Was her method of entering wrong? Definitely not!
The Yamanaka Clan's Mind Body Switch Technique originated from the Sage of Six Paths. The only issue was whether it could hit the target, not whether the target was wrong.
Naruto must be nearby, but he was being hidden by certain "individuals."
Could the Nine-Tails be considered a "god"? There were too many gazes within Naruto's body, and the Nine-Tails was just a tad stronger than the other Tailed Beasts. Kinkaku and Ginkaku had managed to eat the Nine-Tails' flesh, proving that it had a physical form and wasn't just a spiritual entity. Ino didn't dare use the "Mind Body Disturbance Technique." Besides, without a body to provide a continuous supply of Chakra, she couldn't perform the "Mind Body Disturbance Technique," which required seventy Hand Seals, with just the meager amount of Chakra she brought with the "Mind Body Switch Technique."
If Naruto's body didn't have all those chaotic "individuals," she could have used her foreknowledge to bluff the Nine-Tails a bit. The problem was that there were too many "people" now, and she couldn't explain how she knew so much.
Ino had no choice but to search bit by bit.
Naruto's inner world was much larger than that of a normal person. She moved forward along the water pipes.
As she walked, a downward-sloping staircase suddenly appeared in her line of sight.
She glanced down and found it pitch black, seemingly bottomless.
She felt a bit uneasy. Good grief, there was even a staircase inside Naruto? She didn't recall this from the original story. Twice she tried to bypass this eerie staircase, but deep down, a voice kept calling her, urging her to go down.
"Brother, you've become so weak? Come down, I've been waiting for you for a long time." Just as she hesitated for the third time, a slightly clear voice whispered in her ear.
Brother? Ino looked around. Who was this person talking to? Considering a certain possibility, she fell silent, her thoughts rapidly colliding. Finally, she steeled herself and slowly stepped onto the suddenly appearing staircase.
Descending the staircase, she walked for what felt like an eternity before arriving in a completely dark space.
This place was very similar to where she had once seen Indra, though that part of her memory was now lost.
She could feel liquid slowly flowing beneath her feet. When she stepped on it, the water roughly covered her feet.
There wasn't a single ray of light in this world, but Ino could sense her own existence.
Directly in front of her, a man sat with his back to her.
Hearing her footsteps, the man slowly turned around: "Brother, you've finally come—"
When he saw Ino's face, his expression immediately turned to one of shock.
"You? Who are you?" he asked dumbly, the refined aura around him quickly dissipating. Seeing Ino frown at him, the man, like a monkey, shielded his eyes with his hand and peered behind her, exuding a goofy vibe.
The man wore an ancient white robe with six black Magatama at the collar. He had neat chestnut-colored short hair and bright eyes, though his expression now was somewhat flustered.
"Senior?" Ino felt the term was too casual and quickly changed it: "Sage? Are you a sage?"
The man scratched his head: "How did this happen? Did Brother turn into a woman? I don't even know how to start my opening lines now... Oh dear, it seems I've mistaken the person. What should I do?"
His expression was quite animated, transitioning from excitement, to confusion, to disbelief, and finally to self-pity in the blink of an eye. Ino stared at him intently, making him feel uneasy.
The man smiled ingratiatingly, "Uh... could you pretend you didn't see me? Ah, I guess that's not possible."
Gradually, he trailed off, then put on a fierce expression, "Since you've already discovered me, it's a pity... you're so young. Never mind, it's not worth it. I won't scare you anymore. I'll tell you the truth, hahaha—"
The man laughed heartily.
Ino played along at the right moment, "Please, Sage, go ahead. I'm listening."
The man was none other than the ancestor of the Senju Clan and the Uzumaki Clan, the second son of the Sage of Six Paths, and the younger brother of Indra—Ashura, who inherited Ninshu after the Sage of Six Paths.
Ashura was simple and honest by nature, but he wasn't a fool. He didn't mention anything about his own identity, such as being a Chakra reincarnation or the son of the Sage of Six Paths. He only said that he was the ancestor of the Senju and Uzumaki Clans, and that he had left a trace of Chakra in their bloodline out of concern that his descendants might stray from the right path. His true body had long since perished.
Ino didn't expose him either, dragging out her words, "Oh—so that's how it is. Then you're not a Sage after all. I'll just call you 'senior.' The current head of the Senju Clan is my master, senior. Isn't it a coincidence? We're actually connected!"
It was rare to encounter such a master. It would be a waste not to ask for some benefits.
Ashura rolled his eyes, "You're a descendant of the Yamanaka Clan, aren't you? I knew your ancestor. This habit of trying to gain advantages is exactly the same."
Ino: "..."
It was a bit awkward. It seemed her ancestor's reputation was somewhat problematic—too embarrassing! She quickly changed the subject, "So, senior, who was the brother you mentioned earlier?"
Ashura paused, staring blankly at Ino. Yes, who was his brother? How should he continue this lie?
Ashura's talent was relatively low, but this was mainly in comparison to Indra. In reality, as the second son of the Sage of Six Paths, his talent far surpassed that of the ninjas in the current Shinobi World.
He was clever and wise enough. Although he had been reincarnated through the bloodlines of the Senju and Uzumaki Clans, and time had become completely blurred for him, he still knew a bit about the outside world.
At the very least, he knew about the conflict between Hashirama Senju and Uchiha Madara.
He could only choose to tell part of the truth, "Ahem, actually, the Senju of the Forest and the Uzumaki Clan once shared a common ancestor. My brother is the ancestor of the Uzumaki Clan. Do you have Uzumaki blood? On closer inspection, you don't seem to..."
He scrutinized Ino closely and finally concluded that this descendant of the Yamanaka Clan had the same flaw as her ancestor—hoarding useful or useless things wherever she went. It seemed she had managed to scrape a bit of Chakra from his brother. This tiny bit of Chakra had led him to misjudge, thinking that his brother was on the verge of completely dissipating. He had rushed out in a panic, only to realize he had mistaken her for someone else. Originally, he had intended to continue his rivalry with Indra until his older brother acknowledged his way of thinking.
But now, the Shinobi World has been drenched in countless tears and blood due to their conflict, which goes against Ashura's original intentions. He feels a deep sense of guilt, yet he is powerless to stop this fate.
The appearance of Ino has made him see another possibility.
In a daze, he feels he has understood the profound meaning behind the teachings of the Sage of Six Paths. Could it be that the old man passed down the "Bridge" Secret Technique to the Yamanaka Clan for this very purpose? Is this a bridge to connect him and Indra?
"Child of the Yamanaka Clan, can you help me deliver a message to my brother?"