Shikamaru wakes up from nightmares of the death of Asuma and the times his comrades were injured. Rō asks him about the nightmares. Shikamaru notices the lack of wind in Tobari. Hinoko feigns being killed by her own jutsu during initiation, and is taken to a room full of corpses. Shikamaru shows Rō the little intel they have on Gengo, a single blurry photo. Hinoko reunites with Rō and Shikamaru, informing them about how no one seems to know anything about Gengo or the Fushū Castle. The three go around Tobari gathering information, seeing people from all over, learning Gengo arrived ten years prior, and that Tobari is better now than it was then. They spot a former Konoha Anbu, Minoichi, who went missing in the last war, after killing his unit. The three corner Minoichi and interrogate him, learning more of Gengo's ideology. Minoichi recognises Rō and puts him in a choke hold, hinting at his past, but Hinoko incapacitates him with her chakra needle. Rō wakes up after having nightmares about his past as a genin, when he survived the slaughter of his unit by burying himself in the corpses of his comrades and suppressing his chakra to appear dead. That night, Gengo appears for a public speech. Shikamaru wants to move closer to the stage so his jutsu can reach him, and Hinoko goes to a tower where she has a clear view of the entire crowd. During his speech, Gengo reveals a restrained Sai, and the crowd asks for his death. Gengo's words begin to affect the three of them. Shikamaru and Rō create a diversion with explosive tags, and Shikamaru tries saving Sai, but he retaliates, having been entranced by Gengo. Gengo's words affected Rō and Hinoko, who are restrained. Gengo tries converting Shikamaru after Sai binds him, but Shikamaru begins strangling himself with his shadow.