Father vs Son

An opening materialized within the Overlord, and Shino's foot delicately stepped out onto thin air. As he took that pivotal step, a soft hum of insects filled his ears, and a swarm of bugs coalesced at his feet, forming a stable platform that allowed him to traverse the empty expanse and hover in midair.

The resonating buzz of his insect companions grew louder as Shino advanced through the air, step by deliberate step. Finally, he halted a few meters away from the massive flying beetle, matching its altitude, and locking eyes with his father.

Father and son stood in contemplative silence, their gazes locked in a silent exchange. Shibi scrutinized Shino's matured form, nodding ever so slightly. "You've grown, Shino."

Maintaining his composure, Shino stood resolutely, his legs enveloped by two masses of insects, and he met his father's gaze. "How did you find me?"

Shibi's voice carried a hint of gravitas as he spoke, audible enough for Shino alone. "Others may struggle to locate you, but for those of the Aburame clan who possess extraordinary strength, genjutsu can't keep us trapped and…"

Shibi adjusted his glasses, his eyes scanning the concealed abomination lurking behind Shino. "As long as they are close enough, a gathering of bugs of that magnitude is like a beacon in the sky."

Internally rolling his eyes beneath his glasses, Shino grumbled. Even at this juncture, his father insisted on issuing warnings. It certainly made things more complicated. "Although I have a guess, what brings you here, Father?"

With a calm demeanor, Shibi replied, his hands slowly ascending as the cork sealing his gourd loosened. A dark, inky wave spilled forth, flowing through the air like liquid, coalescing into foreboding black clouds behind Shibi. "Since you already have a clue, there is no need for me to waste words explaining. If you wish to leave, show me your growth, my son."

Silence enveloped them, the faint hum of insects whispering through the air, only to be momentarily eclipsed by the passing gust of wind. The wind rustled through Shino's attire, followed by a similar ripple in his father's garments, as if mirroring the anticipation that hung heavy in the air.

Shino's gaze honed to a razor's edge as his foot crashed against the insect firmament below him, propelling him forward with tremendous force. The bug foothold beneath him exploded and dispersed, unable to withstand the impact of his stomp.

Like a bolt of lightning, Shino streaked through the air, his foot devoid of insects becoming a focal point for a fresh swarm of bugs. Simultaneously, the insects on his other foot melded together, forming a cohesive mass that promptly allowed him to propel himself once more, altering his trajectory mid-flight.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Shurikens were relentlessly tossed out as Shino utilized his bugs as nimble footholds, becoming an ethereal blur, tracing zigzag trails through the sky.

His movements were so rapid that his clothes flapped violently in the turbulent air as he darted back and forth in a wide area around Shibi, who remained rooted in silence above his giant flying beetle, his gaze fixed steadfastly ahead, manipulating his swarm of bugs to block the incoming shurikens.

Even as he zipped around, Shino's eyes never wavered from Shibi, his mind a constant whirlwind of analysis, calculating the effects of his shurikens on the movement of his father's bugs. He scrutinized his father and the swarms of bugs that encircled him from every angle, searching for the slightest hint of an opening.

And then, in an instant, Shino spotted it - a gap, an opportunity. It may be a trap arranged by his father, but it presented itself as a perfect entry point, a chance to bridge the distance between them.

Gathering a formidable mass of insects on his foot, Shino unleashed a powerful kick, hurtling toward the flying beetle with breathtaking speed. He deftly weaved through the gaps within the swarms of bugs, appearing behind Shibi in a flurry of motion.

With a graceful twirl in midair, Shino harnessed the remaining momentum of his movement, launching his leg toward Shibi's head!

Thud! Shibi's reaction was instantaneous, raising his arm to block the incoming kick. Then, like a claw, his hand slithered down, aiming to seize Shino's leg.

However, Shino had anticipated this, swiftly retracting his leg and launching a counterattack with his other leg, aiming for Shibi's arm, propelling himself backward.

Hum! A swarm of insects materialized behind Shino, obstructing his retreat, ready to ensnare him within their grasp!

Employing a swift kick against his bugs arranged in the air, Shino abruptly altered his trajectory, gliding sideways across the air. His hand extended toward Shibi, sending forth a rope, seemingly woven from bugs, writhing as it shot towards Shibi like a whip!

Fwip! Calmly sidestepping, Shibi evaded the entangling rope of insects. Meanwhile, his hand ascended, summoning bug tentacles that erupted from the swirling vortex of bugs surrounding the area, lancing toward Shino with deadly precision.

Shino's glasses gleamed, his senses tingling as the rope of bugs connected with Shibi's flying beetle, latching on to its surface. Instantly, the taut strand transformed into a powerful lifeline, pulling him away from the wave of bug tentacles and rapidly reeling him in toward Shibi!

Closing the distance, Shino seized the moment, his fists clenched, ready to find their marks on the deduced weaknesses of his father, marked by the combat interface displayed in his retina.

Utilizing the grounded stability of the beetle beneath his foot, Shino employed his enhanced agility to flicker around Shibi like an elusive phantom, launching a barrage of punches from every conceivable angle.

In response, Shibi raised his hands, countering Shino's assault with swift yet calculated calmness. His hands and arms moved with precision, deftly deflecting Shino's punches. Meanwhile, bugs surged forth from his own body, piercing the air with lethal intent, homing in on Shino.

Similar swarms burst forth from Shino's body, hurtling through the air to engage Shibi's bugs, setting the stage for a fierce battle on a microscopic battlefield. The minuscule critters clashed, their presence unleashing a maelstrom of fury within the macrocosm of the battle.

In the blink of an eye, a flurry of movements unfolded as both combatants clashed with blistering speed.

Despite the long description of their clash, their maneuvers were executed in mere moments, each vying for an advantage, but the exchange remained deadlocked.

However, after this brief exchange, Shibi's bug tentacles had already closed in from behind, threatening to pierce Shino's defenseless back!

Just as the deadly appendages were about to strike, Shino's foot stomped down onto the beetle beneath him. The sheer force of his stomp sent tremors through the massive insect, causing it to shift and disorient Shibi!

Seizing the opportunity, Shino's hand clamped onto Shibi's shoulder, executing a fluid motion that propelled him over his opponent, flipping over his father with one hand. In the same breath, his other hand unleashed a new rope of bugs, drilling through the messy tentacles and finding its anchor.

With the ropes taut, Shino landed gracefully on one knee, gripping both of his bug ropes firmly. In an instant, he swept the entwined threads toward Shibi's legs, aiming to incapacitate his father.

Reacting swiftly, Shibi leaped into the air, his own bugs surging forth to disrupt the bug rope.

But to his astonishment, Shino propelled himself into the air with a powerful kick, causing the giant beetle to sink and alter its trajectory, his actions uncovering his true ambush, a thin wire slicing out from within the entangled bugs on the preconceived bug rope, striking upward at a devious angle!

Swish! The razor-thin wire cleaved through Shibi's body from bottom to top - a critical hit. Yet, no blood stained the air. As Shibi's body plummeted toward the descending beetle, his form gradually disintegrated into a swarm of bugs.

"Insect Replica," Shino uttered calmly, his threads reeling him forward, narrowly evading the bug tentacles that thrust toward him from behind.

Returning to the safety of the giant beetle below, Shino tapped his foot lightly, propelling himself outward through the gap in the bug wall, created by the beetle's descent in the air.

He broke free into the darkening sky, his legs enveloped in a shroud of bugs as he drifted backward through the air. His eyes scanned the vast expanse of black insects before him.

"Damn. How many bugs did you cram into that gourd, Father?" Shino's voice resonated with a mix of awe and frustration.

"Plenty," Shibi responded, a mass of bugs parting like a curtain to reveal his figure standing atop a platform formed by a dense cluster of black insects. With measured steps, he advanced, stepping back onto the giant flying beetle that had regained its altitude.

A barely perceptible twitch coursed through Shino's eyes as he withdrew a scroll from his pouch. "It seems I should even the odds as well."

The scroll sliced through the air, tracing a trail as it fluttered with the currents of the wind. Dense smoke erupted from the parchment, shrouding the battleground in a haze.

As the smoke dispersed, six identical Shinos stood side by side, their gazes fixed on Shibi, their arms crossed in unison.

Shibi's eyes swept over the five clones before settling on Shino's main body. "An interesting technique. I'm afraid no one in the clan possesses the same ability. Is this clone an extension of your awakened bloodline limit?"

"You could say that," Shino affirmed with a nod, his hand flicking dismissively as he commanded. "Go."

With a commanding gesture, five clones burst forth, their movements swift as they zoomed through the air, encircling Shibi's swarm of bugs in a pentagram formation. As they fell into position, their hands completed intricate seals while their mouths inflated.

"Fwoosh!" Flames erupted from the mouths of three clones, while the remaining two unleashed a gust of wind to fuel the inferno. The combined forces created a torrent of fire, crashing toward Shibi's vast swarm of bugs from three sides!

Shibi's brow twitched imperceptibly as his hand rose, directing his bugs to swiftly form thick walls to intercept the oncoming flames. A contest of attrition ensued as the sea of fire battled against the resilient insect barrier.

The flames raged, consuming the bugs in a relentless assault. Yet, the clones' capacity was limited, and eventually, the flames subsided. With a series of 'poofing' sounds and clouds of smoke, the five clones reverted to their true form - masses of bugs, mere insect replicas.

Shino remained composed as he observed the dying embers, revealing the scorched layer of the bug shell, its charred layer peeling away gradually as bug corpses rained down into the distant forest below, evidence of the fierce clash.

As the remnants of the shell peeled away, Shibi stood atop the hidden giant flying beetle, sweat dripping down his face, his voice laden with a mix of exhaustion and concern, "Shino, that's a lot of money you just burned. Your mother is going to kill me."

"That's the least of your worries, Father," Shino replied in a nonchalant tone as he unfurled another scroll, ready to unleash his next move.

"Wait-" Before Shibi could finish his sentence, another set of five Shino clones materialized on the battlefield, their presence exuding calm determination as they fixated their intense gaze upon Shibi.

"…" Seeing this, Shibi couldn't help but feel a twinge of exasperation, realizing the shameless tactics Shino was employing.

Shibi swept his eyes over the new batch of Shino clones, a faint headache forming. "Shino, I asked to see your growth, not your ability to breed bugs."

"My wealth is also a form of growth," Shino retorted calmly, no traces of embarrassment evident in his words.

Shibi sighed, his hand delving into his robe to retrieve a scroll. Holding it firmly, he spoke in a calm tone while slightly shaking the scroll. "We can continue playing all day and have no results. I'm sure that's not what you want, Shino."

As Shibi gestured toward the camouflaged Overlord, reminding Shino of his true objective, a flicker of understanding passed between them. Shino sighed in resignation. "Well, Father, if you insist on the hard way, don't say I didn't warn you."

Shibi nodded, stowing away his scroll. "I wouldn't ask for anything less."

Whoosh! The five Shino clones closed in, their presence igniting a fierce determination in Shibi's eyes.

Like a raging tempest, Shibi's vast swarm of bugs surged forward, converging into a thin, deadly line that sliced through the clones' insect-formed footholds, decimating their means of air support.

To Shibi's astonishment, the clones continued their trajectory, defying gravity as they moved through the air unhindered. "Your clones can fly..."

"Always could, Father," the Shino clones replied in unison, their voices laced with unwavering confidence and mirth as their fists and kicks homed in on Shibi from all angles.

With a sharp sweep of his eyes, Shibi seized the wrists of two clones, swiftly twisting his body and hurtling them toward another pair, their bodies colliding with a resounding impact.

Meanwhile, his swarm of bugs extended tentacles, ensnaring the remaining clone and yanking it away, disrupting its assault.

Raising his leg with precision, Shibi snapped it forward, his kick finding its mark on Shino's abdomen as he attempted to ambush him from behind with his main body.

Shino was propelled backward through the air, clutching his aching stomach. Using bugs to stabilize himself, he observed the scene as his four clones regrouped, quickly jumping back into the fray. "Hiss, the old man is so heavy-handed. If that's the case, I should return the favor."

A wave of camouflaged bugs enveloped Shino, concealing his form from view. His eyes glinted with determination as he lowered his hand, palm facing upward.

A palpable force slowly coalesced in his palms, distorting the air around him, hinting at the impending eruption of power...