Bab 55: Arrival at Loran
The scorching sun cast its relentless gaze upon the vast expanse of the Land of Wind, turning its desert into a searing inferno. The grains of sand danced in the hot wind, forming swirling dunes that stretched out as far as the eye could see.
After half a week's journey, it was in this unforgiving terrain that Shino Aburame and his father, Shibi, found themselves, their purpose shrouded in secrecy.
Their journey through the desert had been arduous, the heat relentless and unforgiving.
His father, Shibi, led the way with a determined stride, his eyes hidden behind dark sunglasses, his face covered in a thin layer of sweat.
Beads of perspiration also dotted Shino's brow, his normally stoic expression strained under the weight of the unrelenting sun, but only Shino knew this was a mere guise, for he was just an insect clone, granting him the uncanny capability to manipulate his own perception at will, so he could 'switch' off a part of his senses if required… assuming it was a sense he actually felt.
Amidst the sweltering embrace of the desert's searing breath, his bugs did appear a bit sluggish, a minuscule manifestation betraying the oppressive heat's whispered influence. However, Shino found this to be inconsequential in the overall picture.
Despite being in allied territories, his father's cryptic words had warned him to be wary regardless. However, his father did assure him there would be no danger on this mission… probably.
As they trudged through the scorching sand, Shibi's deep voice cut through the oppressive silence. "Shino, I believe it is time I share the truth about our mission in Loran with you. It is a secret I have carried for far too long."
Shino turned his gaze toward his father, his curiosity piqued. "What is it, Father? Why have we come all this way?"
Shibi's eyes darted around, making sure no one else was within earshot. He leaned in closer to Shino, his voice dropping to a whisper. "In the past, I served alongside the Yondaime Hokage during a mission in Loran, before he had became the Yondaime. It was during that time that he made a decision that would alter the course of our lives."
Shino listened intently, his mind racing with questions. "What decision did he make, Father?"
Shibi's voice carried a tinge of regret. "The Yondaime decided to erase everyone's memories of that mission."
"Oh? Then, father, your memory…"A glimmer of skepticism danced within the depths of Shino's gaze as his eyes briefly locked with his father's.
"The Yondaime…" Shibi's fingers delicately adjusted the rim of his glasses, an unassuming gesture that belied the layers of hesitation woven into his very being.
In a voice infused with self-deprecation, he finally spoke, each word a delicate brushstroke unveiling the intricacies of his own helplessness, "He forgot to include me in the memory-erasing circle."
An awkward silence loomed between the father son duo, as the weight of their 'special' ability cast a haunting pall over their shared experiences, hinting at hidden depths of lamentation and untold tragedies waiting to be unraveled.
As the flush of momentary embarrassment subsided, Shibi gathered the fragments of composure, forging ahead with his speech. "At first, I thought it was an accident, an oversight. But as the years went by, I began to suspect it may have been intentional."
In the depths of Shino's enigmatic gaze, a flicker of intrigue intertwined with a subtle dance of surprise. "Intentional? But why, Father? Why would the Yondaime want to erase everyone's memories except yours?"
Shibi paused for a moment, his gaze fixated on the distant horizon. "I do not have all the answers, Shino. But I believe the Yondaime entrusted me with a crucial task, one that required me to keep a watchful eye on a seal hidden within the ruins of Loran."
Shino's mind whirled with thoughts as he recalled the plot. "A seal? What does it do? And why is it so important?"
Shibi's voice grew solemn. "The seal holds immense power, Shino. It is a key to an ancient secret, one that could change the fate of our world. My job has been to secretly check on the seal, maintain its integrity, and ensure it lasts until the time is right."
Shino's eyes gleamed, his voice adorned with a tantalizing hint of intrigue, as he played along. "And what is the time, Father? When will the seal's purpose be revealed?"
Shibi's gaze softened as he looked upon his son. "That, my son, is something you do not need to know yet. But I believe it is drawing near."
Shibi's gaze stared into the distance, an air of mystery hanging over his countenance, "The signs are becoming more apparent, and the world is on the precipice of great change. Some events will be inevitable. But we, the Aburame clan, never seek to stand at the front of the stage. We just need to do our duty and maintain the status quo."
The duo continued their trek through the scorching desert, the ruins of Loran looming closer with each step. Finally, they arrived at the remnants of the once-great kingdom. The buildings stood in ruins, with sand and time eroding away their former glory.
Shino's eyes scanned the surroundings, his insect army buzzing softly through the air.
The wind whistled through the broken structures, carrying with it a sense of forgotten stories and lost memories. Shibi's gaze fell upon an abyss that lay in the midst of the dilapidated towers. It was there, deep within its recesses, that the seal awaited their arrival.
Father and son approached the large with caution, stepping over rubble and remnants of what once thrived.
Peering into the deep abyss below, Shino arched his brow. Were they going to jump down?
In the depths of anticipation, Shibi Aburame's lips parted with purpose, his teeth sinking into the flesh of his finger. With measured precision, a bead of crimson blood emerged. With a determined grace, his hand met the earth, "Summoning Jutsu!"
A swirling maelstrom of smoke erupted from the very fabric of reality, unveiling a colossal creature that defied comprehension.
Majestic wings unfurled, casting elongated shadows upon the barren ground, as the summoned entity took form - a giant, iridescent beetle, its carapace shimmering with an otherworldly luminescence!
With a gesture both authoritative and cryptic, Shibi bid Shino to mount the beetle's back, its sturdy carapace offering an assurance of protection in the face of the unknown.
A sense of anticipation mingled with trepidation filled the air as the duo embarked on their descent, their journey guiding them into the fathomless depths of the underground ruins.
Like a feather borne by the wind, the colossal beetle gracefully dipped and weaved its way down the passage, navigating the shadows with an uncanny intuition...
After their descent, the beetle was sent away. The duo trekked on foot into the dilapidated tower, its walls worn and cracked. It wasn't long before the duo found themselves in an ancient chamber, clearly within the confines of the ancient tower.
As they walked across the dilapidated rocky bridge, their footsteps echoed through the empty tower.
As they approached the core of the tower, Shino's keen bugs detected faint traces of chakra lingering in the air, perhaps a sign that someone had been here recently.
His curiosity intensified, speculating whether Mukade had already found this place. Or could it just be leakage from the seal?
Shibi's voice broke the silence. "Shino, be prepared. We are about to witness something few have ever seen."
A subtle nod of affirmation graced the contours of Shino's countenance, his heart harboring a wellspring of enigmatic tranquility that belied the mysteries swirling within his depths.
Naturally, Shino was not interested in the unfathomable power of the leylines. He had no interest in dabbling with the power of time, especially not at his current stage of power.
Not everyone has the protagonist's fortune. As a normal side character, the slightest misstep may lead to dire consequences, causing all his current efforts to go to waste.
Instead, Shino's interest was piqued by something else. If he remembers correctly, a remnant of that coveted jutsu he yearned for is here...
They stepped onto the core platform bathed in dim light, the floor etched with intricate seals.
At its center stood a pedestal, upon which a mysterious object rested – an orb, akin to the subtle opening of an ancient eyelid, and like the sword in the stone awaiting its fated owner, an ornate kunai sealed with an ancient emblem.
The air crackled with a subtle energy, as if the very kunai pulsed in greeting.
Shino's gaze locked onto the glinting kunai, his mind a tempest of calculated directives, weaving intricate webs of strategy and unseen agendas with the assistance of Karina.
Yet he masked it expertly with a composed exterior, betraying no inkling of the intricate dance of thoughts and turmoil that echoed through his being. "Father, what is that?"
Shibi approached the pedestal, his hands trembling slightly, a wave of nostalgia washing over him. "This, Shino, is the key to sealing the ancient power. It is part of the seal which serves as the final barrier to the secret that was sealed away. And I believe it is also something you would be interested in?"
A mischievous flicker ignited within the depths of Shibi's gaze, as he extended a subtle, intriguing gesture towards the gleaming kunai, "The Yondaime's Thunder God Kunai."
With a subtle nod of assent, Shino's body swayed in a mesmerizing rhythm, each deliberate motion a calculated dance as his eyes remained unwavering, locked upon the kunai's captivating presence. Every intricate detail etched upon its surface became the subject of his relentless scanning.
"At first, father wanted to bank on some favors to get the Thunder God Jutsu for you..."
Shibi's head swayed in a solemn gesture, a tinge of disappointment weaving through his subtle movements, hinting at a hidden layer of unfulfilled expectations. "But father didn't expect that ruthless man's obstruction to be so intense. And when the time came to submit the request, none of the others showed up to support. I don't know if this was intentional or if they had just… forgotten."
Shino's lips imperceptibly twitched. Probably a mix of both?
Shibi's head shook gently, a glimmer of concealed nuance lurking within his composed demeanor, "Father is used to it by now, your mother even more so, and Shino, you will become used to it in the future as well."
"Shino, you can take your time to observe the kunai. This is as much as father can do for you."
Bestowing upon Shino's shoulder a measured pat, infused with the weight of unspoken encouragement, Shibi proceeded with meticulous deliberation towards the mystic seal "As for father, it is time to reinforce this seal. Judging by its appearance, the seal would naturally deteriorate and the power will probably break out within a couple of months…"
"That would be an untimely disaster. The actors aren't in place yet, and we shouldn't let the bandit succeed so easily." A glimmer of enigmatic luminescence danced within the depths of Shibi's gaze, hinting at a tapestry of countless mysteries veiled within his mind.
In the intricate web of their perceptive prowess, not even the faintest whisper of intrusion escaped Shino's notice, and certainly not Shibi's penetrating gaze. Both harbored shrouded speculations, their minds interlaced with enigmatic musings surrounding the mysterious intruder.
Seizing upon his insights, Shibi resolved to interpose a formidable roadblock, a cunning obstruction designed to delay the intruder's endeavors.
Even in the absence of perceived intruders, in a symphony of calculated purpose, his vigilant actions would ensure the integrity of the seal remained unscathed.
With an air of calculated purpose, Shibi retrieved a weathered scroll, its ancient pages whispering secrets long forgotten. His eyes traversed the cryptic contents, meticulously aligning the intricacies inscribed within with the enigmatic seal before him.
Discreetly, Shino's gaze surreptitiously glided across the delicate script adorning the wide-open scroll, a silent acknowledgment of the trust bestowed upon him by his father.
The hidden knowledge unveiled before him spoke volumes, a testament to the unspoken bond they shared, for his father's intention was never to veil the scroll's content, but to illuminate his path.
After determining the correct nodes, Shibi hovered his hand over the seal, a surge of power coursed through the chamber. Chakra was seemingly infused into the air, as the lines of the seal glowed.
After Shibi meticulously deciphered the intricate network of nodes, his hand hovered with calculated precision over the ancient seal, a reverberation of raw power rippling through the chamber, as if the very essence of chakra danced within the air itself.
The lines of the seal responded to the influx of energy, a mesmerizing display of radiant luminescence casting an otherworldly glow.
The puzzle of his father's purpose finally becoming clear.
With a deft touch, Shibi infused a measured amount of chakra, ensuring the validity of his knowledge to avoid inadvertently destroying the deal. Sensing no problem, he increased the amount of chakra, his confidence unwavering, delicately balancing the delicate equilibrium between repair and reinforcement.
As his chakra became exhausted, his father finally stopped for a rest, the once-glowing sealing lines gradually vanishing without a trace behind him.
His gaze remained transfixed upon the vanishing seal, Shibi's voice, weary and fraught with the echoes of exhaustion, trembled with a subtle vulnerability as he uttered his command. "Guard the area while I recover. With father's proficiency, the seal reinforcement can't be done in one day."
Shino stepped forward, his resolve firm as he adjusted his glasses. "Father, I understand. I'll make sure not even a single bug gets through to bother your rest."
The father and son duo stared at each other, a dance of mischief playing upon their lips.
"Indeed, Shino. The Aburame clan will never let others bug them." A subtle nod rippled through the currents of Shibi's being, his voice drenched in an alluring cloak of mischief, hinting at the depths of untamed personalities lurking beneath his composed facade.
Yet, in an instant, the atmosphere shifted, a veil of seriousness descending upon his words, "But this is no playing matter. The responsibility lies upon our shoulders. We must tread carefully and ensure that this knowledge isn't shared with others until the time is ripe… at least four years to be safe."
The seal repair went without a hitch. Unfortunately, the elusive intruder remained veiled in the shadows, away from the ruins and coincidentally avoiding a dangerous duo.
Perhaps he was also aware that the seal, though dormant, was deteriorating with time, and he was just biding his time until the opportune moment, a couple months later. But when he returns next time, he will be in for a stunning surprise.
"After this repair, the only way for the power to escape is years later or through the breaking of the seal. This will ensure any individual with nefarious thoughts will have to pursue ways to break the seal, rather than just waiting for a free lunch," Shibi uttered with confidence, turning around to leave, "Time to go home, Shino."
As he turned, Shino's gaze lingered for but a fleeting moment upon the secrets concealed within the chamber, brushing past the gaping abyss surrounding the core.
As the tendrils of his keen perception brushed against the presence of a hibernating zerg buried deep beneath the surface, a knowing smile curled upon his lips, laden with a mixture of cunning and satisfaction.
He won't dabble in time's intricate threads now, but in the future, he may weave a different story.
When they left the underground ruins, the ruins returned to its desolate state, seemingly shielded from the ravages of passing years.
The Land of Wind's unforgiving desert awaited them outside, but now they carried a newfound purposes - secrets that could reshape the destiny of their world.
"Shino, we were chosen to safeguard this knowledge, to ensure its preservation until the time was right. The Yondaime entrusted me with this duty, and now it falls to both of us."
Under the scorching sun, Shino and Shibi walked side by side, their shadows stretched long across the golden dunes. The winds whispered tales of forgotten power and concealed truths, and the duo ventured forth, bound by duty, their hearts aflame with the weight of their own calculated intentions.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone