The Promise

"Dad, do we still have any of those kunai that can conduct Chakra?"

After a busy day, Yamanaka Inoichi dragged his exhausted body home. He had barely sat on the sofa for a moment when he heard his daughter's voice.

"We do, but why are you asking, Ino? Your classes shouldn't have gotten to the point of using kunai yet, much less this kind." Yamanaka Inoichi asked suspiciously.

"Oh, Ayato asked to borrow one. He said he needs it for training," Ino said directly, without hiding anything.

"What kind of training requires a kunai like that?" Yamanaka Inoichi frowned. Seeing his precious daughter asking him for another man's sake suddenly made him feel a little uncomfortable.

"I'm not sure either, but Ayato seemed to demonstrate it. There were lots of electric arcs jumping around on his hand. It was so cool," Ino said, her eyes shining as she recalled it.

In an instant, Yamanaka Inoichi had no time to keep feeling jealous. The meaning behind Ino's words made his eyes widen. Combined with the request to borrow this kind of Ninja Tool, it was practically certain.

His daughter's close classmate had already come into contact with Lightning Release nature transformation at such a young age.

Although Yamanaka Inoichi himself did not possess Lightning Release, he was a jonin—and a jonin from the Intelligence Division, at that. Even if he had never done it himself, he had seen others do it.

But at this age... Yamanaka Inoichi had truly never—actually, he seemed to have seen one. He paused, suddenly thinking of a man who always wore a mask. He was not sure when that man had learned it, but it might have been around the same age, or perhaps even earlier...

And that man was now an Elite Jonin of the village. Now, he had encountered another one—his own daughter's classmate, no less. Most importantly, Yamanaka Inoichi looked at his daughter, who was still lost in her fantasies, and sighed.

Though he was somewhat displeased, he also felt it would be quite good for his daughter to get close to Ayato. After all, that talent was truly formidable.

Yamanaka Inoichi had only one daughter. He would never sell her off for profit, but if his daughter liked the boy herself, that was no longer his business.

His daughter could decide her own affairs. Once their relationship was confirmed, perhaps he could even use it to show off in front of Shikaku. Yamanaka Inoichi thought bitterly, trying to amuse himself.

"Do we have one or not?" Ino frowned at her absent-minded father and asked in a slightly dissatisfied, coquettish tone.

"Of course we do. I'll get one for you in a moment. Does he have any further requirements?" Yamanaka Inoichi came back to his senses. Naturally, he would not begrudge a single kunai. Forget lending it—what would be wrong with simply giving it to him?

"Ayato didn't mention any requirements, but I think we should lend him the best one we have. That should help his training the most!" Ino's eyes lit up after thinking it over.

Yamanaka Inoichi was immediately speechless. Why was his daughter already taking someone else's side? Still, he selected a fairly good kunai from among the ones he did not use and handed it to Ino.

Ino did not know much about such things. She happily accepted the kunai, thanked her father, and ran back to her room, where she wrapped it up and placed it in her bag.

The next day.

Ayato tried channeling his Chakra into the kunai Ino had given him, and he was somewhat surprised. He had only wanted one that would work, but the one Ino had brought him was evidently of very good quality.

Though he had no others for comparison, Ayato could still distinguish the quality through the efficiency of Chakra transmission.

"How is it?" Ino looked at Ayato expectantly, as if hoping for a good answer.

"Mm, it's very good. Thank you," Ayato said sincerely.

"As long as it's useful. I had my dad pick it out," Ino said, finally smiling after hearing Ayato's words.

Ayato stared blankly at Ino's smile. She was really cute. For a moment, he did not know what he was thinking.

Ino, meanwhile, noticed that Ayato had been staring at her. Though her face showed little expression, she was already cheering inwardly. This time, the effect is amazing!

"Ino," Ayato suddenly called.

"Mm, hm?" Ino came back to her senses and looked at Ayato in confusion.

"Don't linger on the way home after school lately. Go straight home, and don't come out to play at night either," Ayato said after thinking it over.

"Huh? Okay." Though Ino did not understand, she nodded anyway. Is Ayato worried about me?

Ayato did not think much of it. He merely felt that the day of the Uchiha Clan Massacre should be approaching. Last year, the relationship between the villagers and the Uchiha Military Police Force had already been extremely tense.

This year, though it had only just begun, that relationship had clearly become even worse.

Ayato did not know the exact date of the Uchiha Clan Massacre, nor did he know how long remained, but he knew it was best not to wander around the village casually lately.

After all, no matter what anyone said, Ayato did not believe Itachi alone could wipe out the Uchiha Clan. Perhaps Obito had been involved as well, but even with Obito added, would the two of them really be confident?

To destroy a powerful ninja clan within the strongest ninja village?

That was likely still difficult. So, who else had been involved in this turmoil? Obito's people? White Zetsu? Or perhaps the village's... Root?

As for the Third Hokage, he would generally only tacitly approve things and would not dirty his own hands. Yet from his position, as long as he knew and did not stop it, that was already equivalent to fanning the flames. Naruto's treatment was the greatest example.

Still, the Third Hokage would deploy forces as a precaution. If Itachi failed, the Third Hokage would certainly not show mercy.

So the village would definitely be chaotic lately. Although Ino had not come to harm in the original story, Ayato still gave her a warning.

As for Naruto, with the Third Hokage watching over him, nothing could happen to him.

"Forget it. I should take you home." Ayato was still somewhat worried. Considering the directions to their homes, it would be a bit of a detour, but they were not in completely opposite directions. He had the time.

"Huh?!" Ino's eyes widened. She completely did not understand why Ayato was worried about after school, as though there were some danger, but she no longer wanted to ask. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

"I was presumptuous." The next moment, Ayato realized something seemed wrong. He might have been worrying too much. Her father was the head of Konoha's Intelligence Division; there was no way he had not noticed this matter at all, so he surely had arrangements in place.

Thinking about it that way, the situation was actually quite clear. It was only that Ino-Shika-Cho stood firmly behind the Will of the Hokage, so as long as the Third Hokage made no move, they would not act either.

"No, no, it's not presumptuous. I agree," Ino hurriedly said, blushing. She would regret it to death if she missed this chance!

Ayato paused, looked at Ino, and ultimately agreed.