Into the Enemy Lair

As Anko departed, once again leaving Shino and Ino alone on the boat sailing under the rising sun, an intriguing atmosphere settled between them. If one were to judge solely based on appearances, it would seem as though the author of Naruto had paired Ino and Shino together after all.

Although the original pairing never came to fruition, Shino was determined to change that outcome this time around.

According to the plan, this was the moment for Shino to engage Ino in comforting dialogue. However, their current situation felt peculiar. Ino's worry for Naruto seemed overshadowed by her constant glances in Shino's direction, her eyes betraying unspoken thoughts and concealed questions.

"What's wrong?" Shino inquired, his understanding evident in his tone.

Ino turned her head away, her blond bangs swaying as she responded with a grumpy tone, "Nothing."

Closing the distance between them with a few steps, Shino sat beside Ino, causing her to shift uncomfortably. He cast a sidelong glance, his deep eyes concealed behind his glasses as he pressed further, "Still thinking about it?"

Ino huffed in annoyance, glaring back at Shino, her fist clenched as she grumbled, "How can I not?! That was supposed to be my first... I wanted to save that for Sasuke-kun!"

In a cute display of frustration, Ino waved her fists threateningly in Shino's face, as if she desired to strike him. However, her trembling ceased when Shino's warm hand gently clasped her fist.

"Ino, you're gorgeous," Shino declared, his tone serious as his gaze bore into her.

Ino froze in shock, her body tensing, a faint blush creeping onto her face. Her mind raced, contemplating the possibilities of the situation before screaming inwardly: No way, is this a confession?!

But Shino's subsequent words extinguished her hopes like a bucket of cold ocean water. "You're beautiful, and there will be many guys pursuing you in the future. You're still young, so there's no need to think too much regarding romantic affairs right now."

A metaphorical string snapped within Ino's mind. Fury surged through her, causing her face to redden, her other fist crashing down onto Shino's chest. Punch after angry punch followed as she vented her frustration, all the while ranting, "You! You... Shino! I never knew you were so irresponsible!"

With a slight tilt of his head, Shino played the role of the clueless recipient. This response perfectly aligned with the path of conquering Ino's heart.

After releasing her pent-up anger through a barrage of punches, Ino eventually came to a halt, huffing as she turned her face away in indignation. The tension between them remained, thick with unspoken words and unresolved emotions.

As their boat reached the intended destination, Anko emerged, her eyes sweeping over the duo of an angry Ino and a silent Shino. A mischievous glint danced in her eyes as she donned a gossipy expression, questioning, "Oh? What's the matter with you two?"

Ino marched forward, her voice curt, "Nothing in particular."

Shino adjusted his glasses and shrugged, but Anko swiftly wrapped her arm around his shoulder, her face sporting a sly smile as she licked her lips, encouraging him, "Go for it! You can do it!"

Shino wanted to retort, "It's not what you think-" but before he could explain, Anko interrupted with a knowing tone, "There's no need to deny it. I understand, I completely understand. Ah, it's good to be young... No, I'm still young. Why did I say that line? Well, whatever! Let's get going, let's get going. Our client is waiting!" Anko waved her hand animatedly, taking the lead.

Soon, they met their client, Hitode, and finalized the plan for tomorrow's escort. Once again, the group split up to resume their search for Naruto, and Anko orchestrated the perfect setting for Shino and Ino to remain together.

Silently trailing beside Ino, Shino observed her expressions, noting how she sneakily glanced at him from time to time, only to avert her gaze in anger. However, as they spent the day searching side by side, her anger gradually subsided, replaced by growing concern as Naruto remained elusive.

Unable to bear the silence any longer, the tension overwhelmed Ino, and she huffed out her frustration, "Why have you been so quiet all day, Shino? At least use your bugs to help find Naruto!"

Shino glanced over, adjusting his glasses as he calmly replied, "I have."

Rolling her eyes, Ino pressed further, "Well, did you find him then?"

Shino nodded, his response simple and concise, "Yeah."

"Ah?!" Ino's voice escalated in exasperation, her raised fist aimed at Shino's chest. "Then why didn't you say so earlier?!"

Shino's calm demeanor remained as he responded, "So I could spend more time with you."

Ino froze, a faint blush tinting her cheeks before swiftly fading, as if a realization washed over her. Her clenched fist made contact with Shino's chest, expressing her frustration. "Shi...no! Don't say misleading things!"

After venting her pent-up emotions, Ino glared at Shino, her gaze lingering on his face before averting her eyes as she muttered, "Humph. It's not bad, but not as good-looking as Sasuke-kun."

"Hmm?" Shino tilted his head, a hint of confusion in his expression.

Ino replied dismissively, swiftly turning around, "Never mind! Hurry up, Shino, lead us to Naruto!"

Shino adjusted his glasses, his voice steady as he responded, "Yeah."

On their way over, they encountered Anko, who couldn't contain her curiosity and questioned Shino about how he managed to find Naruto.

Shino spun a tale, recounting the clues involving the sea demon he learned about from the villagers and Isaribi, who had returned from being spirited away. He explained how he sent his bugs on a search mission based on this crucial information.

In reality, Shino was well aware of these details from the anime, and he had meticulously orchestrated everything, carefully laying out the pieces of his plan over the course of several days. His control over the unfolding events was absolute.

Naturally, Shino led the group to witness Isaribi moving stealthily along the beach, heading toward a secret opening in the rocky walls. The gap revealed a hidden cove, where they watched Isaribi transform into a half-fish humanoid.

However, she was not the enchanting mermaid they had imagined; instead, she resembled a true fish monster with green scales and fins.

Ino, quick on her feet, rushed after Isaribi, using her instincts and tactics influenced by Shikamaru to block her escape. With a well-placed explosive tag, she sealed off the exit of the cove.

Meanwhile, Shino effortlessly employed his shuriken technique, ensnaring Isaribi with his wires. It required minimal effort, as he had no intention of holding her captive. If Shino had truly desired to trap her, he possessed far superior methods in his arsenal, but it wasn't necessary to reveal them.

As if on cue, Naruto arrived right on time, and Isaribi seized the opportunity to escape. Yoroi, making a timely appearance, took Isaribi away, while Anko conveniently passed out, effectively preventing them from pursuing the enemy.

The timing of these events seemed too perfect, raising suspicions of manipulation. The others didn't seem to notice, but so many coincidences aligned flawlessly, prompting doubts to creep into Shino's mind.

Of course, all of this was done under the condition that Shino did not wish to make drastic alterations just yet, as he wanted to avoid direct conflict with the other forces at play. He was buying himself more time for thorough preparation.

If Shino had truly desired to reshape the course of events, he could have easily ensured that this mission never existed in the first place, just like the Bikochu mission. But, doing so had consequences, and Shino knew the backlash would come sooner or later.

As for this mission, there were beneficial points of interest for both parties involved. So, Shino did not intervene too much, allowing the plot to progress smoothly without any hitches.

Soon, Anko regained consciousness and provided them with an exposition about Demon Island. Conveniently, she remembered and shared vital details that propelled the plot forward, including mentions of Orochimaru to capture Naruto's attention.

It remained unknown whether this was intentional. After all, by now, everyone was well aware of Naruto's unwavering determination when it came to his true love, Sasuke. He would never let any clues slip by unnoticed, and mentioning Orochimaru was the perfect method to herd him towards confronting the enemy.

Undeterred by the mysteries surrounding their journey, the group pressed on, guided by Anko's newfound memories and aided by Shino's vigilant bugs serving as scouts.

Their path led them to a secret entrance in the forest, with stairs leading down to a corridor.

Soon, the group found themselves in a small chamber, and unlike the original anime scene, it was mostly empty except for a single illuminated experimental chamber. Standing before it, Shino, Naruto, and Ino observed the strange creature suspended within, its existence shrouded in intrigue.

Unexpectedly, a clunk echoed through the chamber, and a trap door beneath them opened wide, plunging them into a dizzying free-fall towards the expansive stone chamber below. Even in the midst of the fall, Shino calmly adjusted his glasses, his satisfaction evident in successfully fixing a loophole.

In the original cultivation lab, there were numerous chambers housing experimental subjects. However, in this modified scenario, only one chamber remained, conveniently positioned next to the trapdoor.

Where did the rest go? Shino had secretly plundered the rest, leaving behind this strategic arrangement.

After all, Shino had always wondered: how had the original trio unfortunately stand above the trapdoor in the original anime? Clearly, trapdoors did not sprawl across the entire room. The primary defense consisted of the chimeras that Anko had to confront after the trio left.

Yet, somehow, the trio had found themselves standing precisely above the trapdoor, ensuring their descent into the clutches of their primary adversary, as if guided by an invisible hand.

Regardless, their encounter with Yoroi unfolded as expected. In a confident tone, Shino urged the fiery Naruto, "Go ahead. It appears I am the perfect opponent for him..."

With Naruto and Ino departing to find their way up, Shino was left to confront Yoroi.

"Wait-" Although Yoroi sought to stop the other two from leaving, his face suddenly drained of color, frozen in a state of terror as his body stiffened, his entire body trembling, visibly struggling against an unseen assailant.

Tap. Tap. Tap. The fading echoes of Naruto and Ino's footsteps resonated in the distance as Yoroi fixated his gaze on Shino. His voice quavered as he inquired, "When did you put them inside me?"

Shino turned his gaze towards Yoroi, his voice steady as he replied, "The dead doesn't need to know."

Then, a relentless swarm of bugs erupted from within Yoroi's body, clogging his throat and muffling his cries as they enveloped his entire body.

A torrent of chittering insects coiled around him, soon vanishing into the gaping maw of a grotesque creature - a merciless zerg transport drone, devouring its living prey. Yoroi, the willing pawn who had played his role, was swiftly eliminated, leaving only the living victim for interrogation.

Unfurling a scroll, Shino summoned forth a cloud of smoke that coalesced into a mass of bugs, rapidly coalescing into a perfect clone of himself. After a series of swift hand signs, the clone transformed into a flawless replica of Yoroi, nodding to Shino before setting off to rendezvous with Amachi.

Meanwhile, the remaining Shino surged forward, his purpose clear as he hastened to rejoin the team, prepared to execute the next phase of his intricate layout.