Chapter 78: Family Talk
The morning sun cast a warm glow through the windows of Shino Aburame's home as he awakened in the body of his clone. Stretching his arms, he rose from his bed and went about his usual routine, preparing himself for the day that lay ahead. Little did he know that this day would be different from any other, for within the walls of his home, a storm was brewing.
As Shino headed towards the dining room, he found his father, Shibi Aburame, waiting for him in the living room. Their eyes met, and a heavy silence settled between them. Shino had grown accustomed to these encounters, knowing all too well that his father had something important to discuss.
With a nod, Shibi motioned for Shino to join him, and they took their places, facing each other once again.
Shibi cleared his throat and began, his voice laden with a mix of concern and unease. "Shino, have you heard about the accusations against our clan regarding the theft of the corpses?"
Shino's expression remained impassive, but his mind raced with knowledge he dared not reveal. He replied calmly, "I haven't been officially informed, but I have heard whispers through my own methods."
Shibi nodded, understanding his son's unspoken words. The weight of their clan's reputation hung heavy in the air.
"I know it cannot be us," Shino continued. "And the upper echelons of the village would never allow such a tarnish upon our name to go unnoticed. So, what did they say, father?"
Shibi's eyes reflected agreement, but he spoke words that revealed the harsh realities of their world. "In politics, my son, truth is not always the driving force. There are machinations at play that go beyond what is right or wrong."
A moment of silence passed between father and son, the weight of their shared knowledge pressing upon them. Then, with a measured tone, Shibi continued, revealing a revelation that sent a chill down Shino's spine. "That one has approached me, Shino. He demands that more Aburame clan members join Root, promising assistance in finding evidence to prove our innocence."
Shino's eyes narrowed, his mind piecing together the twisted web that had been spun. "A clever ploy," he remarked bitterly. "Because I refused his offer, this is the his way of forcing our hand, of disgusting us and creating a rift within our ranks."
Shino could already imagine the clan member's dissatisfaction when they learn they are forced to join Root due to the Aburame clan's heir refusal. A dirty but effective method to divide the hearts of the members of the clan.
Shibi listened, his gaze filled with approval and a father's protectiveness. He chose his words carefully before responding. "I'm glad you can see this, Shino. My vision wasn't wrong, and I believe you will grow into a competent heir. So, I implore you, my son, do not fall into that man's grasp out of guilt. You are the rightful heir, deserving of protection. Moreover, your mother would never agree to such a choice"
Shino raised a curious brow, a fleeting thought reminding him of his forgotten mother.
In the story of his life, it seemed as if she were a character never mentioned, shrouded in mystery. His curiosity piqued, he inquired about her, his voice filled with genuine intrigue. Vague memories of her presence lingered in his mind, but she had always felt absent.
"Where is Mother?" he asked, hoping to unravel the mystery behind her low presence.
Shibi's gaze bore into Shino's, his eyes holding secrets yet to be unveiled. "She has always been here, my son," he replied cryptically, leaving Shino slightly perplexed.
The answers seemed just out of reach, teasing him from the shadows.
Sensing his confusion, Shibi advised him not to dwell on it, "Shino, the truth would reveal itself in due time. Just know that if your mother disagreed with a decision, it would be impossible for me to agree as well." Shibi emphasized with a firm tone.
A playful smirk curved Shino's lips as he quipped, "So, Father, are you truly so obedient when faced with Mother's will?"
Shibi's silence hung in the air, pregnant with unspoken memories and uncharted emotions.
After a moment, he responded with an air of mystery. "In time, my son, you will come to understand."
Swiftly changing the subject, Shibi turned the conversation back to Root, "Shino, it's best for you to embark on a mission as a temporary reprieve from the swirling winds of uncertainty. News had reached me of your recent mission failure, but do not lose heart, Shino. Although your own strength had been overshadowed by the recklessness of your teammate, this is also a process of tempering. Eventually, you will break out from your cocoon and shine like a true Aburame."
"Yes, father. The Aburame surely do like to shine by going unnoticed." Shino quipped playfully, the father and son silently stared at each other with mirthful smiles, "Don't worry Father, I'll go apply to Kurenai sensei for another mission soon."
As Shino made the pledge, he made a mental note in the system, informing Karina to contact Kurenai. The path forward became clearer, with every step bringing him closer to the steady tactic he sought. Since there's a storm here, let's get out. Swift and efficient.
Shibi's nod of approval came as a reassurance, a father's silent support. "Shino, do not burden yourself with the affairs of the clan. Father is here, and know that Konoha would not sever one of its own limbs completely for some rumors. The clan's disgust would be a temporary obstacle. As long as you have sufficient strength and intellect, the position of clan head will be stable in your hands, Shino."
His words painted a future in which Shino held the clan in the palm of his hand.
Grateful for his father's guidance, Shino nodded in earnest. "I will work hard," he affirmed, receiving a reassuring pat on the shoulder from Shibi.
As his father rose to leave, a flicker of memory seemed to resurface, a spark in Shibi's eyes as if he received a reminder from someone. Retrieving a scroll, he pushed it towards Shino, "This scroll holds a genjutsu technique your mother had acquired during one of her missions. It is a gift for your teacher, a token of gratitude for her own gift to you."
Accepting the scroll with a sly smile, Shino expressed his gratitude, "Tell mother thanks for me."
Shibi paused for a moment before he said, "She already knows."
Deep inside, a sense of satisfaction bloomed, knowing he had received a 'buy one, get one free' offer, though a vague unease lingered in his mind. Something felt amiss, a puzzle piece out of place, yet he couldn't quite grasp it.
However, that thought evaporated as he watched his father depart from the house, his clone's attention now fully focused on the scroll's contents. The urge to record its secrets grew, a new record in Shino's growing database of genjutsu.
Meanwhile, Shino's consciousness shifted back to his main body, nestled within the confines of his hidden base.
He found himself immersed in a labyrinth of intricate calculations and experimentation, guided by the system database crafted by Karina. The computation power hummed, its resources dedicated to deciphering the new Thunder God technique and generating potential working variants.
The scroll's formula, although present, was merely a vague blueprint, requiring further research to unleash its true power. And there was another reason for caution - using that formula could inadvertently expose his location to others who possessed the same knowledge. Shino definitely didn't want the revived Hokages to teleport into his secret base.
Beside Shino, Karina's shadow clones buzzed with activity, engrossed in their own studies of the Thunder God technique, inscribing the system-generated blueprints into reality.
Shadow clone technique – the long overdue B-rank ability, finally put to use.
The tantalizing possibility of using this technique sooner had lingered within Shino's grasp, yet he chose not to seize it prematurely, for he possessed his own cadre of insect clones, whose utilization had proven unburdensome to his main body, devoid of the negative effects, rendering the pursuit of an alternative method less pressing.
On the other hand, the shadow clone technique's convenience was a confirmed prospect, yet beneath its surface lay the inherent danger that had always whispered its foreboding warning.
Harnessing the shadow clone technique, Karina and Shino gained the ability to summon a couple of extra clones, their chakra skillfully divided, enabling them to temporarily augment their cognitive prowess without exerting a significant toll on their spiritual reserves.
Yet, concealed within this formidable power was a profound trade-off, akin to a debt borrowed from the future - the toll and detrimental consequences experienced by the clones would ultimately be transferred back to the main body, encompassing all the shadow clone's anguish, relentlessly tormenting the main body's very psyche.
Due to this risk, Shino found himself restrained from deploying the shadow clones in the ninja realm, for the very essence of these ethereal duplicates rendered them vulnerable targets, susceptible to manipulation by his adversaries keen on exploiting their existence to locate or impact his main body.
Indeed, the shadow clone possessed the ability to dissipate itself with relative ease, yet it proved inadequate against instantaneous abilities that could ensnare him with sudden precision, whether it be the insidious genjutsu of Itachi or the dangerous stolen Kotoamatsukami of a certain cunning old man.
Naturally, Shino can't expect the immediate dissipation of the shadow clone upon succumbing to genjutsu, for if such a feeble state were the shadow clone's true nature, then deploying the clone would be rendered utterly futile from the outset, completely replaceable by his pseudo-immortal insect clones.
Amidst the allure that the anime had woven around the shadow clone technique, the hidden truths of its reality unveiled a scale tipped heavily in favor of adverse repercussions, leading Shino to regard his insect clones as the superior alternative, their advantages outweighing the precarious balance of benefits offered by their versatile counterparts.
Not only that, Shino stumbled upon a disconcerting truth - the shadow clones existed as distinct outliers outside of his expansive zerg network and system!
They were detached from the domination of his system, devoid of access to the system's vast database and bereft of comprehensive knowledge regarding the system and his otherworldly memories, confined solely to executing ninja techniques mastered and stored within his main body's memories in this world!
What does this mean? This was a disquieting realization as it meant they were independent entities, elusive and beyond the realm of his absolute control!
Caught in the web of intrigue spun by this strange occurrence, Shino's mind teemed with contemplation, his wariness towards the shadow clone technique intensifying with each passing thought.
Was the clone truly a fragment of his own consciousness, or rather an illusory facsimile conjured forth by the mysterious machinations of an unknown entity? And why did the very core of his system bear a distinct filter for the shadow clone's existence, concealing a deeper truth waiting to be unraveled?
Unfortunately, at the moment, Shino found himself unable to deduce the truth lurking beneath the surface, shrouded in veils of uncertainty.
Yet, a fortuitous consequence arose from the shadow clone's limited comprehension of his system's inner workings, offering Shino a tenuous safety net in the form of their ignorance, mitigating the inherent risks of employing the shadow clones as additional reservoirs of intellectual prowess, extra brains for the purpose of honing techniques.
Perchance, had his insect clones possessed the capacity to fulfill the task at hand, Shino would have shunned the utilization of shadow clones, burdened as they were with the lingering effects of their exertions.
Alas, the limits of his insect clones lay revealed, for when confronted with the demands of S-rank ninjutsu, their aid proved elusive, leaving him with an unsettling reliance on the precarious alternative that shadow clones presented.
Thus, the shadow clones found themselves relegated to the role of both practice dummies, subjected to the intricate inscription of technique formulas, and expendable pawns, serving as the vanguard to test the treacherous realms of perilous new iterations of the Thunder God technique - an experimental territory Shino deemed too perilous for their main bodies to venture into, prompting this calculated deployment of their illusory counterparts.
Verily, the path they treaded proved to be the correct one. The shadow clones' efforts yielded a scattered array of objects, each one adorned with new formula variations, ready to undergo rigorous testing by other clones nearby.
Like a meticulously orchestrated assembly line, the clones assumed the roles of diligent workers, propelling the experimental process forward with an unwavering determination.
In their quest for mastery, Shino also employed different strains of genetically modified zergs, each mutation tailored to enhance spatial perception and talent.
These extraordinary creatures acted as discerning detectors, swiftly separating the pile into formulas that exhibited spatial fluctuations upon completion and those that remained inert and lifeless, reducing the amount the clones had to test. They were the software to reduce the workload for the assembly line workers.
Whilst their clones did the grunt work, the main bodies of Shino and Karina tirelessly practiced the intricate hand seals of the Thunder God technique, attempting to teleport to the original and safe technique formula, hoping to sense any flicker of response, any inkling of success.
Though the probability remained slim, precautionary measures were taken in the form of meticulously arranged biochambers positioned in close proximity, ready to intercept any potential disintegration of their physical form resulting from the strenuous practice sessions.
It was just a safety net, arranged to catch nightmares, akin to the ones appearing during apparition in a certain wizarding world.
Yet, time seemed to mock their efforts, for success eluded them. They didn't have to worry about their body splitting because there wasn't even a single successful teleportation.
Of course, it had only been a mere day, and even with the system's formidable computational power, true talent could not be conjured overnight.
Their path to mastery lay solely in the realm of diligence and unyielding determination, for they had not been blessed with innate gifts.
But time was a precious commodity, and they refused to let a single moment go to waste.
So, within the confines of their training grounds, Shino and Karina immersed themselves in a relentless cycle of hand seal practice. Their hands moved with precision, their bodies mirroring the constant motion.
In this synchronized dance, Shino's thunder god eagerly awaited Karina's guidance, ready to be shaped by her unique technique formula.
As the number of times the technique formula was rubbed grew, an electric anticipation filled the air.
Shino could feel the tension coiling around him, a tangible instinct that whispered success was coming soon.
His voice, filled with determination, urged her to quicken her pace as he commanded, "Karina, seal faster."
Responding to his demand, Karina's movements picked up, her speed increasing in tandem with Shino's mounting anticipation.
A tremor coursed through Shino's body, as if he could sense the tightness within the technique formula. Intricate symbols and lines converged, weaving an detailed pattern that held the promise of untold power.
With a resolute grunt, Shino declared, "Flying Thunder God, here it comes!"
In that moment, a surge of energy roared to life. The Karina before Shino, her eyes gleaming with determination, suddenly vanished in a flash of brilliance, transferring a small distance forward!
The room trembled with the intensity of their efforts, and a rushing torrent of energy followed Karina through the air, splattering against her back.
"Ha… ha…" Karina's gasps of exhaustion echoed through the room, evidence of the chakra depletion that accompanied the successful casting of the Flying Thunder God technique for the first time.
Shino's gaze lingered on Karina's glistening back, adorned with a sheen of sweat. Admiration mingled with curiosity as he observed the aftermath of their combined efforts. With a voice filled with wonder, he asked, "Success?"
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone