Shino stood unfazed, his eyes locked on the swarm of arrows slicing through the air toward him. With a subtle shift, his body transformed, holes sprouting throughout his form, revealing countless insects crawling within his hollowed frame. The arrows passed through without causing harm.
"A clone!..." Kidomaru's eyes darted around, his third eye fixed on Ash, then he noticed an insect crawling on his arm. Instinctively, he reacted. Shooting a strand of webbing toward the nearest tree, the sticky thread adhered instantly. With a powerful yank, he launched himself through the air, closing the distance in an almost spider-like fashion.
As he pulled himself away, a storm of insects surged upward from his previous position, flooding the space he had just vacated. Kidomaru landed, securing himself against the rough bark with a precise layer of chakra coating the soles of his feet. The energy clung to the tree, anchoring him firmly. His senses remained alert for the next wave of insects.
"They're everywhere—I can't track every little thing," Kidomaru thought, frustration mounting as the insects closed in. Swiftly forming hand signs, he shifted positions once again, a flood of insects following his every move, surrounding him from all directions. The sheer number of Kikaichū beetles made it nearly impossible to find a safe spot.
Desperation set in as Kidomaru bit his thumb, channeling nearly half of his remaining chakra. He slammed his palm into the ground, and a cloud of smoke erupted. From within the smoke, countless spiders emerged, swarming the battlefield. Their predatory prowess quickly overwhelmed the Kikaichū beetles, devouring and tearing through their ranks with relentless ferocity. It was a chaotic dance of survival, each creature fighting for dominance in a swirling maelstrom of legs and mandibles. Amid the frenzy, Kidomaru struggled to regain control, his mind racing as he strategized his next move.
Ash, watching from the sidelines, struggled to find an opening to intervene without causing some form of collateral damage. The chaotic, random positioning of the swarming insects was beyond his current abilities to track. And where was the original? It seemed impossible... and it hurt his pride to think that he had been conversing with a clone the entire time.
Shino had expertly concealed his presence from the very beginning, blending seamlessly into the surroundings. Every movement, every breath was calculated. He knew he was next in line and had meticulously prepared for this moment.
Ash saw an opportunity, and his hands blurred as he performed a relentless barrage of hand signs, each movement fluid and precise. With a resounding battle cry, a cyclone of water surrounded him, transforming into a fearsome water dragon that advanced towards the chaotic battlefield. The powerful current formed a protective barrier around him as the dragon surged ahead.
Shino's attention was immediately drawn to the sound, prompting him to disperse his insects that had been surrounding Kidomaru and his spiders.
Inside, Ash propelled himself forward with fluid grace, merging seamlessly within the water dragon. As the water dragon approached its target, Ash altered his movements to that of a rapid spin within its core, his movements akin to a high-speed drill. The water dragon's body spiraled with his motion, creating an unstoppable force.
COMBINATION TECHNIQUE: WATER FANG DRAGON FANG!!!
The battlefield shifted, creating a fleeting opening in the chaotic dance of beetles and spiders. The raging technique surged forward, its lengthy body spiraled, covered in blades of pressurized water. Its movements were both controlled and erratic, slicing through the ground, shattering a tree in its path. An unpredictable force of destruction, carving a deep, gaping trench along the riverbank.
Kidomaru's eyes widened in panic as the Water Fang Dragon Fang barreled toward him with terrifying speed. "Damn it!" Forming a ram seal, he vanished in a cloud of smoke just as the dragon's maw closed around him. The spiraling body of pressurized water surged past, missing him by mere inches. The dragon twisted and turned with relentless fury, crashing repeatedly into the area and striking down spiders with each ferocious impact.
The battlefield trembled under the dragon's assault, torn apart by its sheer power. Trees shattered, the ground was gouged, and the air was filled with the spray of pulverized earth and debris. Ash's technique unleashed a relentless force of destruction, laying waste to everything in its path, a testament to its devastating potential.
The water dragon streaked through the air, its serpentine body weaving a path of devastation. It twisted and turned with fluid grace, spiraling through the battlefield and targeting the swarm of spiders. Each movement was a calculated strike, carving deep trenches in the earth, uprooting trees, and scattering debris. The dragon's path flowed like a raging river, a force of nature that obliterated everything in its wake. Its pressurized water blades sliced through the spiders, tearing their bodies apart and leaving behind a trail of devastation.
As the water dragon reached the end of its rampage, the battlefield fell eerily silent. Dust hung heavy in the air, obscuring the devastation below. The water dragon dispelled with a resounding splash, water cascading onto the ground, sending ripples and sprays everywhere. The sound echoed through the silence, a harsh reminder of the destructive force unleashed.
Gradually, sound returned to the world and the dust slowly dispersed, carried away by the wind. The devastated surroundings of the riverbank came into view. Trees lay shattered, the ground scarred, and the remains of countless spiders and beetles littered the area, their bodies crushed by the relentless onslaught. The river itself struggled to find a new path, its flow disturbed and chaotic, carving through the newly formed trenches.
Amidst the chaos stood Ash, surveying the scene with a determined expression. His eyes scanned the area with fierce focus. Shino emerged from the shadows, his calm demeanor betraying the urgency of the situation. "My insects cannot locate Kidomaru," he said. "He appears to have left in an attempt to preserve his life."
Ash's thoughts immediately turned to the Reverse Summoning Technique. He considered the possibilities, trying to piece together what had happened.
Had Kidomaru truly escaped, or was he lying in wait? Ash remained cautious, his eyes scanning the surroundings for any sign of their elusive enemy. Every sense was on high alert, ready for whatever might come next.
The air was thick with tension as Ash scanned the area, his senses on high alert. Suddenly, he heard a faint rustling sound, like the whisper of leaves caught in a brisk breeze. The sound grew louder, coming from multiple directions, echoing through the trees.
Ash's eyes darted around, trying to pinpoint the source. The rustling intensified, as if a group of unseen figures were moving through the branches. Shadows flitted between the trees, their shapes indistinct and swift. It felt like they were being surrounded, an invisible force closing in from all sides.
The only other sound was the rushing river, its waters turbulent and unsettled. The occasional snap of a branch added to the tension. Ash and Shino exchanged a knowing glance, both aware that they were not alone. The presence of the mysterious figures heightened their vigilance as they lay in wait, ready for the unknown to reveal itself.
The rustling grew louder as a single figure descended from the trees, cloaked in a black robe that seemed to absorb the surrounding shadows. A red mask with menacing horns obscured the figure's face, the gleaming eyes behind it locked onto Ash and Shino.
The masked figure landed silently on the ground, its presence commanded fear and uncertainty. Ash and Shino stood their ground, their eyes meeting the figure's in an intense stare-off. The air crackled with tension, as if the very forest held its breath, waiting to see what would unfold. Each of them stood motionless, a silent challenge hanging in the air, as Ash and Shino prepared for whatever this enigmatic new threat might bring.