109. Ghost?

(Important:

Okay, I wanted to say it for few weeks, but I guess I was too scared to make a change, sigh, Guys, this fic is declining, we only reached around 100 Powerstones last week, I guess my fic is not that really good as I thought... 

I would have continued like this if my Patreon was good, but that's also declining...

I want to try a lot of things, but TCE's 4 chapters per week is holding me back. I would have not minded it if TCE was doing great but, at the current stage, it's like a old ROOT holding back the new saplings to grow. 

So, If we don't reach either (Any one) - 200 Powerstones this week or get 3 New paid Patreon member , then From Next week, frequency of chapters will decrease from 4 chap/week to 3 chap/week.

If we reach it., then double release on Sunday.

It doesn't means that I would be slacking, as I would be still writing 7 chap/week, but 4 of them will go to TMHLU then, as I want it to grow too, 3chaps per week is not letting it grow properly, So, Unfortunately I would have to take this step. 

I am sorry to be a disappointment...

)

Shikamaru, in a move that surprised everyone, suddenly formed a hand seal. "Kai!" he exclaimed.

When nothing happened, he shrugged at the questioning looks from his teammates. "Just making sure we weren't caught in some kind of flavour genjutsu."

This prompted the others to discreetly check their own chakra flow, just in case. After all, could ramen really be that good without some kind of jutsu involved?

Clearing his throat, Shikamaru steered the conversation back to the matter at hand. "Right, well, as delicious as that was, we should probably discuss our plan for capturing Dorobou."

The mention of their mission seemed to snap everyone back to reality. They listened attentively as Shikamaru laid out the strategy.

"Sora and I will investigate the Jade Dragon Inn," he explained. "Ino and Choji, you two head to the Misty Valley Temple. Remember, don't reveal yourselves as Konoha ninja. If anyone asks, we're just passing shinobi from a small village."

With their marching orders received, the team quickly packed up their camp and set out on their respective missions. Sora found himself practically buzzing with excitement as he and Shikamaru made their way towards the Jade Dragon Inn.

As they approached the inn, the tantalizing aroma of expertly prepared food wafted towards them. Sora's stomach, apparently forgetting the gourmet ramen it had just consumed, growled loudly.

"Hey, Shikamaru," Sora said, his eyes gleaming with hope, "what if we gathered intel while having lunch? You know, kill two birds with one stone?"

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in his voice as he replied, "Didn't we just have breakfast? Besides, we're here to work, not to sample the local cuisine."

"But Shikamaru," Sora whined, employing his best puppy-dog eyes, "I always have extra space for delicious food. It's like a separate stomach!"

"You're starting to sound like Choji," Shikamaru muttered, shaking his head. "Come on, let's focus on the mission. We can think about lunch later."

Sora's shoulders slumped in defeat, but he nodded, putting on his best professional demeanour as they approached the inn's reception.

"Excuse me," Sora said politely to the receptionist, his childish features arranged in an expression of earnest concern. "We heard that some things have been getting robbed around here. We're... um, interested in knowing more about that."

The receptionist blinked, clearly taken aback by the odd inquiry coming from such a young source. "Oh, well... yes, there have been some incidents. Let me call the manager for you."

As they waited, Shikamaru gave Sora an approving nod. Sometimes, the boy's youthful appearance could be an asset, disarming potential sources and making them more likely to share information.

The manager, a portly man with a receding hairline and a nervous demeanour, hurried over to greet them. "Good day, gentlemen. I understand you're inquiring about the... unusual occurrences we've been experiencing?"

Shikamaru took the lead, adopting a casual stance. "That's right. We've heard some concerning rumours. Could you fill us in on what's been happening?"

The manager wrung his hands, glancing around as if afraid the very walls might be listening. "It's the strangest thing," he began in a hushed tone. "Guests have reported items going missing from their rooms overnight. Valuable things - jewellery, money, even rare scrolls."

"Have any of the guests seen the thief?" Sora asked, his eyes wide with curiosity.

The manager shook his head. "That's the truly bizarre part. Those who claim to have witnessed anything speak only of seeing a shadow moving in the darkness. Some are even saying it's the work of a ghost!"

Sora and Shikamaru exchanged glances. A shadow that moved like a ghost? This was starting to sound less like a common thief and more like a skilled shinobi.

"Has anything else unusual happened?" Shikamaru pressed. "Any strange noises, unexplained phenomena?"

The manager hesitated, then leaned in closer. "Well... there is one other thing. Some guests have reported hearing a faint... giggling sound just before items go missing. Like a child laughing, they say."

Sora felt a shiver run down his spine. A laughing shadow that stole things in the night? This mission was turning out to be far creepier than he'd anticipated.

As Shikamaru continued to question the manager, Sora's mind raced with possibilities. Could it be a ghost? A mischievous spirit? Or perhaps a ninja with a particularly unsettling sense of humour?

Whatever it was, Sora was determined to get to the bottom of it. After all, he had a reputation to uphold as Konoha's youngest chunin. And if solving this mystery happened to involve sampling some of the inn's delicious-smelling cuisine... well, that would just be a bonus.

Little did Sora know, as he stood there in the Jade Dragon Inn formulating plans to catch a giggling shadow thief, that his teammates Ino and Choji were about to have an encounter that would make their mission even more perplexing...

Meanwhile, on the mist-shrouded path leading to the Misty Valley Temple, Ino and Choji were facing challenges of their own. The steep, fog-covered trail would have been treacherous for civilians, but for trained shinobi, it was merely an inconvenience.

As they carefully picked their way up the mountain, Ino couldn't shake a feeling of unease. "Hey, Choji," she said, her voice barely above a whisper, "does something feel... off to you?"

Choji, who had been munching on a bag of chips (because even treacherous mountain climbs were no reason to neglect to snack), paused mid-crunch. "Now that you mention it," he replied, glancing around, "it does feel a bit... weird. Like we're being watched or something."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than a voice, creaky with age but somehow still commanding, cut through the mist. "So, you have come."

Ino and Choji whirled around, instantly on guard. Through the swirling fog, they could make out the silhouette of an old woman, her back resting against a gnarled tree.

"Um, do we know you, ma'am?" Ino asked, trying to keep her voice steady despite her racing heart.

The old woman's lips curled into a knowing smile. "You don't, but I know you, young leaf-nins."

Choji's eyes widened, his hand freezing halfway to his mouth with a chip. "How do you know we're from the Leaf?" he asked, his usual jovial tone replaced with wary suspicion.

The old woman chuckled, a sound like dry leaves rustling in the wind. "I know many things, young ones. You stand at a crossroads, a point where you can either ascend or descend."

Ino and Choji exchanged confused glances. Was this some kind of test? A genjutsu perhaps?

The mysterious woman continued, her voice taking on a deeper, almost prophetic tone. "I cannot tell you which path you will choose, but remember this: to find the shadows, you must first find the light."

"Um, miss," Ino began, thoroughly bewildered, "what do you mean by-"

But before she could finish her question, the old woman cut her off. "I have told you all I can recall. Now, the choice is yours to make."

And with that cryptic statement, the old woman simply... vanished. One moment she was there, and the next, she had disappeared as if she had never existed at all.

Ino and Choji jumped back in shock, their hands forming the release seal almost instinctively. "Kai!" they shouted in unison, disrupting their chakra flow to break any potential genjutsu.

But nothing changed. The mist swirled around them, the gnarled tree stood silent, and there was no sign of the enigmatic old woman.

"Choji," Ino said, her voice barely above a whisper, "please tell me you saw that too."

Choji nodded, his face pale beneath his swirl markings. "Yeah, I saw it. But I'm kind of wishing I hadn't."

They stood in silence for a moment, the weight of the strange encounter settling over them like the mist that clung to the mountainside.

"Maybe... maybe we should go back," Choji suggested, his usual bravado noticeably absent. "We could come back with Shikamaru and Sora. You know, strength in numbers and all that."

For once, Ino found herself agreeing with the retreat option. "Yeah, that might be a good idea. This is getting a little too spooky for my liking."

With one last nervous glance at the spot where the old woman had been, they began to retrace their steps down the mountain. The journey back seemed to pass in a blur, both ninjas lost in their thoughts about the bizarre encounter.

It wasn't until they reached the base of the mountain, where the mist gave way to clear air and the reassuring bustle of the nearby town, that they finally felt like they could breathe easy again.

"We should find Shikamaru and Sora," Ino said, her voice regaining some of its usual confidence. "They need to know about this."

***

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