll definitely go next time."

Hearing those familiar words, Naruto looked at Ino with a complicated expression. What does "next time, for sure" even mean? Generally, saying something like that basically means nothing.

But after considering Kakashi's situation, he reluctantly had a change of heart and nodded in agreement.

The next day.

Forest of the Land of Fire.

Uzuki Yugao encountered Naruto while traveling, and the two stopped at a distance. Naruto drew his sword, and she also drew her short sword.

He squinted and looked him over, then, recognizing him as an acquaintance, put his weapon away.

"Why are you here? Did you come to take me back?" Naruto asked casually.

"Kakashi is too busy to come back for questioning," said Uzuki Yugao in a businesslike manner. "Just go back and explain the situation. Kakashi has suppressed the news; only the higher-ups know about it."

"Didn't Ino submit the mission instructions? I have to go back, what a hassle." He caught up with Uzuki Yugao's pace Great Leap towards Konohagakure.

"That mission briefing is for Kakashi. You're going back to explain the situation to the people sent by those nobles. Just tone down your attitude a little and don't be too fierce."

"Fine, fine!" he said impatiently.

Konoha.

The representatives from the Three Noble Factions sat in the conference room, silently recalling their host's instructions before they arrived: they must be polite to avoid offending Konohagakure.

Saying they offended Konohagakure was really just a way of saying they were afraid of offending the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. Although it's said that person is no longer the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, it's none of their business, so let's just consider Nine-Tails Jinchuriki for now.

"It's not hard to be nice, but I've heard that the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki can swallow a person whole. What will happen when we meet him?" The envoy was uneasy.