"A ball?"
Kiba thought this was Shino's special defensive form.
So he and Akamaru readied oil and fire in their mouths.
Instead, the enormous black ball began rolling wildly! It circled the two-headed dog at breakneck speed.
The two-headed dog watched his surroundings closely, one of them covering the left side and the other the right.
"Wrong guess, Kiba!"
Kiba's thoughts stalled for a moment. An odd sensation reached him, and he jerked his head down.
Insects had already wrapped around all four legs!
"Damn it! I forgot to watch beneath my feet!"
The two-headed dog tried to leap, hoping to escape into the air.
But the insects had already crawled up his legs and sunk their jaws into him!
Searing pain struck. Kiba and Akamaru let out a roar that threatened to shatter the glass around the arena!
The insects were unfazed and kept biting without pause!
"Fang Over Fang!"
The two-headed dog spun violently, his enormous body turning into a drill as he charged straight at the rapidly spinning insect ball!
"Has your aim gone off, too?"
Shino stopped the insect ball. With a roll, it transformed back into the Insect Giant.
The sharp pain had indeed thrown off Kiba's aim considerably, but his main goal was to shake off the insects.
Yet he failed. The insects were biting down too tightly!
"We'll have to sacrifice speed and strength, Akamaru!"
The two-headed dog's movements began to stiffen, and an earthy black sheen appeared on his skin.
The insects could no longer bite through his skin...
But his speed and strength had dropped considerably, too.
The two-headed dog's wings began to beat, and all four feet gradually lifted off the ground.
"Kiba?"
Shino looked at the two-headed dog, his brow creasing slightly.
Whatever happened, he couldn't let Kiba have