Wok Shadow Ninja

Chapter 89: The Second Mizukage

"Hmm?" Just stepping into the thick mist, Ino realized that Shikamaru and Choji were no longer beside her. The three of them had been forcibly separated by this labyrinth.

She looked ahead, but there was no sign of Naruto and the others. She stood still and waited for a while, but the three Kirigakure ninja who should have entered afterward also didn't appear.

"This genjutsu is really something." Her genjutsu skills were really lacking. How exactly was the other side's genjutsu so good? She didn't know, she could only say "amazing!"

Ino continued walking in the direction she had been going, walking and walking, but after ten minutes, she still couldn't see an exit.

Thick fog was all around her, and she quickly lost her sense of direction. Her intuition told her she had probably gone astray, but there was nothing she could do but keep going.

The fog was boundless, completely confusing her sense of direction.

"Seriously, no choice but Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Ino couldn't just wander aimlessly in the fog. She immediately created eight shadow clones, then numbered them, assigned directions, and sent them out one by one to find a way.

No matter how strong this "Shinkirō" is, it's impossible for it to use space-time ninjutsu. It was in the cave before, and it must still be in the cave now. It's just that the path under their feet is obscured by genjutsu. This genjutsu works on the surroundings, not on Ino and the others themselves, so they can't unravel this thing that's called genjutsu but is actually more like an illusionary world.

Thump. One shadow clone fell into a giant pit. The returned memories were received by Ino's main body. She drew an 'X' in the direction where the shadow clone disappeared.

Thump thump thump. One after another, shadow clones disappeared. Some fell into traps, some encountered dead ends. Ino sorted through all the memories and moved forward little by little.

She kept sending out shadow clones to explore, while her main body walked the path that seemed most promising. Thirty minutes later, her vision suddenly opened up.

"Fresh eel, fresh eel, come and take a look!"

"Steamed buns! One tael each!"

"Mizuno-kun, do you think your mother will dislike me? Is this outfit too flashy for my first visit?"

The surroundings were bustling with voices. Ino had instantly arrived at a market. Around her were people selling sundries, seafood, all sorts of people. She turned back again, and found that behind her was also full of people. Her action of stopping and looking back abruptly made many passersby feel strange. Several people pointed at her and whispered something.

Ino immediately used her sensory abilities to try and find Shikamaru and Choji.

She searched a wide area, but didn't see a single familiar face. Not to mention Shikamaru and Choji, she didn't even see Naruto and Sakura.

"…Too bad for Shikamaru's plan. That guy must be finding a place to sleep right now, right?"

Ino put her hands on her hips and surveyed her surroundings.

Since she couldn't find her companions, she had no choice but to act alone.

She walked around the market, but didn't see anything unusual.

Ino tried to use the traditional method, which is to disrupt the flow of chakra, to break this genjutsu.

"Release!"

Chakra circulated within her body for two cycles. When she opened her eyes, she was still in the middle of the bustling market.

The level of this genjutsu is just too high!

She didn't know if Sasuke with his Sharingan could break it, but she knew that she couldn't break this thing.

The Second Mizukage's genjutsu mastery was much stronger than she had imagined. Crowds of people, bustling markets on both sides, streetlights, and the distant Tenshukaku, sounds, smells, touch – everything felt incredibly real.

Ino picked up a monkey-faced mask from a roadside stall. It felt a little rough to the touch. The stall owner actually talked incessantly, telling her it was a masterpiece made by a master craftsman.

Fireworks bloomed in the night sky, and street performers continuously juggled torches, causing a group of children to laugh and play. No matter how you looked at it, it was a scene of peaceful paradise.

Ino plucked an unknown wildflower from the roadside, put it to her nose and smelled it. The floral fragrance was refreshing and had a lingering aftertaste.

Chōjūrō and Sasuke Uchiha were nowhere to be seen. It seemed like there were countless people, and yet, it also felt like she was the only one.

Ino pondered intently, holding the wildflower in her right hand, twirling it between her fingers like a pen for a couple of rotations, then she called out softly.

"Flower Shuriken!"

The wildflower flew straight towards her back.

The so-called Flower Shuriken was just something Ino used to say to Sakura when they were kids. It was just like kids playing around saying "I'm Optimus Prime," "I'm Megatron." Kids can't actually become Optimus Prime, and a wildflower thrown like this is far from the power of a shuriken, but in this labyrinth, it was a test to determine reality and illusion.

She turned her head back and looked behind her, her brow furrowed.

Pink hair, broad forehead, Sakura extended her right hand, index and middle fingers together, and caught the wildflower. She stood three meters away, giving Ino a rather smug smile.

Height, demeanor, clothing, expression, even that hesitant and awkward air that was uniquely Sakura was exactly the same.

"Ino, I won't lose to you anymore, never again!" Sakura said heroically, "To win Sasuke-kun's love, let's settle things here and now!"

Ino couldn't help but shudder. "Dude, please cut it out with the theatrics, your tone is really freaking me out, it's disgusting!"

"Hmm? Really? Your willpower is this strong? You're not affected by my genjutsu at all?" Sakura's figure became hazy. Soon, a man who looked to be 1.8 meters tall, with yellow hair and wearing a high-collared trench coat appeared in front of Ino.

The man had no eyebrows, heavy dark circles under his eyes, and a slightly comical mustache that resembled the character 八 (eight).

He stroked his chin, carefully scrutinizing Ino. "This shouldn't be happening. A little girl like you hasn't been affected by my genjutsu at all? Could it be that you have some unique kekkei genkai?"

Before Ino could answer, he jumped up like he had discovered a new continent, his movements extremely exaggerated. Then he pointed at Ino's waist. ".This is!? This is a Konohagakure headband? You're a ninja from Konohagakure?"

"Yes, senior, I am…"

The mustached man turned pale with fright. "Could it be that Kirigakure has been destroyed by Konohagakure? And the gem that opens the labyrinth has fallen into the hands of Konohagakure? Those damned descendants, they are really bringing shame to my face! I'm so pissed! Aaaah I'm going to be pissed to death!"

One moment he was saying he was sorry for betraying the trust of the First Mizukage, the next he was cursing his descendants for being useless.

He wallowed in self-pity for a full five minutes. Ino finally seized the opportunity when he was kneeling and pounding the ground to interrupt him. "Senior! Second Mizukage-sama! Konohagakure and Kirigakure are not enemies, we've come for friendly exchanges."

"Really not enemies?"

"Really not!"

The mustached man stood up, dusted off his clothes, and looked quite annoyed. "Exchanges? I left them so many powerful ninjutsu, and they still need to exchange with Konohagakure? They're just a bunch of good-for-nothings!"

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