Shikamaru struggles against Sai's ink beasts and wakes up shackled in a cell. He thinks of shogi to pass the time while Sai brings him food and compliments his resistance. The two discuss Sai's current condition and why Shikamaru came instead of someone from Team 7. Rō is then tossed into a cell by Shikamaru's while Hinoko is being brainwashed by Gengo. Shikamaru is taken to talk with Gengo and told Shikamaru how he perceives the current shinobi world's peace is forced by the great nations. Gengo shows him a flower that dies if taken out of its environment and compares it to shinobi who will stop developing in times of peace. Shikamaru notices that the flowers' scent stirs up unpleasant memories, which Gengo uses to turn shinobi to his side. Shikamaru escapes and returns to Gengo's room where fights Rō and Hinoko, who have been converted into Gengo's guards. Shikamaru has Hinoko's chakra needles hit his ears to impair his hearing so Gengo's voice can't affect him. He almost reaches Gengo, but is stopped by Sai's ink lion and is hit with a chakra needle on his head while Gengo escapes. Ino and Chōji arrive to save him, though Shikamaru believes he is dreaming, but is convinced that he isn't when Temari slaps him for lying to her. As Ino and Chōji prepare to fight Rō and Hinoko, Temari tosses Asuma's chakra blades to Shikamaru, which he uses to open up the way to Gengo.