Shino's Wild Heart

The silence that followed Kiba's departure continued in the tea room. Shino sat there quietly, his high-necked coat and sunglasses completely concealing him; only the rising steam from his teacup indicated that he was a living person, not a statue.

Neji's gaze fell on Shino. While his Tenseigan could see through appearances to the flow of Chakra, it couldn't penetrate the look in Shino's eyes behind his sunglasses or the thoughts beneath his thick coat. He recalled the last buffet party, where everyone shared their goals—Kiba wanted to become Hokage, while Shino had said...

"A giant insect has been bred."

Neji's heart skipped a beat. Could this Aburame Clan ninja really have come to ask this question?

He suddenly realized that he had unknowingly become a "question solver." Tsunade came to ask about politics, Sasuke came to ask for directions, Hiashi came to ask for his daughter, Kiba came to ask for advice, and now Shino was sitting here too... It seemed that many people had begun to regard him as someone seeking answers.

This thought amused Neji. He put down his teacup and broke the silence by speaking first:

"Shino, is there anything you want to ask me?"

His voice was calm, with a gentle tone that suggested he was willing to listen. Tenten looked at Shino, her eyes filled with curiosity—this teammate from Team 8 was always the most silent one, and she didn't really know him very well.

Shino didn't answer immediately. He slowly put down his teacup, placed his hands on his knees, and sat upright, almost rigidly. His eyes behind his sunglasses seemed to be looking at something distant, or perhaps he was simply organizing his thoughts.

"We, the Aburame Clan," Shino finally spoke, her voice calm but clear, "Are renowned for our Insect-User Secret Art. To facilitate our training, our clan's territory is located deep in a remote, damp forest, far from the center of the village."

He spoke slowly, each word uttered with great care, as if he were telling a story unrelated to himself.

"To conceal our combat partners— the Kikaichū —we wear high-necked coats and sunglasses year-round, completely covering our bodies, regardless of the season. This is tradition, and it's necessary."

Neji and Tenten listened quietly. This was the first time they had heard Shino voluntarily talk about his family and situation.

"I can't dress as smartly as everyone else," Shino continued, her voice still devoid of emotion, but her words revealed a deep longing. "I even need to deliberately minimize my presence and make myself transparent for certain purposes."

He paused, his fingers unconsciously tracing the rim of the teacup.

"But deep down... I want to be like Naruto, bravely showing myself. I don't want to be invisible."

These words surprised both Neji and Tenten. They exchanged a glance, both seeing the same surprise in each other's eyes.

In Tenten's eyes, Shino had always been that silent, reliable teammate with a low profile but extremely dependable in crucial moments. She never imagined that this person, who always kept himself so tightly wrapped up, harbored such a desire—a desire to be seen, a desire to show himself.

Neji, however, detected a suppressed, genuine emotion in Shino's calm tone. This usually incredibly low-key person harbored a secret desire to "show off." This contrast was indeed unexpected.

The tea room fell silent for a moment. Then, a startled deer cried out in the courtyard, and the water murmured softly.

Neji picked up the teapot, refilled Shino's cup, and then asked:

"So, you really want to breed a giant insect?"

The question was very direct, but there was no questioning in the tone; it was simply a confirmation.

Shino answered without hesitation, "Yes. But the nanoscale insects I'm currently contracted with— Kikaichū —even the females are only the size of normal ants. I want to cultivate insects that are the size of adults and can fly."

"So big?" Tenten couldn't help but interject, her eyes wide open. "How can it still be called an insect?"

Her reaction was very real—the first reaction of a normal person upon hearing "an adult-sized flying insect".

Neji explained softly from the side, his tone like he was giving a science lesson. "Tenten, do you know how big Katsuyu -Lady Tsunade, is? The entire Shikkotsu Forest could be considered its body. From that perspective, Shino's idea isn't too far-fetched."

He turned to Shino, a thoughtful glint in his Tenseigan: "However, your fighting style has always emphasized surprise attacks, relying on stealth and ambush. Once your insects become so conspicuous, won't that affect your fighting methods?"

This is a very practical question. The Aburame Clan's combat advantage largely lies in their stealth—enemies are often caught off guard before they even notice the insects. If the insects become large and conspicuous, this advantage will disappear.

But Shino's answer was unexpected once again:

"I raise adult-sized flying insects just to show off." His voice was calm, as if he were stating something perfectly natural. "I don't use them to fight."

Neji was speechless. His hand, which was holding the teacup, paused slightly, and a barely perceptible smile flashed in his Tenseigan.

Sure enough, the less noticeable a person is, the wilder they are inside. Shino's answer practically screamed "I want to show off"—even though his tone remained calm and even.

Tenten was stunned. She looked at Shino, then at Neji, and finally couldn't help but chuckle softly before quickly covering her mouth with her hand.

The atmosphere in the tea room became somewhat subtle. The sudden insertion of such a blatant "declaration of boasting" into a serious conversation had an absurd sense of humor.

Neji put down his teacup and tapped his fingers lightly on the table, a habitual gesture he made when he was thinking.

"I think you've probably already tried the conventional methods," he said slowly. "I have two ideas that you can consider."

Shino immediately sat up straight, his eyes behind his sunglasses fixed intently on Neji —although others couldn't see his gaze, his slightly forward-leaning posture said it all.

"First," Neji held up one finger, "Providing your Kikaichū with extreme living conditions, assuming Chakra. For example, extreme cold, extreme heat, 24-hour continuous sunlight, and things like that."

His voice was steady and clear. "Extreme environments may force Kikaichū to undergo genetic mutations, evolving towards larger sizes. There is precedent for this in biology—environmental stress is often a catalyst for species mutation."

Shino listened intently, her eyes behind her sunglasses seeming to be thinking rapidly.

"Second," Neji extended his second finger, "Enhancement through Senjutsu Chakra. Natural Energy differs in nature from ordinary Chakra, and may bring unexpected changes to your Kikaichū."

He paused, then added, "Of course, both methods require strict experimental control and large-scale sample observation. The direction of mutation is unpredictable and may produce traits you don't want."

Shino remained silent for a moment, clearly processing Neji's suggestion. The only sounds in the tea room were the water flowing in the courtyard and the faint sounds of the distant street market.

"Neji," Shino finally spoke, "I can find a way to create the extreme environment you mentioned. But Senjutsu Chakra ... Am I supposed to find Naruto and have him inject Senjutsu Chakra into my Kikaichū body?"

This scene is a bit absurd— Naruto is making Rasengan in front of an insect? Or more accurately, is he channeling Senjutsu Chakra into the insect?

Neji shook his head. "You can go find Sasuke. Have him take you to Lord Orochimaru's Sound Village Underground Base and find a guy named Jugo."

His tone was calm, as if he were stating something trivial. "Jugo's Chakra has the effects of Frenzied Sage Art Chakra, and he can communicate with animals. He might be the most suitable person to help you with your experiments."

But as soon as he said that, Tenten's expression changed immediately.

"Neji!" She grabbed Neji's arm, her voice filled with worry. "Are you kidding me! Orochimaru is missing-nin, Hidden Sound Village is an enemy force! How could you send Shino to a place like that?"

Her reaction was very real—as a normal Konoha Ninja, upon hearing that her comrade was going to the base of missing-nin, her first reaction was naturally to stop him.

Neji turned to Tenten and gave her a gentle smile, "I was just recommending a suitable candidate to Shino. Besides..."

His gaze deepened. "Lord Orochimaru will return to the village sooner or later. This matter has already been discussed in the Elder Council, but it will take some time."

The information revealed by these words stunned Tenten and Shino. Orochimaru returned to the village? The rogue missing-nin who launched the Konoha Crush and killed the Third Hokage?

But Neji spoke with absolute certainty, as if it were already a settled fact.

Shino pondered for a moment, his eyes behind his sunglasses seeming to weigh the pros and cons. Finally, he stood up and bowed slightly to Neji:

"Thank you, Neji. I will seriously consider it."

His voice remained calm, but Neji could sense the determination beneath that calmness— Shino truly considering this risky plan.

"Then I'll take my leave too." Shino turned to Tenten and nodded slightly. "Goodbye, both of you."

Neji and Tenten got up to see them off. The three of them walked through the corridor to the front hall of the ninja tool shop. Shino Gate of Opening, and the evening light poured in, casting a long shadow on the floor around his fully covered figure.

"Be careful on the road," Tenten said softly.

Shino nodded without turning around, and his figure quickly blended into the crowd on the streets of Konoha in the evening.

Tenten closed the door, turned to Neji, and asked with a complicated expression, "Do you really think Shino should go find Orochimaru?"

Neji returned to the tea room and began tidying up the tea utensils. "I only offered him a possibility. The choice is his own."

His movements were very relaxed, as if the discussion had just taken place not at the missing-nin base, but rather at tomorrow's weather.

He followed her in Tenten, leaning against the doorframe and looking at Neji: "You seem to... have plans for many things."

The words were spoken softly, but Neji understood their meaning. He stopped what he was doing, turned to look at Tenten, and Tenten's face was reflected in his Tenseigan.

"I'm just doing what I can," he said softly, "Before I leave."

Tenten walked up and took his hand. Neither of them spoke again, but stood quietly in the tea room, listening to the rhythmic "thump" of the startled deer in the courtyard.

Outside the window, evening gently descended upon Konoha. Streetlights lit up, wisps of smoke rose from chimneys, and ninjas returned to the village one after another after finishing their day's missions.

On a certain street, Shino Aburame was slowly walking towards the Aburame Clan's territory. Neji's suggestion echoed in his mind, and a thoughtful light flickered in his eyes behind his sunglasses.

Adult-sized, flying insects...

Perhaps, it really is possible.

The corners of his mouth, hidden by sunglasses and a high collar, curved upwards in an almost imperceptible arc.