Inoka stood quietly as Sumiko spoke, his gaze anchored to hers with an attentiveness that bordered on reverence. Her words carried both clarity and grace, each syllable deliberate, each thought carefully measured, and yet they reached him in a way that disarmed the walls he’d long built as Hokage. He felt the faintest shift in his chest, something like warmth threading through the calm rhythm of his composure. His hand unconsciously moved behind his neck, rubbing the spot lightly,a familiar gesture that betrayed the rare sense of vulnerability she managed to evoke in him.
He let the silence between them linger for a few seconds longer before finally speaking, his tone low and sincere.
“You have a way of taking my flaws and making them sound like they hold meaning,” he said, a faint, almost wistful smile forming across his face. His aqua-blue eyes softened as he continued,
“I’ve spent so long believing that vulnerability was something to hide. But hearing you say it like that… it feels less like weakness, and more like proof that I still have something worth protecting.”
He took a few slow steps closer, the sound of his sandals echoing softly against the polished floor of the Helix Research Lab. The glow from the chakra-infused panels reflected faintly across his blond hair, framing his expression with quiet awe.
“You say you see me, Sumiko. I hope you know that the feeling is mutual. You speak of leadership with such conviction that it reminds me why I accepted this position in the first place. Not for recognition, not for legacy… but for people like you who give this world its purpose.”
When she mentioned the living shadow specimen, Inoka’s eyes sharpened slightly, curiosity replacing the warmth in his tone, though not completely erasing it. He adjusted his flak jacket, a subtle tell of his shift into analytical focus, and nodded.
“A live specimen?” he repeated, interest threading through his voice.
“Then I’d be a fool to refuse your offer. Show me what you’ve found. If it holds even a fraction of the truth behind what we’re facing, then it’s worth understanding. And if you’ve managed to contain it… that tells me you’re already several steps ahead of us all.”
His hand lowered from his collar, fingers brushing the edge of his cloak as he exhaled softly through his nose, the faintest smile returning.
“Lead the way, Lady Sumiko. I have a feeling whatever you’re about to show me will challenge everything we think we know about the Shadow Realm.”
Before Sumiko could respond, Inoka’s posture shifted slightly. His expression didn’t change, but his eyes flicked toward the entrance before the sound of footsteps or scent of smoke could reach anyone else’s senses. His sensitivity as a Yamanaka made the approaching chakra signature stand out like a flicker of candlelight in the dark, erratic, but strangely melodic. A second later, the faint hum of the lab’s chakra barrier parted, confirming what he already knew.
When Inugami entered, smoke curling lazily from his blunt, his chakra draped around him like a relaxed aura, Inoka’s gaze followed him with quiet amusement. He watched the man’s confident stride, the chameleon perched comfortably on his shoulder, and the way even the sterile atmosphere of the Helix seemed to bend around his energy.
The Hokage inclined his head politely as Inugami bowed, his expression calm yet mildly entertained by the man’s casual manner.
“It’s quite all right,” Inoka said, his tone composed but not without warmth.
“Uzushiogakure has always been full of surprises. I didn’t expect to meet one of its more… colorful talents today.”
He shifted his stance slightly, arms folding beneath his cloak.
“As for why I’m here, I came to speak with Lady Sumiko and learn more about the shadow specimen she recovered. But if you’ve found your way here as well, perhaps that’s fate reminding me that understanding the unknown requires more than one perspective.”
Inoka’s gaze flicked briefly to the chameleon, meeting its sharp, skeptical stare. His lips curved faintly.
“You can relax,” he said softly, the humor in his tone light but disarming. He then looked back to Sumiko, his tone steady yet thoughtful.
“It seems we’ve gained an audience. All the better, if what you’ve captured is truly alive, it may take more than one set of eyes to understand what we’re dealing with.”
He gestured calmly toward the containment wing, his expression returning to composed focus.
“Shall we proceed, Lady Sumiko?”
Location: Helix Research Labs
Posting Order: No Strict Post Order
Post Time Limit (PTI): 3 Days.
Skip Points: ll
