Ino stood in front of Luz's desk, his arms crossed. "Luz, I have to do this."
Luz shook his head. "No, it's too dangerous. Den's base is crawling with dark soldiers. You won't make it back."
"That's exactly why I need to go." Ino insisted. "People are disappearing, and we don't know why. If Den is behind this, we have to find out."
Elena frowned. "At least bring someone with you."
Ino smirked. "You know I work best alone."
Luz let out a deep sigh. He didn't like this. He trusted Ino's skills, but Den was unpredictable.
"Fine," Luz finally agreed. "But get in, gather information, and get out. Don't try anything reckless."
"Of course." Ino grinned.
Luz watched as Ino left. Something about this felt wrong.
---
Infiltrating the Dark
Ino moved silently through the forest, his body blending into the shadows. Den's base was heavily guarded, but he had studied its patrol patterns. He knew the weak spots.
After an hour of careful movement, he reached the outer wall. Two guards. He waited for them to turn, then slipped past unnoticed.
Inside, the air was heavy. The dark aura surrounding the base was stronger than before. Something had changed.
He crept through the corridors, avoiding soldiers. Then, he heard voices ahead.
"Master Den has gained a new power…" one soldier muttered.
"I saw it with my own eyes," another whispered. "He absorbed the spirits of our fallen. His strength is beyond anything now."
Ino's eyes widened. Absorbing spirits? This was worse than he thought.
He moved closer to a room where light flickered under the door. He peeked through the small gap—
Matthew and Hook.
Matthew was examining something—a sword that pulsed with dark energy.
"The Sword of Oblivion…" Matthew muttered. "With this, Den will become unstoppable."
"Hmph," Hook smirked. "I don't care about swords. But I do love hunting spies."
Ino's blood ran cold. Did they know he was here?
Before he could react, something sharp flew toward him—a kunai!
He dodged, but it was too late. Hook had found him.
"Well, well," Hook grinned, stepping into the hallway. "What do we have here?"
Ino tightened his grip on his weapon. He was trapped.