Chapter 84 84: Sleepover.

After saying that, he turned and walked toward Kankuro. At the same time, the surrounding sand slowly gathered back into the gourd behind Gaara. This intense match ended with Gaara's victory. When Might Guy saw the end of the match, he hurried over to Rock Lee's side, looking at Ayanami Kaito with deep gratitude in his eyes. "Thank you, Kaito! You saved Lee!" Rock Lee was his favorite student, the proud successor of the Eight Gates technique. When Gaara's sand reached out toward Lee, Guy hesitated for a moment about whether to intervene himself. But to his surprise, someone was a step ahead of him and rescued Lee. This made Guy's opinion of Kaito skyrocket. "You're welcome, Guy-sensei. You should take Lee to the hospital as soon as possible," Kaito said with a small smile. "Alright! I'll leave first, then!" Guy didn't waste any more time and hurried away carrying Lee. His injuries were severe. After this, only one match remained — Tōru vs. Akimichi Choji. As in the original events, Akimichi Choji was defeated without much suspense. A short while later, Gekkō Hayate, looking visibly sickly, announced the finalists for the Chunin Exams: Ayanami Kaito, Uchiha Sasuke, Uzumaki Naruto, Nara Shikamaru, Aburame Shino, Temari, Kankuro, Gaara, Hyuga Hinata, Yamanaka Ino, and Tōru — a total of eleven people. Unlike the original where both Ino and Sakura lost their spots, reducing the number to nine, this time with Kaito and Ino added in, the final list counted eleven. Following this, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, gave a long speech about seizing the opportunity to improve and reminded everyone that the finals would be held in one month. He encouraged them to work hard and train during that time. After the announcement, the group disbanded, each seeking out a teacher for guidance. --- That night, the crescent moon hung high in the sky, casting a gentle light over the village. At Kaito's house, to celebrate their successful advancement, Kaito prepared a table full of dishes that Hinata and Ino loved. It was a reward for himself and the two girls. During the meal, Kaito shared his plans for the month ahead. "Kaito, you mean... you're going to Shikkotsu Forest to train in Sage Mode this month?" Ino asked, her eyes full of confusion — it was her first time hearing of such a place. "Then... I won't get to see you for a whole month," Hinata said softly, a little disappointed. "Sorry about that." Kaito pulled both girls into a hug, his eyes full of guilt. But it wasn't something he could avoid. His power, despite reaching new heights, had stagnated. For someone used to rapidly growing stronger, this was hard to accept. "It's okay, it's just a month. We'll see each other soon," Ino said with a brave smile, though it was tinged with sadness. "Since we won't see each other for a while... you two can sleep with me tonight!" Kaito teased, trying to lighten the mood. To his shock, both girls blushed and nodded silently. Kaito, who had been joking, was overjoyed. He immediately created two shadow clones and had them inform their respective families. That night, he rolled out the tatami mats, one girl on each side, and fell asleep peacefully with Hinata and Ino leaning gently against him. But neither of them knew that on the other side of the village, Yamanaka Inoichi and Hyuga Hiashi's faces were dark with frustration. Hyuga Hiashi was relatively calm. He had already agreed not to interfere in Hinata's affairs after being defeated by Kaito. Still, the situation irked him. For Yamanaka Inoichi, however, it was different. Ino was his only daughter, and he was a well-known overprotective father. How could he accept that his twelve-year-old girl was spending the night at a boy's house? Even though he had already acknowledged Kaito as a future son-in-law, it was still far too early! He couldn't help but wonder whether Kaito had inherited this boldness from the fourth hokage, Namikaze Minato. After all, the Fourth Hokage had started living with Kushina from their academy days too. Yamanaka Keiko, Ino's mother, on the other hand, was perfectly fine with it. Smiling warmly, she spoke to the clone Kaito had sent. "Understood. I'll leave Ino to you for tonight." She had already heard from Inoichi about what Kaito had done for Ino and Hinata a month ago. As a mother, Keiko was fully satisfied with Kaito. After that event, she had secretly hoped to see Ino at his side sooner rather than later. Meanwhile, outside the Yamanaka home, the clone approached Yamanaka Inoichi. "Uncle Inoichi, could you step outside for a moment? I need to discuss something with you privately." With a sharp snort, Yamanaka Inoichi reluctantly followed. "What does that kid want you to tell me now?" he grumbled. The clone smiled and quietly handed him a thick wad of banknotes. "Hmph! Do you think I can be bribed with money? I, Yamanaka Inoichi, am not so easily swayed. No matter how much you pay, I'll never agree to let Ino stay at your place tonight!" But his voice faltered the moment his eyes caught the denomination on the bill. After confirming its authenticity, he swiftly pocketed it without changing expression. "I don't know anything about tonight. Now get out of here." Without another word, he turned and left. As he walked away, the clone shook his head. "My original body sure is sharp... ten million ryo and the future father-in-law is out of the way." Mission accomplished, the clone dispersed in a puff of smoke. Kaito, now receiving the memory of what had happened, smiled in satisfaction. He reached out to hold Hinata and Ino again, feeling their warmth, and drifted back to sleep. Unfortunately, they were still far too young. Realistically, it would be a few years — probably around the time the Shippuden era began — before he could truly take them for himself. --- The next morning, with the sun high in the sky, a sudden knock came at the door. The three of them, still groggy, instinctively activated their sensory perception. They recognized the chakra signature immediately — it was Ino's mother, Yamanaka Keiko. After quickly tidying up, Kaito opened the door. Hinata and Ino, their faces flushed red, sat demurely at the table, heads lowered. "I hope I didn't disturb you," Keiko greeted with a gentle smile. "I made some chicken soup with dates and berries for you all and brought it over specially." --- A big thank you to those that joined my Patreon. You can also read 70 chapters in advance by becoming a patron. Patreon.com/Zphyr_