Chapter 50 - First operation

Under the watchful gaze of the moon, a sizable group assembled near the Aburame clan residence. The clan's unique techniques had led them to establish their dwelling within a secluded part of the Hidden Leaf's verdant forest. The area was teeming with life, from tall grass and bushes to vibrant flowers and towering trees.

Itachi turned to Shisui, his voice barely above a whisper. "Everyone is ready. Did you see anything?" Shisui had just returned from a reconnaissance mission with a small Hyuga scouting party. He paused for a moment, considering their findings. "They seem unguarded. Most are asleep, and their bugs are gathered in their resting areas. We should move in now."

Under the cover of darkness, the group crept closer to the clan's main gate, the tall grass muffling their footsteps and aiding their silent approach. As they navigated through the undergrowth, faint groans echoed around them. One groan was unusual, two were concerning, but several groans in quick succession signaled that something was amiss on this stealth mission. Shisui's brow furrowed as a chilling realization struck him.

During the scouting mission with the Hyuga, their focus had been on the Aburame clansmen and their insects. However, due to the sheer number of bugs and the limitations of the Byakugan, they hadn't been able to conduct a comprehensive scan of the area. Shisui had assumed that the bugs' concentration in their resting area indicated that the Aburame were unprepared for an attack, but he couldn't shake the growing feeling that he was wrong.

As the group advanced through the tall grass, Shisui's fears were confirmed. Hidden among the undergrowth, the Aburame had released their most venomous insects, setting a perfect ambush. "They know we're here! Charge quickly and avoid their insects!" Shisui shouted, the urgency in his voice apparent.

The experienced Shinobi sprang into action without hesitation, but the untrained civilians froze, terror gripping their hearts. The commotion outside alerted the Aburame clansmen, and they quickly realized their cover had been blown. Dropping their pretense, the supposedly sleeping Shinobi leaped to their feet, ready for battle.

Shisui cursed as he saw his comrades falling victim to the venomous insects. Their morale plummeted, while the Aburame reveled in the success of their plan. Gritting his teeth, Shisui decided it was time for their backup strategy.

"Itachi!" he called out urgently. As Itachi hurled an unexpected projectile toward the Aburame forces, Naruto's voice rang out in protest. "This isn't what I agreed to!" he screamed, hurtling into the midst of the Aburame clan.

Confusion etched across the face of one Aburame clansman. "What the hell is this?" he muttered. Was this supposed to be some sort of guilt trip? Unfazed, he had killed before, and he wouldn't hesitate to do so again.

The Aburame man charged at Naruto, Kunai at the ready. But before he could land a blow, his vision shifted abruptly, and he caught a horrifying glimpse of his own body. In the ensuing silence, his severed head tumbled to the ground, the source of the attack impossible to discern.

"It's the Nine-Tails brat!" an Aburame clansman shouted, panic spreading through their ranks. "We should've killed him a long time ago!" another declared, charging at Naruto with determination. Unfortunately, his fate mirrored that of his comrade, and he met a swift and brutal end.

"Kill him! He's their main weapon!" The Aburame Shinobi rushed en masse toward Naruto, hoping to overpower him with sheer numbers. Venomous insects swarmed around him, seeking to deliver their lethal bites. But whether it was Shinobi or insects, their attempts were futile.

Mysterious figures, barely visible, darted through the battlefield, dispatching anyone who dared to harm Naruto. The gruesome scene unfolded before Naruto's terrified eyes, blood and viscera splattering the ground. Seizing the opportunity, the civilian forces broke through the main gate, joining the fray.

Armed with Ryu's expertly crafted weapons, even the untrained civilians could stand a chance against the Shinobi. As they clashed, Ryu's weapons sliced through the Aburame's Kunai effortlessly, dispatching the stunned Shinobi behind them.

For those Aburame skilled enough to handle the difference in weaponry, they found themselves facing equally adept Shinobi armed with superior weapons. Engaging in close combat, the Aburame found themselves at a distinct disadvantage. However, they weren't about to concede defeat so easily.

A massive swarm of insects gathered in the sky, casting an ominous shadow over the battlefield as they prepared to descend like a deadly smokescreen. "Retreat!" The command rippled through the Aburame Shinobi as the insects swooped down.

The dark swarm engulfed the entire area, and the venomous bugs wasted no time in launching their attacks. Those already reeling from the initial insect assault froze in terror as they were bitten again, while newcomers to the ordeal stared in horror, realizing the grim fate that awaited them without medical attention.

A handful of Shinobi skilled in wind-style Ninjutsu desperately attempted to disperse the black cloud using whatever techniques they could muster, from simple wind bullets to larger area-of-effect attacks. Sadly, their efforts were in vain. The insect swarm was so immense that the wind Jutsu could barely make a dent. And even when some insects perished, others quickly took their place, maintaining the cloud's density.

But in their relentless assault, the insects made a critical error. They tried to attack Naruto. A massive electrical surge erupted within the insect cloud, arcing from one bug to another in a split second. The blinding display left nothing behind but tens of thousands of charred insects, the venomous cloud vanquished in an instant.

"The Aburame's insects are dead! Kill those defenseless bastards and then we'll get you some antidotes!" Shisui, who managed to avoid the insects thanks to his incredible speed, yelled out.

In renewed vigor, the civilian army charged with an incredible war cry as they clashed with the defenseless Aburame clansmen. They say a cornered dog is more dangerous than a wolf, so what happens when both sides reached the point of desperation? A bloodbath.

The Aburame had lost all their insects, as well as most of their Chakra from controlling their bugs. The civilians, on the other hand, were desperate to finish the fight and receive antidotes for the venom flowing through their veins. Both sides clung to life desperately, and their only choice was to kill the opposing side.

Unfortunately, in a battle of equal ground, the Aburame never stood a chance. Guts, blood, and bone shards rained in the air as the battle finally came to its conclusion.

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So it took me a bit more time to upload this chapter, and I'll be truthful, I downloaded Cyberpunk 2077 and I got hooked... I highly recommend you play it now. If you're afraid it's still full of bugs, I'm about twenty-five hours in and I haven't had any bugs besides a handful of cases of some characters clipping. (Though I did have a shit ton of frame drops before lowering my graphical setting, but I'm playing on a laptop that's not in the best condition. The 1.5 patch really did wonders for the game).

Also, I heard the cyberpunk anime that came out, Edgerunners, is really good and that opinion is pretty unanimous from what I've heard so if you don't want to buy the game watch the show. Anyway, enough of my ramblings, I hope you enjoyed the chapter and I'll try to stay consistent now that my cyberpunk craze has gone down a bit.