Naruto: Unlocking Kaido Template-Chapter 171

"Huh? So that's what you meant..." Shino muttered, puzzled. But he didn't have time to ponder it.

Because his own swarm turned on him.

The bugs that were once under his command were now flying straight at him—and something about them had changed. The black beetle-like bugs, initially the size of locusts, began to shed their shells. From their bodies crawled multiple clones of the Jūshi Insect.

Not only had his attack failed, but it backfired—and now the opposing swarm had multiplied even further.

"They're devouring everything. This is a problem..." Shino grimaced. He still had numerous insect-based jutsu he hadn't deployed, but they all relied on sheer numbers. And at this rate, using more insects would just feed the enemy swarm.

"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu! (Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!)"

Shino had no choice but to rely on ninjutsu—despite it not being his forte. Since the enemy thrived on absorption, he turned to energy they couldn't consume.

The flames scorched the sky, and the burning heat was too much even for the Jūshi creatures. They fell in waves, charred and lifeless.

But Shino didn't feel even a hint of relief.

"Did they... also absorb the genes of the first-gen bugs?" he whispered. Some of the enemy swarm now exhibited fire resistance—and it was spreading fast, infecting the entire Jūshi colony.

"It's really unlucky for a bug-user to run into someone like you," he chuckled bitterly. Her abilities completely countered both his cultivation style and combat strategy.

Still, Shino refused to back down. He came from a clan of bug specialists. He might not be able to control her insects, but he knew countless ways to disperse them.

"All I need to do is clear the bugs, get close, and take her out directly. If we go one-on-one, I can win this." His plan was set. He just needed the right opportunity. A clean shot to Aburame Hatsuizumi's head.

After all, they were both from bug-focused families. Their physical stats weren't that different. He had a chance.

Shino glanced at her again. She still wore the same mocking expression, as if she were toying with him.

"Insect Clone!"

Shino cast the jutsu boldly. He wasn't trying to deceive her—she was way too sensitive to bug chakra for that. She could instantly tell the difference between a clone and the real him. No, the clone was for something else entirely.

He remembered a technique he'd once seen an unnamed explosive user employ, and inspiration struck.

The insect clone swelled rapidly, its insect core multiplying at an unnatural rate. It began to balloon like an overstuffed doll. Its limbs shortened, and its bloated body looked both ridiculous and disturbing.

Aburame Hatsuizumi tilted her head, slightly amused. "It's expanding... kinda familiar."

But the Jūshi swarm didn't care. They surged forward to devour the clone, just as they had with everything else. And thanks to their split-upon-devouring ability, the clone's expansion accelerated even further.

Its right arm, the first to be consumed, ballooned larger than its torso and was on the verge of rupture.

Boom!

This chapt𝙚r is updated by freeωebnovēl.c૦m.

Shino snapped his fingers.

A spark ignited within the clone. The resulting explosion engulfed the entire battlefield. Burnt insect carcasses fell like black rain from the sky. If insects had a concept of hell, this place would be it.

Shino shielded himself with multiple insect blankets, so he emerged unscathed. As for Hatsuizumi, the only thing that could be said was—her armor was top-tier. She looked completely untouched.

"Huh. That was fun," she said, stretching lazily. But now she was paying attention.

Seeing his chance, Shino struck. With no bugs around her, he charged in, kunai already flying through the air. Behind the blades, he began weaving hand signs.

"I've got you. No more bugs. I win."

"Katon: Ryūka no Jutsu! (Fire Style: Dragon Fire Technique!)"

A blazing fire dragon roared from his mouth as several kunai aimed for Hatsuizumi's limbs. Shino was sure of his victory.

"No bugs?" she repeated with a grin, amused by his premature celebration.

Snap.

Her pale fingers clicked together—and the entire battlefield was swallowed by an overwhelming tide of insects. They flooded the area like a tsunami, devouring all in their path. In a flash, it had turned into a sea of bugs.

Suspended mid-air above the wave, Aburame Hatsuizumi looked down at Shino with chilling calm.

"I don't exist. I am the swarm."

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