"Insects that live in colonies often have a natural instinct, which is to protect their king.
For example, with ants, the queen's main duties are to lay eggs, reproduce, and manage the colony, while the other ants will protect the queen at all costs."
"Teacher Shibi, are you saying there's also an 'ant queen' among these insects?" Uchiha En asked.
"That's right." Aburame Shibi finished speaking, opened his hand, and an insect slightly larger than the others flew onto his palm.
"It is the king of the swarm. The insects follow its commands and protect it at all costs.
It was also this insect that used some means to command the swarm to use the other insects to rush out of the Great Fireball Technique just now.
If you had discovered this secret earlier, given the strength and cooperation of the three of you, you could have completed this test much more easily.
As long as you kill the king of the swarm, the other insects will fall into chaos."
"So that was the real way to pass the test?" Hyuga Asana muttered to herself.
"That's right. From the start, I didn't think a newly formed squad like yours would have the necessary coordination to evade the swarm's attacks for 20 minutes.
Therefore, my test for you was actually about insight—to see if you could discover the secret of the insect swarm.
Uchiha En, you must have sensed that there was something wrong with the swarm, but you mistakenly attributed the swarm's actions simply to me commanding them. That was your error."
Hearing this, Uchiha En gave a wry smile. Who would have thought the insect swarm actually had its own leader? The original work never mentioned that!
However, Aburame Shibi's test served as a warning to Uchiha En: he was relying too heavily on the information from the original work.
When Aburame Shibi's swarm made unusual moves, Uchiha En never considered the possibility that the swarm had its own internal commander; he simply assumed Aburame Shibi was controlling them remotely.
The fundamental reason he didn't consider this was because the original work didn't provide this information, which ended up restricting Uchiha En's thinking.
"Although you did not directly find the king of the swarm, you passed this test using a method I am even happier to see.
On the battlefield, the trust and coordination among teammates are far more likely to keep you alive than keen insight. You have passed."
After hearing Aburame Shibi's words, Uchiha En smiled, Yamanaka Teruzuki was overjoyed, and even Hyuga Asana, who usually showed little emotion, breathed a long sigh of relief this time.
"Teacher Shibi, I heard that after a typical Ninja squad passes their instructor's test, the instructor treats them to yakiniku," Yamanaka Teruzuki said.
"I know. I will treat you to yakiniku tonight, but before we eat, there are a few things I need to explain to you."
"Please tell us, Sensei," Yamanaka Teruzuki said, adopting the posture of a good child.
"I have three things to discuss with you. First, we will depart for the battlefield three days from now."
"It's three days this time?" Uchiha En asked.
"Yes. The graduates from the previous year were dispatched to various battlefields two days after graduation. For you, it's three days because some of the Village's resource allocations haven't been finalized yet."
"What about the second matter?" Hyuga Asana asked.
"The second matter is that the battlefield we are heading to is the Land of Bears battlefield." After speaking, Aburame Shibi turned his gaze toward Uchiha En.
Hyuga Asana seemed to recall something and turned her head to look as well.
"The Land of Bears? Does that mean we'll run into the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist?" Uchiha En asked.
"That's right. The Land of Bears is the main battlefield for Konoha and Kirigakure, and the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist are also there.
Uchiha En, I heard that both your parents died at the hands of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. I hope you can exercise restraint. You are a squad now, and if you act impulsively, you might implicate your two teammates," Aburame Shibi said in a calm tone.
"Teacher Shibi, please don't worry. I won't implicate them, and besides, I probably won't have the chance to kill them anyway."
"Won't have the chance to kill them? Are you referring to the Uchiha Clan's organized assassination attempt on the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist? Although I don't want to discourage you, there are too few Uchiha Clan members in the Land of Bears, and I doubt you can handle the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist."
Uchiha En remained silent upon hearing this. Aburame Shibi did not press the matter; he simply wanted to advise Uchiha En not to let hatred implicate his teammates, and Uchiha En agreeing was enough.
As for why Uchiha En agreed, that was not his concern.
"The final matter: after we go to the Land of Bears, I will stay with you for one year. During this year, I will lead you in executing various reconnaissance missions, and you can trust me completely.
However, if any member of your squad is injured and withdraws from the battlefield, or if someone dies outright, causing the squad to lose a member, I will immediately leave your squad.
If all three of you survive after one year, you will, barring any accidents, all be Chunin. A reconnaissance squad composed of three Chunin no longer needs any Jonin to supervise them, so there will be no need for me to remain."
"We understand. We ask for your guidance this year, Teacher Shibi." Uchiha En said, bowing slightly to Aburame Shibi.
Yamanaka Teruzuki and Hyuga Asana followed suit, echoing his words.
"I hope all of you survive on the battlefield. I'll see you at the yakiniku restaurant!" Having said that, Aburame Shibi transformed into a swarm of insects and vanished.
"What was that? Insect Body Flicker Technique? Or Insect Clone Technique?" Yamanaka Teruzuki asked, looking completely bewildered.
"It should be the Insect Body Flicker Technique, similar in principle to the Sand Body Flicker Technique commonly used by Sand Ninja," Hyuga Asana said.
"It looks like I'm the only one in our squad who can't use the Body Flicker Technique," Yamanaka Teruzuki lamented.
"What are you talking about? Kagetsu, you don't think Teacher Shibi can't use the Body Flicker Technique, do you? He's a Jonin," Uchiha En retorted irritably.
The group walked toward the yakiniku restaurant while talking.
When the three of them arrived at the yakiniku restaurant, there were few empty seats left. Most tables were occupied by people, specifically instructors and their students.
Aburame Shibi was sitting alone at a table near the corner, and Uchiha En, Hyuga Asana, and Yamanaka Teruzuki quickly rushed over.
"Order whatever yakiniku you want to eat," Aburame Shibi said expressionlessly.
Hyuga Asana wasn't very interested in yakiniku. Uchiha En had never been to a yakiniku restaurant in Konoha Village and didn't know which meats were good, so the ordering was left to Yamanaka Teruzuki.
Yamanaka Teruzuki didn't hold back, ordering a selection of the most expensive items. Soon, the yakiniku was served.
Yamanaka Teruzuki finished grilling the meat, and just as Uchiha En was about to pick up his chopsticks, he suddenly saw a familiar figure at the entrance of the yakiniku restaurant.