Network Spreads

In the Land of Earth, Tsuchikage Office, the atmosphere was heavy as Onoki's eyes flickered with concern as he leaned forward, his white beard trembling with every stroke of his hand as he examined the contract scroll on his desk.

"The Lurker species... have we analyzed their abilities?" Onoki asked, his voice steady and calm.

The Hidden Earth Anbu bowed respectfully, "Yes, Tsuchikage-sama. This strange insect clan appears defenseless above ground, but when burrowed into the earth, they can launch a devastating barrage of dense bony spikes, powerful enough to impale even high-ranking jonin's earth walls. But… their source remains undetermined, as they refuse our attempts at reverse summoning and we couldn't track the ones who left the scroll."

Onoki's brow furrowed in deep thought. "Hmm... very suspicious indeed. And these insects' attacks are sinister enough… If we were to use them in battle, do you think it would draw condemnation from other ninja villages?"

The Anbu nodded in agreement as he replied, "Then, Tsuchikage-sama, I will notify the others to stop-"

Thud! Onoki's hand patted the scroll on the desk as he declared, "Such sneaky methods- I mean, we must not allow such a useful tool to eat dust! Bring the scroll, and find more potential contractors immediately!"

The Anbu hesitated for a moment, seemingly torn by Onoki's decision, but he ultimately nodded, "As you command, Tsuchikage-sama."

As the Anbu left with the scroll, Onoki's gaze lingered on his retreating figure, his eyes filled with a hint of disappointment. "Our village's ninja population is so high, but the younger generation lacks true outstanding talent. This temporary peace… how long can it last?"

He sighed and shook his head. "Against enemies, I have abandoned my morals long ago, and if it ensures the strength and survival of the Hidden Stone until a worthy successor appears, I don't mind keeping it that way."

Meanwhile, in the Land of Lightning, Hidden Cloud Village, Raikage Office, a figure sat regally behind a formidable desk, exuding an air of strength and authority. His dark, bronzed skin seemed to absorb the flickering shadows, highlighting the sharp contrast with his striking white hair, meticulously combed back to reveal a face adorned with a small, well-groomed mustache and goatee.

This battle-hardened presence was none other than the Kage of Kumogakure, the Raikage, whose identity was veiled under the cryptic title of 'A', a legacy passed down from generations past.

The mighty A sat behind his desk, studying the mysterious contract scroll with intense scrutiny. He directed his question at the Hidden Cloud Anbu standing nearby, "Have we found out how this scroll ended up in our village?"

The Anbu's response was regretful, "No, sir. We are still investigating."

A waved him off and dismissed him. His attention then shifted to one of his most trusted right-hand man, a dark skin man who stood tall and imposing with a slightly bulbous nose and shaggy, white hair that concealed one eye.

He carried a cleaver-like sword on his back and wore a high-collared, sleeveless uniform with loose-fitting pants, and a one-strap-over-one-shoulder Hidden Cloud flak jacket.

A knocked on the table and asked, "Darui, what are your thoughts on this Scourge species?"

Darui's bored eyes briefly came to life as he looked at A, his hand casually rubbing his neck. "Bosu, I'll just listen to your decision."

A's patience waned, and he growled, "Darui, I asked for your opinion, your opinion!"

Darui blinked, slightly taken aback by A's reaction. "Ah, sorry, Bosu," he said with a lazy smile. "But hasn't Bosu already made a decision?"

As A fixed his gaze on the report he had received about the Scourges. "Ha. You're right. With these flying suicide bombers, I want to see how long that dirty old Onoki's flying technique can- " Before he could finish his sentence, an abrupt loud ruckus from the village caught his attention.

Recognizing the familiar yet deadly 'music', A's face hardened, his fists slamming down onto his desk as he abruptly stood up, soon bounding towards the window, shouting, "B!!!!!!!"

Darui's bored eyes took in the scene - the shattered glass and the splintered remnants of the table - before he gracefully approached the contract scroll.

With utmost care, he brushed away the wooden debris that had settled upon it, almost as if he was tending to a delicate relic.

"Sorry for Bosu's rough treatment. Bosu didn't mean it." His voice, soft and remorseful, carried in the air as he offered an apology to no one in particular. Perhaps it was the desk… or maybe it was the service providers.

And at this moment, a dark-skinned kunoichi, with green eyes and light grey hair worn in a bun, strolled into the office. She was dressed in a formal attire consisting of a long-sleeved, high-collared dress shirt, skirt, and a pair of long earrings.

Clutched in her hands against her ample assets was a stack of documents, denoting her role as a secretary. She was the assistant of the Raikage, Mabui.

The two loosely hanging bangs of her light grey hair swayed slightly as she took in the scene before letting out an exasperated sigh, "I was only gone for ten minutes... how many times has it been this week..."

"Sorry..."

In the Land of Wind, Kazekage's office, Gaara faced the mysterious contract scroll with unwavering determination. He rolled it up and handed it to his sister, Temari, with a serious expression. "Keep it locked up," Gaara instructed her firmly.

Temari looked at the scroll with uncertainty. "Gaara, are you being too cautious? It's just some bugs, and using this as a reward could gain help you the approval of the ninjas in the village. After all, right now, your role is no different from being locked down because they simply want to keep you under observation."

Gaara continued to sort through the documents, his voice steady, "Those bugs gives me the same feeling as the strange structure that hurt you. It is not a good thing. Even my sand trembles when coming into contact with them..."

"Mother..." Temari's eyes filled with comprehension as she realized the seriousness of the situation. She nodded and carefully put away the scroll. "I trust you, Gaara. But what about the others? Once they find out about this scroll..."

"I'll convince them," Gaara responded with unwavering conviction. The sand around him shifted slightly, as if conveying his unspoken determination.

A drop of sweat rolled down Temari's face, letting out a sigh before she left the office.

Different ninja villages had their own choices regarding the utilization of this new tool, but all of this were taken into account by the mastermind behind the dissemination of this tool.

In the lit lab, Shino was sifting through the recordings of the events, combing through important nodes related to his upcoming plans and meticulously taking notes in his virtual notebook, modifying his virtual mind map as necessary.

However, when Shino sensed fluctuations from a new unique connection, his focus was soon drawn from his work to a distracting sight in the lab – the hatching of a beauty, one who has fully integrated with a special cursed seal developed through his own bloodline.

Shino's grin widened as he observed Konan completing her transformation. The alluring sight of her toned legs stepping out from the larva, glistening with sticky, transparent fluids, was mesmerizing. As the larva collapsed behind her, merging into her now transformed body, Shino's heated gaze remained fixed on her.

Unperturbed by his intense stare, Konan calmly moved towards her neatly-folded clothes, efficiently slipping them on. But her composure wavered slightly when Shino's arms wrapped around her waist from behind, pulling her close to him. Still, Konan's expression was neutral, her voice tinged with resolve, "I still have tasks to attend to."

Shino leaned in, his lips grazing her ear as he demanded in a soft voice, "You can do them after we finish our training."

"It's Karina-sama's orders-" Konan started but stopped herself, biting her lip to suppress her voice. Her eyes flickered with a brief moment of fierceness before returning to their usual calmness.

Shino seemed to have caught the change in her expression, shown to him through a private communication channel by the considerate Karina, who brewed hope with sinister intentions.

Yet the situation only cause Shino's dark grin to widen, his heated voice fanning the flames, "Don't worry. We have plenty of time. Karina is currently visiting my parents with my clone. She won't know about this."

Hearing Shino's words, Konan realized there was no hope of escaping this situation. Yet still unknown to her who just joined, she never had any hope from the very beginning.

In Konoha, the Aburame compound.

Two masses of bugs emerged from the ground, transforming into the figures of Shino and Karina. Shino looked around his familiar room, pleased to see it was still clean despite his absence.

Karina playfully pinched Shino's waist to get his attention and asked with mischief in her tone, "How do you like the game I designed with our new member?"

With a grin, Shino dotingly rubbed Karina's nose and replied, "Not bad. But what made my jealous little goblin set up this game? It's unlike you, Karina."

Karina wrapped her arms around Shino's and pouted, "I also want to keep my dear all to myself. But our new member is too strong-willed, still retaining some rebellious mentality through her strong will alone. Even though she has come under our control, it's best for her to go through a training session with my dear to ensure any hidden danger is snuffed out."

Her lips curving in a sly smile, Karina continued, "But even with my control, with her paper ninjutsu akin to natural devil fruit, she can partially transform her body with ease to disrupt my dear's satisfaction. So, I set up this game to ensure she compromises, offering her limited 'protection' through work, but only when I am 'there'. With this, she will recognize my authority and my dear can also enjoy himself. And as time passes, she will eventually fully become yours."

Embracing Karina, Shino chuckled with a content expression, "Karina, you always find ways to benefit me."

"And I'm always willing to, Shino," Karina declared happily, nuzzling against him. "But it still feels better with my dear's real body."

Petting her head, Shino assured her, "I will dote on you when I return."

As they stepped out of the room together, they encountered Shino's father, Shibi, waiting by a familiar table. Shibi's gaze fell on them, and he spoke in a low tone, "You shouldn't have returned."

"Well, with me and you together, no one will come to bug us. So, I brought Karina home to visit."

Confidently, Shino adjusted his glasses and lifted a scroll in his hand, "And… Father, I heard you resigned from your counselor position, and ever since another member in the clan replaced you, another faction had been rising up in the clan. You've been able to hold on to the clan head position due to your strength, but some clan elders are already dissatisfied..."

"So, I brought a gift you could use to appease the clan." Shino shook the scroll in his hand and tossed it to his father.

Shibi caught the scroll, unfurled it, and raised his brow as he saw its content, "A contract with the Guardian species?"

Shino nodded, patting Karina's booty to signal her to head to the kitchen before settling down at the table, and explained, "An insect species capable of flight and launching explosive globs of acids accurately over long distances."

Comprehending the value with Shino's brief explanation, Shibi quietly kept the scroll, waiting for Shino to continue.

With a slight curve of his lips, Shino directly posed his next question, "I also came back to confirm if Konoha's target is really…"

His eyes sharpened, and he stated firmly, "Us."