Scroll 2: Phantom of Insects

"Next contenders, get ready!" said Tsunade.

Shino and Tenten walked toward the battlefield.

'Hee hee,' thought Tenten, 'I know his weakness!'

Shino said nothing…

"Go Shino! You can beat her! She's weak!" cheered Kiba.

"Teten-chan is not weak!" said Lee.

"I know the Aburame's strong, but he can't beat our Tenten," retorted Neji.

A voice behind them said, "No…he'll win… I managed to poison him, but he still defeated me…."

The Genins turned around…behind them were….

"Gaara! Temari! Kankuro!" said Naruto, "What are you three doing here!"

Temari grinned, "Mistress Hokage contacted us to assist you on this A-Rank Mission. But, right now we're just here to watch how much you guys improved…"

Gaara muttered, "You're bound to be stronger than the last time we met….I want to see your new skills…"

Tsunade said, "Time for the next battlefield," Tsunade snapped her fingers again, but this time, a hole appeared in the floor that drained all the water. Suddenly, gigantic electric fans burst out of the walls, "This is the Wind Battlefield….these fans will make it difficult to move. The largest fan is hidden….I wonder if you can find it."

Tsunade yelled, "Second Round, Aburame Shino V.S. Ama Tenten, begin!"

Tenten pulled out some senbon (needles) and threw them at Shino, but the needles swerved to the right and missed their target.

Tenten thought, 'No way, I missed!'

Lee exclaimed, "She missed! That can't be!"

Neji frowned, "It's because of the wind… It's blowing eastward. The wind changed the direction of the needles."

Tenten thought, 'Wait, if I throw my weapons a bit left, then they'll hit him!'

She pulled out a kunai and rapidly threw it. The knife hit the desired target, but Shino showed no pain as it passed through him…harmlessly…without leaving any trace…

Nearly everyone stood aghast…except for Gaara, Tsunade, Kiba, Hinata, and Shikamaru.

Lee screamed, "Ohmigod! Is he a ghost!"

Kankuro shouted, "You idiot! If he was a spectral being, why the hell would he be here in the first place! He probably found some way to heal himself really quickly or something…"

Neji said, "Even if he mended his wounds… The rips would show on his clothes. Besides, even if Shino tried to dodge Tenten's knife, he wouldn't be able to since he definitely isn't fast enough."

"Heh heh… You're wrong there," laughed Kiba, "Shino might be slower than me normally, but he's can also be the fastest."

Ino exclaimed, "That makes no sense, Kiba!"

Shikamaru grumbled, "Actually think about it for once, Ino! Don't you understand the hidden meaning of Kiba's words?"

Unsure of what just happened, Tenten threw another knife at Shino… The knife passed through him as if he was a phantom….

This time, she threw three shurikens. Just as they passed through Shino, Neji stared at Shino with his Byakugan (White Eyes).

"Impossible!" said Neji with a tone of great surprise in his voice, "He's using that technique!"

"What is it? Is some jutsu allowing him to let things pass through him!" asked Lee.

"No. He's using Shunshin (Body Flicker) no Jutsu…" remarked Neji.

"Shunshin no Jutsu!" asked Tenten.

"What's that!" inquired Naruto.

"You dumbass…," muttered Shikamaru, "Shunshin no Jutsu is a technique that allows you to disappear and reappear like the wind… Basically Shino is greatly increasing his speed….he rapidly evaded and returned to the exact spot where he was originally standing with such skill that it looks like he's not moving at all. …"

"You've found out my secret……haven't you?" said Shino, "Well….I believe that I should hold back no longer….(I should not waste more chakra on my Shunshin)…"

Several destruction beetles crawled out of Shino's sleeves.

"Ugh!" said Ino, "It's so disgusting when he does that!"

After a mass of insects surrounded his arms, Shino sent a swarm of his insects flying toward his opponent. Tenten swatted the insects away and threw several needles into the air. The needles suddenly darted toward Shino and successfully hit the stoic. Suddenly, Shino exploded into hundreds of small insects…

A voice behind her said, "It was a replication…that I formed while using my insects as a diversion…"

Shino struck Tenten with his arm, but Tenten blocked his attack. Suddenly, Shino's insects leapt off Shino and latched on to Tenten's back. They formed a black, chakra-eating circle.

"Aiiieee!" Tenten screamed as the beetles began absorbing her energy.

Shino sent more of his insects toward his opponent, until Tenten was almost completely engulfed in insects.

'Ugh! I must break free!' thought Tenten. Tenten tried to break away from Shino's grasp, but to no avail.

"Neither your strength, nor the wind of this battlefield is able to assist you, Forfeit…," said Shino calmly.

Using the last of her energy, Tenten pulled out a three-section staff from her pack.

Before she could attack, Shino suddenly summoned his insects back into his body.

"What? I didn't even attack yet!" cried Tenten

All Shino said was, "It's coming…"

Suddenly, air vents appeared on the floor.

"I see…," said Neji, "The largest fan is underneath us!"

Suddenly a raging gale burst forth from the floor. Shino's insects surrounded one of his arms, formed an extensive rope which was known as the Kikaichu Sakujou (Destruction-Insect Rope), and stuck themselves to the ground to prevent Shino from being unleashed into the air. Tenten was blown away, but she managed to throw several needles at Shino. Not expecting the assault, Shino attempted to dodge them, but still two managed to hit him…one slashed at his cheek and one struck his arm. Shino showed no signs of pain (perhaps because of his stoic nature?), but then….Shino started breathing heavily…

Tenten smiled as the winds settled down

"Tee hee!" Tenten giggled while clapping, "I did it, I did it! The needles I threw at you were poisonous! (Thanks, Shizune-neichan!)"

"This is bad," said Kankuro, "Shino is going to lose…."

"Whattaya mean?" asked Choji.

"Even though he beat me in our first bout," said Kankuro, "he nearly lost to me when I poisoned him… Now, Shino doesn't stand a chance…."

"Give up, Aburame! I'll give you the antidote if you surrender!" said Tenten.

Shino remained silent…

"Nothing? Well then, giggle, I'm going to force you to give up!"

Tenten took out a scroll, jumped high into the air and yelled, "Shoryu (Rising Dragon)!"

As she revealed the words on the scroll, the symbols and runes turned into weapons…

Hinata tried to see what weapons were used, "A knife, a star, a…dagger, an axe…, a scythe, a sickle, a spear, and a….screwdriver?"

Ino said, "Idiot! That's not a screwdriver! That's a…a…," Ino examined it closely, "a…..screwdriver…."

Shikamaru exclaimed, "Geez, can't you see it's a needle attached to a hilt of a sword?"

Hinata exclaimed, "Oh no! Some have exploding tags!"

Sure enough, three or four of the knives had exploding tags attached to them.

But even small amounts of explosion tags made large explosion, the detonation covered the whole stadium in smoke…

"Augh!" a voice came from the explosion that was Shino's without a doubt…

"Hmm… He might still be able to fight," said Tenten, "so this time I guess I'll use my 'trump card'! Heehee! His own quotes are being used against him!"

Tenten took out two scrolls and yelled, "Soshoryu (Twin-Rising Dragon)! Giggle This attack is twice as strong as the previous one! So, get ready to say 'Augh' twice! Tee hee!"

This time, she took out two scrolls… once again she leapt high into the air and transforming the letters on the scrolls into weapons, then she began throwing them more rapidly and more dexterously than before.

"Tenten-chan is strong…," remarked Lee, "She throws so many weapons at very high speeds…and a frightening precision, to!"

"I wonder how fast she cooks ramen?" asked Naruto.

"Hmm…I wonder how quickly she would cut up meat, especially Kalbi (Korean barbeque which is Choji's favorite food)? Mmmm…my mouth is already drooling…"

Neji glared at Naruto and Choji, "Tenten is not your cook, she is our comrade… You buffoons…have a stomach for a brain, don't you?"

Choji and Naruto shuddered and said nothing…

"Hey, Shino! You okay!" exclaimed Kiba.

Tenten giggled and said, "He's probably out cold by now…"

The wind returned and this time sent a descending gust.

Temari remarked, "Her weakness is that her weapons are easily blown by some sort of impetus…or a wave…like my winds or sound….but at this rate, the winds are being her advantage… They're making her weapons faster!"

Tenten's weapons seemed to be unable to cease…. When her weapon supply finally ran out, Tenten landed on her feet. The smoke from all those weapons still hadn't cleared…

'I have enough energy for one last Rising Dragon…,' and once again hurled herself high into the air… just as she was about to summon her blades again, the mist cleared to reveal…

"A dark sphere!" exclaimed Tenten

"That's no sphere of darkness…it's a Mushikabe (Insect Wall/Barrier)…a protective shield of insects," observed Sasuke.

"Impossible!" said Sakura, "If he's poisoned he wouldn't be able to cast a technique that exerts great control over his insects…"

Neji used his Byakugan, "This can't be…," gasped Neji as he looked inside the sphere.

"What's wrong?" asked Lee.

"Shino was not wounded from Tenten's weapons at all, probably because of the barrier," said Neji ,"but… There isn't a trace of poison in his body!"

"Kikaichu Tsumoji (Insect Tempest)…," muttered Shino…suddenly the great orb of insects transformed into a giant black tornado…., "While in the air, you're left more vulnerable to this technique…"

The insect funnel grasped Tenten and once she was trapped in a horde of insects, the beetles attacked her violently, and then flung her out of the destructive storm. Shino's insects returned to his body…

"Doesn't it make you wonder…," asked Sakura, "how many insects he has in his body? I mean…that tornado covered nearly a third of this giant stadium…"

"Definitely more than a million," answered Naruto.

"No way!" said Tenten, "I've heard about that battle with Kankuro…you're weak against poison!"

"Yes, I am aware of my former weakness…," said Shino, "It is true that I was unable to heal myself once poison entered my body. But after my battle with Kankuro…my father taught my insects how to digest toxins…. Poison is no longer my enemy…"

"But…but…you were poisoned…..," Tenten said.

"Deception…is necessary for a ninja….in some situations," said Shino.

Obviously Shino's cry of pain was also a faux.

"It was pretty obvious…," muttered Shikamaru, "Shino's a stoic…they rarely show pain…or emotions even though I know they have 'em… Shino's not much of an actor in my opinion…"

Before she passed out, Tenten yelled "You may have defeated me Aburame, but you just wait! One day I'll be as great a kunoichi as Tsunade….."

Once again, both fighters were healed by Tsunade's radiant orb

Kankuro chuckled, "Same old Shino…."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Blazing Kusanagi: Shino actually uses Kikaichu Tsumoji in the video game, but it's usually known as….insect storm. Kikaichu Sakujou is an unnamed rope attack Shino used in a few occasions. Tenten uses a three-sectioned staff (as well as a mace) in the anime… No comment…