A dense swarm of insects rolled toward Hyuga Satoru and the other two like a black cloud, blotting out the sky.
We're starting already? No warning at all?
Hyuga Satoru's scalp prickled. Just as he tried to leap out of the swarm's encirclement, a dense chorus of insect cries came from behind him. In an instant, a huge mass of Kikaichū began biting into his back.
"Getting bitten by Kikaichū will drain away all your chakra."
Behind the swarm, Aburame Shibi adjusted his black sunglasses. Let's see what this Dual Bloodline Limit of yours can do.
Yet just as his words fell, arcs of electricity suddenly burst from Hyuga Satoru's back. The biting insects all stiffened, crackling as they fell to the ground, carrying the smell of something burnt.
"Lightning Release? This kid knows Lightning Release too?"
Aburame Shibi looked surprised.
Compared to Hyuga Satoru's composure, the other two had it much harder. Uchiha Rin gripped a kunai in both hands and attacked the encroaching swarm. Sharp flashes of cold light sliced through the air, splitting Kikaichū in two, until the ground was gradually covered in insect remains.
But that could not last. Before long, small bites from Kikaichū appeared on her arms.
"Insects are disgusting." Uchiha Rin's eyes filled with revulsion.
She gave up attacking the insects and abruptly sprang backward, leaping from their encirclement into the air as her hands rapidly formed seals.
At the same time, the dense swarm surged toward her like a cloud of black mist.
Scorching chakra welled up from her throat. Uchiha Rin took a deep breath and breathed down at the black mist from midair.
"Fire Release! Great Fireball Technique."
A huge orange-red fireball instantly swallowed the pursuing insects. Charred ashes drifted down from the sky, carrying a smell like roasted meat.
Her toes touched down, and Uchiha Rin calmly looked at the insect corpses scattered across the ground.
"Even though Wu keeps mocking the Great Fireball for never killing anyone, fire really is incredibly effective against tiny insects like these."
Behind the swarm, Aburame Shibi nodded slightly.
"Taijutsu ability: A. Ninjutsu: A+. Her combat instincts and overall qualities are quite good."
"Only..."
He looked toward Anko. Within the black-mist-like swarm, Anko could only keep slashing at the surrounding insects with her kunai. Dense red bite marks covered her exposed arms. After so much chakra had been drained by the insects, her movements had begun to slow.
"A ninja squad is a team. No matter how outstanding an individual may be, they will not get far if they disregard their teammates."
Aburame Shibi silently shook his head.
Even a Jonin would find it difficult to escape once surrounded by his Kikaichū. The fact that they had held on this long was already impressive, but they clearly still had much room to improve in teamwork.
Aburame Shibi silently assessed their conditions and planned their future training. Just as he sank into thought, the insects around him suddenly sent out a warning.
He had barely raised his head, without even seeing what was happening, when his vision suddenly went black.
A shuriken cleanly slit his throat.
His pupils abruptly widened.
How? I had my defenses up. When did this happen?
The question had barely surfaced before it faded away. 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 plopped down onto the ground and panted heavily.
"You okay?" Hyuga Satoru asked as he pulled her up.
"I'm fine. Just got some extra marks on my arms. I know healing techniques anyway, so it's no big deal. But where did Sensei go?"
Anko curiously looked around. The countless black insects stood frozen in place as if they had crashed, while Aburame Shibi had long since vanished.
"That guy was never here in the first place." Hyuga Satoru shrugged.
Several hundred meters away, atop a large tree, 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 off a little, it would be difficult to keep them in line.
He had intended to use an Insect Clone to suppress them and dull their edge. Then, at the right moment, he would make a stylish entrance and retract the clone amid their shock and admiration.
It was supposed to be a perfect entrance performance. At least, that was what he had thought.
But the Insect Clone had been taken out...
Thinking back to Sarutobi Hiruzen's instructions not long ago, his expression could not help but darken.
"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 serve as their instructor."
"Uh... Lord Hokage, you can ask me to kill someone, 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 done alone. But ninja work is ultimately a profession built on teamwork. Teaching students will also be a form of training for you."
"Shibi, do not disappoint me."
"All right..."
Aburame Shibi troubledly scratched his head. Teaching students was never his specialty, and his carefully planned grand entrance had already failed completely.
But why had the Insect Clone suddenly died?
Aburame Shibi was deeply puzzled. It was only a clone, but in terms of strength, it was enough to match an ordinary Jonin.
The final image sent back by the insects had been a shuriken???
Magnet Release?
No matter how strong it was, it was still a clone. Its fragility could not be changed. A Shadow Clone burst with a poke, and an Insect Clone was not much better.
Aburame Shibi fell into thought.
But from that distance, controlling a shuriken through the dense defenses of the insect swarm and giving it enough power to kill the Insect Clone in one strike... it seemed Hyuga Satoru's Magnet Release was much stronger than he had imagined.
That sort of ability to ambush someone 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 appeared yet?"
At the training ground, Anko looked all 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 the real body is hiding somewhere who knows where."
"So are we still fighting or not?"
"It ended halfway through?"
"Did we pass the test?"
Anko unleashed her deadly three questions.
Just then, a man wrapped from head to toe in loose robes jumped down from a nearby tree and walked toward the three of them. After waving his hand to recall the insect swarm, he spoke.
"You... are all quite good."
"Being able to defeat one of my Insect Clones shows that you are quite capable. You have all passed the assessment."
His voice was still as gloomy as before, but it no longer carried the same calmness.
"Huh, it was only an Insect Clone? I thought Sensei was really that weak." Anko said, blinking her big eyes.
Aburame Shibi critical hit x1
"Uh... it was just a test. You all passed it perfectly."
Still unwilling to give up, Aburame Shibi tried to salvage the situation. Damn it, if he embarrassed himself this badly the first time they met, how was he supposed to be their teacher from now on?
"Then next time, Sensei should make the test harder. My body had only just warmed up. How boring."
Uchiha Rin rolled her shoulders a few times and spoke with an indifferent expression.
Aburame Shibi critical hit x2
Brats... don't get so carried away!
Aburame Shibi lightly gritted his teeth. This is why I hate brats. Teaching students is too troublesome. Insects are all I need.
Uchiha Rin and Anko both turned to look at Hyuga Satoru. Hyuga Satoru thought for a moment.
"He was pretty weak."
Aburame Shibi critical hit x3
His fists clenched involuntarily, and even his hair seemed to tremble with rage. Aburame Shibi felt anger surge through his body. Just as he was about to explode, it was as though someone had dumped a basin of cold water over him, and he wilted.
"All right..."
His voice became listless, and Aburame Shibi looked like a wilted cucumber.
"This assessment was my mistake. To make up for it, I'll treat everyone to barbecue. We can celebrate Team Three's formation."
"Yay! Barbecue!" Food-loving Anko was the first to cheer, tears of joy uncontrollably spilling from the corner of her mouth.
Before you continue