Chapter 176: Insecticide! Shino Aburame's Complete Defeat!
"Game over, bug boy!"
The smile on Zaku Abumi's face turned cruel and twisted. He knew the decisive moment had arrived.
Shino Aburame took a deep breath, mobilizing almost all the chakra in his body. His hands formed seals rapidly.
"Secret Technique: Insect Sphere!"
BUZZZZZZ—!!!
A tsunami of kikaichu converged from all directions, blotting out the sky! They swirled and condensed at high speed, forming a massive black sphere of insects several meters in diameter. The cloud then rolled toward Zaku, ready to crush him. This was one of Shino's ultimate techniques, enough to completely devour and grind an enemy to dust.
Facing the overwhelming insect sphere, Zaku's smile grew even more twisted. He pulled a strangely shaped metal spray can from his ninja pouch. The can was decorated with grotesque images of various insects.
Images of the Hidden Sound's laboratories flashed involuntarily through Zaku's mind. Cold metal walls connected by countless transparent tubes of varying thickness. Rows of giant glass petri dishes and alloy containers with blinking lights, soaking hair-raising creations. Those were the "masterpieces" of the Hidden Sound's biotechnology division. Grotesque worms fused with snakes and human limbs, writhing in nutrient fluid. Spiders with rodent limbs grafted onto them, fused with Kekkei Genkai bloodlines. Countless mechanical arms injecting various experimental animals with precision, observing their mutations and struggles.
The people of the Hidden Sound were long accustomed to such sights.
"Just a bunch of weak little bugs." Zaku recalled the "failed products" that were easily exterminated with various chemicals and methods in the lab, adding a layer of disdain to his view of the Aburame clan's kikaichu.
"We in the Hidden Sound have way more experience dealing with bugs than you Konoha types!"
Zaku sneered, his thumb pressing down hard on the spray can's valve!
HISSSSSS—!!!
A thick, yellow-green mist spewed from the can. The mist emitted an extremely pungent chemical odor. He deliberately let the deadly spray form a concentrated cloud around him, like an invisible armor of poison gas.
The kikaichu that tried to get close immediately acted drunk upon contact with the scent. They swayed, then fell from the air, twitching continuously before dying rapidly.
But he wasn't done. While releasing the insecticide spray, Zaku loaded a fresh scroll into his arm bracer.
Click!
This time, the indicator light on the bracer glowed a violent green!
"Feel despair!"
Zaku thrust his arm forward, chakra surging madly into the bracer.
WHOOOOSH—!!!
A powerful hurricane blasted from the front of the bracer!
Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!
This violent wind style wasn't just a simple attack. It picked up the deadly insecticide mist around Zaku and blew it across the entire battlefield with greater speed and range. Specifically, right at the descending black insect sphere.
SIZZLE SIZZLE SIZZLE—!!!
Shino's proud Secret Technique: Insect Sphere made a dissolving sound the moment it met the wind mixed with potent insecticide.
Countless kikaichu, upon contact with the deadly chemical gas, fell from the sky like rain. The insects twitched in agony on the ground, their bodies shriveling rapidly, eventually turning into puddles of foul-smelling liquid.
The massive insect sphere that had blotted out the sun disintegrated and dispersed in mid-air within seconds. All that remained was a sky full of falling insect corpses and the nauseating stench filling the air.
"Ugh—!"
Shino's face instantly went pale! The kikaichu were the source of his power, a part of his life. Such a massive, sudden death was undoubtedly a huge blow to him. Blood slowly trickled from the corner of his mouth. He stumbled back half a step, the eyes behind his sunglasses revealing a look of disbelief and horror.
Dead silence filled the arena. Everyone was utterly shocked by this terrifyingly efficient method of insect extermination.
"Wh-what is that stuff… spray… combined with Wind Style—"
"It's terrifying… the Aburame clan's secret technique… was actually… easily countered like that!!"
The worry on Kiba and Hinata's faces had turned into unconcealed horror.
"Shino!" Kiba couldn't help but growl, yet he was powerless.
In the center of the arena, Zaku stood amidst the mess of insect corpses. He spread his arms, his face wearing the arrogance and pride of a victor.
"It's over."
Shino looked at the corpses of his insects littering the ground and slowly closed his eyes. He knew he had no chance of winning. The death of the vast majority of his kikaichu had dropped his combat power to rock bottom.
"…I forfeit."
Shino's voice was low and hoarse.
Hayate Gekko took a deep look at the ashen-faced Shino, then at the arrogant Zaku. He coughed heavily a few times before announcing:
"Cough cough— Winner, Zaku Abumi! Advancing!"
The next few preliminary matches also concluded one by one.
Kankuro from the Hidden Sand easily defeated Konoha Genin Misumi Tsurugi with his eerie puppetry.
The highly anticipated match between Sakura Haruno and Ino Yamanaka was fiercely fought. The two girls, once close friends and now destined rivals, gave it their all, displaying everything they had learned. In the end, after a taijutsu exchange, both exhausted their chakra and fell simultaneously. Unable to determine a winner, both were eliminated according to the rules.
In another match, Temari of the Hidden Sand used her powerful giant fan to unleash a sharp Wind Style: Great Sickle Weasel Technique, perfectly suppressing Konoha Genin Tenten's long-range weapon attacks and securing victory.
The preliminaries continued. On the giant electronic screen, new names scrolled and stopped.
Shikamaru Nara vs. Kin Tsuchi (Hidden Sound)
In the spectator stands, Shikamaru let out a huge yawn, looking bored. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and muttered, "What a drag…"
However, deep within his seemingly lazy eyes, a glint of seriousness flashed. His gaze involuntarily drifted toward the Hidden Sound ninja who had just won an overwhelming victory.
Zaku Abumi. And that strange bracer on Zaku's arm, flashing with dangerous light.
The troublesome part probably isn't the battle itself…