Chapitre 128: Results Are In
Swoosh! One Shino clone bravely delayed the relentless waves of Shibi's bug swarm with its final outburst, while the other four clones swiftly entangled Shibi, unleashing their own bugs to impede the relentless assault from all directions.
As Shibi deftly countered the clones' assault and micromanaged his bugs, his gaze flickered toward the invisible insects in the distance, his curiosity piqued by his son's actions. What was Shino planning?
In a fleeting moment of distraction, the Shino clones engaged in combat with Shibi detonated, transforming into masses of bugs that obscured his vision, scurrying through the air and attempting to infiltrate his body from all angles.
With the overwhelming numbers of his own bugs, Shibi remained confident, knowing he could eventually consume Shino's swarm now that they couldn't utilize the body flicker technique to evade his attacks.
Shino knew this too. He had been taught that without cohesion and adept manipulation, bug users can only compete in a war of attrition where the larger quantity triumphs, but if the bugs are organized and controlled flawlessly, even a small number of bugs could prove to be formidable, enough to compete against stronger enemies despite disadvantages.
Today, his son had shown exceptional skill, surpassing his expectations.
Yet, this sudden change in strategy left Shibi bewildered. Although this sudden outburst allowed some bugs to break through his defense, the minor damage they inflicted with their sacrifice certainly did not match the trouble caused by his son's clones.
Why would Shino willingly relinquish the advantage he had on hand? Did he have another surprise prepared?
Despite the many thoughts racing in his mind, Shibi's reflexes kicked in, and he commanded his remaining bugs, an emergency measure concealed within his own body, to form a protective barrier against the sudden onslaught, ready to play a game of attrition.
Yet to his surprise, Shino's masses of bugs cohesively punctured a hole in his barrier before bug-formed ropes shot forth from the mass, swiftly entwining around his limbs, their hidden wires growing taut as they pulled against him.
It was his son's strange application of his wire thread technique, and it wasn't until this close contact that Shibi realized that the ends of the thread were attached with a small, unknown leech, an insect that vehemently latched on to him, serving as the anchor for the thread wrapping his limbs!
Just as Shibi prepared to break free using a kunai that slipped into his hand, his narrowed eyes were drawn to the cluster of bugs before him, his bugs warning him of the imminent danger.
A powerful current surged through the air, forcibly displacing bugs within a circular area, friend and foe alike.
Through the opening, Shibi locked his gaze upon Shino, who held a spinning ball of violet chakra in his hand, its rotational force distorting the surrounding space as Shino extended his arm, ready to strike, seemingly undeterred by the bugs Shibi had sent to obstruct him!
Surprisingly, the bugs that infiltrated his son's body had lost contact with him, as if they entered an abyss outside of his control!
But Shibi didn't have time to worry about this trivial matter because his attention was now focused on the ninjutsu his son had used.
Though it was the first time Shibi witnessed his son using this technique, a sense of familiarity washed over him, causing his heart to skip a beat. "That is-"
Before his words could find completion, the spinning ball collided with Shibi's stomach, causing his declaration to hang in the air, unheard.
"Rasengan," Shino declared with an icy resolve, the echo of his words reverberating through the battlefield.
Shibi's mouth gaped open, saliva choking in his throat as he felt the tremendous force crash into his abdomen. Friction from the technique shredded a portion of his attire, sending searing pain coursing through his body as he was flung backward like a discarded puppet. His body tore through his own wall of bugs, tracing an arc through the air, leaving a trail of bugs in his wake.
Then, his free fall began. As his body plunged through the open airspace, Shibi's descent was marked by gasps for breath and the searing pain coursing through his stomach. Time seemed to compress as he watched the ground hurtling closer and closer.
With a swift motion, Shibi reached for a scroll and unraveled it. In a puff of smoke, a swarm of bugs materialized, gathering beneath him, acting as a cushion to slow his fall.
Gradually, his descent came to a halt, and he found himself hovering barely above the forest's dense canopy, relieved to have avoided a potentially crippling impact on a tree. "Unbeelievable.. this almost made me ant-sy..."
Yet, just as Shibi exhaled in relief, a sudden swoosh cut through the air above him. An invisible curtain parted, revealing today's leading actor Shino, who had been concealed behind it.
Arriving for his final act, Shino's body twisted through the air, using the momentum to unleash a downward sweep with his leg, his face donning a smirk as he greeted Shibi, "Yo, father, try my..."
Shibi's eyes narrowed, and he barely raised both hands to shield himself, but that was the extent he could achieve facing off against Shino's speed. Helplessly, he watched as Shino's leg smash down upon him with immense force, "Shino Rendan!"
Thud! The impact caused Shibi's eyes to well up with tears, the pain radiating through his arm. Yet, that was the least of his concerns, for the sheer force propelled him through his own swarm of bugs, hurtling him towards the unforgiving embrace of the forest below.
Whoosh!
Thump! Shibi collided with a tree branch, his body convulsing as he expelled a mouthful of blood before tumbling to the forest floor. Lying flat on his back, he coughed and winced in pain, unable to resist muttering, "Damn brat, so heavy-handed."
Tap. Shino heavily landed on a nearby tree branch, his knee bending to absorb the impact. The branch bent under his weight before he leaped off, executing a fluid flip through the air, eventually coming to a graceful landing beside his father.
Fixing his gaze upon Shibi, who lay weakly on the ground, his Aburame attire tattered and revealing a bruise on his abdomen, his cracked glasses evidence of the fierce struggle, Shino couldn't help but feel a momentary pang of guilt.
Yet, he swiftly extinguished it, addressing his father in a tone devoid of remorse, "Father, why bother coming alone if you're not going to give it your all?"
"Cough- Cough-" Coughing uncontrollably, Shibi managed to reply in a hoarse voice, "The Aburame clan... needs to give an explanation to Konoha."
Shaking his head, Shino's voice held unwavering conviction as he uttered, "There's no need for explanations."
Turning away, Shino began to walk, each step resolute and filled with self-assuredness. He declared, "As long as I'm alive, they won't dare to lay a finger on the Aburame clan."
Raising his hand into the air, Shino launched a thread that pierced through the camouflaged Overlord hovering above him. "Farewell, father. Let mother know that I will bring them to visit sometime."
With a gentle tug, Shino's body shot skyward, vanishing into the heavens moments later, leaving Shibi alone in the depths of the forest. He remained silent, gazing up at the tranquil skies, a serene smile gracing his face. "This brat…"
A couple of minutes passed, and an unhappy female voice resonated from the nearby forest, piercing through the stillness. "How long are you going to lay there, darling?"
Glancing in the direction of the voice, Shibi chuckled and extended his arm, beckoning the approaching lady. "Come and help me."
Dressed in the Aburame attire that concealed her features, the lady stomped over, her steps filled with irritation, before roughly assisting Shibi to his feet.
"Hiss - lighter, lighter, mother of my son. I'm an injured man right now," Shibi complained, his voice laced with playful exasperation as he leaned on his wife for support.
"Huh! Still know to play this set? Who told you to rush out and intercept our son? And to make matters worse, you ended up being beaten by him. It's shameful!" The lady's voice seethed with anger as she lightly patted the injury on Shibi's abdomen, causing him to hiss in discomfort.
"Haha, it's inevitable to be surpassed by my son," Shibi chuckled lightheartedly, undeterred by his defeat.
"Huh! Only because you didn't play all your cards! Taking such risks, playing so dangerous up high in the air and still keeping your tricks hidden! You deserve that injury!" The lady growled, helping Shibi move forward toward a nearby tree, where he could lean against it for support.
"Ahem. But Shino hasn't used all his tricks either," Shibi retorted, his voice tinged with a hiss of pain as the lady gently applied a cooling ointment to his wounds.
"Huh! And who do you think he learned that from? Father and son, both so sneaky... and womanizing!" The woman's dissatisfied voice reverberated in Shibi's ears, causing his expression to quickly shift to seriousness. He replied in an innocent tone, "Uh, but I only have you."
Smack! The lady's hand inadvertently pressed a little too hard, eliciting a hiss of pain from Shibi. "When you were younger, you weren't much better!"
"Hiss-" A drop of sweat trickled down Shibi's face as he quickly and firmly declared, "But I only have you now."
"Humph." Although her voice still carried a hint of dissatisfaction, there was a touch of sweetness as the lady's hands became gentle once more. She muttered, "Huh, but look at how you've raised our son. Unlike you, he clearly wants them all."
Shibi chuckled, his tone relaxed. "At least he's fortunate enough to have them and the opportunity to step out into the light, unlike..."
As the lady carefully stowed away the ointment, her voice carried a subtle undertone of worry. "But his path may be treacherous. Once our bloodline steps into the currents, the repercussions won't be as simple as interruptions or going unnoticed. The rejection may be far more severe, and even those close to him might be affected. Perhaps, even we may be affected, and even my once inconspicuous existence will start leaving traces for those paying attention to our son."
Shibi remained silent, his body gradually regaining strength with the support of his wife. As he stood on his own, his wife's concerned gaze fixated upon him, but he patted her hand gently to assure her, "Shino... he has his own path. We shouldn't interfere; we should silently support him. We can't keep him confined in a cocoon forever. One day, he will emerge, free as a butterfly."
"But, Shibi, you know as well as I do - how many of our bloodline have stepped into the limelight and how many had a good end?" The couple fell into a heavy silence after the lady's words hung in the air.
Shibi sighed, his gaze drifting towards the sky where their son had vanished. "Everyone has their fate, but perhaps there might be a miracle?"
Turning around, Shibi's footsteps weighed with a sense of purpose as he forged ahead. "Mother of my son, let's go. I'm starving."
"Still thinking about food? Huh! Who rushed out in the middle of a meal, breaking through the blockade of clan elders when he learned that his son was being targeted by Konoha? Now you're hungry, but the troubles waiting for you might not even give you a chance to eat!" Despite her complaints, the lady clasped her hand around Shibi's arm, pulling out a dried biscuit she had prepared.
With gentle support, she fed him as they made their way back home, ready to forge through the turmoil together.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone