A Botched Debut

A mass of black insects swept toward Hyuga Satoru and the other two like a dark cloud blotting out the sky.

They were starting already? Without even giving us a warning?

Hyuga Satoru's scalp tingled. Just as he tried to leap out of the swarm's encirclement, a dense chorus of insect chirps suddenly rose behind him. In an instant, a huge number of Destruction Bugs began biting into his back.

"Getting bitten by Destruction Bugs will drain all your chakra."

Behind the swarm, Aburame Shibi adjusted the black sunglasses on his face. Let's see what this kid with two bloodlines can do.

However, the moment his words fell, arcs of electricity suddenly burst from Hyuga Satoru's back. The biting insects all went rigid, then crackled as they fell to the ground, giving off a burnt smell.

"Lightning Release? This kid learned Lightning Release too?"

Aburame Shibi looked surprised.

Compared to Hyuga Satoru's calmness, the other two were having a far harder time. Uchiha Rin gripped a kunai in both hands and attacked the encroaching swarm. Sharp, cold flashes cut through the air, slicing the Destruction Bugs in two. Gradually, the ground became covered in insect remains.

But that momentum did not last. Before long, small bites from the Destruction Bugs appeared on her arms.

"Bugs are disgusting." Uchiha Rin's eyes were filled with revulsion.

She gave up attacking the insects and abruptly leaped backward, jumping from the swarm's encirclement into the air as her hands swiftly formed seals.

At the same time, the dense insect swarm swept toward her like a cloud of black mist.

Scorching chakra surged up from her throat. Uchiha Rin took a deep breath and spat toward the black mist from midair.

"Fire Release! Great Fireball Technique!"

A massive orange-red fireball instantly swallowed the pursuing insects. Charred ashes drifted down from the sky, carrying a smell like roasted meat.

Her toes touched the ground, and Uchiha Rin calmly looked at the insect corpses scattered everywhere.

"Although Satoru always mocks the Great Fireball for being unable to kill anyone, I have to admit that flames are extremely effective against tiny bugs like these."

Behind the swarm, Aburame Shibi nodded slightly.

"Taijutsu ability: A. Ninjutsu: A+. Her combat instincts and overall qualities are both quite good."

"Only..."

He looked in Anko's direction. Within the black mist-like swarm, Anko could only keep slashing at the surrounding insects with her kunai. Her exposed arms bore countless red bite marks. After so much chakra had been drained by the bugs, her movements had slowed and stiffened.

"A ninja squad is a team. No matter how outstanding an individual is, they still will not get far if they ignore their teammates."

Aburame Shibi quietly shook his head.

Even a Jonin would find it difficult to escape if surrounded by his Destruction Bugs. It was already impressive that they had held out this long, but they clearly still had much room to improve when it came to teamwork.

Aburame Shibi silently assessed their situation and formulated plans for their future training. Just as he was lost in thought, the surrounding insects suddenly issued a warning.

He had barely raised his head before his vision went black.

A shuriken cleanly slit his throat.

His pupils abruptly widened.

How? I had defenses in place. When did this happen?

The question had barely arisen before it vanished. His entire body suddenly swelled, then burst apart into countless black insects that scattered in every direction.

"We're saved."

The insects around them stopped attacking. Anko dropped onto the ground and panted heavily.

"You okay?" Hyuga Satoru pulled her to her feet.

"I'm fine. I just have a few extra marks on my arms. I know healing techniques anyway, so it doesn't matter. But where did sensei go?"

Anko curiously looked around. The dense black insects stood frozen in place as though they had crashed, while Aburame Shibi had vanished without a trace.

"That guy was never here in the first place." Hyuga Satoru shrugged.

On a large tree several hundred meters away, Aburame Shibi awkwardly scratched his head.

"This is humiliating. I wanted to put them in their place, but my Insect Clone got taken out!"

They were all geniuses, especially Uchiha Rin. If he did not show them what he could do, it would be hard to keep them in line.

He had planned to use an Insect Clone to suppress them and knock down their arrogance. Then, at the right moment, he would make a suave entrance and withdraw the clone amid their shock and admiration.

A perfect debut performance—or at least, that was what he had thought.

Yet the Insect Clone had been defeated...

Recalling Sarutobi Hiruzen's instructions from not long ago, his expression could not help darkening.

"Lord Hokage, I've let you down."

"Shibi, I have a mission for you."

"Lord Hokage, please tell me."

"Three students from the Ninja Academy have graduated early. They are all excellent prospects, and I want you to be their instructor."

"Uh... Lord Hokage, you can ask me to kill people, but teaching students is another matter entirely."

"Sigh! Shibi, I know the Aburame Clan does not like interacting with people, and you are especially so. Every mission you undertake is also handled alone. But ninja are, after all, professionals who work in teams. Teaching students will also serve as training for you."

"Shibi, do not disappoint me."

"All right..."

Aburame Shibi troubledly scratched his head. Teaching students was not his specialty to begin with, and the carefully planned debut meant to establish his presence had already failed completely.

But how had the Insect Clone suddenly died?

Aburame Shibi was thoroughly puzzled. Though it had only been a clone, its strength was enough to rival an ordinary Jonin.

The final image transmitted by the insects had been a shuriken???

Magnet Release?

No matter how strong it was, it had still been a clone. Its fragility could not be changed. A Shadow Clone would burst with a poke, and an Insect Clone was not much better.

Aburame Shibi sank into thought.

But from that distance, someone had controlled a shuriken through the dense protection of the insect swarm and struck with enough force to instantly kill the Insect Clone. It seemed Hyuga Satoru's Magnet Release was far more formidable than he had imagined.

That kind of underhanded ability was impossible to guard against.

The problem now was how he was supposed to face the three of them. Aburame Shibi's head began to ache.

"Why hasn't Sensei Shibi shown up yet?"

At the training ground, Anko looked around among the frozen insect swarm but could not find Aburame Shibi anywhere.

"Haven't you figured it out yet?" Uchiha Rin curled her lip. "He was messing with us. He used an Insect Clone to ambush us, while his real body is probably hiding somewhere."

"So are we still fighting or not?"

"It ended halfway through?"

"Did we pass the test?"

Anko launched into her deadly triple question.

At that moment, a man wrapped from head to toe in a loose robe leaped down from a nearby tree and walked toward the three of them. After waving his hand to recall the swarm, he spoke.

"You... are all quite good."

"Being able to defeat one of my Insect Clones shows considerable strength. You have all passed the assessment."

His voice was still as gloomy as before, but it no longer carried the same composure.

"Huh, it was only an Insect Clone? I thought sensei was actually that weak," Anko said, her large eyes wide.

Aburame Shibi took critical hit x1.

"Uh... it was merely a test. You all passed it perfectly."

Still unwilling to give up, Aburame Shibi tried to salvage the situation. Damn it, if he lost this much face at their first meeting, how was he supposed to be their teacher afterward?

"Then make the next test harder, Sensei. My body was only just warming up. That was boring."

Uchiha Rin rolled her shoulders a few times and spoke with a completely indifferent expression.

Aburame Shibi took critical hit x2.

Brats... don't get so full of yourselves!

Aburame Shibi gritted his teeth slightly. This is why I hate brats. Teaching students is too troublesome. Having bugs is more than enough.

Uchiha Rin and Anko both looked toward Hyuga Satoru. Hyuga Satoru thought for a moment.

"He was pretty weak."

Aburame Shibi took critical hit x3.

His fists clenched involuntarily, and even his hair seemed to tremble with rage. Aburame Shibi felt fury surge through his body. Just as he was about to explode, it was as though someone had dumped a bucket of cold water over him, and he deflated.

"All right..."

His voice became listless, and Aburame Shibi looked like a wilted cucumber.

"I made a mistake with this assessment. To make up for it, I'll treat everyone to barbecue. We can celebrate the formation of Team Three."

"Yay! Barbecue!" Food-loving Anko was the first to cheer, tears of joy uncontrollably spilling from the corner of her mouth.