The Yamanaka Clan residence.
When Inoichi Yamanaka heard that his daughter was going to Naruto's house for dinner, he jolted violently, and the teacup in his hand shattered instantly. Fortunately, the tea inside had already been finished.
"You're a grown man, why are you still so easily agitated?"
His wife, Yamanaka Rino, gently scolded him. After carefully checking her husband's hand to ensure he wasn't hurt, she started cleaning up the broken cup.
"It wasn't just me!"
Seeing her father so agitated, Ino quickly explained.
"Shikamaru, Choji, Kiba, Shino, Hinata, and Hinata's sister Hanabi were all there too."
Hearing that so many classmates were accompanying her, especially Shikamaru of the Nara Clan, Inoichi Yamanaka's tense shoulders finally relaxed a little.
Seeing her husband's reaction, Rino began ushering Ino to rest.
"Alright, Ino, you should go rest too. You have school tomorrow."
"Mhm, okay, Mom, I'm leaving."
Inoichi Yamanaka took a deep breath, trying to calm the turmoil in his heart.
Making private contact with a Jinchuriki—that wasn't a good look, nor was it a wise move.
It was too easy for that one-eyed old bachelor in Root to use as an excuse for attack.
However, since Shikaku's son was also present, he probably didn't need to worry too much.
Given the caution of the Nara Clan, they would never allow Shikamaru to get involved in a dangerous political vortex at this age.
Thinking this, Inoichi felt slightly relieved, but years of Ninja instinct immediately made him start planning the next steps.
"It looks like I need to go have tea with Shikaku in a few days."
He muttered to himself.
The Nara Clan had always been the most reliable external brain for both the Yamanaka and Akimichi clans. For any difficult problem, consulting Shikaku always yielded the safest solution.
Rino gently pushed a fresh teacup toward him and said softly, "The children have their own paths to walk. It's a good thing that Ino can make so many friends."
Inoichi gazed at the rising steam in the teacup, his eyes deepening.
That's right!
In this Ninja World of surging undercurrents, perhaps the next generation was weaving bonds different from the past, in their own way.
Inoichi Yamanaka looked at his daughter's cheerful retreating figure, a knowing smile involuntarily appearing at the corner of his mouth.
As a father who watched Ino grow up, how could he not understand his own daughter?
That child was exactly like her mother in her youth—a complete sucker for good looks.
Naruto truly inherited Minato Namikaze's handsome appearance and cheerful personality.
With his blonde hair and blue eyes, the way his eyes curved when he smiled was like the Fourth Hokage reappeared in his youth.
It was perfectly normal for his daughter to be taken with such an outstanding appearance and sunny disposition.
"I originally thought Ino would be interested in that Uchiha boy named Sasuke."
Inoichi murmured softly, picking up his cup and taking a sip.
After all, in the eyes of young girls, those cold and aloof boys always stood out.
But then he recalled the last time he saw Naruto.
For some reason, the whisker marks on the boy's face seemed much fainter, revealing a handsome face that was seventy percent similar to the Fourth Hokage's.
Inoichi suddenly laughed with realization.
That's right, didn't Ino's mother fall for his gentle personality back then?
He subconsciously touched his own face.
It seems that compared to the cold Uchiha type, his daughter prefers the sunny and cheerful type—in that regard, she takes after her mother.
Ah, now that I think about it, that little guy also has yellow hair, though it's a bit darker than mine.
"What's wrong? Smiling foolishly by yourself."
Rino picked up two tea cakes and handed one to her husband, asking when she saw his expression.
Inoichi took the tea cake from his wife, his gaze gentle as he reminisced, "I just suddenly remembered something from the past."
"Something from the past?"
Rino sat down beside him, curiosity in her eyes.
"That's right!"
Inoichi smiled, "Back in the Ninja Academy, a certain someone actively pursued me."
Rino's cheeks flushed slightly, and she gently punched her husband's chest: "That was ages ago, why bring it up now?"
As soon as the words left her mouth, she suddenly understood.
It turned out her husband had also realized that their daughter might like Naruto.
The teacup slowly rotated in his palm.
Inoichi opened his mouth, full of worry: "Ino might have fallen for Naruto."
Seeing his expression, Rino couldn't help but roll her eyes at her husband: "You are too slow to realize things. No one knows a child better than their mother. I guessed it the last time I saw Naruto and Ino chatting outside the flower shop."
She looked out the window, her gaze soft: "When that boy spoke, Ino's eyes were sparkling, just like mine were when I looked at you back then."
At this, she suddenly chuckled.
"Naruto is indeed likable—sunny, cheerful, and pure-hearted, but he shouldn't be a soft-hearted person. He is quite similar to the Fourth Hokage."
Hearing the comparison to the Fourth Hokage, Inoichi thoughtfully took a sip of tea: "Forget it, as long as Ino is happy."
"However..."
He paused, his tone carrying the unique assertiveness of a protective father.
"If that kid dares to bully Ino, I won't let him off easily."
Rino was amused by her husband's words: "Oh, stop worrying unnecessarily. Let the children experience their own things."
"Besides, you might not even be able to beat Naruto by then!"
"Joking! I can't beat that kid!"
————————
"Wood Release: Wood Prison Technique!"
As Naruto let out a low cry, he clapped his hands together.
Four thick vines were seen growing out of the wooden floor, rapidly growing and intertwining at a visible speed, instantly forming a sturdy wooden cage.
Every vine carried the vibrant green of new life, and one could vaguely sense the vigorous vitality contained within.
Naruto maintained the hand seal, fine beads of sweat trickling down his temples.
He could clearly sense the flow of Chakra within his body: Water Release Chakra and Earth Release Chakra were perfectly merging with the intervention of Yang Release Chakra.
Wood Release Ninjutsu demands extremely high control over Chakra; too much, and it becomes too violent and uncontrollable; too little, and it fails to take shape.
After the wood prison was fully formed, he slowly adjusted the Chakra output. The vines, as if alive, began to reverse their growth, gradually retracting into the ground.
Finally, the wooden floor was clean as new, without even a scratch left behind, as if the astonishing Ninjutsu had never occurred.
"Success..."
Naruto let out a long breath, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and smiled happily, "It seems creating Wood Release Ninjutsu isn't too difficult after all!"
"What... monstrous talent."
Inside the Sealing Space, the Nine-Tailed stared through the bars at the scene outside, muttering in a low voice.
A flash of disbelief crossed its scarlet eyes.
Wood Release was the unique Ninjutsu of the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, and had never truly reappeared in the Ninja World since that man's death.
Yet, this brat, who was less than eight years old, had not only figured out the rudimentary form of Wood Release on his own but could also control his Chakra to such a refined degree.
The control displayed between the formation and dissipation of that wooden prison was something many adult Ninja could not achieve.
The Nine-Tailed involuntarily bared its teeth, recalling the distant past when it fought the First Hokage.
That familiar vital essence had now reappeared in this brat.
Less than eight years old, seriously?
Was Senju Hashirama this strong at eight years old?