Ino, Choji...
Let's get this over with and go home.
We know. Right, Choji?
Huh?
Choji?!
- That idiot! - Cripes...
- Ino, go with formation- - I know!
Shadow Strangle Jutsu!
I'm counting on you, Ino.
With the chakra I have now, this is my limit.
Here I go!
Mind Transfer Jutsu!
Looks like it worked.
I figured as much.
Super Expansion Jutsu!
Hey Choji!
How could you slack off?!
This hunt was your idea in the first place!
Food is the foundation of survival.
The village is in the midst of a crisis, so we have to make sure we eat.
Well, you're the only one taking a break here!
What if they got away?
Huh?
Well, I knew Shikamaru could do this.
Come to think of it...
She also knew what to do before I said anything.
- Leaf's History - Team 10's Teamwork
They're demons.
They appear every year during the harvest.
So this year, we were prepared to die fighting them off.
But that sly Baji...
I don't know if he knew my plan or not, but he kidnapped my granddaughter.
This Baji is...
He's the boss of the bandits who steal our crops.
Please... Please...save our village and my granddaughter from those bandits!
And you are?
This is Tofu, a former member of the bandits.
An ex-bandit?
I don't blame you for mistrusting me.
But I couldn't go along with their ways anymore.
Tofu here told me of my granddaughter's abduction.
As an ex-bandit, he can be an invaluable guide.
That's true.
Please allow me to help.
Well then, let's get ready to move.
- Yes, sir. - Right!
Shikamaru, got a minute?
The hideout is a natural fortification
deep inside a cavern that fans out like an ant's nest.
There is only one route to it.
But along this route are three forts that each serve as a checking station.
But the trickiest part is Baji's intelligence. It's why he's so feared.
The main purpose of this mission is to rescue the hostage.
And that will involve a confrontation with the bandits.
Shikamaru, what do you think?
Well...
He may still be a genin, but he's a skilled tactician.
There may only be one route, but we're not moving a large force.
Since it's just us, maybe we can bypass the forts.
Having said that,
I'm sure they've set up their defenses and laid considerable traps.
But it's our best chance to get out without fighting the enemy
after we make the rescue.
At the very least, we need to confirm that there's a safe passage.
I see.
So the first thing to do is to find a way for a small team to infiltrate.
All right! Let's go!
We genin are staying behind.
What?!
Like I just said, the enemy knows every detour already.
The only ones who are capable of going undetected
are Kakashi Sensei and Asuma.
It's best to let them handle this.
That's my opinion.
He's right. There's no other way, Kakashi.
Yes.
Don't be so upset, Naruto.
Take care of things here, Shikamaru.
I guess I'll have to.
As you heard, please wait here for a while.
Huh?
Hey, where's Tofu?
Nature called.
What's the big idea?!
What was that shout?!
Hey, look over there.
Tofu!
He's been captured?! But how?
Jeez...
What'll we do?!
Hey! Don't just sit there!
The enemy is a gang of bandits with scores of men.
They have a hostage and three forts.
And beyond that, the inner fortress.
It'll be a pain, but I guess we'll do it ourselves.
Boss Baji!
I brought the deserter!
Good. You can go now.
Yes sir!
Oww...
Welcome.
Cripes... Train your guys properly!
Remember, I'm a valuable informant.
Sorry.
They're trained to be suspicious even if the password is correct.
Well, you always take precautions.
So you brought me information?
The village hired ninja, after all.
And? How strong are they?
Two jonin and six genin.
Two small teams made up mostly of genin?
Once we get rid of the jonin, they won't be a problem at all.
Yeah. And the two jonin aren't with them right now.
Really. Why's that?
They're looking for a way to get here without passing through the forts.
That's what I'd do too.
But if they don't anticipate traps along the way, it'll be a mission of death.
One of them saw that far ahead.
He's a genin named Shikamaru. He had that figured out already.
So a two-man cell made up of jonin
bypasses our forts and are on the alert for traps.
As if a simple strategy like that will work against me.
Boss!
B-Boss! It's a ninja!
They managed to get through our three forts!
W-What?!
Why was there no word from the forts?!
They just suddenly appeared.
I don't know what's going on.
Those three forts are there to prevent just this sort of thing!
It's impossible!
You! Are you a double agent?!
Don't tell me you're in cahoots with the men at the forts and let these ninja...
N-No way!
I'm serious. You've got to believe me!
Talk is cheap.
I-I know!
Look, they think I've been captured!
If you use me for a hostage exchange,
I'll be able to stall them and send you information!
Keeping you here doesn't do any good.
But if I use you for a hostage exchange, I'll be able to crush their leader.
The more cards to play, the better.
All right! Let's pulverize them all!
- Slow down, Naruto. - Huh?
Don't forget that there's a hostage.
Bringing down their hide-out might not be that difficult,
but we've got to find the village headman's granddaughter first.
O-Oh right.
But how?
We'll take advantage of their next move.
Next move?
Which is a hostage exchange.
That's plausible if they don't want a confrontation.
A hostage exchange?
You mean one of us has to become a hostage?
Shikamaru!
Come on out. I want to talk to you!
If you want to save him, how about you take his place?
Just as I expected.
What's your answer, Shikamaru?!
Okay. Fine!
He answered my question.
So far, it's going as I expected.
What the-? My voice is gone?!
My Hidden Jutsu: Muting Jutsu.
If you can't speak, you can't convey any strategy you come up with.
I just have to have faith.
What is he thinking?
That idiot.
Hey! Don't go off on your own.
Listen...
Shikamaru would never take action without a plan.
He's right.
Shikamaru said to take advantage of this hostage exchange.
But what did he mean by that?
I'm sorry for the trouble I caused.
You don't have to pretend.
Huh?
We were aware that you were a spy.
A long time ago.
If...If that's the case, why?
Did you come to save me?
How did you bypass the forts?
Oh right, you're still under my jutsu.
Release!
It's going to be all right now.
I asked how you bypassed the forts!
That was easy.
We were suspicious of Tofu all along.
So we secretly placed a mini-wireless on him.
What?
And as expected, he said the password.
The lilies on the mountain pass shine at night.
But I've never trusted passwords.
And those guys at the forts had strict orders.
But it seems they're not as suspicious as you are.
We told them,
"A spy who knows the password should have come through before us."
"We're pursuing him."
And they let us pass.
W-What?
It was a childish prank, but it worked nicely.
You're no child, I'll grant you that.
Still, even if you're a smart little tactician, you're just a prisoner right now.
And I have my own strategy to wipe out your genin pals.
Don't be afraid.
My friends will be here soon to save us.
Don't try to be brave.
Ninjutsu may be powerful,
but there's no way to destroy this place without harming the hostage.
That's the reason for having a hostage.
Wait!
If you knew Tofu was my spy, why did you agree to the hostage exchange?!
Who knows?
Fire Style! Fire Ball Jutsu!
An assault?
The loss of their leader throws the genin into a panic
and they attack the castle, regardless of the hostages.
Is that the diversionary tactic?
But as long as there are hostages involved, a full-on attack is impossible.
And the other genin have no jutsu to locate this spot.
I hold the trump card. There's no way you can win.
Calm down!
The boss planned for times like this!
Right! This place is a natural fortification!
A large force cannot penetrate us!
What is it?
Boss!
What is it?
New ones! More ninja just appeared!
Quit panicking each time!
Didn't I give you contingent plans to handle something like that?
B-But...
It's an army of a thousand.
A thousand?!
Shikamaru's not here.
So no one can stop me now!
Shikamaru and the hostage are in the west tower.
So we make sure not to destroy that one, right?
You got it, Choji!
Okay!
Expansion Jutsu!
Human Boulder!
Go Choji!
You seem to be enjoying this.
Huh? Do I?
Aren't you scared?
Nope.
Why?
Because I have faith in my friends.
Don't get cocky, kid!
I hold the trump card!
I can get away with the hostage as my shield!
As long as I have the headman's granddaughter,
I can negotiate my way out.
If I escape before the genin brats get here, your plans won't mean a thing.
You would abandon your men?
My men? What a laugh!
As long as I get out alive, I can form a new gang anytime.
- Shikamaru! - Shikamaru!
- Are you all right?
Yeah, but just barely.
That's our line!
You gave us such a scare!
H-How did you find this place?
The Yamanaka clan of the Hidden Leaf
use a Hidden Jutsu called Mind Transfer Jutsu.
I'm sure you've at least heard of it.
Mind Transfer Jutsu?!
Back there...
Mind Transfer Jutsu!
Through her Mind Transfer Jutsu, Ino used my eyes to find this place.
Release!
Everyone, I know where Shikamaru and the hostage are being held!
So now you know.
Don't be ridiculous!
What would you have done if I hadn't figured out your plan?!
It was touch-and-go there for a while.
That's crazy!
Don't tell me you knew from the start
that I would call for a hostage exchange with you for Tofu?!
When a player loses a card, he wants to replace it, right?
A card?
Well, in your case the card was your three forts.
Once you lost them, you needed to replace them as quickly as possible.
Through a hostage exchange.
A tactician like you analyzes every bit of data,
and at the same time, places top priority on his enemy's strategy.
I knew right off the bat that you'd target me.
That's all.
Amazing. Simply amazing.
I lose. I've got to hand it to you.
I'm not amazing.
What's amazing are my friends who believe in me.
Shut up!
A Paper Bomb!
Just try and make a move!
I'll blow you all up!
Did you hear? If you make a move...
My Shadow Possession Jutsu worked.
My my... This year's rookies are quite talented.
We heard it all, Shikamaru.
That was quite a risk you took taking action without relaying your strategy to the others.
Well, it ended successfully. So job well done, Shikamaru.
It wasn't a gamble.
Besides I just watched my friends work and had faith in them. That's all.
Even without words, I knew these guys would understand.
When I think about it, Team 10 always had each other's backs during battle.
No, it wasn't just Team 10. Naruto, Lee, Kiba, all of us.
Our faith in our friends has spread past our teams, and into the entire village.
Right, Asuma?
Oh well. Shall we go back and have some barbeque?
Yes!
Hey, wait up!
As punishment, you get to carry the catch back to the village, Choji.
Oh come on. Help me out here.
People may call me a tactician,
but these guys know everything there is about me.
I have a mission for Team 7!
Then again, it appears things are not going well between Naruto and Sasuke.
I'm embarrassed to say it, but yes.
It cannot be helped.
You and Sasuke will handle this mission.
What shall I do with Naruto and Sakura?
Don't worry. I just happen to have the perfect assignment for them.
Next time on Naruto Shippuden: "Drive Towards Darkness"
This is also for the mission!
Tune in again!