Bab 90: One Man Army
With a single thought, a surge of bugs erupted from each Shino, coalescing into a legion of insect clones that multiplied their numbers, ready to wage war against the encircling ninjas.
Cold determination etched into his voice, Shino commanded, "Go."
Like a tidal wave, the insect replicas surged forward, intermingled with the Shino ninjutsu-capable clones, their hands deftly performing seals to summon even more clones into existence.
The encircling ninjas responded swiftly, forming seals of their own, preparing to unleash another torrent of fire to incinerate their enemies.
However, a voice seemed to resonate through the battlefield, its origin unknown. "Arise."
In an instant, the ground beneath them trembled, and an army of zerglings burst forth, snaring the unsuspecting ninjas who failed to react in time and pouncing on those who managed to evade their clutches!
The ninjas retaliated swiftly, cutting down the assaulting zerglings with ease, a single swipe of their kunai easily claiming multiple lives.
Yet, these seemingly weak creatures were not to be underestimated. Their strength lay in their sheer numbers, an unending swarm that poured forth from the depths of the earth, fiercely engaging their targets without fear of death.
Not only that, in a display of astonishing strategy, the very earth beneath their feet seemed to turn against the encircling ninjas, as deep holes tore open randomly in the ground, aiming to swallow the ninjas above whole with shocking precision.
Caught off guard, some lost their footing and plummeted into the gaping abyss below, their cries of desperation echoing through the air before being consumed by the ravenous multitude of zerglings eagerly awaiting their descent.
Despite it being their first confrontation, facing the menacing swarm, the ninjas knew if they failed to keep the swarm at bay, they would be overwhelmed and devoured without mercy.
Forced to split their attention, they fought back against the relentless zerglings, utilizing ninjutsu to wipe out swaths of the swarm, even at the cost of sacrificing their companions caught within their own attacks.
In the midst of the chaos, when the masked ninjas were momentarily distracted, four Shino clones leapt into the air within the encirclement, facing outwards towards each of the cardinal directions, their mouths swelling with churning power. "Fire Release: Great Fire Destruction!"
A cataclysmic explosion reverberated through the air as the flames of destruction were unleashed upon the enemies, engulfing both the distracted ninjas and the zerglings in a merciless inferno. It was a cold and calculated trade-off, a one-to-many sacrifice, but the zerglings never concerned themselves with such notions of numbers and self-preservation.
The indifference displayed by their owner towards their demise spoke volumes, for these zerglings were mere disposable pawns in the grand scheme, easily bred in abundance at a low cost. Despite lacking the ability to collect resources, these zerglings were the best cannon fodder in battle.
Unyielding, the relentless swarm of zerglings continued to pour out from the flame-covered ground, relentlessly chasing after the surviving ninjas while drones discreetly retrieved the dead and incapacitated victims.
Unfortunately, these elite ninjas' reactions were cold and concise, some stepped forth to summon earth and water walls to defend against the fire despite being mobbed by the zerglings. These sacrifices allowed many ninjas to survive through the destructive flames.
However, it was still undeniable that the once formidable encirclement had been shattered. Now, the former-hunters desperately fought back against the overwhelming numbers that seemed to emerge from the shadows themselves, undiscovered until the time the hunters had transformed into prey. But this discovery was meant it was already too late.
With the zerglings as cover, the Shino clones swiftly approached the disrupted defensive line unimpeded as the clash of the ninjas and zergs had reached a fever pitch, a deadly ballet unfolding amidst the chaos.
With swift precision, the kunai-wielding clones swiftly dispatched the ninjas immobilized by zerglings, severing their lives with a clean swipe across their vulnerable necks.
And for those who could still resist in close combat, a sinister fate awaited them as the insect clone converged, collapsing into a swarm of relentless bugs that infiltrated their bodies, unleashing destruction from within.
Amidst the relentless onslaught, the clones summoned through ninjutsu served as expendable pawns, distractions for both the insect clones and the zerglings, accelerating the pace at which the enemies fell.
Simultaneously, they mercilessly harvested the lives of immobilized ninjas while the insect clones were preoccupied in their own combat, reaping a grim toll.
Despite the initial wave of surprise, the ninjas quickly regained their composure, forming defensive formations and retaliating with their seasoned expertise, inflicting heavy casualties upon the zerglings and clones.
Yet, in the face of the seemingly inexhaustible numbers advancing from every direction, their fate appeared increasingly bleak.
Undeterred by the dire circumstances, the masked ninjas fought with an emotionless resolve, executing efficient tactics in a desperate bid to make their sacrifices count.
Meanwhile, their cold commander's calculating gaze swept across the field, attempting to deduce the location of the real Shino amidst the myriad of clones, but to no avail.
A flicker of realization crossed his face as he comprehended the depth of his misjudgment.
The target he sought had concealed himself far more skillfully than anticipated. The target's mastery of deception and methods far exceed their expectations once again. This needs to be reported.
Despite this revelation, the commander remained unnervingly composed, unruffled by the escalating death toll surrounding him.
Suddenly, tension rippled through his body as his eyes fixated on the three Shino clones that materialized before him, encircling him from three angles.
With no emotional fluctuation, the masked ninja's icy voice reverberated through the air, "Surrender. Your struggle is futile. You will not escape my lord's grasp."
Shino's steady voice cut through the tension, challenging the masked ninja's assertion. "That is yet to be determined."
In an instant, the three Shino clones surged forward, their movements fluid and precise. The masked ninja swiftly deflected two incoming kunai, but his triumph was short-lived as a third kunai found its mark, piercing his back.
Yet, in a puff of smoke, he vanished into thin air. He was a mere clone, a deceptive facade.
In the depths of the nearby forest, the enemy commander, his eyes filled with icy resolve, turned away from the battlefield, intending to make his escape and find a location to send a report.
But before he could take a single step, a voice coming from his left side startled him, "Where do you think you are going?"
He spun around, his tanto poised to strike, only to find emptiness greeting him. Bewilderment clouded his features for mere moments, but there was no time to react further as a powerful but invisible force struck him from his other side, propelling him through the air with great force, hurtling him back into the heart of the village battlefield.
Despite the pain, mid-air, the commander's hands moved with practiced precision, already weaving intricate seals in preparation for his landing. Just as he made contact with the ground, the other Shino clones closed in, utilizing their body flicker techniques to converge upon him in a coordinated assault!
Their strikes landed with precision. Blood splattered through the air as the enemy's body toppled to the ground, laying dead… then, a puff of smoke emerged. As the smoke cleared, the enemy vanished, leaving behind nothing but a wooden log.
To Shino's astonishment, an explosive tag was affixed to the log his enemies left behind, and before he could react, a deafening explosion reverberated through the air, engulfing the surrounding area in a fiery blast of destruction.
His clones, instinctively retreating with lightning speed, managed to evade the full impact of the explosion, but they weren't entirely unscathed. The force of the blast tore through their insect-infused bodies, leaving behind gaps and missing parts, while a cascade of bugs spilled forth from their wounded forms, scattering in the aftermath.
Despite the evident damage, the clones' countenances remained stoic, their unwavering gaze locked onto their elusive prey while they awaited the arrival of the supply depot.
Ignoring the escaping shadow clone in plain sight, Shino's senses, permeated his insect army, honed in on the escaping enemy's main body, marked by him during his earlier ambush.
After a swift replacement of their batteries and bug supplies, his clones silently pursued the fleeing foe relentlessly, an embodiment of their coordination, managed by Karina's overpowered computation power.
Meanwhile, Karina also deftly manipulated the ambushing zerglings, orchestrating their movements in an orderly formation. They advanced, converging upon the escaping enemy, obstructing his path with their overwhelming numbers.
Their relentless swarm herded him towards a singular direction, hindering his progress, if only for fleeting moments, but enough for the Shino clones to keep pace, quickly closing the gap.
Naturally, the enemy ninja recognized his situation and wouldn't wait for his doom.
The enemy's hands moved swiftly, employing his own body flicker technique in a bid to evade capture. With a flicker, his form seemingly disappeared, flashing forward at immense speeds, penetrating through weak point in the mass of surrounding insects he had discovered with his discerning eyes, leaving a trail of zergling corpses in his wake.
However, his escape was abruptly halted.
His eyes obscured under his mask widened, a grim realization dawning upon him as his gaze locked onto the intricate chakra lines hidden in plain sight on the path before him. They weaved into a complex web, a barrier interlacing throughout the forest, blocking his passage and leaving him teetering on the precipice of his demise.
Had he not come to an abrupt stop, his body would have been sliced into pieces by the force of his own movement!
Staring solemnly at the dense expanse of chakra threads, he knew he didn't have time to disassemble them.
Surveying his surroundings, he noticed a swarm of the unknown insect-like creatures forming an impenetrable wall of encirclement on both sides. Their writhing forms stacked on top of each other, creating a formidable wall, obstructing any observers from peering into the unfolding battle and ensnaring their prey within its clutches.
Although he possessed the means to break through the wall of insects, he hesitated, unsure of its true thickness and unwilling to take unnecessary risks, especially with other adversaries lurking in the shadows.
Closing in from behind, the four chasing Shino clones advanced with a swift grace. Their kunai danced nimbly in their hands, a subtle display of triumph, boasting of their successful herding of their prey.
Facing the former prey, the masked ninja's gaze hardened, sensing the gravity of the moment as the true battle loomed before him, an imminent clash that may be his last.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone