Konohagakure, Research Center
Ino: Why me? You could've called anyone more fitting for this job.
Shikamaru: Intuition. I had a feeling that we needed you rather than the Interrogation Team of Konoha Police.
Ino: Kiba would be so mad at you if he found out about this.
Ino positioned herself across an unconscious Hinata Okano. Then, she used her mind transfer technique to read Okano's memories. Unfortunately, Ino can only see total darkness inside Okano's mind.
Ino: That's weird. Her mind is locked.
Shikamaru: What do you mean –
Shiho then barged in and screamed. Her clothes are covered in blood, and she was shakily breathing.
Shiho: More enemies!
Shiho collapsed in Shikamaru's arms. As the Research Center's alarms went on again, Shikamaru and Ino prepared themselves for an encounter.
Ino: No. Take Shiho and the hostages with you to a safe place. I can deal with them. They're just assassins, right?
Shikamaru: Are you sure?
Ino: Don't you trust your teammate?
With a nod of his head, Shikamaru left the room together with an unconscious Shiho, and three apprehended hostages. Just as Shikamaru left, three figures entered the room. It was Sumire Hara, Kotaro Takebayashi, and Masayoshi Kimura. Ino engages them into a fight.
Ino took a steadying breath, positioning herself in the center of the room. She readied her stance as Sumire Hara, Kotaro Takebayashi, and Masayoshi Kimura, all highly trained assassins, entered with cold, calculating expressions. They were completely unlike any ninja she had encountered before, their precision and silence almost unnerving.
Ino: "You're not getting past me. If you thought I was just another shinobi, you're dead wrong."
Sumire, a sharp-eyed girl with quick, fluid movements, gave Ino a look of cold appraisal before she darted forward, her knife glinting. Ino barely had time to dodge the blade as it swiped past her shoulder, grazing her sleeve.
Ino: "Fast, but not fast enough."
With a flick of her wrist, Ino formed a hand seal, activating her Mind Body Disturbance Technique. Sumire's body jerked to a stop, as if her limbs had momentarily locked up, giving Ino the opportunity to launch a counterattack. But before she could capitalize on the opening, Kotaro hurled a smoke bomb between them, filling the room with a thick, gray haze.
Kotaro: "Can't beat us if you can't see us."
Ino narrowed her eyes, shifting her breathing to stay calm and focused in the obscured vision. She extended her senses, feeling for their movements. These assassins were skilled at stealth, but she was a sensory ninja—tracking them was her specialty. She could feel the faint vibrations of their movements within the mist, allowing her to anticipate their next moves.
Masayoshi took advantage of the smoke cover, slipping behind Ino with a set of wires ready to ensnare her. Ino spun just in time, her eyes flashing with determination as she deflected his wires with a kunai. She sent a pulse of chakra through the wire, disrupting Masayoshi's balance and forcing him to release his hold.
Ino: "Nice try, but I know every trick in the book."
Sumire regained control of her movements and launched another attack, this time coordinating with Kotaro, who moved to flank Ino from the side. Ino sensed their pincer maneuver and quickly formed another hand seal, sending her chakra toward Sumire's mind. In a flash, she took control of Sumire's body, forcing her to turn and face Kotaro instead.
With Sumire under her influence, Ino made her swing her knife at Kotaro, forcing him to back off as he narrowly avoided her blade.
Kotaro: "What the—Sumire, get a hold of yourself!"
Ino smirked, using Sumire's body to press Kotaro further into a defensive stance. She couldn't maintain the technique for long—it was a delicate balance, especially against opponents who were constantly moving. But she just needed enough time to throw them off guard.
Masayoshi, realizing what Ino was doing, moved in from behind her, preparing to take her down while her focus was split. Sensing the danger, Ino released her hold on Sumire and ducked just as Masayoshi's attack came for her. She twisted around and countered with a powerful kick, sending him stumbling backward.
As the smoke began to thin, Ino prepared herself for the next wave, mentally bracing to face Sumire, Kotaro, and Masayoshi alone. Her chakra was running low, but she wasn't about to let these intruders go any further.
Sumire lunged at her, wielding her knife with precise, lethal intent. Ino sidestepped her strike at the last second, spinning around to land an elbow strike to Sumire's back, sending her stumbling forward. Before Sumire could recover, Ino weaved her fingers into another hand seal, targeting Kotaro with her Mind Body Disturbance Technique.
Kotaro's body suddenly froze in place, his eyes widening in surprise as he realized he was no longer in control. With a forceful mental command, Ino made Kotaro turn and aim a kick directly at Masayoshi, who barely dodged in time, surprised by his own teammate's attack.
Masayoshi: "Kotaro! What are you doing?"
Kotaro, struggling internally, could only grit his teeth. Ino used his body to keep Masayoshi at bay, forcing him to defend himself against Kotaro's relentless attacks. She knew she couldn't maintain this control for long, but it was enough to buy her precious seconds.
Seeing an opening, Sumire attempted to strike Ino from behind. Sensing the attack, Ino released Kotaro from her technique and swiftly sidestepped, blocking Sumire's knife with her kunai. She then retaliated with a quick series of kicks, knocking Sumire off balance.
As Kotaro regained control, he lunged at Ino with a swift jab. Ino anticipated his move and ducked, sweeping his legs out from under him and sending him crashing to the ground. She then delivered a precise chop to the back of his neck, knocking him unconscious.
Masayoshi, now visibly wary, took a defensive stance. "You're strong, but you can't hold out much longer. Surrender, and we might let you live."
Ino gave him a determined smirk, her breath steady despite the exertion. "You have no idea who you're dealing with."
With a flash of movement, Ino darted forward, her chakra-infused kunai aimed at Masayoshi. He managed to block her first strike, but Ino quickly maneuvered around him, using her speed to stay one step ahead. In a fluid motion, she disarmed him, twisting his wrist and causing him to drop his weapon. With a powerful palm strike to his chest, she knocked him back, sending him sprawling to the floor.
Sumire, recovering, tried one last desperate lunge at Ino, but Ino anticipated it, spinning gracefully and catching Sumire's arm mid-attack. Using the momentum, Ino flipped Sumire over her shoulder, pinning her to the ground.
Ino: "You might be skilled assassins, but this is my village, and I won't let anyone harm it."
With a final surge of strength, Ino knocked Sumire unconscious with a well-placed strike to the back of her head. She stood up, breathing heavily but victorious, glancing at the three downed assassins around her.
Knowing they wouldn't stay down forever, Ino secured them quickly, then hurried out of the room to rejoin Shikamaru, resolute and ready to face whatever threat lay ahead.