Chapter 39: A Struggle of Chakra

"It's close." Kiba finally says.

Shikamaru barely hears Akamaru bark, and he needs to stop thinking about Choji and Kenji taking their last breaths, he needs to focus. He needs to focus to get Yuri back, so she can be there when Choji and Kenji wake up. He needs to get them all through this, and he can't do that worrying if Choji is lying there dying.

Choji and Kenji will be fine.

They have to be.

He has to keep telling himself that over and over again. Choji and Kenji will be okay.

"That's strange, there hasn't been even one trap set for a while. Shikamaru what do you think?" Neji asks.

"We're being underestimated. Those guys think the only one following them is that big guy. They don't need to set a trap on their own man." Shikamaru explains.

Which he doesn't mind. It means they can move faster. Being underestimated is an advantage for them in the long run. They can get Yuri and run. It would put them at a disadvantage being chased, but they would have her and have a chance.

Yuri always said she prefered to be thought as weaker. Seeing as she did that in the exams, and it worked well in her favor. People didn't pay attention to her until the finals. People didn't know she was actually strong.

"How dare they underestimate us!" Naruto shouts.

"You know," Isamau begins, "There is an advantage to being underestimated. We technically have the upper hand. Asami Sensi says it's better to be deemed weak by someone than strong."

Shikamaru smiles at Isamu's words. Maybe he should have been promoted to Chunin. Isamu seemed to be the most level headed out of him, Yuri and Kenji. Which is saying a lot since all three of them don't let things bother them and they do what they need to do. Isamu's words are true though. Being underestimated is the best thing for them. They are a bunch of genin and a single chunin, they have everyright to be underestimated. While they are silent for a moment, Shikamaru forms a plan in his head.

A plan he can only hope works. Let those people underestimate them.

It can be their downfall.

"Yeah, we'll take them by surprise." Shikamaru lays out the plan for them.

Shikamaru goes in. But he knows it's over when they stop and the coffin as they put it is handed to the girl. Shame, it would have made his whole job easier. So long as this plan worked, it would make things easier for all of them. Who knew the big guy had something about the girl being a proper lady. Could have fooled Shikamaru.

"I see." Is all Shikamaru says.

They were hoping Shikamaru could get the coffin and they could be the ones being chased. It might make it easier. Easier sure, but Shikamaru figured the plan wouldn't work, they didn't know how they interacted with each other, and it was a longshot to get it work. But the guy releases some sort of net… from his mouth.

This is going to be a drag.

Luckily he has more people on his team than the one guy. And he makes another web, how are they going to get past this guy?

Shino's POV:
Observing.

That was what Shino did best. And this guy was using spider webs. Having trapped Shikamaru and Naruto, Shino isn't surprised about Naruto, but Shikamaru was a surprise. Shino always thought Shikamaru never got caught in things like this. A spider laying his trap, and it seems they had all walked into it.

Something doesn't sit right with Shino about any of this.

A web. He was spitting out webs, and Shino continued to watch.

And he dodged Kiba's attack with webs. Even Sasuke is trapped by him. Even getting Neji stuck as Shino and Isamu stays hidden. Shikamaru insisted on it. Stating Shino and Isamu could get a read on the situation faster than any of them combined.

While Shikamaru wasn't wrong, Shino hated being left out. Even with him being a distant fighter, he liked being in the middle of it. He felt like he could get a better read on things going on around him.

Shino sends out some bugs, going towards Shikamaru. And Naruto can't cut it. Shino has a small idea, sending some to eat the thread. Could be a mistake, but it's something that Shino wanted to try, and if they are what he assumes they are, he and Neji might be their best bets with this.

He hates spiders, they ate his bugs.

"Shino, I have a feeling…" Isamu whispers as Naruto's clones are taken out one by one.

"I know, I won't like it. But I will and Neji." Shino sees his bugs chewing through the webs around Shikamaru.

Since spider guy is distracted by Naruto, his bugs get through the webs, chakra based. And he knows Neji figured it out. Seeing as he got Kiba and Sasuke out. It takes Shino's bugs a lot longer to chew through the web than Neji to cut them. Once Naruto is thrown away he and Isamu make a move to come out.

Shino comes out and stands by Neji. He only gave the older boy a small nod. They would be the next group to go up against someone. Even though they had never fought together, it was going to have to work for them now.

"I think Shino and I are the onlys ones who can handle it. Go." Neji says.

Isamu joins them, staying behind Kiba and Naruto. He is their medical ninja, but from what Hinata has said, he is stronger than he looks, with Asami Sensi's training, Shino has no doubt. It was shown in the chunin exams as well, he was smart and strong. Much like Sakura is. Regardless, Isamu is important, and his read on the situation almost surprised might need him for Yuri and getting her back to the village.

Regardless, Isamu knows when to court danger and when it isn't his place. Isamu knows his role here today, support. As Hinata ends up sparring with Isamu, he almost always loses against her. But Hinata says he is holding back.

"Leave him to us." Shino says.

Even with Akamaru backing away, and jumping into Kiba's jacket, he hears this guy is stronger. A stronger person… but not smarter. Not smarter than Shino and Neji combined. Nothing would change that fact. And he had every confidence that he and Neji would be underestimated. Especially when Shino would hide behind Neji to lay his own trap.

Shino excelled at being underestimated, and he knew how to spring a trap. With Neji being a close range fighter, Shino could do his work.

Shino knew what to do, and he knew it would take a moment for him to get it through. Sakura and Isamu may have good chakra control, but Shino had to have good control. A control no one else knew about.

"If we're not prepared for two people one kill then it's not going to work out. Isn't that what you said earlier?" Neji asks.

"Yeah that's right." Shikamaru comments.

"Plus we won't be able to catch up with Yuri if we stall here." Neji says.

Shino was fine with others talking. He would one day talk around them more, but he was wiser than the rest of them. Because he had to have his chakra controlled, and he had to learn it from a young age. Now wasn't the time to talk though.

Plus, Shino felt they barely heard him. Until Hinata and Yuri would listen to him. Even asking him a bunch of questions. For now though, he wouldn't talk to them much.

"What about Choji and Kenji? They haven't come back." Kiba asks.

"Between Neji and I, we can take him down." Shino comments.

This gets all of them to pause. Even Neji paused. Shino might not speak much, but he knows how to fight. They all know that. Shino hadn't lost a fight and he had a draw with that puppet guy. He would keep Neji safe, and he would show them, he is better than Sasuke. Who even scoffs.

Shino knew Sasuke was starting to understand they were all going to get to his level eventually. Hell, shino might be at his level. But he wasn't one to show off.

"Better not be all talk Shino." He mutters.

Inside, Shino smirks. He and Sasuke had been hanging out and training, and Sasuke realised how strong Shino is. So much that he couldn't even deny it any longer. It made being around him more bearable.

Even more fun when Sasuke realized he couldn't use his eyes to put Shino in a genjustu. When Shino explained it, Sasuke even shook his head.

"Do you remember Iruka's words at the Third Hokage's funeral?" Neji asks.

Shino did. They all did. They all died, but they needed to save Yuri. Right now they did. With her powers, Orochimaru couldn't have her. She was needed in the Leaf. She brought them all together and kept it that way. Even so much that she ended up dating Saksue, something none of them saw coming.

"We cannot allow Yuri to fall into Orochimaru's hands." Shino says.

"We can't allow someone so evil to take someone from our village." Neji bounces off Shino.

Neji steps up by Shino. Ready to take on the challenge of fighting the spider. Someone he knows they can take down. Especially if Shino can get a bug into him. It would be game over.

It wouldn't take long. But Shino knew it would be a fight.

"Sasuke, you better get your girlfriend back." Shino takes his hands out of his pocket.

"When you catch up, be sure to bring Choji and Kenji." Kiba comments as they turn away.

They jump away. But not before Spider guy takes an interest in the boys jumping away first. Leaving Shino to move slightly behind Neji. Leaving a female beetle on Shikamaru so they can find them later.

"Oh no you don't" Spider guy says. Launching webs after everyone.

Neji makes quick work of the webs. Leaving Shino to wonder how long it will take them to get through this guy and catch up to the rest, or even find Choji and Kenji to provide basic medical support.

If they are still alive.

The time they had been gone and the change in Shikamaru, Shino believes they might have taken out the threat, but also fallen themselves. Nothing was going to stop this, and Shino knew he and Neji had to make fast work here and now. If there was any hope Choji and Kenji were alive, they needed to go check.

Shino hoped Kenji and Choji hadn't fallen. Hinata would be upset at him about it. While he wouldn't mind providing comfort and to listen to her. He didn't want to watch her go through all that, knowing she couldn't do anything about it.

"If you want them, you'll have to go through us!" Neji says.

Shino releases a few bugs, some who like chakra and let out a long sigh. He remains behind Neji, who can cut through the webs. Only a few so the guy doesn't realize what is coming after him. Even if it takes a few tires, Shino would get a bug in him and then it's game over.

"It seems you with the eyes are the strongest out of the lot, more than the one behind you." Spider guy comments. "Aw man now I wanna play. It's such a waste if a game isn't played little by little."

Neji and the guy stand there, watching each other. And Shino lets his bug lay their trap. Neji is strong, but Shino has a feeling the spider guy would discover the weakness of his powers, and Neji might die. But with Shino, the chances of that are less than 5 percent. Had the guy been smart to target Shino first, it would have been a more even match.

Unfortunatly for the spider guy, he isn't that smart. He made a mistake. Had Shino gone on that mission with his father, things might have gone differently. Since Shino was here, underestimating him is a fault. It happened even in his own group. The others didn't underestimate him, but people who didn't know Shino did.

"For starters I'll play and kill you in three minutes, the weird silent one as well." Spider guy says.

Neji doesn't respond. Thankfully neither of them are talkers. The guy spits webs at them and they remain close, until Shino ducks away and Neji gets caught. He doesn't dare send his bugs after Neji, knowing they might kill him by accident.

And Neji can cut the threads faster. He noticed that and would keep with it.

"Caught one of you." Spider guy says.

And Shino's bugs come out, small enough to get through his webs, and begin to attack his arms, needing to get into his chakra system. It was the way they would walk out of this mess alive, and live to have Yuri yelling at all of them for being dumb.

"A bug guy? You know what eats bugs? Spiders."

Shino doesn't have time to react as he spits out a glob of webs and rolls it all over him, trapping all his bugs in it and throwing it against a tree. Shino doesn't flinch though, he has way more bugs than this guy can kill in an instant. Releasing a few more, Shino has them scattered.

He turns his attention to Shino and pins him against a tree, going on about knowing both of their abilities. Bragging about being some mastermind who was able to read them perfectly. His need to brag is the sign of little intelligence in Shino's opinion.

A smart person never brags about what they find out about their enemy.

Shino noticed that with Naruto, Kiba and Lee. All of them bragged about understanding things. While they were right sometimes, being loud just annoyed Shino. And this guy was reminding Shino of those guys now. Instead of keeping those thoughts to oneself, saying it to everyone. Spider man is showing his cards, while Neji and Shino are keeping their advantage.

Spider guy aims for Neji first. Thankfully his talking allowed Neji to focus and break free from the web, and Shino's bugs to eat through the chakra thread. Allowing him to slip away and Neji to strike their opponent. One of his bugs made it to him and told him the best spot to get in. Not through the skin… but the ears.

Shino gets his bugs ready to feast as well. Neji sends him blasting through a tree right into the spot his beetles were waiting. Only a few of them, and they move quickly while he is stunned for a second.. A few of them crawled into his ears, without him noticing, and he wore armor. The harder silk. Since he was focused on Neji, he didn't see the bugs.

Shino remains in the distance. Waiting for his bugs to do the work. Someone who isn't a host to these bugs won't know how much chakra to give them. A sure move in a fight. And it isn't long before the spider vanishes and Shino remains in his spot. When the first kunai drops he hears a scream.

And a thud, with clanking of other items.

Shino jumps down and walks up to Neji. Seeing the Spider guy a little ways off. Withering in pain. Shino puts his hands in his pockets, only watching. Shino knows this is checkmate.

"Those bugs…" Neji begins.

"They feed on chakra, too much and they grow. I was able to put some in his ear when you attacked him head on. He didn't protect them and I figured he saw you as the bigger threat." Shino explained.

But the spider still tried to move. Making the signs to summon, tattoos appear on his skin. And Shino moves back slightly. Spider guys focus on Shino now. Finally seeing him as a threat, they all know it's a little too late for him to focus on Shino.

Yuri always says its the quiet ones people should go after first. Shino couldn't help but agree with her.

"I will… kill you…" he mutters.

But he drops. "I don't think so, you have two bugs in you." Shino replies.

"And your chakra increases." Neji observes.

At that moment, a bug comes out of the gut. Shino goes back to Neji. Seeing this match over. All less than three minutes, like the spider guy said to them. It could have been longer, if Shino was his main focus. Neji making the claim of being the one to take him down? Shino asked him to do so if they ever paired up. Asked all the guys to do it.

Pull the focus from Shino. All part of the plan. Kiba does it naturally, and if he pairs with Naruto he would. Yuri knew to do it. As she was the loudest in her group.

"As I said, we are as good as done here." Shino shakes his head.

Next, a bug explodes out of the head and Shino turns away. He didn't like seeing people explode from his bugs, but it got the job done.

Makes everything easier. Shino can add another tally to the win side. Something that he would have to make sure no one finds out about. As it just would make him more of a threat. Shino didn't want that, and he didn't want the others to know about it.

"Let's go to the others." Neji says.

Shino turns on his heels and they go to follow Shikamaru and the rest of the guys. But something tugs at the back of his mind.

They need to ensure that their comrades are okay. They finished sooner, and Shino can't shake how Shikamaru seemed off for a short while when they were getting here. He is worried about Choji and Kenji. Knowing Kenji is close to Yuri, and if Kenji dies, none of them would hear the end of it. And Choji is Shikamaru's best friend.

Shino should go check on them.

They have strong people, and have Kiba to track. If they are able to ensure those two aren't going to die. It is the least they could do.

But Neji doesn't follow. "We should go find Choji and Kenji. Maybe give them a chance to live right?"

Shino pauses. "I suppose we should. Yuri might kill all of us herself if we let anyone die. I'll send some bugs to let Shikamaru know."

Notes: A POV from Shino's eyes? It was fun to write and I hope I did Shino justice. But I couldn't see this fight going on long and ending any other way than I wrote. And Then going back for the others? OOOoh man. Please leave a comment and follow! Also, so sorry I vanished for a while! I am trying to work on this along with some other projects I have going on. I want to try to get through more of this one and continue working on the next part of the story.