"Social insects often have a certain instinct—to protect their queen.
Take ants, for example. The queen's primary role is to lay eggs, reproduce, and lead the colony. The other ants will do whatever it takes to protect her."
"Sensei Shibi, are you saying there's also a 'queen ant' in this swarm?" Uchiha Yuan asked.
"Exactly." As he spoke, Shibi Aburame extended his hand, and a bug larger than the rest flew onto it.
"This is the swarm's queen. The others obey its commands and will sacrifice everything to protect it.
The maneuver earlier—breaking through the Great Fireball using the bodies of other insects—was ordered by this one through some method.
If you had discovered this secret earlier, with your combined strength and coordination, completing this trial would've been much easier.
Just kill the queen and the rest fall into disarray."
"So that was the real way to pass the test…" Hyuga Asana murmured.
"Exactly. From the beginning, I didn't believe that a newly formed squad like yours would have enough coordination to evade a bug swarm for twenty minutes.
So my true test for you was insight—to see if you could identify the secret behind the swarm.
Uchiha Yuan, you clearly noticed something was off, but you dismissed it as me controlling the insects remotely. That was your oversight."
Uchiha Yuan gave a bitter smile. Who would've thought the swarm had a leader? The original series never said anything like that!
Still, this test from Shibi Aburame served as a good reminder—he was relying too much on information from the original story.
Shibi's insects had exhibited strange behavior, and Yuan had assumed it was due to Shibi's remote control, never once suspecting the bugs had their own command structure.
And that was because the original never mentioned such a thing, which ended up limiting Yuan's thinking.
"Though you didn't find the queen, you passed the test in a way I prefer even more.
On the battlefield, mutual trust and teamwork are far more reliable for survival than sharp insight. You pass."
Upon hearing this, Uchiha Yuan smiled. Yamanaka Kagetsu practically bounced with joy, and even Hyuga Asana—usually emotionless—breathed a visible sigh of relief.
"Sensei Shibi, I heard that when a genin squad passes their sensei's test, the sensei treats them to BBQ," Kagetsu said.
"I know. I'll take you out for barbecue tonight. But before that, there are three things I need to tell you."
"Go ahead, Sensei," Kagetsu said obediently.
"There are three matters. First: we will depart for the battlefield in three days."
"Three days this time?" Uchiha Yuan asked.
"Yes. The previous class of graduates was deployed two days after graduation. You three get three days because some of the village's logistical resources aren't in place yet."
"What's the second?" Hyuga Asana asked.
"We're being sent to the battlefield in the Land of Bears." Shibi turned to look at Uchiha Yuan as he said this.
Asana seemed to recall something and also turned to face Yuan.
"The Land of Bears, huh? That means we'll encounter the Seven Ninja Swordsmen?" Yuan asked.
"Correct. It's the main battlefield between the Leaf and Mist. The Seven Ninja Swordsmen are stationed there.
Uchiha Yuan, I heard your parents were killed by the Swordsmen. I hope you can control yourself. You're part of a team now. One reckless move from you could doom your squadmates," Shibi said flatly.
"Don't worry, Sensei. I won't drag them down. And I probably won't even have a chance to kill them."
"No chance? You mean the Uchiha clan's plan to ambush the Swordsmen? I hate to say it, but there are too few of your clan in the Land of Bears. I doubt they'll succeed."
Yuan didn't respond. Shibi didn't press. He'd said what he needed to—warn Yuan not to let vengeance endanger his comrades. Since Yuan agreed, that was enough.
"As for the third matter: once we arrive in the Land of Bears, I'll stay with you for one year.
In that year, I'll lead you on various recon missions. During this time, you can trust me completely.
However, if any of you are seriously injured and have to leave the field—or worse, if someone dies and the squad is reduced in number—I'll immediately leave the team.
But if all three of you survive the year, you'll almost certainly be promoted to chunin. A recon squad of three chunin doesn't need a jonin babysitting them. My job will be done."
"We understand. Please take care of us this year, Sensei," Uchiha Yuan said with a respectful bow.
Yamanaka Kagetsu and Hyuga Asana followed suit.
"I hope you all survive the battlefield. See you at the BBQ place." With that, Shibi dissolved into a swarm of insects and vanished.
"What was that? Bug Flicker? Or a Bug Clone?" Kagetsu asked, baffled.
"Probably Bug Flicker. Same principle as Sand Flicker used by the Sand shinobi," Hyuga Asana replied.
"Looks like I'm not the only one in our squad who doesn't know Body Flicker…" Kagetsu sighed.
"Oh please, you don't really think Shibi-sensei doesn't know Flicker? He's a jonin," Yuan said flatly.
They continued their conversation as they walked toward the BBQ restaurant.
When they arrived, the place was nearly packed. Most tables were taken by sensei-student teams.
Shibi Aburame was already there, sitting alone in a corner. The three hurried over to him.
"Order whatever BBQ you like," Shibi said with a blank expression.
Asana had little interest in BBQ. Yuan had never eaten at a BBQ place in the Leaf, so he had no idea what was good. That left ordering to Kagetsu.
Kagetsu didn't hold back, ordering all the expensive cuts. Soon, the meat arrived.
As Kagetsu grilled the food, just as Yuan was about to dig in, he noticed a familiar figure appear at the entrance of the BBQ restaurant.
(To Be Continued...)