----
Kurenai couldn't go to the battlefield, which meant she and Asuma wouldn't be able to fight side by side. In a way, this gave Asuma peace of mind.
"…But what exactly am I supposed to prepare?"
Like his nephew Konohamaru, Sarutobi Asuma walked home, scratching his head in confusion.
---
The Akimichi Household
The previous generation of Ino-Shika-Chō had gathered for drinks, and this time, Shikaku had brought Shikamaru along.
The three older men were happily clinking cups, while Chōji sat beside Chōza, stuffing his face with food. Shikamaru, resting his chin in his hand, lazily picked at his plate.
After taking a sip of his drink, Shikamaru glanced at Chōji. "Chōji, this is your own house. You don't have to eat so fast, you know."
"A dining table is a battlefield!" Chōji mumbled through a mouthful of food. But as he spoke, he suddenly choked, his face turning red.
Shikamaru sighed and grabbed Chōji's cup, refilling it with juice before setting it down in front of him. "Told you to slow down."
"Gulp gulp gulp, Ahh~" Chōji downed the drink, then patted his stomach with satisfaction. "Thanks, Shikamaru! I don't usually get to eat grilled meat at home. The restaurants have been so packed lately, so I haven't been able to enjoy it properly."
Shikamaru sighed knowingly. "Yeah… because of the war. It's such a drag."
Meanwhile, the three elders had shifted their conversation to their children.
Shikaku glanced at Chōji and remarked, "Chōza, your son is just like you."
Chōza, with a swift motion of his chopsticks, snatched up five perfectly grilled pieces of meat. With another flick of the wrist, five more landed neatly in Chōji's bowl.
This was an Akimichi family skill.
Using short chopsticks to pick up exactly five slices of meat, stacking each so that every piece was slightly overlapped. That way, whether placed in a bowl or eaten directly, it would be perfectly aligned.
Rumour had it that this method maximized flavour retention, ensuring that every bite delivered double the satisfaction. Additionally, the overlapping edges absorbed extra seasoning, making the last bite the most flavorful.
To the Akimichi, this was the ultimate eating experience.
Chōza chewed happily before replying, "And your kid is just like you, isn't he, Shikaku?"
Shikaku cast a sideways glance at Shikamaru. He couldn't argue with that.
Whether it was intelligence, mannerisms, or personality, Shikamaru was his mirror image though when it came to sheer lack of motivation, his son might actually surpass him.
Thinking about it, Shikaku took a long sip of his drink.
Having a son too similar to himself had its drawbacks. When his wife nagged at him, she'd drag Shikamaru into it as well. If she scolded Shikamaru, he'd be lumped in too. Double the suffering.
"Hahaha~" Inoichi, already slightly tipsy, laughed heartily. "That's why it's better to have a daughter! Look at my Ino beautiful, smart, and obedient. Not a single flaw! Just like me!"
Shikaku smirked. "Speaking of which, why didn't you bring Ino along? It would've been fun to have both generations of Ino-Shika-Chō together."
Still grinning, Inoichi replied, "She's at home managing the flower shop. Business has been booming lately."
Chōza snorted. "Leaving your daughter at home to work while you go out drinking? What a terrible father."
Chōza was known for his doting parenting style he gave Chōji anything he wanted, comforted him when he was down, and overall treated him with endless kindness.
In contrast, Inoichi was too overprotective of Ino so much so that she found it overwhelming.
When she had first decided to train in medical ninjutsu, he had personally gone to beg Tsunade to take special care of her, afraid she'd be discouraged if she struggled.
So, Chōza's criticism didn't faze Inoichi at all. He waved a hand dismissively. "It's just shopkeeping. Ino loves flowers anyway. Besides, I treat her really well."
Shikamaru rubbed his temples. He and Chōji had heard Ino's side of the story before.
Apparently, Inoichi would sometimes enter her room without knocking, and if she refused to do chores, he'd use Mind-Body Confusion Jutsu to make her do them against her will.
Unlike Mind-Body Switch Jutsu, the Confusion Jutsu didn't take full control. Instead, it disrupted the target's mind, forcing them to act even if they remained conscious.
This was why Ino had trained so hard in her clan's techniques not to get revenge, but simply to avoid getting caught again.
Shikamaru glanced at the drunk Inoichi and decided against saying anything. Calling him out wouldn't help Ino, and she'd probably just complain to him about it later.
"She's not a kid anymore. If she doesn't like something, she'll say it," Shikaku shrugged.
Unlike his friends, he didn't micromanage his son's life. Shikamaru was smart enough to think for himself, so unless something truly important came up, he was left alone.
Of course, it might also be that Shikaku was too lazy to care, as long as his son wasn't turning out "wrong."
Shikaku poured himself another drink and sighed, though it was unclear whether he was sad or just nostalgic. "In the blink of an eye, they've all grown up… and now they're old enough to go to war."
Chōza nodded. "Yeah. They're all Chūnin now, more than capable of holding their own." He sighed again. "Honestly, I thought we'd get to fight together as Ino-Shika-Chō again. But now, Shikaku's a head strategist, and Inoichi's leading the intelligence division."
Inoichi suddenly slammed his drink on the table, his face lighting up. "If you want to fight together, let's test our formation one more time!"
"Good idea!" Shikaku set down his cup.
"I'm in!" Chōza placed his bowl aside.
Inoichi crouched low, forming the hand seal for Mind-Body Switch Jutsu and called out, "Formation—Boar!"
Shikaku spread his feet apart, forming the seal for Shadow Imitation Jutsu, and shouted, "Deer!"
Chōza bent his knees, activating Partial Expansion Jutsu to shield his comrades with a massive arm. "Butterfly!"
"Formation complete! Hahahahaha!"
The three grown men burst into uproarious laughter, revelling in nostalgia.
Sometimes, men's happiness is really that simple.
Of course, men's troubles are also that simple.
Shikamaru, immediately recognizing that his father had had too much to drink, sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Dad, take it easy on the sake."
Shikaku, despite his genius-level intelligence, processed the situation entirely wrong.
"Ohhh, I get it," he mused. "You're worried I'll get too drunk, and carrying me home will be a hassle! Don't worry! I can still handle plenty more!" He grinned, "And if I do get wasted, you can just have Chōji carry me!"
Chōji, ever the kindhearted one, nodded immediately. "Yeah! I'll help!"
Shikamaru sighed. "Yup. He's drunk."
If his father were sober, he'd have realized that Shikamaru wasn't worried about carrying him home.
The real problem was that once they got home, Shikaku would pass out and leave Shikamaru alone to face his mother's wrath.
Shikamaru tilted his head back, staring at the ceiling.
"…What a pain."
----
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