Start From Naruto: Shino the Dominator

As he fought his own battle, Shino watched with satisfaction as his teammates showcased their progress and took down their enemies.

With their progress, he realized that his once-vital role as a support was... becoming obsolete.

Well, this was a good thing. The team had come so far, and he could trust them to handle any situation that came their way instead of holding him back.

As an added bonus, their teamwork had also evolved into a seamless flow, their movements and strategies synchronized with a precision that spoke of months of training and camaraderie.

The explosive tag ruse was just one example of their tacit understanding.

Yes, his explosive tags were fake. Shino had crafted them himself. It was all part of their team's carefully orchestrated plan.

As for how this plan came into fruition...

It began with the wealth of support coming from his father. His father had entrusted him with a vast supply of explosive tags for his missions and safety, but instead of keeping or using them, Shino had other plans.

Determined to finance his secret base construction, he had secretly sold off the explosive tags!

Then, to avoid being questioned regarding the missing supplies, Shino fabricated fake ones to keep up appearances.

Naturally, they were merely decorative... at first. But during a mission, Shino decided to take a risk and use one of his fake explosive tag kunai, resulting in great success.

From then on, the fake explosive tag ruse became an integral part of the team's tactics, with his kunai being deceptions, while the others' kunai served as real deadly gifts.

Whoosh! Another flurry of shurikens and kunais came from all sides!

Oops, he let his train of thoughts run off course again. Focus, focus, even if they were just mobs for his current level.

His wall of bugs immediately moved like a wave to intercept a portion, leaving him some room to skillfully dodged the rest of the incoming barrage.

With a quick adjustment of his glasses, Shino surveyed the situation, his analytical mind was taking in every detail of the chaotic scene.

Although some went to hinder Hinata and Kiba, Shino had noticed that the group of ninjas were converging on him with deadly intent.

Yep, the goal was unmistakable. They were after him.

As more ninjas closed in on him, Shino calmly reached for the last batch of kunais attached with fake explosive tags. With a flick of his wrist, he launched them towards his attackers.

The ninjas moved with agility, some dodging while others deflected the kunai with apparent ease, confident that they won't explode.

Shino was not surprised; he knew they wouldn't be fooled by the same trick twice. However...

"Arghhhhh!" "What?! How did the bugs get on us?!"  "Get them off- Ahhhhh!"

Within moments, the eerie sound of agony filled the air as the unsuspecting ninjas' screams pierced through the forest!

The lucky few who avoided the kunais broke out in cold sweat.

One of the ninja's heart skipped a beat as his eyes darted around, searching for any signs of danger. "Watch out for his invisible bugs! It is hard to detect with the naked eye, use your chakra detecti-"

Suddenly, the voice of the ninja ceased, a cold drop of sweat rolling down his face. He discovered that there were chakra signatures drifting in the air everywhere around them, lurking in the air like unseen predators!

Shino adjusted his glasses, a sly smile playing on his lips. "It's already too-"

"Argghhhh!"

Sigh, can't they just let him-

Shino's train of thoughts snapped, rudely interrupted by the hands that had ambushed him from below! The ninja's grip was tightening around his ankles, pulling him down towards the ground and locking him in place!

With a heart cold as ice, a ninja leapt into the air from a tree and he drew in a deep breath, his mouth puffing up, "Fire Release: Fireball Jutsu!"

Oom! A sudden explosion of heat engulfed the air as a fiery inferno erupted from the ninja's mouth with explosive force!

The intensity of the flames obliterated every bug in the user's vicinity!

Ignoring the fate of his fallen comrade, the ninja locked his eyes on Shino, fueling the blazing ball of destruction, preparing to roast his target.

Shortly after, the raging fireball roared towards Shino like a deadly dragon!

Boom! A deafening roar shattered the stillness of the battlefield as flames engulfed the area, turning a couple of 'companions' on the ground into puffs of smoke. These were just clones in disguise!

As for the rest, they were just expendable companions who were merely bonus cannon fodder, and they were wiped out in a matter of seconds, reduced to nothing more than charred husks.

Poor blokes. There would be no chance of reincarnation for them because they were mere side characters who played no significant role in the grand scheme of things.

The ninja landed on the ground, revealing his face bare of any mask. He frowned deeply as he surveyed the aftermath of the explosion. "Did we get him?"

Suddenly, he felt a breeze brushing him from behind, sending a shiver down his spine!

In mere moments, a translucent figure emerged from the shadows behind him. It was Shino!

The kunai in Shino's hand struck out, aiming for a fatal blow toward the man's heart!

With a thud, Shino's kunai made contact, but something felt off. He quickly realized that it was a hard surface, not the feeling of cutting into flesh!

Puff! A puff of smoke appeared in front of him, and the ninja he had been aiming for had disappeared, replaced by a wooden log! It was the infamous Body Substitution Jutsu!

Whoosh! With deadly precision, a kunai pierced through Shino's heart from behind. "It's over."

In the midst of the tense atmosphere, a sudden moment of stillness enveloped the scene.

Just as the enemy thought he had won, a sly smile curved on Shino's lips.

With an ominous hum his body collapsed into a swarm of camouflaged bugs, leaving the assailant to stare in shock and confusion!

"Nani?! Insect clone?! When! No-"

The swarm of bugs enveloped the ninja's hand, effectively neutralizing the enemy's ability to use jutsu!

And they weren't done yet - The relentless insects continued their ascent up the ninja's arm...

"Noooooo! Ahhhhhhh!"

Thud. A lifeless husk toppled to the ground, and Shino emerged from his hiding place behind a tree.

As Shino's hand reached to adjust his glasses, a chilling yet taunting voice pierced the silence, "So the little bug was hiding here."

Shino's eyes narrowed as his senses warned of the danger lurking in the shadows behind him. It was a real predator stalking its prey!

Without a moment's hesitation, he spun around, but it was too late!

A massive foot loomed in his vision, and he could barely raise his hands to defend himself. Thump!

The impact was brutal, sending him hurtling through the forest like a rag doll!

As Shino struggled to stabilize his body, he saw a sudden blur of movement from the corner of his eye.

Without warning, a seasoned middle-aged ninja appeared in front of him, his face carved with a hardened expression! In a swift motion, he hooked Shino's body with his arm and flung him across the forest with alarming force!

Thump! Thump! Bam! Shino hit the ground with a sickening thud, his body sliding across the forest floor before coming to a stop in a battered heap!

Fwoom! With a sudden burst of flames, a wall of fire materialized in between Shino and his companions, drawing a line through the trees of the forest and creating a barrier that separated the battlefields of Shino and his team.

The intense heat emanating from the wall made it clear that whoever conjured it was not to be trifled with.

"Shino!" (x2)

The faint worried cries of Hinata and Kiba could be heard in the far-off distance.

Tap. Silence befell the forest as the middle-aged ninja landed before the kneeling Shino, whose bugs were cascading out of his body. The man's face was stoic, yet his tongue snaked out to lick his lips, betraying a sense of twisted excitement.

This action of his also allowed Shino to get a glimpse of the pattern engraved on his tongue, a hexagram with three solid lines and two broken lines. The Cursed Tongue Eradication seal. Root!

"Taking two complete strikes from a jonin and still surviving. As expected of the seed that Danzo-sama is interested in."

Swoosh! A gust of wind swept through the forest, and Shino's head hit the ground with a thud, the force of the impact sending shockwaves rippling through his body!

A foot pressed down on the back of his head, grinding his face against the dirt and leaves.

Shino's eyes swiveled to the side, looking up at the cold, menacing face of the unknown jonin staring down at him with a contemptuous expression.

"Danzo-sama hopes that you would reconsider his invitation. So, what will it be? Will you join us… or die?"