"So, it turns out I actually know the most here," O Inuzuka said with a goofy grin, idly picking his nose.
(﹁﹁) (→_→)
Feeling a bit spooked by the two very different but equally intense glares directed at him, O quickly waved his hands in defense.
"Alright, alright! It's not like I was going to keep it a secret. My dad said the Special Jonin is classmates with my brother Takeshi. He's famous for being the captain who is best at protecting his subordinates. Supposedly, he's never had a single casualty under his command, even when facing enemy Jonin."
"Wait, if you put it that way…" Yoshito Nara paused, looking thoughtful. He pulled a notebook from his ninja tool pouch and began flipping through it rapidly. "Is he that Aburame? The one they call the 'Never-Faces-the-Enemy'?"
"Found him," Yoshito muttered. "Aburame Tetsumaru. Newly promoted Tokubetsu Jonin. D-rank missions: 0. C-rank: 121. B-rank: 71. A-rank: 11…"
Yoshito's throat went dry. "…S-rank missions: 2."
"You're joking!"
"How is that even possible?!"
With stats like that, how had he only just been promoted to Special Jonin? If that was the baseline, what kind of monsters were the veteran Jonin?
Uchiha Hiro looked on in disbelief, though he quickly forced himself back into a cool, aloof posture. "Hmph. For a Special Jonin, I suppose he's decent enough. He's qualified to be my captain. O, what else do you know? Spill it."
"Oh, right," O replied. "He has a ton of nicknames: 'Giant Insect Messenger,' 'Konoha's Swarm Demon,' and 'Maiming Swarm Demon.' It's really… well, it sounds brutal."
O felt a chill run down his spine, his hair standing on end. Back in the village, hearing his parents gossip about these titles felt cool and exciting. But here on the front lines, with the man himself about to arrive, those nicknames felt terrifying.
Just as the three Genin were beginning to tremble at the information, a voice suddenly drifted from behind them.
"Hmm. I honestly didn't know I had so many scary nicknames. How interesting."
Since Tetsumaru was standing directly behind O, the wild-natured boy jumped nearly out of his skin, lunging forward and accidentally tackling the Uchiha. O clung to Hiro's head, shaking like a leaf.
Even the small black ninja dog perched on O's head was whimpering in fear.
Yoshito and Hiro were caught between wanting to laugh and being genuinely enraged, but both suppressed their emotions, quickly dropping into cautious defensive stances.
"Not bad."
Tetsumaru reached out, plucking the shivering ninja dog off O's head before hoisting O himself down by the collar.
"As a scout, your intuition is up to par," Tetsumaru said as he set the boy down. He then pointed to Yoshito. "As a strategist, your brain works fine. For a Nara, your motivation isn't half bad—you pass."
Finally, he looked at Hiro. "As an Uchiha, it's a relief to see you aren't delusional and your eyes aren't blind. Very good."
"Though, it's a bit strange you haven't heard of me," Tetsumaru added, looking at Hiro. "Do you know Uchiha Akira?"
"Huh? My cousin Akira? I haven't seen him in ages."
"Is that so? Does your family not talk to each other?" Tetsumaru shrugged. "Whatever. Forget the others. I'll introduce myself formally."
"I am Aburame Tetsumaru, a newly promoted Tokubetsu Jonin and your captain. That is all."
"As for you three, I already know your names. Next, I'll be using a test to gather more information on your capabilities. It is currently 5:25 AM. I will give you thirty-five minutes to discuss tactics. The test begins at 6:00 sharp."
"Since I am a Special Jonin, I won't be intervening directly. Furthermore, I will allow you to observe your test subject in advance."
With that, Tetsumaru performed a hand-seal.
Poof!
A Scythe-Mantis appeared in a cloud of white smoke. The three Genin's eyes nearly popped out of their heads. They had heard the title 'Giant Insect Messenger,' but no one had mentioned the insects were this big.
The Scythe-Mantis—designed for short-range raids and ambushes, though equally capable in a frontal assault.
From every anatomical angle, it was a mantis, except for its size. Standing 3.5 meters tall, it was an unadorned, humongous… bug.
The three Genin stood with their jaws on the floor, staring up at the three-meter-high insect and the pair of meter-long, spike-covered scythes. It was nightmare fuel.
They looked back at their trench-coat-wearing captain, who was casually patting the mantis's head. At that moment, he looked like a complete eccentric.
Tetsumaru left the Mantis at Training Ground No. 1 and headed off to prepare breakfast.
"How… how tall do you think Captain Aburame actually is?" O asked shakily, hugging his ninja dog for comfort.
"At least 190 centimeters. Maybe more," Hiro replied.
The Uchiha was brave enough to stand on his tiptoes, trying to reach the Mantis's head. However, standing at barely 140 centimeters, he couldn't even get close; he was short by at least two arm-lengths.
Yoshito didn't answer. He approached the Scythe-Mantis, eyeing it up and down. The three boys and the dog circled the motionless giant, observing and testing its exterior. Yoshito even reached out to touch the shell and the jagged spikes.
After a long while, the three Genin retreated into the nearby woods to hide.
The test wasn't just for the Genin; it was for the Mantis.
Having completed its endurance trials, it was time for combat testing. Tetsumaru himself was a poor test subject. With his Ninjutsu Meridian Mastery complete and having exchanged a plethora of jutsu and taijutsu from Orochimaru, he had filled the gaps in the Aburame heritage.
Combined with two years of steady growth, Tetsumaru's strength had skyrocketed. He wasn't even sure where he ranked anymore, but he knew he could kill a Scythe-Mantis with zero effort. That made testing it himself meaningless.
These three Genin from prestigious clans, however, could be viewed as the equivalent of inexperienced Chunin—the perfect benchmark.
At 6:00 AM, Tetsumaru returned with four portions of breakfast. He stood in the clearing and announced the start of the test.
The Scythe-Mantis, which had been a statue for thirty-five minutes, suddenly snapped to life. It lunged upward, unfurling its wings to glide to the treetops. After flying several dozen meters, it tucked its wings and dropped silently into the forest.
Mantises are ambush predators. When acting alone, they follow instincts etched into their genes over eons. If an opponent understands an insect's habits, they can counter them—which is exactly what happened.
The Mantis caught a scent in the woods, but as soon as it began to track, it triggered a trap. Two of its legs were yanked into the air by wires, stripping it of its mobility.
While it struggled to break free, Hiro and O unleashed a barrage of attacks. Shuriken, kunai, and longswords rained down, but the two boys were horrified to find that none of their basic tools could pierce its armor.
Panicking, they brought out their big guns. Hiro unleashed a Great Fireball, while O used his clan's Fang Over Fang. They finally managed to snap one of the Mantis's legs and crack its shell in several places.
However, the heat of the fireball also burned through the trap wires, freeing the insect. Despite having only three functional legs and significantly reduced speed, the Mantis counterattacked, nearly skewering O with its scythe.
Fortunately, Yoshito intervened with his Shadow Mimicry to restrain the beast. Under the shadow's cover, the other two launched another round of attacks, but their hurried strikes lacked power and failed to cause significant damage.
Yoshito didn't have enough chakra to hold such a massive summon for long, so the three were forced to retreat.
The initial assault had left three visible cracks in the Mantis's exoskeleton, and the leg severed by the fireball was a serious injury. Due to the insect's massive size, its internal blood pressure was immense; the stump and the cracks were gushing blood.
Luckily, the Scythe-Mantis wasn't a simple insect. It was a hybrid modulated product carrying multiple parasitic species. Injuries had been accounted for in the design phase. If it had a standard insect's circulatory system, that kind of pressure would have sprayed its internal organs right out of its body.
Tetsumaru had equipped the Mantis with a series of symbiotic bugs to manage the demands of its giant size. Among them were emergency-sealing parasites.
Soon, white, amoeba-like organisms squeezed out of the pipe-like wounds. Upon contact with the air, they turned black and hardened, effectively sealing the leaks.
With three legs and its primary scythes intact, the Mantis's combat effectiveness was barely diminished. The pain, however, acted as a stimulant. It began secreting massive amounts of hormones; its heart rate spiked, and its eyes turned a deep, blood-red purple.
Entering this Berserk Mode, the Mantis became faster and stronger, relentlessly hunting the three Genin who had hurt it.
For the next two hours, the Mantis repeatedly fell into traps set by Yoshito. Relying on its hardened shell and raw strength, it simply bulldozed through one trap after another.
The Genin had exhausted their hidden cards and still couldn't bring the beast down, until Hiro noticed a second type of insect clinging to the Mantis's respiratory spiracles during a close-quarters exchange.
He relayed this info, and Yoshito deduced that the spiracles might be a fatal weakness. They formulated a new plan.
"Nara… if this doesn't work, we're really finished," Hiro panted. He had been the primary attacker; his chakra was gone, and his physical stamina was spent.
Yoshito, covered in dirt and grime, gave a strained smile. "Don't worry. This time, we'll get it."
As for O, he was too tired to even speak. His clan's techniques required close-range brawling, which had made him the only one to walk away with actual injuries.
The three used mud from a nearby stream to plug the Mantis's spiracles. The resulting respiratory distress caused its speed and strength to plummet, eventually forcing it out of its Berserk Mode. Only then were they able to finally take it down.
Tetsumaru was very satisfied—both with the Mantis's durability and his subordinates' performance.
The fact that the Mantis was defeated by three fresh Genin wasn't an issue. It was designed as a "disposable" shock trooper for a true swarm. Its job was to trigger every trap and pave the way for the main force.
In a real battle, these Mantises would attack in groups, supported by specialized insects that would have detected and disarmed those traps long ago.
The Mantis had suppressed three elite Genin in a dense forest for over three hours. Its endurance was verified, and its defense was excellent.
As for his subordinates, they were exceptional. Being able to break through a two-inch-thick chitinous shell was a feat; even veteran Genin rarely possessed that much striking power. Their tactics were sound, their cooperation was on point, and they were clever enough to find a weakness.
Though only ten years old, these three were prime candidates for future Jonin status.
Tetsumaru disposed of the Mantis's remains and tossed the three "mud monkeys" into the stream to wash off. Only then did he lead them to their breakfast, which was now several hours late.
After the meal, Tetsumaru directed them to move their tents to his location. They spent the rest of the day fortifying Training Ground No. 1, building fences to mark their territory, burying traps, and setting up alarm seals.
He also summoned a large number of scouting insects and handed them over to his subordinates to distribute around the perimeter of their camp and the main Konoha base.
They worked until dark to finish the camp's layout.
Tetsumaru gathered them back for a rest, summoning a supply hive filled with fresh meat and vegetables to start a campfire hotpot.
Before eating, he insisted they bathe again. Cleaning up before enjoying a hot meal was a rule; while not on a mission, a bit of luxury was necessary for morale and bonding.
Once they were on the front lines, they would be lucky to have cold rice balls or dry meat powder. Hot food was a rare treasure. For veteran shinobi, a proper hot meal was a dream. In these moments of respite, Tetsumaru refused to let a bunch of filthy kids ruin his mood.
Having only eaten once that morning, the boys were starving. They dove into the hotpot, ignore the scalding heat as they stuffed their faces.
Watching them scramble for food with bulging cheeks was the best entertainment for Tetsumaru. Somehow, watching others fight over a meal made it taste even better to him.
Once they were full, he sent the excited youngsters off to sleep. Tetsumaru sat by the fire, summarizing their performance in his notebook. He planned out their future training, mission types, and the specific jutsu they should learn.
He closed the notebook, patrolled the camp one last time, and added a fresh pile of heavy logs to the fire. Finally, he crawled into his own tent and fell asleep.
The next morning, Tetsumaru rose early. He checked the mission board but found nothing particularly suitable. According to his plan, they would continue training for two more days.
He returned to camp and prepared breakfast. These subordinates were different from those he had led before; all three had Jonin potential and would be under his wing for a long time. He had to educate them properly.
Unlike Saburo Yukimura, who had followed him for three years just to barely make Chunin, these three were the real deal.
"You all know tree climbing? Water walking?"
"We've learned both," the three chimed in unison.
"Well, that saves time."
Tetsumaru rubbed his chin. If the basics were solid, they could jump straight to simulated combat.
Heh. Fifteen years old and my chin only has peach fuzz. Annoying.
"Follow me, then. We're going to Training Ground No. 3."