Chapitre 108: Coincidences
Deep within their hidden base, concealed from prying eyes, Shino and Karina stood in their lab, their attention focused on their respective holographic screen before them.
Karina's voice broke the silence, urgency laced within her words, as she alerted Shino, "My dear, our biosphere in the Land of Wind have been discovered. It seems that Team Gaara has luckily stumbled upon it after searching for weeks. Since it has been discovered, should we detonate it?"
Shino's eyes, usually hidden behind his glasses, betrayed a flicker of interest. His movements, which had been filled with purpose, came to a halt as he pondered the situation. "I've expected them to be discovered sooner or later," he mused aloud, his voice calm and analytical, "But to be discovered now, and even by some of the main supporting casts... How come I have a strange feeling?"
Karina rolled her eyes, her gaze sweeping over the captive victim trapped within a genjutsu. A pout of jealousy formed on her lips as she retorted, "Of course you have a strange feeling, Shino-sama. How can you not when you are practicing your genjutsu in that way?"
Shino's playful smile emerged behind his glasses as he turned his gaze, staring at the strange spectacle before him - a manifestation of his modified Tree Binding Death genjutsu.
It took the form of a weeping willow tree, its smooth white bark contrasting with the elegant thin black branches that hung down loosely, swaying gently as if caressed by an ethereal breeze. Two thicker white branches extended like wings, adding to the tree's enchanting beauty, and the white expanse awakened Shino's deep-rooted love for nature.
Feeling the subtle softness of the thick white trunk in his hand, Shino's eyes ignited with a hint of excitement. The strange feeling within him continued to brew, as if his instincts were warning him of an impending conspiracy.
With his other hand, he reached out, determined to take matters into his own hands. He attempted to mold the abnormal lumps on the tree to his will, and continued to delve further into the mystery.
Drilling into the hollow hole of the tree, his actions guided by a mixture of curiosity and a growing sense of foreboding, he desired to dig out the hidden secrets and critters within.
It was unknown when his attempts would bear fruit to results, but he knew that sooner or later the clues of the conspiracy would be released, allowing him to understand its secrets.
As he continued his exploration, the tree's hanging wavy black branches swayed in response to his movements, as if whispering winds brushed against them, carrying soft, muffled cries of the name 'Asuma'.
Strangely, this illusory call only fueled Shino's determination, especially with the hollow hole of the tree seemly coming alive with a mystical power, tightening around the drill, as if impeding him from drilling faster and digging into the secrets within. But Shino could feel his goal within reach; the clues were falling into place, and the conspiracy was on the verge of being unraveled.
Karina's question hung in the air once more, "So, what is your command, Shino-sama?"
Finally, with a final groan, Shino gave his answer, his voice resolute. "Detonate."
"Alright. On it, Shino-sama," Karina responded, her head turning away with an unhappy pout. She busied herself with the necessary preparations to carry out Shino's command.
Soon, a holographic screen displayed the remnants of his detonation. Shino let out a satisfied sigh as he stepped back, his eyes gleaming with a sense of accomplishment. Glancing down, he noticed the sap seeping out from the tree - a testament to the tree's final budding after spring.
Once again, the whispers of a man's name reached Shino's ears, a chilling reminder of the dark path he had embarked upon. An evil grin etched itself onto his face as he released the genjutsu he had cast, liberating Kurenai from its invisible grip. She collapsed into a sitting position on the ground, gasps of surprise filling the air.
After a moment of daze, Kurenai slowly lifted her lowered head, her dull red eyes peering through her black hair draping over her Konoha forehead guard. The fog of confusion began to lift as her gaze fixed upon Shino, gradually regaining clarity. Her eyes dimmed in realization, and she bit her lip, bowing her head in disappointment.
A dark smile played on Shino's lips as he approached the captivating figure before him, gently brushing aside Kurenai's draping black hair to reveal her entrancing face. He tugged lightly at her hair, compelling her attention to meet his gaze.
Kurenai's red eyes locked onto the familiar detective tool, comprehending the implications of Shino's actions. She bit her lip, a hint of bitterness lingering in her expression, before finally parting her red lips to articulate her thoughts on the clues that were presented on the detective tool within her vision.
Karina gracefully positioned herself at Shino's side, her lithe form wrapping around his arm, seeking to capture his attention with her own delicate touch. Her voice carried a hint of concern as she questioned, "Shino, is it truly wise to squander her time like this? We still have numerous genjutsu experiments awaiting her completion."
Shino's eyes radiated a profound depth as he reached out to ruffle Karina's hair, assuring her, "Of course. We possess an abundance of time, an eternity even."
Karina's worried expression persisted, and she couldn't resist reminding him, "But, Shino, our time may not be as plentiful as we estimate. The discovery of our biosphere by the ninja of one of the Five Great Ninja Villages has already come to pass. Furthermore, outside of the enemy in the dark, Konoha also appears to have uncovered some clues and is turning their attention towards us."
As he felt the accommodating warm plug recharging his electricity, Shino's subtle movements betrayed his curiosity as he asked, "Hmm? Didn't we use the nobles to attract their attention? Why are they still fixated on us?"
Karina responded with a wry smile, "That was indeed our anticipated outcome after many calculations and optimizations. However, a few inconsistent incidents had shifted the focus onto you, Shino."
Shino's movements faltered, his mind momentarily distracted from Kurenai's lecture. "Coincidences?" he inquired, his voice tinged with a hint of uncertainty, while a subtle fog seemed to obscure certain important memories within his mind.
Karina continued her explanation, her words laden with an ominous undertone. "Indeed, coincidences. Although they should not be cause for great concern, it's a fact that you have unwittingly become the target..." As Karina's report continued, Shino experienced an inexplicable sense of foreboding, his mind clouded by a swirling mist that obscured fragments of crucial memories.
Suddenly, the warm sensation slid away from him, interrupting Shino's train of thought, as a calm voice resonated through the air. "It's clean."
Hmm? What's clean? The perpetrator of course. Clearly, it isn't the perpetrator's first crime, and the perpetrator's methods were clean. This is the reason why Shino was baffled at the moment.
Shino's penetrating gaze locked onto Kurenai, her charming red eyes engaged in a silent battle with him, clearly a sign of provocation, revealing her desire to leave him hanging, akin to an author who relishes leaving chapters on cliffhangers.
However, Shino had no time to entertain Kurenai's willfulness, for he could feel the weight of the assembled clues within him, as if on the verge of brushing away the lingering fog to reveal the elusive truth. Like an eager reader craving resolution, he demanded, "Continue."
Kurenai hesitated, biting her lip as she averted her gaze, her head turning to the side in a defiant manner.
But Shino, driven by an unrelenting determination, reached out and redirected her focus, his movements devoid of gentleness. The suddenness of his actions caused Kurenai's eyes to widen in shock as he silenced any possible protests coming from her opened mouth.
Shino closed his eyes, delving into the depths of contemplation, attuning himself to the feedback from the creatures under his control. When he opened his eyes, he released his grip, allowing Kurenai to pull back slightly with intentions of escape, gasping for breath.
However, the intensity of his heated stare served as an unspoken threat, prompting Kurenai to stare at him with pleading eyes, before obediently resuming her role as his teacher.
Karina, unable to bear watching Kurenai shoulder the burden alone, joined in, offering her assistance to lighten the load, displaying her work ethics that may even exceed those of his teacher.
The two beauties engaged in a dance of words, their thoughts flowing seamlessly as they unraveled the tapestry of clues before them, their tongues dancing as their mouth alternatively spoke of their conjectures.
Meanwhile, Shino delved deeper into the fog that obscured his mind, alternating between various tactics and strategies in an unyielding pursuit of the answer.
Time seemed to stretch on endlessly, moments blending into an eternal continuum. Yet, at last, Shino sensed a breakthrough.
The fog lifted, dissipating like the fading mist before a radiant sunrise. An incredible revelation dawned upon him. He was enlightened!
Gazing down at the multitude of clues displayed before him, Shino's eyes flickered with newfound understanding as his senses returned to normal.
The chain of discoveries, occurring in rapid succession, hinted at an unseen hand pulling back the curtain to reveal his existence.
His recent methods, straying from his customary steadfastness.
And even the breadcrumbs scattered throughout his journey of growth, some skillfully concealed while others revealed with brazen audacity, so much so that even the readers would be disgruntled over them.
He didn't see the problem before, but now they bore deeper significance.
Coincidences? Shino should have known better.
As an individual who indulged in light novels during his past life, immersing himself in different worlds, filled with a variety of tales including those of counterattack protagonists, he understood that coincidences were rarely mere insignificant events, particularly for villains.
They were part of the plot, and were used to conveniently deal with the problems of the protagonist, usually by debuffing the villain or unveiling deeply hidden ones through seemingly unconnected events. Any villain would find themselves helpless against this power.
Unfortunately, in this life, he was a villain.
And even if he doesn't want to be a villain, he now found himself cast into the role of a villain, whether he desired it or not.
A grim realization settled within him, overshadowing his thoughts. Shino couldn't help but curse under his breath.
"Damn. It seems I've been targeted by the world."
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone