Chapter 198: Ch-198 Never again.
Inoiki said calmly, "It’s just that... I was saved by a villager from a small settlement in the Land of Grass. That man gave me shelter, food, and time to recover. In return, I handled the so-called bandits who had been harassing that village."
He paused, his gaze steady. "They weren’t ordinary bandits, of course. They were Kusagakure ninjas in disguise—using the village as a monthly source of plunder. I made it very clear to them that the village now falls under my protection. I warned them, using both my name and reputation, that any further harm to that place or its people would bring consequences."
Inoiki’s voice remained composed, but there was weight in his words. "That kind of confrontation... I assumed it would stir things up. News like that doesn’t stay buried for long. I expected word of my survival to have already reached Konoha by now. But from your reactions, I guess that didn’t happen."
Tsunade frowned deeply, her mind now running through protocol. A confrontation involving Kusagakure shinobi and someone of Inoiki’s renown should have set off multiple alarms—either from the Intelligence Division, the Anbu network, or even independent informants. And yet, there had been nothing. Silence.
She leaned back slightly, eyes narrowing. "Hmm... Yes, that is definitely abnormal. I’ll investigate. There’s either a gap in our intelligence network or someone is suppressing reports. Either way, I’ll get to the bottom of it."
Inoiki gave a small nod, accepting her words without further comment. A few seconds passed in silence before he said, "Then... I should take my leave. I’ve been gone long enough. I want to see my family. They must still be living under the weight of grief, thinking I’m gone."
Tsunade nodded in agreement, her tone softening. "Yes, of course. You should go. But if you’re looking for your sister, Ino... you’ll have to wait a bit longer."
Inoiki’s gaze sharpened slightly. "She’s not in the village?"
Tsunade shook her head. "Two days ago, I received news from the Fire Temple. Chiriku, the head monk, was killed—targeted for his bounty by two members of the Akatsuki: Kakuzu and Hidan."
She paused for a moment, letting the gravity of the situation settle. "I’ve dispatched Team Asuma and Team Kakashi to handle them. Your sister is currently with them on that mission."
After hearing this, Inoiki’s expression turned serious. "Even though we have some intel on those two—only the basics of their abilities—it’s still going to be extremely difficult for both teams to handle Kakuzu and Hidan. There’s a good chance they’ve prepared backup or some sort of trap. Once I’ve met my parents and assured them I’m alive and well, I’ll head out and support them."
Tsunade, observing him closely, raised an eyebrow. "Your concern is valid, and I would be more than happy to have someone of your caliber on that mission. But..." Her gaze dropped briefly to the throne he sat upon. "From what I can see, you haven’t stood up once since entering. You’re still injured, aren’t you?"
Inoiki gave a short nod. "You’re right. When I fought Pain—the leader of Akatsuki—I was pushed to the very brink of death. But at that edge, I experienced something I now call a ’second awakening.’ My psychokinesis evolved to a new level. I awakened a self-healing ability linked to my Kekkei Genkai."
He paused before continuing, "It’s not perfect. I can now feel sensations like pain, heat, and cold in my legs... but I still can’t move them. I think something happened to my spinal cord during the healing process, or perhaps I made a misstep while trying to regenerate. I was planning to show this to you, but it’ll have to wait—at least until I’ve dealt with Kakuzu and Hidan."
Tsunade was visibly taken aback when she heard that Inoiki had developed the ability of self-healing—an ability once thought to belong solely to her grandfather, the First Hokage. Such a power was legendary, and its emergence in another was no small matter. But now wasn’t the time for shock or curiosity. There were more pressing matters at hand.
Pushing aside her surprise, she composed herself and looked at Inoiki seriously. "Are you absolutely sure about this?"
Inoiki nodded firmly, his expression resolute. That simple gesture was enough to confirm the weight of his words.
Tsunade gave a small nod in return, a silent acknowledgment of both his answer and the significance behind it. With that, Inoiki, still seated gracefully on his floating ice throne, turned and began to drift away from the office.
Just as he crossed the window threshold, Tsunade’s voice called out behind him, soft but filled with emotion. "Your mother was devastated when we received word of your... fate. Her grief took a heavy toll. She’s currently being treated at Konoha Hospital. I believe your father is with her."
Inoiki didn’t respond. He didn’t need to. A silent look passed over his face—an emotion too layered to define in words—before he accelerated his movement, heading straight for the hospital.
It didn’t take him long to arrive.
Drawing on his Observation Haki, he quickly pinpointed the chakra signatures of both his parents within the hospital. Once he had locked onto their location, Inoiki began to glide low to the ground, his throne hovering just inches above the surface—moving with the quiet grace of a wheelchair, respectful and unassuming.
Despite his low altitude, his appearance alone was enough to cause ripples of chatter and surprise. The sight of the Ice Throne and the silent figure seated upon it sent a wave of hushed murmurs through the onlookers. Had he chosen to float any higher or make a grand entrance through the hospital corridors, it would have created a full-blown commotion. But Inoiki had no interest in attention. Not now. Not when his family needed him.
Soon, Inoiki entered the ward.
Inside, his mother and father sat together, their eyes fixed on a small photograph of Inoiki that rested in their hands. They had been lost in memories, clinging to the image of their son as though it were all they had left. The moment the door creaked open, both of them instinctively turned toward it, startled.
What they saw made their breath catch.
There, in the doorway, was Inoiki—alive, real, and standing (not literally) before them.
Tears filled their eyes almost instantly. Happiness surged in their hearts so suddenly it felt like a physical shock. His mother, who had been lying frail and exhausted on the hospital bed, was suddenly filled with strength she didn’t know she had. Without hesitation, she threw off the blanket, rose to her feet, and rushed to her son.
"Inoiki!" she cried, her voice cracking.
She flung her arms around him, holding him tightly as if afraid he would disappear again if she let go. Inoiki was caught off guard by the force of her embrace but quickly returned the hug with equal tenderness.
His father followed, slower, quieter, but no less emotional. His eyes glistened with unshed tears as he stepped forward and placed a warm, trembling hand on Inoiki’s head—a gesture filled with both affection and disbelief.
Inoiki’s mother sobbed into his shoulder. "My son... you’re alive. You’re really here. I thought... I thought I had lost you forever."
Moved by her words, Inoiki’s composure cracked. Tears welled in his own eyes as he softly said, "I’m sorry, Mom. I’m sorry, Dad... for making you suffer like this."
No one spoke for a while. They simply stayed there, the three of them, wrapped in each other’s presence, letting the silence fill with love, relief, and the pain of a separation that had felt final.
Finally, his mother loosened her grip, pulling back just enough to look at him again. Her face, though worn and weary, lit up with the kind of joy only a mother could feel in that moment.
"Ino..." she said, gently brushing his cheek. "Your sister’s out on a mission. If she were here, she would have been so happy to see you. She never gave up hope."
Inoiki gave a slow nod. "I’ll meet her soon. For now, I just wanted to see the two of you. To let you know I’m really back."
But the moment of peace was short-lived. As if the last of her strength had been spent, Inoiki’s mother suddenly swayed on her feet. Her knees buckled, and she stumbled slightly.
Inoiki caught her immediately, using Psychokinesis, steadying her with a concerned look. His father quickly helped her back to the bed.
Her condition, though stable now, had clearly deteriorated over the last month. The grief of possibly losing her son had taken a heavy toll. She had refused to eat, barely slept, and had only just regained consciousness after collapsing from the emotional shock.
Inoiki sat beside her bed, gently holding her hand. In his heart, he made a quiet vow:
Never again would he allow his family to suffer like this because of him.
----
Want to get daily updates and read Chapters on a daily basis? Then join my Patreon!
Patreon Link: https:///Hkj822
Join Discord Link: https://discord.gg/Ab9HdNbK