Chapter 81: Invitation
In the depths of their hidden base, Shino and Karina observed the intense standoff between Venom and the four formidable Akatsuki members displayed on the holographic screen.
Karina couldn't suppress her curiosity and turned to Shino, "Should we continue the fight?"
Shino's response was filled with intrigue and excitement, a mirror of normal human emotions. "Yes, why not?
As she meticulously presented a captivating array of statistics, bringing them to life through the mesmerizing dance of holographic displays, Karina's voice resonated with conviction, beginning her dissuasion.
"My dear, I really think we should reconsider continuing this fight. Our computational power has its limits, and we've already invested so much. The depletion of biomass in the clone's body had reached a critical point after the temporary strength buff. Not only that, we temporarily allocated two additional clone units just to combat against Kakuzu's control over his tendrils and to calculate his movement trajectory."
Karina continued her attempt to dissuade Shino, "Despite our efforts, we couldn't gain the upper hand in that intricate battle of control, and according to the database, this Kakuzu hasn't shown the real extent of his abilities. And now, with three more powerful Akatsuki members added to the mix, even if we dedicate all our computation resources, it won't be enough. In order to maintain basic functionalities of the system and our main bodies, we technically only have five clone units available, two of which were already allocated."
Shino's excitement was not doused as he spoke his thoughts, "I understand your concerns, Karina, but this is a golden opportunity to assess the true abilities of these S-rank ninjas. We can't let it slip away. Our cause demands that we push ourselves to the limit. Plus, if this was a story, our audience would certainly demand for encore."
"Shino, your joke is getting old. Wake up to reality, our life isn't a story." Karina continued to weave her compelling argument, captivating Shino with her graceful hand movements.
"Naturally, I will support my dear unconditionally if you are really determined, but Karina just wants Shino to think twice about the risks involved. Uchiha Itachi is amongst them. Dealing with Itachi's genjutsu is an entirely different matter. Our clone's weakness is illusions, and there is still a risk that Itachi's Tsukuyomi can affect us."
"Even without genjutsu, we've seen what he's capable of, and it's not something to be taken lightly. The high stakes make this fight perilous, and it might not be worth the investment for our cause, especially since we are busy deciphering the Thunder God technique right now." Karina's persuasion skillfully rolled off the tip of her tongue, leaving her target enthralled by her skills.
A sudden jolt coursed through Shino's veins as the mention of Itachi's formidable Tsukuyomi pierced his consciousness, jolting him awake from his complacency. Seriously, he realized he almost overstepped his stability creed.
Shino swiftly exerted control over the depths of his awakening chuuni personality, cloaking it beneath a veil of restraint, as he recognized the need to navigate the impending challenges with a composed and strategic mindset.
Returning to a stable mindset, Shino shook his head in disappointment, acknowledging his current combat force's limitations. "Even with my current abilities, I am still too weak. It seems I need to assimilate more humans into my hive to enhance my strength."
Karina rolled her eyes at Shino's remark, a playful grin forming on her lips. "Ah, Shino-sama, always thinking about expanding your harem."
"It's not necessary to only assimilate women, there are some useful tool men..." Shino lightly rapped her on the head, a mischievous glint in his eyes, as he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him. "Let's focus on the serious business."
As his gaze focused on the holographic display, his hands roamed freely, exploring the intricacies of the technique formula displayed by Karina as he playfully commanded, "Then, Karina, handle the negotiations. But let's make sure to keep a close eye on Itachi. We can't afford any slip-ups."
"As you command, my dear." Karina's responded in a submissive tone, her head lowering in a respectful gesture as her hand gracefully swept aside a stray lock of vibrant red hair, ready to unveil her unparalleled prowess in the art of negotiation.
On the other side of the dirt road, nestled between the two dense forests, Konan maintained her neutral expression as she stared at Venom, the formidable entity before her. Her voice held a touch of indifference as she offered Venom an enticing proposition. "If you join us, the Akatsuki, you can have all the food you desire."
Venom's tongue slithered across its lips, a hungry glint in its eyes. "Delicious, unique food... I'm interested."
Konan assured Venom, "Rest assured that within the Akatsuki, we possess a plentiful supply of unique corpses in our storage. But, if you want to partake in our valuable stockpile, you must contribute your fair share of work. Prove your worth, and we can provide what you want, dead or alive."
"Good, as long as there is food." Venom emitted a malevolent chuckle, its body seemingly shrinking inward as if being absorbed.
As the last of the black tendrils vanished into its form, a figure was revealed. Tobey, with his eyes closed and a fully intact body, now stood in Venom's place.
With a flick of his hair and an arrogant demeanor, he opened his eyes, a smug expression on his face, "Hey there, how about you join me and we can go for a swing?"
Konan remained unaffected by Tobey's advances, maintaining her neutral expression as she disregarded his remark.
Kisame, unable to contain his dissatisfaction with the turn of events, voiced his complaint, "Well, this is a letdown. If this was going to be the ending, you should have made your presence known earlier instead of hiding."
Konan's gaze fixated on Kisame, her expression unchanging. She calmly responded, her voice tinged with an air of superiority. "I had no desire to expose myself earlier and be on the receiving end of vulgar antics."
Tobey, overhearing the exchange, pointed a finger gun at Kisame, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Emotional damage!"
Kisame's sharp teeth clenched, a growl escaping his throat as he retorted, "She's talking about you, brat."
Tobey simply blinked before flicking his hair once again, a smug smile on his face. "I don't see the part where that's my problem."
"Arrogant brat, it seems I'll need to teach you a lesson." The tension in the air escalated as Kisame's hand tightened around his Samehada, ready to draw the mighty weapon.
However, Itachi intervened, shaking his head in silent disapproval. His unwavering gaze remained fixed on Tobey, who had begun to dance once more, seemingly unfazed by the brewing conflict.
Inside the confines of their base, Shino's eyes darted between two screens.
On one, a first person view of Tobey's flamboyant dance routine captivated his attention, while on the other, Tobey's unmoving figure stood frozen in place in between the Akatsuki members who were observing him with interest. This third person view was captured by his bugs hidden within the forest.
A sense of disappointment clouded Shino's blissful expression, his head shaking slowly as he commanded, "Karina, activate the bug network. It's time to free him from the clutches of the genjutsu."
Karina nodded repeatedly, understanding the urgency of the situation.
[The clone's chakra disturbance network has activated, Shino. The bugs will break Tobey out of the genjutsu.]
As the bug network within him rioted, Tobey found himself momentarily disoriented by the abrupt transition between his energetic dance and stationary stance, an uncomfortable feeling welling up in his throat as he gagged. Moments later, a crow drilled out from his mouth! The dead crow fell to the ground, gradually fading away as Tobey stood upright without any embarrassment over his gaffe.
Running a hand through his hair, he turned his attention to Itachi, his tone brimming with playful defiance. "If you keep staring at me with those eyes, I might just have to put some dirt in your eyes."
Itachi maintained his calm composure, silently regarding Tobey for a moment before closing his eyes, a gesture indicating his unwillingness to engage in a verbal exchange with the impulsive youngster.
Kisame, ever the instigator, couldn't resist chiming in with a mischievous grin. "Brat, provoking Itachi-san is unwise. You may come to regret it in the end, not even knowing how you died."
Meanwhile, Konan silently observed the rowdy banter with her neutral expression. She calmly intervened, issuing a command, "Take him to one of our outposts where he would receive his uniform and have his nails painted. Kakuzu, brief him on your mission. I'll go report to Zero."
With a flurry of dancing paper, she vanished from sight, her voice echoing in the air as a reminder, "Do hurry up so you won't miss the upcoming meeting."
As Konan departed, Tobey couldn't help but yell out, his voice tinged with playful exasperation. "But what about my staff pay?"
Kakuzu turned his gaze towards Tobey, a hint of disattisfaction in his eyes. "You still need pay outside of corpses?"
Tobey smirked, clarifying that the previous remark, "That's the pay for the other guy. Personally, I desire cold, hard cash and nothing else."
Kakuzu let out a low chuckle, his voice dripping with a mix of amusement and superiority. He scoffed at Tobey's words, "I won't say anything about the other guy, but you can't even last a minute against me, do you think you deserve any form of payment."
In response, Tobey declared his intentions to prove himself as a formidable opponent, "You're as annoying as my damn door, I'll show you I'm worth the pay!"
Tobey swiftly fired a barrage of spider web bolts towards Kakuzu, his determination shining through.
Kakuzu, using his tendrils, effortlessly swatted away the webs with a combination of strength and precision. His anger began to boil, ready to teach the young upstart a lesson.
However, Konan's voice reverberated through the forest once more, quelling the rising tension. "Enough. You will receive your salary, but don't expect much unless you work hard."
Tobey's grin widened as he flicked his hair in a show of satisfaction. "The angelic rich woman has been added to my new list of favorites."
"Brat, time to go for your initiation. Let's see if you can outlast my previous... 'partners'." Kakuzu's bone-chilling voice sliced through the air as he casually strolled past Tobey, his words dripping with a sinister undertone.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone