Naruto: I, Shikotsumyaku, Byakugan Princess

A red light ignited within the pale purple miasma clouds.

Rooted in the brownish-red stone pillars of the swamp, the Ino-Shika-Cho trio was surrounded by Kirigakure and Kumogakure. Choji, the main force in the battle who could both attack and defend, was injured, which was the last straw that broke the camel's back.

They were in dire straits.

The reason it's described as "almost" is mainly because the Hidden Cloud Village and the Hidden Mist Village are not of one mind, and all three sides have their own concerns, which has led to the situation temporarily reaching a stalemate.

But Shikamaru knew that this stalemate couldn't last long.

If one side can't hold back, it will be a chaotic battle between the three teams, and the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, whose strength has been greatly reduced, will likely be the first to be eliminated.

How to do?
He stared intently at the incredibly fast Cloud Village ninja, trying to figure out a way to break the deadlock. But his brilliant mind was completely dry, like a gear without lubrication, making a squeaking noise every time it meshed.

So-called superior strategies and perfect plans are not baseless, nor can they be created out of thin air.

Only by obtaining relevant intelligence about the enemy can we design a practical and feasible combat plan based on that intelligence.

Otherwise, all the ideas and strategies would just be wishful thinking and luck, and Shikamaru, who considers himself a smart man, hates nothing more than relying on luck.

"Shikamaru, the two dark-skinned leaders from Kumogakure are both Special Grade Rank 1, and the Kirigakure side is full of Jonin-level chakra, with extremely superior physical abilities..." Ino's melodious voice, like sweet rain in the desert, suddenly descended upon Shikamaru and Choji's minds.

The unspoken understanding between Ino-Shika-Cho goes without saying.

Without Shikamaru's command, Ino, as a sensory ninja, had already quietly gathered the general information about the opponent and established a mental link with Choji and Shikamaru using the secret technique, Mind Transfer Technique.

The reason why the Ino-Shika-Cho trio is the iron triangle of Konoha is because their secret techniques are completely complementary.

Nara's strategies require intelligence to support them, and the sensory ninjutsu in the mountains can provide Nara with that intelligence.

When it's time to relay plans after intelligence analysis, the mountain clan's secret technique allows them to communicate telepathically.

This kind of telepathic dialogue not only prevents information leaks but also overcomes the time delay of language, allowing the wisdom of the Nara clan to be fully utilized.

The so-called Ino-Shika-Cho triad, with the 'Ino' being the first among the mountain tribes, is the starting point for all tactics and techniques!
"Well done, five taijutsu-type Jonin, huh..."

With the intelligence support from his comrades, Shikamaru grinned slightly, feeling quite helpless about this Chunin Exam, which was actually a battle of geniuses.

Having experienced the life-or-death crisis brought about by the attack on Yunyin, and with Hui Li as their role model, their strength has improved significantly over the past five years.

The three of them could easily defeat an ordinary Jonin using their secret techniques. Two Jonin would be under some pressure but not too much. Even with their desperate efforts, the three Jonin still had room to maneuver. But five Jonin were far beyond the limits of their team.

Although chakra level doesn't represent actual combat ability, at this stage of the Chunin Exams, there are almost no weak opponents.

Placing your hopes on the enemy's strength being lower than expected is tantamount to suicide.

The only way to resolve their current predicament is to let the Hidden Mist and the Hidden Clouds fight each other, muddying the waters so that they may have a chance to survive.

But how exactly do we incite both sides to abandon the weakest village, Konoha, and start fighting?

Shikamaru's eyes flickered as his gaze darted back and forth between the Hidden Cloud Village and the Hidden Mist Village, finally settling on Atsui, the weakest member of the Hidden Cloud Village team.

"Choji, how are your injuries?"

"Fighting is no problem!"

Choji, covered in blood, seemed to have lost a bit of weight, and his body began to exhale faint steam. The Akimichi clan, who were proficient in Yang Release ninjutsu, possessed top-notch physical defense and self-recovery abilities.

"So it's okay to get injured again, right?"

"what?"

Ino and Choji's eyes widened suddenly, while Shikamaru, with his back to them, smiled, but his eyes were extremely serious.

All is ready except for the opportunity.

But why isn't the east wind coming yet?

……

"How much longer do we have to wait?"

Karui stared at the Konoha trio not far away, his fingers rubbing the hilt of his sword, clearly losing his composure.

If it weren't for the cautious nature of Omoi preventing her from charging, she would have already drawn her sword and started hacking!
"Don't worry."

Omoi, positioned on the left wing, licked his slightly dry lips, his eyes fixed on the direction of the Hidden Mist, feeling a throbbing sensation between his brows.

Compared to Konoha, where one member was seriously injured and the other two didn't seem like experts, Kirigakure was putting far too much pressure on him.

Only twenty people can pass this exam. For every enemy ninja eliminated, their team's chance of passing increases by one point.

Konoha was like fish on a chopping board, and he didn't want to let Kirigakure go either.

Originally, he was thinking of letting the Hidden Mist Village and the Leaf Village ninjas fight it out first, and then joining the battle after seeing the strength of both sides.

However, the Hidden Mist Village clearly thought the same thing, which is why the situation is at a stalemate. With no transparency of information between them, neither side dares to make a move easily.

Gulp...

A foul-smelling miasma continued to rise from the swamp, and the three teams held their breath, waiting for the opportunity to break the stalemate.

Soon, the opportunity they had been waiting for arrived abruptly.

Although the battlefield was in a state of stagnation, the burning signal flares did not stop, and the light produced by the burning magnesium lingered in the clouds for a long time.

Boo!
The high-pitched cry of the elephant bird pierced through the clouds and echoed across the sky. Then, before everyone's eyes, a red box with a parachute flew through the clouds toward the mountain where Shikamaru and the others were—

come down!

It's now!

While everyone's attention was focused on the sky, Hozuki Suigetsu's eyes lit up, and he slowly raised the 'pistol' hidden in his sleeve, with bullet-like water droplets spinning rapidly at his fingertips.

"Aaaaaah! Ino, what are you doing?!"

The sudden scream startled Chojuro, Karui, and the others, who quickly looked toward the source of the sound. Even Hozuki Suigetsu, who was about to launch a sneak attack, twitched his fingers, and the water jutsu he was about to condense instantly dissipated.

"I'll kill you... I'm going to kill you!"

Ino Shuurei's face was twisted and ferocious. Her right hand's kunai had somehow been deeply embedded in Choji's left ribs. She was also uttering crazy mutterings. She seemed to have gone mad.

Caught completely off guard by his best friend's attack, Choji's chubby face was filled with disbelief. He held Ino down tightly with both hands as she struggled wildly, and thick blood dripped down his waist, abdomen and thighs.

"Ino, wake up!"

Shocked by the sudden turn of events, Shikamaru's eyes were filled with panic. He and Choji shook Ino together, trying to wake her up, but it was all in vain. In the end, he could only grit his teeth and punch Ino in the back of the neck.

boom!
As if a switch had been flipped, the crazed Ino rolled her eyes and collapsed into Choji's arms.

Seeing Konoha suddenly turn on each other, Hozuki Suigetsu, Omoi, and the others were somewhat bewildered, freezing in place for a half-second. "I'll kill you!"

A familiar roar reached their ears, and Karui and Omoi were startled, their bodies crackling with lightning as they leaped away from their spots.

bass!
A blade of light suddenly flashed across the space. Atsui, his face contorted with madness, swung his long sword and ruthlessly severed the afterimages of the two men, showing no mercy whatsoever.

"Azii!"

"Damn it, get him under control!"

Having narrowly escaped a fatal blow, Karui's heart sank when he saw his companion's frantic state.

Without time to think, and learning from the experience of Konoha, the two relied on their lightning speed and overwhelming strength to directly close in and paralyze and stun the crazed Atsui.

at the same time.

Hidden in Choji's massive arms, Ino, who was secretly making a heart shape with her hands, shuddered as if electrocuted. Ino's eyelashes trembled, and Shikamaru's lips curled up and then quickly fell back down.

He suddenly looked up, his face full of anger as he glared at the bewildered trio from the Hidden Mist Village:
"You're the ones who're up to this! What have you done to Ino?!"

Swish!
Just as they placed the paralyzed Atsui on the ground, Karui and Omoi, both shocked and furious, looked at Chojuro and the others with a chilling killing intent in their eyes.

"Do not……"

Hozuki Suigetsu, who had been watching the spectacle, was stunned. He noticed that the people from Konoha and Kumogakure were staring at him with bloodshot eyes. He looked down and realized that the hidden 'pistol' he had just planned to use to launch a sneak attack was now aimed at the three Kumogakure members.

"You had this trick up your sleeve? Not bad!"

Their sharp teeth rubbed against each other as Ringo Yuyu drew her long sword, crackling with electricity.

Chojuro shook his head and sighed, and the massive twin swords in his hands, Hiramekarei, began to emit a blue light: "Your illusion technique is indeed quite impressive, but we are about to be surrounded."

"no……"

Hozuki Suigetsu wanted to explain, but felt that his words were too pale and powerless.

Both Konoha and Kumogakure suffered casualties, while Kirigakure was unscathed. Moreover, he did indeed make very suspicious ninjutsu movements. If he wasn't very sure that he didn't know genjutsu, even he would suspect that he was the murderer.

"It wasn't me, I saw it was the Cloud Village ninja who did it!"

Unable to offer any explanation, Hozuki Suigetsu decided to play the role of troublemaker, casting a similarly gloomy glance at Karui and the others.

His intuition told him that it was these Cloud Village ninjas who were behind this.

After all, none of the Cloud Village ninjas were injured, and the one lying on the ground was only paralyzed by lightning; he might get up at any time.

The Konoha side was the first to be ambushed, and the fat ninja was seriously injured, bleeding like a pig being slaughtered. No matter how you look at it, he was a complete victim!
"fart!"

Karui was already short-tempered, and with his companion being ambushed first and then himself being falsely accused, his already dark face turned a deep purple.

"Those bastards from Kirigakure are sowing discord! Let's team up and take care of that handsome guy with the pineapple head!" Omoi, who had wanted to eliminate Kirigakure from the start, went along with it and recruited the 'angry' Shikamaru as an ally.

Seeing this, Shikamaru had no choice but to carry the unconscious Ino on his back, nodding with tears in his eyes, while Choji, covered in blood, drew his kunai and turned to look at the Kirigakure trio.

The destitute soldiers of Konoha and the two Cloud Village ninjas, who were missing one ordinary fighter, formed an alliance and decided to jointly besiege the treacherous Kirigakure ninjas.

……

Buzz!

The pure black parasitic insects flew in mid-air, their tiny size making them inconspicuous in the swamp.

Wearing gas masks, Shino, Kiba, and Hinata were hiding in a swamp 200 meters from the battlefield, observing the fierce battle raging on the mountaintop above.

"The combined use of self-inflicted injury and using someone else to do the dirty work, truly worthy of Shikamaru!" Shino habitually pushed up his sunglasses.

Father, like son.

Using the reconnaissance capabilities of the parasitic insects, he took in all of Shikamaru and the others' little tricks. The opponent was clearly using the Thirty-Six Stratagems that Hairi had summarized during his time at the Ninja Academy.

When he read the military treatise that Hui Li hailed as a world wonder, he only felt his mind was clear, but he had not yet realized its true power.

Seeing Shikamaru's practical application in dire situations, he suddenly understood why Shikamaru had such an astonished expression when reading the book, and why he later served Kairi faithfully and obeyed his every word.

What is a "bitter trick"?

Both Ya and Akamaru scratched their heads in unison, looking like they needed to grow their brains.

Shino sighed, really not wanting to discuss military strategy with two wild beasts. Perhaps this was what Hairi meant by not talking to a brick wall!
"Those three Hidden Mist ninjas are really strong!"

As Hinata observed the battle atop the mountain, her eyes glowed. Due to the excessive gathering of chakra, the bulging veins at the corners of her eyes had spread down to her cheekbones.

peak.

With Shikamaru's super strong crowd control and the half-hearted humanoid tank, Karui and Omoi could only fight the three members of Kirigakure to a standstill.

If it weren't for the fact that Lightning Release has a certain restraining effect on Water Release, the alliance between Konoha and Kumogakure would have been suppressed by the Hidden Mist ninja.

boom!
A terrifying explosion echoed above the three of them, and a brilliant blue chakra orb shone wildly, its radiance even seeming to brighten the sky.

"What...what is this?" he asked, his mouth agape. With his sense of smell sealed, he was completely in the dark.

Looking up at the fading light in the sky, Hinata's expression was ashen.

"It's that bespectacled ninja from Kirigakure who wields dual swords. His swords constantly absorb the chakra contained in other people's attacks, and then release it all at once."

The more chakra accumulated, the stronger the power when released!

"Wouldn't that mean they get stronger the more they fight?"

With a blank stare, and knowing only one move, Fang Over Fang, he found it hard to imagine how to deal with such an enemy. It seemed that only by using his strongest Fang Over Fang could he defeat the opponent in one blow.

"If you run into that guy, just leave him to me."

Shino said calmly that his insect technique could not absorb chakra, and the parasitic insects could devour the enemy's chakra, so the opponent's ability to get stronger the more they fought was basically ineffective against him.

The three carefully observed the fierce battle at the summit and analyzed the intelligence gathered from the crowd.

The alliance between the Ino-Shika-Cho trio and the Cloud Village ninja was partly due to Shikamaru's successful plan, and partly due to the strength of the Mist Village. With their forces weakened, the Cloud Village and Konoha had no choice but to unite against the enemy.

It's a barely acceptable balance.

If they join the battle now, not only will they be unable to form a three-team siege of Kirigakure, but they will also completely break the balance, causing Shikamaru's plan to fail.

It would be better to wait here and ambush them. No matter which side, Kumogakure or Kirigakure, wins in the end, their surprise force can jump out and join forces with Shikamaru to leave all the Kirigakure and Kumogakure ninjas in this swamp.

This is a feint, a covert maneuver! (End of Chapter)