Leaning against the fleshy walls of the Overlord, Shino's eyes were fixated on the holographic displays, making meticulous final adjustments to his illusions.
Sitting next to him, Karina's hands pressed against his abdomen, her chakra channeling to heal his wound. Though his father's kick appeared to have caused only surface damage, the force had left a faint impact on his internal organs, prompting Karina to address any potential hidden injuries with utmost caution.
As the radiant glow of chakra surrounding her hands gradually dissipated, Karina withdrew her hands and wiped away an imaginary bead of sweat before declaring, her hands gracefully shifting away the obstruction to her treatment. "My dear, next, I will conduct some tests to ensure your daily functions are restored. Please bear with me as I nurse you back to full health."
Before Shino could voice his objection, Karina's fingertips brushed a stray lock of red hair behind her ear, her body bending over and leaning closer for a thorough inspection. With the expertise of a seasoned professional, she wielded her inspection tool, leaving no spot untouched by her meticulous scrutiny.
Seated beside them, Kurenai closed her eyes, a faint blush gracing her cheeks as she attempted to divert her attention elsewhere. Shino, on the other hand, kept his eyes open, eagerly anticipating the grand finale of his performance.
Amidst the tranquil embrace of the forest, a figure with spiky white hair and a black mask concealing his face lay sprawled on the ground. His forehead guard obscured his left eye, adding an air of mystery to his countenance.
Suddenly, his eyelid quivered and gradually fluttered open, his gaze drifting in a daze towards the towering trees that stretched into the heavens.
After a prolonged silence, his eye narrowed with determination as he sprang to his feet, pushing up his forehead guard to reveal the crimson Sharingan. His voice, tinged with anger, reverberated through the forest, "SHINO ABURAME! Show yourself!"
But his call was met only by silence. Failing to catch sight of anyone or receive any response, his body trembled, and he slumped weakly to his knees, his hands planted on the ground. A cloud of desolation engulfed him, and his voice trembled as he muttered, "I was just getting to the good part... How could you..."
Beside him, a small pug with brown fur and dark brown snout and ears stirred from its slumber. Slowly sitting up, it blinked in confusion, sniffing the air before focusing its attention on the dejected man beside it. "Oi, Kakashi, what are we doing here? Weren't we chasing after that Aburame clan boy?" the pug queried, its voice laced with curiosity.
Kakashi turned his head, his lone visible eye fixed on the dog, as he adjusted his forehead guard to once again obscure his left eye. "Pakkun, he's probably long gone. Even your senses were confused by him, let alone others," Kakashi replied, his tone tinged with resignation.
Pakkun raised a paw, a glimmer of mischief in his eyes. "Oh well, in that case, I'll go try out the new shampoo I got. Give me a call when you need my keen sense of smell."
Poof. In a cloud of smoke, Pakkun vanished, leaving Kakashi to rise to his feet. As he gazed into the distant forest, his gloved finger scratched at his mask as he muttered, "Don't let me catch you, or I'll confine you to a dark room and squeeze the rest of that book out of your mind."
Kakashi's gaze shifted towards another direction in the forest, where a commotion echoed through the air, accompanied by the toppling of trees. "No need to guess, that must be Guy," he remarked.
With a swift motion, Kakashi vanished in a flash, leaving only a fleeting trace of his presence.
In the nearby vicinity, Asuma, who had regained consciousness on the ground, gazed vacantly at the vast expanse of the sky, his body motionless as he attempted to steady his racing thoughts and emotions.
With a trembling hand, he reached for a cigarette, igniting it and inhaling deeply. As the calming smoke filled his lungs, he couldn't help but mutter, "It felt too real... But what is the meaning of showing me this? Is it just my imagination… or is it really her?"
Following a brief moment of silence, a resolute tone resonated in Asuma's words, "Regardless, I will never forget her."
Rising to a seated position, Asuma's eyes fixated on the commotion in the distance, expelling a cloud of smoke from his mouth as he remained where he was. "Well, I won't join in on the excitement. Kakashi should be more than capable of handling it."
And, of course, his choice had absolutely nothing to do with being influenced by Shikamaru.
Beside a wooden dome structure, Yamato's forehead was glistening with sweat as he shouted, desperation lacing his voice, "Guy! Stop attacking! It's me! I may not understand what fake you're referring to, but I assure you, I am not an impostor!"
"No way! Your deceit cannot fool me! My boundless youth will burn through all your falsehoods! If you are truly real, then prove it by letting your youth explode!" Guy declared, vanishing from sight and leaving a colossal crater in his wake as he reappeared behind Yamato, delivering a devastating blow that shattered the upper half of his body.
As Yamato's wreckage transformed into wood, Guy placed his hands on his hips, bursting into boisterous laughter. "Hahaha! I knew it! You were nothing but a fake! Come out! No matter how many of you there are, the power of youth will always triumph!"
Huddled in the shadows of a nearby tree, Yamato's face beaded with sweat, his countenance a shade of blue as he discreetly observed Guy from afar. "I can't possibly endure a direct hit like that."
Whoosh! Kakashi materialized suddenly next to Yamato, lifting his forehead guard as his gaze shifted towards the embattled Guy, who had activated his third gate. "Tenzo, what is the situation?"
Yamato pointed a trembling finger towards Guy and hastily explained, "Kakashi-senpai, I'm relieved you're here. Guy has fallen under the influence of the genjutsu, and now he's attacking anyone in sight."
"I remember Guy had genjutsu resistance…?" A solitary droplet of sweat trailed down Kakashi's face, clear signs of his concern. "Well, let's take cover here until he calms down. As long as he can't-" His sentence was abruptly interrupted.
Kakashi's eye narrowed as his body tensed, his Sharingan noticing Guy's sudden disappearance. Reacting instinctively, Kakashi leaped out of harm's way just in time, narrowly evading a strong leg wrapped in green tights that crushed the branch he had been perched on moments ago.
Yamato, unfortunately, was not as fortunate, caught off guard as he plummeted alongside the severed branch, his face contorted in a purplish hue.
Having landed gracefully on the ground below, Guy paid no attention to Tenzo, who was attempting to stealthily retreat. Instead, he pointed resolutely at Kakashi, who was squatting against a tree sideways, using his chakra to cling to it. "Hahaha! Kakashi, my lifelong rival! You cannot hide from me, for I can sense your presence from miles away! Now, accept my challenge!"
"Guy... This is not the time to mess around-," Kakashi began, only to be cut off.
"No! You must be yet another impostor! The true Kakashi would never shy away from a challenge!" Guy bellowed, disappearing from his position and flickering into view below Kakashi's tree. Swiftly scaling the trunk, he declared, "Prepare yourself fake, take my kick!"
"Calm down, Guy!" Kakashi uttered urgently as he swiftly leaped to another tree, escaping into the forest.
"I am perfectly calm! Stop running away, you fake! Tell me where you hid my eternal rival, Kakashi!" Guy thundered, relentlessly pursuing the escaping Kakashi.
Observing the duo dashing off into the depths of the forest with a stoic expression, Yamato offered a solemn salute. "Kakashi-senpai, I have faith in your ability to handle the situation."
Then, turning on his heel, Yamato sprinted forward, his mind filled with a sense of urgency. "I must return to Konoha and report without delay. I hope Hinata-chan and Kiba-kun survived the way back. As for the Aburame boy... it is not my place to decide. However, the information he divulged regarding Danzo must be promptly reported to the Godaime..."
In the bustling corridors of the Konoha hospital, just outside the surgical room, a matured female ninja stood with an air of concern. Her long brown hair was tied in a ponytail, with two locks framing her face, each adorned with a red fang-like tattoo.
Leaning against the wall, she anxiously awaited the opening of the surgical room's door. As it finally swung open, her body straightened, and she offered a slight bow. "Tsunade-sama, how is Kiba?"
Tsunade paused for a moment, her expression grave as she carefully chose her words. "His life, much like that of the Hyuga princess, is no longer in immediate danger, but... you should prepare yourself, Hana."
Hana Inuzuka's face grew solemn as she inquired, her voice filled with anticipation. "Is there no chance for a full recovery?"
Shaking her head, Tsunade replied with a heavy sigh, "I did everything in my power, but I underestimated the skill of that Aburame brat in medical ninjutsu. He severed your brother's tendons with precision, shattering vital bones necessary for strength, and even caused extensive damage to his chakra pathways. Not only that, he also implanted a strange bug into your brother's brain, causing some neural damage which may affect his neural reflexes. I naturally resolved these issues, but… Although your brother may recover and have no trouble in a normal daily life... I don't want to say this, however, it would be best for you to persuade him to abandon the life of a ninja."
Hana bowed her head, her fists clenched tightly as she responded resolutely, "Thank you, Tsunade-sama. I will heed your words."
"Indeed, that is for the best. I entrust him to you," Tsunade nodded before striding forward, where Shizune and TonTon awaited her, leaving Hana alone in the hallway, her gaze fixed upon the unconscious form of Kiba being transported by other medical ninjas.
As Tsunade made her way through the corridors, swiftly changing her attire with Shizune's assistance, she inquired about recent events. "Did anything occur while I was in the surgical room?"
Shizune nodded, her tone filled with concern. "I closely monitored Hinata Hyuga, and there were no complications after Tsunade-sama stabilized her condition. However, not long ago, an Anbu operative reported that both the Anbu headquarters and the Hokage residence were attacked."
Furrowing her brow, Tsunade inquired with a troubled face, "How are the casualties?"
Shizune shook her head, providing a small measure of relief. "There weren't many Anbu present at the time due to being deployed to track Shino Aburame, and most of those who remained sustained minor injuries before being incapacitated. Personnel-wise, there were no significant losses. However, a number of technique scrolls, intelligence scrolls, and archived corpses were stolen from the Anbu quarters, while the Scroll of Seals was taken from the Hokage residence."
"Well, that's a relief," Tsunade sighed, though her expression remained guarded. Waving her hand dismissively, she continued, "Lost techniques can be replaced, and the tracking methods hidden on Scroll of Seals will allow us to track it, regardless of where they may hide. We are already stretched thin, so as long as we don't lose too many of our ninjas, it can be considered a small victory..."
Tsunade's words trailed off as her gaze shifted back down the corridor. She shook her head slightly, a hint of concern crossing her features. "Although the Hyuga girl's injuries seemed severe, the Aburame boy deliberately avoided her vital points, so the strike wasn't fatal. On the other hand... I can't comprehend what grudge the Aburame boy holds against the Inuzuka brat, but it appears he was the only one that truly suffered this time."
Shizune glanced back as well, her confusion evident in her voice. "They're on the same team, and there haven't been any reports of any conflicts..."
Tsunade turned around, her hand waving dismissively. "The younger generation... who knows what goes on in their heads. Let it be, but this Aburame brat has truly outdone himself this time. We cannot let him off so easily..."
Tsunade's words trailed off as she noticed a transparent bug perched on the wall nearby.
"Tsk." With a disapproving click of her tongue, she continued forward, her voice firm with command. "Shizune, issue a long-term mission to exterminate bugs within Konoha."
Through the lens of his bugs, Shino watched Tsunade and Shizune leave the hospital, making their way toward the Hokage building, ready to confront the storm that lay ahead. "It seems our intelligence network in Konoha will take a significant blow in the coming days. But with the rapid breeding rate of our bugs, it matters not. At most, we'll need to waste some time in redeploying them."
Shifting his attention away from the holographic screens, Shino's gaze settled on Karina, her face flushed after a deep inspection.
She raised her head, her mouth opening to display the results of the inspection before swallowing, her unwavering gaze fixed on her still-excited subject. "Mm. The inspection is complete, and there are no issues. However, it would be wise to double-check every detail to ensure there are no problems in other aspects."
Nodding in agreement, Shino's eyes turned to another screen displaying his clone returning to Konoha with his unsuspecting team, still oblivious to his betrayal. "Indeed, we must continue the play on that side as well. After all, we cannot openly stand against the protagonist just yet."
Karina nodded, her fingers fidgeting and rubbing against the subject of interest before bringing them up to her lips, where she sucked on them thoughtfully.
[And while my dear tends to that, as punishment for her dereliction of duty, failing to fulfill the criteria of detaching her previous patient's obsession, my assistant nurse will lead you to the bathroom before our long journey to our new home.]
"Hmm?" Shino arched an eyebrow, surveying the cramped and fleshy interior of the Overlord. "But there is no bathroom in here."
Releasing her grasp over her toy, Karina's hand gently cupped Shino's face, guiding his gaze toward Kurenai, whose red eyes bore a hint of shame. Her body trembled slightly, as if battling against an unseen force.
Yet, her struggles were futile as she slowly straddled Shino's lap, creating space within the crowded interior. As the black locks of Kurena's hair tickled his skin, her arms wrapped around his neck, and a warm sensation brushed against his sensitive spot as Karina's seductive whisper caressed his ears. "Kurenai Yuhi is in charge of toilet duty. My dear can ask for her anytime during our journey."
And with this unexpected twist, Shino was fully prepared to carry out the remainder of his elaborate act.