A knock sounded at the door.
Aburame Shiki jolted awake. He changed clothes, opened the door, and found Aburame Shino standing outside.
"Did Dad need something?" Shiki raised an eyebrow and asked.
Shino nodded.
The two of them went to the living room.
Aburame Shibi looked exactly as he did in the original—bearded, a gourd slung across his back, dark sunglasses hiding his eyes. He was seated at the table, where a dish resembling a culture plate rested, containing two Destruction Bugs.
Destruction Bugs were the most commonly used insects of the Aburame clan. Most of their insect-based secret techniques revolved around them.
"You'll both be entering the Ninja Academy soon," Shibi said solemnly. "It's time to sign a contract with the insect clan and become true insect tamers."
Shino's eyes lit up instantly.
He had been waiting for this day for a long time.
Only Shiki remained calm.
But he didn't refuse.
[Aburame Shibi.][Current Achievement: Restore the Glory of the Aburame Clan.][Passive Achievement: Unknown.]
Shiki didn't know when the Aburame clan had ever possessed any "glory," but as the future clan head, he was naturally duty-bound.
He also wanted to test something—True Essence.
Destruction Bugs fed on chakra.
If he used a higher-tier energy like True Essence instead, would anything change?
Moreover, Shiki's True Essence could still evolve. What he currently possessed was merely the most basic Bronze True Essence—there were several higher tiers above it.
"Sign your names here," Shibi said, taking out a scroll.
Destruction Bugs were essentially summoning beasts.
Shino moved first, eagerly signing his name. He then cupped the Destruction Bugs in his hands, studying them with curiosity.
It was rare to see such a clear change in his expression—proof of his good mood.
Shiki's gaze suddenly sharpened.
[Aburame Shino.][Current Achievement: I Want to Become the Strongest Insect Tamer.][Passive Achievement: Unknown.]
Shino had gained an active achievement.
But really—how was this different from saying "I want to be an astronaut when I grow up"?
What did "strongest" even mean? Horizontally? Vertically?
If the benchmark was the entire ninja world, that was… honestly rough.
Still, no rush. Shiki had so many achievements to pursue that he could never finish them all anyway.
The Destruction Bugs looked like the longhorn beetles he'd caught as a child in his previous life—not exactly cute, but acceptable.
His aesthetic standards had been raised significantly by Gu.
Take the Moonlight Gu, for example—it looked like a piece of jade glowing softly with moonlight, crystal-clear and exquisitely beautiful.
"Dad, I'm heading to the hospital. Bye."
After breakfast, Shiki stood up and left.
A trace of envy appeared in Shino's eyes.
His brother was a genuine genius.
His talent as a medical ninja was so extraordinary that it had even drawn the Hokage's attention.
Konoha Hospital.
Shiki encountered his daily routine.
"Shiki, let big sis hug you!""Shiki-chan, you're getting cuter every day!""Don't be shy, big sis smells nice—come give me a kiss!"
One older sister after another, all dressed in white nurse uniforms, swarmed toward him.
He felt like he'd be swallowed whole at any second.
Shiki deeply realized one truth: if he didn't work hard, he'd end up as nothing more than a toy for women—utterly unsalvageable.
After great effort, he broke through the encirclement of enthusiastic older sisters and arrived at his teacher's office.
Miyata Rika, vice-captain of the medical unit—an outstanding medical ninja.
Shiki had met her through his father's connections.
Of course, the main reason was his talent.
In just half a year, he had earned unanimous praise from everyone at Konoha Hospital.
Combined with the bonus of being a handsome, adorable young boy, the older sisters were practically ready to go full priest mode.
"Shiki."
Miyata Rika entered the office with a gentle smile.
"Teacher."
Shiki snapped out of his thoughts and replied.
"Let's go." She patted his head. "There are several surgeries today."
Shiki was still young—he wasn't performing surgeries, just observing.
In other words, participation points.
After the operations, Shiki sat resting on a bench in the hallway.
Though he was mostly observing, he occasionally assisted by handing over instruments.
"Are you a doctor?"
A young yet pleasant voice rang out.
Shiki opened his eyes and saw a blonde girl.
With a moment's thought, he identified her—Yamanaka Ino.
The look in her eyes carried intense emotion.
Just like those older sisters earlier.
Yamanaka Ino was a textbook face-lover.
She liked Uchiha Sasuke because he was handsome.
Later, she married Sai because he reminded her of Sasuke.
A classic case of replacement projection.
"I'm not a doctor," Shiki shook his head. "Just an intern."
"Even interns are amazing!"
Ino took the initiative to sit beside him. "You look younger than me."
She was very talkative—or rather, lively.
Just like in the original.
"I'm older," Shiki said confidently.
He remembered that Ino's birthday was September 23rd.
"When's your birthday?"
Ino leaned a little closer.
Her face was cute, but there was a faint sense of aggression now.
So this was the honesty of a face-lover?
She was basically saying, I crave your body.
Shiki stood up. "Break's over. We'll talk next time."
Ino froze. After watching his back disappear, she immediately covered her face and stomped her foot in excitement.
She'd always teased her best friend Sakura before—but now she finally understood. She'd awakened. It was hunting time.
"What are you smiling about?"
A pink-haired girl stepped out.
She clutched her stomach and looked weak.
"I just thought of something happy," Ino coughed lightly. "What did the doctor say?"
"Just rest for two days," Haruno Sakura replied weakly.
Ino stepped forward and supported her.
After lunch, Shiki returned to the wooden house.
He didn't run into Ino again—she'd probably already left.
After feeding the Moonlight Gu with Moon Orchid flowers, he sank his consciousness into his Void Aperture.
He looked at the newly acquired Destruction Bug.
Soaked in True Essence, it was still lively and energetic.
Shiki finally relaxed. He'd been worried it might just close its eyes and die on the spot—then he'd have no way to explain things to Shibi.
After watering his plants, Shiki resumed his daily cultivation.
Consuming True Essence.Scouring the Void Aperture.
Great Love Immortal Venerable once said: Raising Gu is like raising lovers.
The more lovers you have, the stronger your own foundation must be.
Time passed quickly.
In the blink of an eye, the Ninja Academy's opening day arrived.
Shiki had spent the past few days cultivating, leaving home only once—to acquire a pig for his Black Boar Gu.
The good news was that he'd finally learned Chakra Scalpel last night.
Though still clumsy, there was no time to mourn the death of his vacation—Tsunade-sensei would be arriving on the battlefield soon.
Shiki planned to look for Miyata Rika after school.
Ninja Academy.
The place was already packed—just missing drums and gongs to complete the spectacle.
In the original story, this generation was brimming with talent—the so-called Konoha Twelve.
Of course, the main reason was protagonist halo.
Specifically, Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke.
"Once you're at school, remember to study seriously," Shibi advised. "And make more friends."
A trace of nostalgia surfaced on his face.
Back then, his friend had been the fastest man in the ninja world—the Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato.