章 32: Chunin Tournament Starts
The following morning, he awakened, feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the challenge coming next.
As Shino entered the dining room, he found his favorite dishes already laid out, tempting him with their aromas. Unlike months ago, Shino had restrained his consumption. Now, it was usual for him to have a small meal.
He had discovered in the past months that he could sustain himself with his biomass points, and didn't require food as long as he had enough biomass. But Shino still savored the act of eating for the pleasure it gave him and to preserve his tenuous connection to his humanity.
After all, he had discovered that relying solely on his zerg powers had its drawbacks, and he needed to maintain a balance between his biological and instinctive nature, lest he wakes up one day and become a mindless Zerg Dominator whose only goal is to devour worlds.
Plus, every biomass point was a valuable resource that could be used for much greater purposes than just satisfying his hunger. He couldn't afford to waste them when unnecessary and would rather save them for a rainy day.
As he ate the hearty breakfast his mother prepared, Shino had Alina put on the morning drama – today's episode featured the female lead using mouth no jutsu to help the protagonist out of his slump. Then, the second male lead showed up in the end, missing his chance completely.
"Tsk, tsk, if this world wasn't so dangerous, they could act in a romance series."
As the last morsel of his meal vanished down his throat, Shino made his way towards the Chunin exam venue, where the opening ceremony would be held soon. His mind raced with anticipation, eager to witness the drama and spectacle that was about to unfold today.
Adjusting his glasses, Shino listened to Alina's report.
[Target Dosu Kinata is determined to be missing in action. Estimated to forfeit his battle.]
[Target Sasuke Uchiha is determined to be missing in action. Estimated to forfeit his battle.]
[Target Naruto Uzumaki is estimated to arrive at destination in 4 minutes… 3 minutes… 6 minutes… 12 minutes…]
Shino's mouth twitched imperceptibly, but he ignored these, knowing that both protagonists would show up fashionably late, just like their teacher.
As Shino neared the exam venue, his keen senses picked up on a subtle shift in the air. Pausing for a moment, he scanned his surroundings, and his eyes settled on a figure standing nearby.
Clad in attire that mirrored his own, the familiar yet enigmatic man stood with arms crossed, his demeanor inscrutable. It was as though he had been waiting for Shino all along.
"Father, what brings you here?" Shino asked as he with raised brows.
Shibi walked over to his son, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Just be careful, Shino. The third part of the exam is not to be taken lightly. Since you've decided to step into the light, give it your all. I have faith in you," he said, his voice filled with pride before he lowered his tone, "It seems you have noticed something as well. Just… be vigilant. The exam may not end... peacefully."
Shino's glasses glinted in the light as he adjusted them, his mind racing with thoughts. The upper clans of the village were not ignorant of the impending danger, yet they had let it happen… were they underestimating the danger or were there other considerations?
The situation was intriguing, to say the least. However, Shino pushed these musings aside with a nod of his head towards his father, silently conveying his understanding. He had more pressing matters to attend to.
Shibi nodded towards his son before his body suddenly burst into a swarm of bugs, which scattered in every direction, disappearing from view. It appeared that his father had important tasks to attend to, yet he took the time to warn his son of impending danger.
As Shino strode towards the venue, his glasses caught the glimmer of the sun, reflecting a hint of intrigue in his eyes. The boisterous hum of the crowd grew louder as he approached, and the excitement in the air was palpable.
Passing through the entrance gate, the piercing gazes of the young genins, waiting with the jonin proctor Genma Shiranui, fell upon him in silence. But amidst the stern stares, one familiar face acknowledged him with a nod - Shikamaru.
The arena was enormous, surrounded by tall walls and multiple blocks of spectator stands filled with cheering.
Sweeping his eyes around, Shino scanned the enormous arena constructed for the event.
The towering walls and sprawling spectator stands created a surreal environment, where a sea of people eagerly awaited the start of the tournament. Parents, ninjas, diplomats, civilians, and elders all gathered to witness the impressive feats of young genins, eager to see what the next generation of ninjas were capable of.
As Shino surveyed the area, his keen eyes caught sight of some shadowy figures lurking in the background.
Clad in black and concealing their faces behind white masks, they were none other than the infamous Anbu, the Special Assassination and Tactical Squad under the direct dispatch of the ninja village leader. This top-secret squad of elite operatives tasked with safeguarding Konoha's most vital locations.
Despite their low profile, their presence did not escape Shino's notice.
A faint glimmer flickered in his glasses as he mused that, although it seems the village leaders had taken precautions against the looming threat, they had not anticipated the full extent of the danger that lay ahead. Shino knew… they had underestimated the danger and didn't prepare enough, or was it intentional?
Perhaps lurking in the shadows is a conniving old man with a burning desire to become Hokage, willing to do whatever it takes to seize the throne, including turning a blind eye to the dangers of inviting a wolf into his home.
The possibility of hidden agendas and ulterior motives hangs over the scene, adding an air of mystery and uncertainty. Who among the players is working towards a different goal, and what do they hope to gain from it?
Alas, Shino was just one of them, and he will only focus on his own agenda. As for the rest, he'll deal with them when he had the strength.
Shino blended seamlessly into the group, his presence unnoticed as he quietly observed the others.
Naturally, Naruto, Sasuke, and Dosu were all missing. One was being chased by bulls, one missing in action, and one went to provoke the sand boy to get a 'doctor's excuse notice', but got a free bento instead.
As he stood amidst the group, Shino felt the weight of a gaze full of discontent. His eyes flickered to the side, where he saw the puppet master, Kankuro, glaring back at him.
To Shino, It was no surprise that Kankuro was unhappy - after all, he will be sacrificing his own reputation for the sake of the village. However, the new Shino is here, and what happens will remain to be seen.
As Kankuro's stare shifted away, Naruto's arrival captured everyone's attention. With a 'graceful' slide that would leave mere mortals injured, the protagonist joined the group with a flourish, stealing the spotlight from anyone who dared challenge his charisma… unless it was Sasuke.
"You guys are the stars of the final round…"
After the short brief, the tournament kicked off with an explosive clash between two polar opposites - the genius and the mediocre, the stepping stone and the protagonist.
As with all stories, the genius supporters were just waiting to be face-slapped while the audience will be shocked by what happens next. The perfect click bait fight - an irresistible hook for everyone's attention.
As Shino observed the arena from the waiting room, he couldn't help but notice a strange phenomenon. A sudden gust of wind, almost as if summoned by Naruto's declaration of his ninja way, swept through the spectators, causing the leaves to dance in the air. It was an eerie sight, but one that seemed to enhance the protagonist's already impressive aura.
Was it mere coincidence, or was something more supernatural at play? Shino couldn't shake the feeling that this was the incarnation of Asura at work, and that the outcome of the fight had been determined by forces beyond their understanding from the very beginning.
Perhaps, these musings are nothing but a smokescreen, a diversion to make the audience think that there is more to the story than meets the eye. Like how dramatic pauses and expository dialogues in battles can be used to prolong the scene's runtime.
But, who knows? In a world full of mysteries and hidden powers, even the most insignificant detail could hold the key to a greater truth. Or maybe it's really just the power of the human will?
After all, destiny can be fought against right? That's what Naruto proved after defeating Neji who kept clamoring everything is fated. There's no way the reason that Naruto 'conquered' fate was due to being the fated one right?
Shino's eyes gleamed behind his glasses as he watched the overwhelming amount of chakra radiating out from Naruto, enough to disrupt and affect the environment. Well, only the fated one has cheats like this, right? Poor Neji, he really was destined to play his tragic role ever since his birth.
Sensing a report from Alina, Shino glanced over towards the audience stand. His eyes locked onto his teammate, the miss bedazzled by love. She was injured and came to watch, but just before Naruto turned on cheat mode, she had fainted.
Everything just seemed like a coincidence, but when there are too many coincidences, it's hard to not think more.
Shino's eyes flickered towards the audience stand, drawn by a sudden report from his teammate Alina.
As he scanned the sea of faces, his gaze locked onto the one person he couldn't help but notice, his teammate who had been bedazzled by love. Despite her injuries, Hinata had come to watch the tournament, but when Naruto's chakra had overflowed, she had collapsed.
Coincidences had a funny way of piling up, Shino mused. Could it really be that everything was just a series of random events, or was there something deeper at work here?
As he continued to watch, a niggling feeling crept up within him, hinting at the possibility that all of this was somehow connected, but he had no proof.
As for that medic Anbu who healed her…
[Alert! Overmind, all markers have failed to approach the target. Proceed to deploying second batch?]
"There's no need. It seems that the stealth abilities of our bugs still need to be upgraded."
[Affirmative. Overmind, research into new stealth capabilities is ongoing, but the applicable mutations are limited due to the species of Aburame bugs. To achieve the desired capabilities, it is suggested that the Overmind unlock new zergs or develop new life forms…]
Shino understood the limitations he faced, but the situation left him feeling helpless. He had already scoured the area around Konoha for viable specimens, but expanding his search outside the village was too risky. After all, he couldn't afford to accidentally draw the attention of the unknown black hands pulling the strings behind the scenes.
Furthermore, even if he were to send out his zergs to other countries, the low efficiency of collecting the samples made it an inefficient use of resources.
But once his retreat was secured, it would be time for the zerg's expansion. With the spread of the creep, it was only a matter of time before his farming area expanded to unimaginable proportions, allowing him to conquer new territories and emerge as a true master of the swarm. Soon. Very soon…
"… And I thought we were both uncool! Everyone's screaming for him- Now, it looks like he's part of the cool kids now. I don't think I can beat him. This is bad…"
Shikamaru's complaint came from the side. Even without his input, Shikamaru completed his monologue. It seems Shino's input was truly not necessary for the world to move forward
Shino's sharp gaze fell upon the field below, where the outcome of the battle had already been determined.
Needless to say, the ending was destined… to be one where the protagonist defies fate. Ahem.
Shino's eyes shifted from the arena below, his mind already made up. With a determined air about him, he spun on his heel and headed down the stairs, ready to make his move.
"Oi, Shino, where are you going? It's not…" Shikamaru's words trailed off as he stared at the participants in the waiting room, "It seems he's still not here yet. Ah… why are they one more troublesome than the other?"
The boisterous crowd was full of complaints, but that was Shino's cue. At an evenly pace, he arrived on the arena's battlefield, just as Genma had made the announcement, the timing almost seemed too perfect.
"Kankuro and Shino Aburame! Come down!"
The next fight was his turn.
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