While Shikamaru pursues Gengo through the Fushū Castle, his hold over Sai, Rō, and Hinoko weakens as their fight with Ino, Chōji, and Temari drags on. Gengo lures Shikamaru in a dark room so he can't use his shadows and for his hearing to become vulnerable to Gengo's jutsu. Gengo tells Shikamaru about his past with Zabuza, and how it shaped his ideology. Ino enters Sai's mind to completely break Gengo's hold on him and warns them about Gengi's trap to convert Shikamaru. Gengo tells Shikamaru his plan to infiltrate the hidden villages and can make them cause incidents all over. Gengo's jutsu manifests the darkness in Shikamaru, but after thinking about Naruto, he wasn't affected by it. As Temari and the others reach their location, Shikamaru calls on Rō and Hinoko to finish their mission. Together, they managed to render Gengo's jutsu useless and take him into custody. After the mission, Shikamaru and Sai asks Temari and Ino on dates.