Capítulo 65: Mission to Capital
The morning sun cast a warm glow over the gates of Konoha as Kiba and Hinata waited anxiously. Team 8 was about to embark on their first mission without the guidance of their trusted jonin sensei. Kiba's restless energy manifested in his restless pacing, while Hinata stood quietly, her white eyes scanning the surroundings.
"Where is Shino? He's never late," Kiba muttered, glancing at the sun for the umpteenth time. He was known for his impatience, but today it felt justified.
Hinata looked up from her gentle contemplation and said softly, "Did you inform Shino about the mission, Kiba-kun?"
Kiba's eyes widened in shock as he realized the grave oversight. "I thought you were going to tell him, Hinata! We can't go on this mission without him."
Hinata's face turned a delicate shade of pink as she stammered, "I...I thought you would... I mean, I was sure you would inform him."
"..."
They stood there, the weight of their mistake hanging in the air. The uneasy silence grew, each blaming themselves for the oversight.
It was then that Akamaru, Kiba's faithful canine companion, took matters into his own paws. He leaped from Kiba's shoulder and nipped him on the head, a playful but reproachful reminder.
"Ouch! Akamaru, not now!" Kiba winced, rubbing the spot where Akamaru had bitten him. "You could have reminded me earlier, you know!"
"Arf!" Akamaru barked in response, his eyes gleaming with mischief, as if saying, "That's what you get for forgetting, Kiba!"
As the dog and human engaged in their silent blame game, unbeknownst to them, Kurenai Yuhi, their former jonin sensei, observed the scene from the shadows. Her slender form was barely visible among the buildings as she watched her team's mishap unfold.
Her usually composed demeanor faltered, and she couldn't help but facepalm in exasperation.
"Seriously, Kiba and Hinata? I've taught you better than this," Kurenai muttered to herself. "I used to be the one responsible for notifying Shino about missions, and now they've completely forgotten without me..."
She couldn't help but feel a mix of annoyance and amusement at her team's inattentiveness. The young genins had grown so accustomed to her reminders that they had taken her role for granted. It was a valuable lesson for both Kiba and Hinata, one that Kurenai hoped they would learn from.
But, it also couldn't be completely blamed on them. After all, Shino's presence was really...
As Kurenai contemplated her next move, Kiba finally snapped out of his reverie. He turned to Hinata with a sheepish grin and scratched the back of his head.
"Well, this is awkward," he admitted, his voice tinged with embarrassment. "I guess we should go and find Shino then."
Hinata nodded, a small smile playing at her lips. "Yes, we need to find him and explain what happened. I hope Shino-kun will not be too upset with us."
"No need."
As Shino's words resonated through the atmosphere, leaving an intriguing undertone in the surroundings, a sudden commotion caught the attention of Kiba and Hinata as a mass of bugs swarmed in front of them, swiftly coalescing into the distinct form of Shino.
The two genin jumped at the sudden appearance of their teammate. Kiba scratched the back of his head, trying to hide his embarrassment, while he mumbled, "Damn, he didn't even give me a chance this time…"
A chance to do what, exactly? A subtle twitch flickered across Shino's eyebrow, an almost imperceptible gesture that hinted at hidden depths of his annoyance.
[Shino, Karina says we prepare missing dog posters.]
Caught in the inner turmoil of Karina's tempting proposition, Shino's gaze bore a weight of foreboding as his eyes locked onto Kiba, hinting at a deeper danger beneath the surface.
Sensing the weight of Shino's unfriendly stare, Kiba's awareness heightened as he abruptly became aware of his own blunder, decisively changing the subject as he blurted out, "Hey, Shino, how did you know about the mission? We didn't remind you."
From one landmine, Kiba jumped to another.
Shino, ever calm, simply raised his hand and presented his bugs as an answer without uttering a word. His actions spoke volumes, conveying that he was aware of their mission despite not receiving any reminders.
Kiba couldn't help but chuckle awkwardly, breaking the silence with his trademark humor. "Yo, the abilities of your bugs are clearly buggy, aren't they? Yo, it bugs me just thinking about it."
Shino's stoic expression remained unchanged, no amusement flickered in his dark eyes. It was a subtle acknowledgment of Kiba's horrible jest.
"Shino-kun! I'm glad you showed up," With a gentle smile that held a glimmer of hidden depths, Hinata intervened, attempting to sooth the situation, her voice seemingly brimming with genuine remorse and happiness, "Sorry, we forgot to remind you..."
"Alright, enough time wasted, listen up, Hinata, Shino." With an audacious interruption that betrayed his impatience, Kiba's voice cut through the air, devoid of remorse regarding his actions.
The default wannabe leader, Kiba, took charge and explained their mission to his teammates. "We've been assigned to investigate a serial murder case in the political capital of the Land of Fire, Oujisama city. It's the place where the Daimyo resides, a city mostly ruled by normal humans and largely outside the influence of ninjas. However, if there are complex or unsolvable problems, it falls to us, the shinobi, to tackle them. This mission will be a training experience for us, to see if we're ready to handle missions independently. If we do this properly, Kurenai sensei will let us take missions on our own!"
Hinata nodded attentively, her eyes shining with determination. "We can do this, Kiba-kun. We've trained hard, and we're ready to prove ourselves, to Kurenai sensei, and to Na-Na-"
In a twist of events, Kiba unexpectedly interjected, his interruption hanging in the air with a mysterious undertone. "Yaho! Just proving it to ourselves and Kurenai sensei is already enough, right Shino?"
Shino, as always, remained quiet but displayed a subtle nod. At last, the tables had turned, and the interruption was not directed at him this time. But the reason behind Kiba's interruption is intriguing, to say the least.
"Alright! Let's set off! Hinata, Shino, don't fall behind!" With a commanding presence, Kiba's words hung in the air for a brief moment before he rushed forward with Akamaru.
Hinata's gaze briefly met Shino's, nodding with determination before swiftly giving chase to Kiba,
Shino calmly followed behind, outwardly showing no emotions, but inwardly complaining about his team's lack of consideration.
The two just decided to take a mission and set off, but never asked him once if he wanted to go on one.
With a composed exterior that concealed the storm of conflicting emotions within, Shino trailed silently behind, his stoic facade betraying no trace of the brewing turmoil and simmering anger over his team's apparent disregard for his desires and preferences - a mission embarked upon without so much as a single inquiry directed his way, his opinion seems to no longer matter as they had taken him for granted.
The unsettling truth emerged that his fate was becoming inexorably intertwined with the role of a mere background board and perpetual pushover, solidifying his place in the unfolding narrative.
Time was like climate change, the steady growth of his team was like an iceberg peeking through the receding sea, while his presence was like the sea level, declining more and more over time.
Yet, there was a hidden brilliance in this masquerade, for while others might scorn him for his perceived passivity, Shino found solace in the shadows, relishing the deceptive allure of his pushover persona.
Behind the scenes, it was only an act to amuse himself, the cost was one simple clone. He wielded his clones like marionettes, orchestrating their intricate dance with meticulous precision, a master of manipulation, and the scheming puppeteer of his own grand design.
The true masterminds behind the scene were probably privy to his act, and now this was simply a game between them, a tantalizing game of wits and strategy, to see who discovers the weakness in the other first.
And once the time was right, the lurking danger will surface into the light.
"Should I punish them?" Sinister intentions simmered within Shino's psyche, his tongue slyly tracing his lips in a tantalizing gesture, concealed from prying eyes beneath the veil of his collar.
Blissfully unaware of the dark designs concealed within the heart of one among their own, Team 8 set off from Konoha on their missions.
As they set off, Shino's observant gaze briefly darted towards a concealed location where Kurenai had been watching. It was a fleeting acknowledgment, a silent assurance that he was aware of her presence, and a gaze that belied unspoken motives.
As the genin team ventured further away, Kurenai emerged from the shadows of the building, a gentle smile gracing her lips.
She was proud of Shino, proud of how far he had come to the point where he could find her without any overt cues.
Yet, there was a hint of disappointment within her own heart, realizing that her own strength hadn't grown as much as she had hoped.
"To slowly be surpassed by my own student, this feeling…" A bittersweet sensation engulfs her, but Kurenai gently dismissed it with a solemn shake of her head.
With a graceful leap, Kurenai stealthily pursued her team, taking on the role of an unseen guardian. Her duty as their jonin sensei compelled her to keep a watchful eye, ensuring their safety and success.
Although she was confident in their abilities by now, her presence offered a comforting insurance, a guiding force in the shadows in case of sudden changes.
And if they were ready, it will be the last time she serves as a safety net for them.
After all, as a jonin, she also has critical and important missions, ones too perilous to bring a team of genin along.
Also, she had her own life… but she was responsible enough to not skimp on her duties just to cater to a man. But soon, she may be granted her anticipated freedom… but will it be as she imagined?
Unknown to all three members of the team, all their actions and facial expressions were monitored by their mysterious team member, one they still hadn't fully grasped the depths of.
In the depths of the base, Shino's unwavering gaze locked onto the captivating live footage of Kurenai, carefully studying every contour of her alluring, matured form as it flickered across the screen, his eyes concealing a hidden fascination and forbidden desire.
As he honed his raiding skills, Shino's unwavering focus remained locked on Kurenai's alluring figure, igniting a primal fire within him that fueled his movements with a newfound intensity and determination, hinting at a hidden motivation driving his relentless pursuit of mastery.
"Ha… Ha… Is Shino-sama interested in her?" Karina's seductive laughter reverberated through the room, its intoxicating melody swirling with an irresistible allure, casting a mesmerizing spell that lured and tempted with a promise of hidden secrets and forbidden desires. "Ha… How about Karina helps Shino-sama start a student-teacher relationship?"
Shino's gaze shifted from the captivating holographic display, his eyes now locked onto his lover with a penetrating intensity. Leaning in closer, he breathed a whispered message, tickling the depths of her ears, "Jealous?"
"Ha… Ha… No, of course not. Karina had already said, she will help Shino-sama acquire all he desires, whether by hook or crook. Ha- Ha-" Intertwined with her evil laugh, Karina's dark thoughts were conveyed, hinting at the sinister intentions within her depths.
Shrouded in an air of ambiguity, Shino's gaze held an alluring depth as he playfully nibbled Karina's ear, his whispered words trailing off, "You already changed the way you are calling me, still saying you aren't jealous..."
Karina's face turned subtly, a veil of secrecy concealing the flicker of jealousy within her eyes. "Ha... Ha… Karina isn't."
How cute.
The flames of jealousy ignited within Karina, spreading like wildfire to engulf Shino, compelling him to daringly drive the firetruck with increasing speed, eager to reach the final destination and unleash the hose's torrential downpour that would quell the burning inferno.
Intriguingly perceptive, Karina's eyes shifted, capturing the subtle shift in the atmosphere.
Karina's eyes swiveled to meet Shino's intense gaze, and from her lips dripped an ambiguous laugh, "Ha- Ha- S-Shino-sam-"
Her ambiguous laugh was swiftly silenced by Shino, their tongues entwining in a fateful dance.
Like the mechanism of a cunning trap set into motion, the very walls of the tomb commenced a calculated contraction, poised to unleash a final strike upon the audacious intruder.
And the firetruck also arrived in the capital city, ready to put out the fire.
Estado de energía semanal
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