As the treasured daughter of the Yamanaka clan, Ino was rarely confronted with scenes so dark and enraging. Her fury erupted without restraint. Drawing upon the formidable strength, she shattered the crude iron cell around her with a single punch, metal crumpling like paper under her blow.
Chakra surged through her body as she vanished from sight, reappearing before the son of the Land of Earth's Daimyo and swinging a fist aimed straight for his face.
The young noble froze, overwhelmed by the sudden murderous intent radiating from her. His bravado collapsed instantly, his knees buckled, and fear drove him to the point of wetting himself.
Two Iwagakure shinobi, hidden in the shadows, leapt in to protect the Daimyo's son at the last possible moment. Both were Elite Jōnin by rank, but against Ino — who now bore the activated Hundred Healings mark on her forehead and struck with unrelenting precision — they were forced onto the defensive. Their Earth Release techniques served only as temporary shields.
Worse still, their movements were restrained by their duty to guard the Daimyo's son. The battle's outcome was inevitable.
Silently cursing the young noble's recklessness, the two Jōnin thought bitterly, You idiot… you couldn't be content? And now you've gone and provoked Konoha?
Both recognized the meaning of the diamond mark on Ino's forehead. It was a sign of the legendary Strength of a Hundred technique, a skill known only to Tsunade, Fifth Hokage of Konohagakure. This meant the enraged girl before them was Tsunade's disciple.
They understood instantly — harming her could ignite a war between Konoha and Iwagakure, shattering the fragile peace the shinobi world had enjoyed for over a decade.
Boom! Boom!
Ino's eyes locked solely on her target, her anger drowning out all else. She would not stop until the Daimyo's son lay defeated.
Seeing her reckless advance, Shikamaru let out a weary sigh. "Troublesome… but we can't let her handle this alone."
"Right," Chōji agreed, smashing apart the bars of his own cell.
The two moved forward, placing themselves between Ino and her opponents. With Shikamaru's tactical mind, Chōji's raw strength, and Ino's ferocity, the pressure on the Iwagakure Jōnin grew heavier by the second.
"Earth Release, Earth Shore Return!" one of the Iwa shinobi called out, erecting a barrier of stone. He glanced to his comrade. "Get the young master back to the palace. Inform Lord Tsuchikage immediately."
"Understood," the other replied, hoisting the trembling noble onto his back and retreating.
The Daimyo's guards reacted swiftly, surrounding the courtyard. Ordinary soldiers though they were, their numbers meant little against trained shinobi. In moments, Ino, Shikamaru, and Chōji broke free of their confinement and pushed toward Asuma's location.
A volley of arrows darkened the air, but Chōji expanded his limbs, swatting them aside with the Akimichi clan's signature techniques.
Within the palace, word of the incident reached the Daimyo himself. When he learned his son had been frightened, his face shifted between outrage and pale indignation.
"Guards! Arrest those four Konoha ninja immediately! If my son is scared witless, who will take responsibility?" he barked.
The Iwagakure Jōnin beside him could hardly believe his ears. Was this man truly willing to risk war over his son's wounded pride?
"Daimyo-sama," the shinobi said with strained patience, "if you order their capture, this could spark open conflict with Konoha. This might even become the trigger for a Fourth Great Ninja War."
"A war is a war!" the Daimyo snapped, clearly not grasping the scale of such a decision. "Bring in Ōnoki. I want him to ensure they don't escape. And my son wants that girl alive — she will regret crossing us."
The young noble smirked, recovering some arrogance. "I'll make her suffer slowly, Father."
"Of course," the Daimyo said, doting without shame. "In fact, I'll speak with the Daimyo of the Land of Fire and arrange for her to marry you. It would be an honor for her."
The surrounding shinobi kept their disgust to themselves. Even so, they relayed the order to the Third Tsuchikage without delay.
Outside, Ino and the others finally regrouped with Asuma. Their relief was short-lived. Blocking their path ahead stood seven or eight shinobi, each radiating killing intent.
"Asuma-sensei," Shikamaru muttered, recognizing the danger.
"These are the Daimyo's personal guardians," Asuma explained grimly, drawing his trench knives. "Every one of them is at least Elite Jōnin level."
The fight exploded instantly. Ino faced four of them alone, her movements fueled by determination, though the prolonged battle began to drain her stamina. Shikamaru and Chōji struggled to keep their own opponents at bay.
As the stalemate dragged on, Shikamaru's mind raced. We're surrounded, outnumbered, and on foreign soil. This can't last much longer.
Before he could formulate a plan, a shadow streaked across the sky like a meteor. A figure descended, hovering above them with a presence that made the air feel heavier.
Every Konoha ninja recognized him instantly from reports and photographs — Ōnoki, the Third Tsuchikage of Iwagakure.
"You Konoha shinobi are bold indeed," Ōnoki said coldly. "Attacking the Daimyo's palace in my Land of Earth. Do you intend to start a war with us? I will inform Tsunade personally."
Ino met his glare without flinching. "Ask yourself who truly started this. A Daimyo reflects the land's leadership, after all."
Asuma stepped forward, voice steady. "Tsuchikage-sama, my name is Sarutobi Asuma, son of the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen. I suggest you learn the full truth before you pass judgment."
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