Wok Shadow Ninja

Chapter 97: Kakashi and the Female Spy

The system of registration for leaving and entering the village has always been strictly enforced in Konoha. Whether the Hokage needs to register when leaving the village is unknown, but ANBU operatives definitely do.

ANBU operatives wear masks, so naturally, they don't register their real names. The three of them used their codenames to complete the registration.

Shizune also said a quick "Thank you for your hard work" to the trio before letting them pass.

Among the three ANBU operatives was a female ninja with long purple hair and a large sword strapped to her back. When she saw Ino, she gave an almost imperceptible nod. Ino returned the gesture with a respectful glance. Normally, ANBU operatives are supposed to discard their personal identities during missions and avoid greetings, but this particular operative was a VIP customer who frequently visited the Yamanaka Flower Shop. The two had a good relationship, so exchanging a glance at the village gate wasn't a big deal.

Yuugao Uzuki, a member of ANBU Team Six and the lover of Special Jonin Hayate Gekkou.

This older sister had a particular fondness for flowers, and the sickly Hayate would tirelessly complete missions, earn money, and then buy flowers for her. The flowers at the Yamanaka Flower Shop weren't cheap! Over time, Ino had become quite familiar with them.

At the moment, Ino had no intention of striking up a conversation with Yuugao. Instead, her gaze shifted to the woman being escorted by the three ANBU operatives, and then to Kakashi, who had a strange expression on his face. Was there some juicy gossip here?

Shizune, who was on good terms with Ino and spent her days guarding the gate, was bored out of her mind. Her love for gossip had long since been awakened. She quickly glanced at the registration form and whispered, "It seems she's a female ninja disguised as an entertainer, here to gather information in the Land of Fire."

Kotetsu, the "old buddy," had even more insider information: "Recently, there's been news about improving relations between the Land of Fire and the Land of Water. Some of the smaller villages are getting restless."

Ino let out a drawn-out "Oh," indicating she understood.

If two major nations were to form an alliance, it would spell disaster for some of the smaller countries.

Sending someone to gather information was only natural.

Ino had been keeping an eye on the affairs of the Daimyo of the Land of Fire and the Daimyo of the Land of Water. If this situation were handled properly, and the blame were pinned on Danzo, it could be a world-changing event, with explosive consequences.

She was pondering how to get involved and what role she should play in this chaotic whirlpool.

Meanwhile, Sakura was the first to notice something unusual. It had to be said that, at this point, Sakura had little talent in ninjutsu she still hadn't mastered the Water Prison Technique. But when it came to matters of the heart? Her mind was entirely focused on that.

While Naruto and Sasuke were still clueless, Sakura eagerly looked at Kakashi, seemingly hoping he would chase after the woman and spark a dramatic love story. Unfortunately, she was disappointed.

The female spy merely glanced back once, saying nothing, and Kakashi acted as if he were looking at a complete stranger, allowing the three ANBU operatives to take her away.

Sakura looked around and realized that everyone nearby was a clueless guy. Only Ino could discuss this kind of topic with her. She nudged Ino with her elbow and asked, "Hey, do you think... they had some kind of relationship?"

Naruto, Sasuke, and Shikamaru all pricked up their ears.

Even Choji stopped eating his chips and listened intently.

Ino, annoyed at having her train of thought interrupted, snapped, "You're so clueless, Forehead Girl. Isn't it obvious? Can't you see it?"

After their mission in the Land of Waves and their subsequent trip to the Land of Water, Sakura had come to a harsh realization: catching up to Ino in terms of ninja skills was going to be incredibly difficult.

Her plan was to get close to Sasuke, take the gentle approach, and gradually carve out a place in his heart. Ino's words made her furious, but remembering her "gentle" persona, she repeated to herself several times: Be gentle, you have to be gentle!

After calming her anger, she forced a smile and asked, "Well, what do you think the village will do with that pretty sister?"

Ino stroked her chin, tilting her head as she thought. "For a spy, they'll probably start by hanging her up and whipping her. If she doesn't talk, they'll use hot irons, hammers, and then bamboo splinters under her nails. If she still doesn't break, they'll use crushing devices, cut off her feet, then her hands, and finally behead her and dismember her body..."

Sakura's hair stood on end as she listened. Her sweet fantasies were completely shattered by the brutal reality, and her face turned pale.

"I've heard that the people in Konoha's Interrogation Division are... are demons. Once that pretty sister falls into their hands..." Sakura was terrified.

Ino didn't have the heart to tell her: Did you think our family only monopolizes Konoha's flower market? Actually, we're the ones managing those 'demons'!

The two Jonin went to the Hokage's office to report on their mission, while the Genin were dismissed and sent home.

Ino didn't go home. After weighing the pros and cons of her plan in her mind, she strolled over to the Interrogation Division, officially known as the Konoha Torture and Interrogation Force.

For many years, the intelligence department's work had been managed by the Yamanaka clan.

After the Nine-Tails incident, the Third Hokage used the intelligence department's failure to provide an early warning which led to the Fourth Hokage's death as an excuse to split the department.

Now, the Interrogation Squad and the Analysis Squad operated separately. Ibiki Morino, a trusted subordinate of the Third Hokage, served as the captain of the Interrogation Squad, while Inoichi Yamanaka led the Analysis Squad.

Although they were administratively separate, the two squads still worked closely together. The field was highly specialized, and the Yamanaka clan held significant influence in this area. With Danzo's support, Inoichi still controlled the day-to-day operations of the intelligence department.

At Konoha Hospital, Ino was like a ghost no one paid her any attention, except for Kabuto, who would chat with her occasionally. But in the Interrogation Division, it was a completely different story.

"Ah, Miss Yamanaka! Are you here to see Lord Inoichi?"

"Yes, hello, senior."

"Oh, it's little Ino! Just back from the Land of Water?"

"Hello, sensei. Yes, I just returned to the village."

Ino visited often and was unfazed by the gruesome scenes in the torture chambers. It was like coming home. She handed out gifts to a few acquaintances, like Aoba Yamashiro and Tobitake Tonbo, before winding her way to her father's office.

"Just got back to the village? What's up?" Inoichi asked curiously.

Of course, Ino couldn't say that Kakashi would become the Sixth Hokage in the future, and that they should stop clinging to Danzo and instead build goodwill with Kakashi. Nor could she mention that she wanted to stir the pot and see how Obito would react, or whether Obito was still observing Konoha.

She couldn't say any of that.

Instead, she took a roundabout approach: "Well, here's the thing. I think Kakashi-sensei and that female spy definitely have some history. Their relationship isn't ordinary, but in Kakashi-sensei's heart, the village comes first. It's not like we're in a war right now. How much information could a single female ninja really gather? Couldn't we be a bit more flexible in handling this situation?"

Inoichi, having seen too much darkness, wasn't easily fooled. He immediately saw through her: "You need something from Kakashi, so you're trying to use this female spy as leverage?"

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