"Mom, Dad must be getting impatient. I'll change clothes right away!"
At this point, Ino had no choice but to knock on her own head playfully, trying to act cute and muddle through.
As for why she washed herself so fair and fragrant, who was it for?
Well, of course, it was because Uchiha Kage in her dreams loved kissing her body, especially her chest and feet.
So she… wanted to make herself even more "delicious."
She just didn't expect that her efforts would be discovered by her mother so soon.
"Hmph!"
With her husband about to go to the frontlines, Yamanaka Rino couldn't afford to stay angry at her daughter.
"Hurry up. This time, don't act like a spoiled child in front of your father, understand?"
After giving her daughter a rare, stern warning, Yamanaka Rino sighed and walked over, using a dry towel to gently dry her daughter's hair.
"Got it…"
Surprised by her mother's unusual seriousness and gentleness, Ino couldn't help but ask another question.
"Mom… does war mean people will die?"
For a ninja like Ino, born in peaceful times, war was undoubtedly a distant concept.
Even if the teachers at school talked about it often.
"Of course!", Yamanaka Rino couldn't help scolding her daughter again, but she quickly fell silent.
For older-generation ninjas, the cruelty of war was already etched deep into their bones.
No matter how powerful a ninja was, no one could guarantee they would survive the battlefield unscathed.
Like the Third Raikage, the Second Hokage… even the Fourth Hokage…
And whether in victory or defeat, there were always heavy sacrifices.
"Then Dad, he…", Realizing this, Ino felt genuine worry for her father's life for the first time.
"Don't worry. Our Yamanaka clan mainly handles communication and logistics. We… usually don't suffer heavy casualties," Her tone softened, as if comforting her daughter, or perhaps herself.
"But what if it's not usual—"
"Don't jinx it!"
"I… I mean, Teacher Kurenai said the Third Hokage has gone senile, that this war isn't even necessary. Can't Dad just… not go?"
"Stop talking nonsense!", Even though a minor disturbance had occurred during Hiruzen's speech in the village, the Hokage's authority was still deeply respected.
"A ninja's duty is to follow orders. How can we defy the Hokage? And these matters are none of a child's concern."
If there were any way to keep her husband from going to war, Yamanaka Rino would have done everything in her power.
But it was impossible. In every war, the Yamanaka clan's unique ability to serve as communication relays made their presence on the frontlines unavoidable.
And the same went for the Nara and Akimichi clans.
"I'm not a child anymore!", Ino quickly retorted.
But soon, her mother covered her head with a shirt and dressed her as if she were still a little kid.
"You're still not fully grown. Of course you're a child…", Yamanaka Rino glanced at her daughter's still-uncovered lower half.
"Mom!", Ino stomped her foot in embarrassment and annoyance.
Her fair, bare feet splashed water onto the floor.
Sure, it was a little sparse, but it had grown quite a bit, okay?
"We really don't have time. Hurry up and go see your father off," Ignoring her daughter's tantrum, Yamanaka Rino tossed the remaining clothes onto Ino's head, signaling her to finish dressing herself.
"Fine."
Seeing the solemn, unreadable expression on her mother's face, Ino obediently complied.
Before long.
Dressed and with her hair neatly arranged.
At the front door, Ino saw her father in full battle gear, along with several Yamanaka clansmen who regarded him with deep respect.
Unconsciously, Ino sensed the tense, oppressive atmosphere in the air.
'Is this what war feels like?'
She swallowed nervously and approached her father, slightly uneasy.
This was the first time she had seen her father so authoritative, giving orders to others.
"Dismissed!"
"Yes, sir!"
The synchronized response nearly startled Ino as she walked over.
"Dad…", But because it was her father, she still instinctively called out.
"Ino, take good care of your mother while I'm gone. I'll be back once the mission is over."
After dismissing his subordinates, Yamanaka Shikaku's expression softened as he looked at his daughter, who had come to see him off.
"Mm…", Realizing this wasn't the time for tantrums or acting spoiled, Ino simply nodded quietly.
After a glance at her father, she turned back to see her mother standing silently at the doorway, watching them.
This atmosphere… it was terrifying, and frustrating.
The Sand Village had already surrendered. Why did they still have to fight? That senile Hokage.
"Ino…", Yamanaka Shikaku patted his daughter's head, as if wanting to say something, but in the end, he remained silent.
"Go back inside. Eat well at dinner, and don't stay up late, bad skin will scare the boys away."
"I know, I know. Stop nagging, Dad."
Ino kicked a pebble at her feet. When she looked up again, her father had already vanished.
"Seriously, couldn't even stay for dinner…", She couldn't help but grumble.
But as she walked back inside and saw her mother in the kitchen, discreetly wiping her cheeks as if brushing away tears, Ino finally understood the true danger of war.
Her father could die in this war. Otherwise, her usually strong and composed mother wouldn't have secretly cried after he left.
"Mom… were you crying?"
"No."
Though her eyes were slightly red, Yamanaka Rino wouldn't admit it, especially not in front of her daughter.
"Until the war is settled, don't leave the village without reason. And even if you go on missions, try to stick with that Uchiha boy…"
Though Ino was still a genin, if the war worsened, there was a chance she'd be sent to the battlefield too.
Thinking of this, Yamanaka Rino couldn't help but add another reminder.
That Uchiha boy even knew the Flying Thunder God Technique. If the worst happened… at least he could keep Ino safe.
She was beginning to understand what her husband had meant before.
In turbulent times, ordinary people couldn't control their fate, they could only rely on powerful ninjas.
"Mom's so pragmatic. Before, you told me not to get close to him, but now that he's a hero of Konoha, you've changed your mind," Though Ino liked being around Uchiha Kage, she disliked doing so with ulterior motives.
"Suit yourself. It's not like you stand a chance anyway. Not long ago, some girl from another village stole him right in front of you…", To persuade her stubborn daughter, Yamanaka Rino switched to a taunting tone.
"That woman's already gone! And Kage was only with her for a mission, it was just acting!"
'He was forced! He's definitely still pure!'
Ino got angry just hearing her mother bring this up.
If only she had confronted that copycat flirt directly back then…
Then her mother wouldn't keep teasing her about it.
"Please. Even without that woman, I doubt you'd rank high."
"No way! He told me a long time ago that I was the prettiest girl!"
Ino stuck out her tongue at her mother and then stomped upstairs in a huff.
Though she refused to believe Uchiha Kage didn't like her, she had to admit her mother's words held some truth.
The number of girls who liked Uchiha Kage was growing every day. Before, it was just the harmless Hinata, but now…
Ino realized every girl around her could be a rival.
Especially after his heroic performance during the Sand's surprise attack on Konoha.
Sigh… Kage was just too dazzling. His charm couldn't be hidden anymore.
Unlike back in school, when only she and Hinata secretly admired him.
"But this war is so annoying… Kage's a chunin now, and an elite in the ANBU. He might end up like Dad…"
'Damn that stupid Third Hokage!'
The increasingly frustrated girl flopped onto her bed, her fair legs kicking in the air as she hugged a soft pillow, her face full of worry.
———
[Dream Space]
[Enter the Dungeon?]
"Yes."
After selecting to enter the dungeon, Uchiha Kage once again arrived at the familiar character selection screen.
But this time…
"Naruto and Sasuke's icons are grayed out… unselectable. Why?"
Temporarily withdrawing his consciousness from the dream realm, Uchiha Kage activated his Byakugan and scanned the Uchiha compound. Sure enough, he spotted Naruto, still awake and not yet in bed.
"Not asleep, so not selectable?"
Then Sasuke was probably the same.
After all, he had only recently been taken by Orochimaru.
This was problematic.
If he picked anyone else, most weren't as familiar or reliable.
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