The deepest part of the Katabami Gold Mine underground
Due to the extremely high efficiency of the " Mining Type One " method, all the gold ore in the entire Gold Mine Mountain was extracted, leaving only complex and intertwined mine tunnels up to three meters high, with the deepest part nearly fifty meters below the surface.
"Beep beep."
The silent, dark mine tunnels, save for the occasional dripping of water, were utterly terrifying.
The footsteps of Hongshi and Shino gradually echoed in the mine tunnel, adding a touch of life to the cave.
The two remained silent and walked deeper into the darkness. The Hongshi blended completely into the darkness, and only two eyeballs that seemed to float in the air could be seen.
After walking for more than ten minutes, faint lights began to appear in the mine tunnel in front of them.
Hongshi pointed ahead. "We're here. Don't be scared in a moment."
Shino: "..."
"Hehehe..."
The closer they got, the more pronounced the Kendon, sinister laughter of the cocoon became, echoing through the tunnel and sending chills down their spines.
From the tunnel, one can see that the shadows are constantly flickering where the light source is located, and it's unclear what they are doing.
After hesitating for a moment at the cave entrance, the two went inside anyway.
The scene that greeted them was something they hadn't expected.
At the end of the cave entrance, Kendon used Earth Release is a technique used in Chinese fantasy novels) to expand the space, making it about one hundred square meters, and it was very flat.
In the center were four ice balls, each about two people tall, and the ground was covered with layers of Sealing Jutsu. At each of the four sides of the spells, there was a metal pillar, from which many thin threads, almost invisible to the naked eye, extended. These threads pierced through the ice balls and into various parts of the orc's body, constantly drawing out three blue and one red Chakra from the ice balls.
Meanwhile, the one who caused all this, Kendon, started dancing some kind of unknown dance on the side. The movements were not very fast. Sometimes she would make a delicate gesture with her fingers, sometimes she would sway her waist, and she would sing.
"The vast horizon is my love..."
Hongshi: "Σ()! Kendon, I never expected you to be this kind of person! You're only fourteen!"
Shino: "(_)! Hongshi-kun, please explain what's going on."
The sudden sound startled Cocoon, who was engrossed in her dance, and made her Kendon frozen in place.
The three stared at each other, an awkward silence hanging in the air.
Kendon straightened up, his expression very serious. "Ahem, Mr... Hongshi-kun, is there something you need? I'm... very busy."
Shino: " Hongshi-kun, he thinks that this way we can forget what just happened."
Hongshi: "Heh, how could that be? I'm going to tell everyone!"
"Thump!"
Kendon knelt on both knees, his tone still arrogant. "Hmph, please, don't tell anyone."
Hongshi:"→_→""_": Shino
Another ten minutes of silence followed.
Hongshi and the other man finally decided to forget what they had just witnessed. "Ahem, Kendon, how's your orc research going?"
Kendon stood up and patted his mud-covered knees. "Ah, I've found something very interesting."
Upon Shino suddenly sensed something and coldly said, "The four monsters inside the ice puck are still alive."
Kendon was somewhat surprised. "Oh? You can sense Natural Energy?"
Shino opened his right hand, and several black insects, summoned, bit through his skin and crawled out. "Hmm, my secret technique can sense them, and they are natural products, very sensitive to Natural Energy. Our Aburame Clan has a pact with insects..."
Hongshi watched the insects bursting from their skin, getting goosebumps all over. She interrupted Shino, "ヽ(.Д<)o゜ Ugh! Oh my god, there are bugs~ How disgusting! Let's go, let's go!"
"Boom boom boom."
Hongshi's heavy body ran slowly through the mine tunnel, and with each step, several stones fell from the mine wall.
Kendon looked at the insect in Shino's hand with great excitement, his eyes gleaming with fervor. "I've long heard from the Konoha ninjas that your Aburame Clan has made a pact with the insects, using your own bodies as their nests and your own Chakra as their nourishment. Seeing it today, it's truly beautiful!"
Shino a deep breath, her gaze behind her glasses unreadable. "You! You also think these insects are beautiful?"
With Kendon hand holding an insect, he looked at Shino Aburame and said, "That's right, absolutely beautiful. You're the one I've been looking for! What's the name of this insect? Are there any other kinds?"
Shino withdrew his right hand. "There is only one type of Parasitic Kikaichū. Each Aburame can only form a contract with one type of insect, otherwise she will be eaten due to improper feeding or fighting between different species of insects."
The Aburame Clan has many types of insects, and the Parasitic Kikaichū is well-rounded in both offense and defense.
"I see!"
Shino didn't say anything more, but asked, "I heard from Hongshi that you have a way to enhance my strength?"
As the Kikaichū crawled on his hand, sensing them devouring his Chakra Kendon, "Hehehe, not only will they enhance your strength, but they'll also make your worms unique in the entire Shinobi World."
Shino asked, "How do we do it?"
Kendon pointed to his head. "Have you ever heard of gene mutation?"
After saying Kendon clenched his right fist, grabbed the insect in his palm, and then a faint white light emanated from his palm for three seconds. He then covered his right fist with his left hand, used Medical Ninjutsu, and finally opened his right fist.
The Kikaichū had turned white and more than doubled in size, while also emanating a Lightning Release Chakra.
"Oh wow? Not bad, the first individual has reached this level."
Shino had never seen this kind of insect before, but in his perception, it was still Kikaichū, and he could control it. "What's going on?"
Kendon chuckled, "Genetic mutation can cause insects to mutate into individuals with certain characteristics. Given enough time and enough insects, I can cultivate a terrifying mother insect. Imagine all the insects inside you can use various Ninjutsu just like other ninjas, and they won't backfire on you because of individual differences. What a scene that would be! How about it, want to cooperate?"
Shino controlled the mutated Kikaichū to fly back into his body, and finding nothing unusual, his tone surprisingly showed emotional fluctuation. "I can cooperate with you, but how far we go will be up to me."
Kendon chuckled, "Hehe, Spalashi, I have a condition too. Every time I breed an insect, I want to keep one offspring for more in-depth research."
Shino thought for a moment, then nodded. "Okay."
Kendon took two steps back and bowed to Shino: "Then please take care of me, Shino- kun. By the way, about my dancing?"
Shino said coldly, "I won't say a single word."
"Click-clack!"
Just then, a crack appeared in the ice sphere sealing the red-haired orc, and a low growl came from the crack.
Shino said in a deep voice, "This red-haired guy has a much stronger will to live than the other three."
Kendon, surprisingly calm, chuckled, "Hehehe, Shino- kun, it's time to let your insect have a good meal."
Shino understood, stretched out his arms, and tens of thousands of Kikaichū burst out from his body, flying towards the ice ball and burrowing into the cracks in the ice ball, frantically devouring the red-haired beastman's Chakra.
The riot by the red-haired orcs gradually subsided.