Her body trembled violently from extreme shame and despair.
Waiting for the 'acceptance' of her 'sincerity' from the demon behind her.
Di Yan looked at the mature and alluring body in front of him, trembling slightly from humiliation.
A satisfied and cruel smile finally curved his lips.
All roads lead to Rome, and Han Road is also a road... On the other side.
The interior of the Land of Fire's Imperial Palace was even larger and more complex than Asuma had imagined.
But their infiltration process was unusually smooth.
The four moved quickly, utilizing shadows and blind spots.
They avoided several teams of patrol guards who seemed vigilant but always had exploitable gaps.
They encountered almost no significant obstacles.
Under the shadows of a secluded corridor connecting to a palace.
The four temporarily stopped to catch their breath.
Nara Shikamaru's brows were tightly furrowed.
His eyes, usually appearing lazy, now sharply scanned the overly quiet surroundings.
"Something's not right…" Shikamaru lowered his voice, his tone more serious than ever, "It's too smooth, so smooth it's unsettling."
"Isn't being smooth a good thing, Shikamaru?"
Ino Yamanaka was a bit confused.
She was more concerned about finding Teacher Kurenai quickly, "Maybe there was a gap during their guard change, and we just happened to catch it?"
"We just need to find Teacher Kurenai and Hinata quickly!"
Akimichi Choji also nodded, adding in a whisper:
"Yeah, yeah, finish the mission early, go back and eat barbecue early…"
But Asuma's expression also darkened.
He spat out the unlit cigarette he had been holding in his mouth, his gaze sharply scanning the silent corridor, and said in a low voice:
"Shikamaru is right. This is too smooth."
"This is a vital area of the Imperial Palace. Even if there are oversights in the guard, we shouldn't have failed to trigger a single warning barrier or be discovered by a single hidden sentry by now."
"This feeling… it's not like we infiltrated; it's more like…"
"More like what?" Ino pressed.
"More like we were deliberately let in."
Asuma and Shikamaru said almost in unison.
The two exchanged glances.
They both saw the unease in each other's eyes.
A chill instantly crept up the spines of the four.
If this were true.
Then they were not hunters, but prey walking into a trap.
Just then.
Asuma, due to extreme anxiety and habit of thinking.
Unconsciously pulled out a cigarette pack and lighter from his Ninja tool pouch.
Days of worry and the current tense atmosphere made him desperately need nicotine to calm his strained nerves.
"Click!"
A slight crisp sound was particularly jarring in the silent corridor!
The flame from the lighter ignited the cigarette.
That tiny red dot of light suddenly flared in the dim corner.
Like a lighthouse in the dark!
"Teacher!"
Shikamaru's heart suddenly jumped?
He wanted to stop him, but it was too late.
His Shadow Imitation Jutsu didn't even have time to activate!
Almost the very next second after that red light appeared.
"Who's there?"
"Movement over there!"
"Surround them!"
Sharp shouts instantly rang out from all directions.
Behind the seemingly empty pillars, on the rooftops, and in the shadows.
Dozens of black-clad Ninja suddenly emerged like ghosts.
Their movements were swift, and their coordination was seamless.
They instantly sealed off all possible escape routes.
Cold kunai and shuriken gleamed in the faint light.
Surrounding the four of them completely!
"Damn it!"
Asuma's mouth twitched violently.
He fiercely threw away the freshly lit cigarette, filled with deep regret.
Damn it!
How could he make such a rookie mistake?
It was all because he was too worried about Yuhi's safety.
Leading to his mind being unsettled, forgetting even the most basic stealth discipline!
"It really is a trap!"
Shikamaru gritted his teeth, his brain working at full speed, "They discovered us long ago! The smoothness just now was an illusion!"
"What do we do now?"
Ino and Choji stood back to back in a defensive posture, their faces pale.
Surrounded by so many enemies.
The situation was extremely critical!
"No choice!"
Asuma made a decisive decision, his eyes becoming resolute, "Follow Plan C! Break through separately! Rendezvous at the old spot!"
"Remember, survival first, try not to engage in head-on combat!"
"Understood!"
"Got it!"
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
The four made hand signs almost simultaneously.
Bang, bang, bang, bang, a flash of white smoke passed.
Two Shadow Clones appeared next to each true body.
Suddenly, more than a dozen "Asumas," "Shikamarus," "Inos," and "Chojis" appeared in the field.
"Scatter!"
At Asuma's command.
All the Shadow Clones and true bodies simultaneously charged in different directions.
Attempting to confuse the enemy's vision and create chaos!
The black-clad Ninja seemed to have anticipated this and were not flustered.
The leading Ninja snorted coldly:
"Petty tricks! Stop them! Capture them alive!"
The battle instantly erupted.
The clang of kunai, the roar of Ninjutsu, and angry shouts immediately filled the air.
Shadow Clones were continuously destroyed, making "bang, bang" sounds.
Asuma's true body wielded his Flying Swallow Chakra Blades.
Forcefully carving a path.
He rushed deeper into the Imperial Palace without looking back.
He had only one thought in his mind.
Find Yuhi.
He must find her!
Shikamaru, meanwhile, used his Shadow Imitation Jutsu to temporarily control several pursuers, shouting to Ino and Choji:
"Follow me! This way!"
He chose a direction with relatively less resistance.
Attempting to lead his teammates out of the encirclement.
Ino's Mind Body Switch Jutsu continuously tried to disrupt the enemy's judgment.
Choji, on the other hand, used Partial Expansion Jutsu.
Sweeping with his giant arms to clear a path for his teammates.
However, the number of black-clad Ninja far exceeded expectations.
And their coordination was extremely seamless, with highly targeted tactics.
They clearly did not want any of them to leave easily.
This "infiltration" mission.
From the beginning, it had turned into a brutal breakout battle.
While the Ino–Shika–Chō trio's coordination was indeed flawless.
But under the absolute numerical advantage and the prepared encirclement of the black-clad Ninja.
Their formation quickly fell apart... 40 Ino and Kurenai Yuhi; You Shouldn't Have Come
Shouts, the roar of Ninjutsu, and the clash of weapons echoed throughout the Imperial Palace