More violent Wind Release and chaotic air currents raged across the arena.
Shino Aburame's insect swarm was forced to constantly disperse, gather, and evade, like black moths struggling in a hurricane.
Although they avoided total annihilation by relying on numbers and flexibility, they couldn't get within ten meters of Temari, let alone inflict any effective damage.
The entire arena seemed to become Temari's personal Wind Release exhibition.
In the stands, Nara Shikamaru frowned, "This is troublesome—Shino's insects are completely countered. Temari's Wind Release has too much range and power; the insects can't break through at all."
Naruto continued to watch with a calm expression.
If Shino Aburame was hiding a hand, he would inevitably lose.
Just as Temari swung her fan again, preparing to unleash a more powerful Wind Release to clear the field, Shino Aburame moved!
He quickly formed hand signs!
"Secret Technique: Insect Infestation!"
The ground beneath Temari's feet suddenly collapsed, forming several bowl-sized pits!
Several streams of "burrowing insects"—composed of special parasitic insects with hard exoskeletons adept at digging—burst out of the ground, like black vipers biting at Temari's ankles and calves.
This was Shino Aburame utilizing the burrowing characteristic of certain insects, attempting to break through the Wind Release's defense from underground.
A feint, impossible to guard against.
"What?!"
Temari was startled, not expecting the insects could attack from underground!
But her reaction was extremely fast; she slammed her Three-Star Fan onto the ground!
"Thump!"
The fan handle struck the ground, and a circular wind pressure erupted outwards from her as the center!
With a "boom."
The insect streams that had just emerged from the ground were instantly scattered and sent flying by this powerful impact.
Mud mixed with insect remains splattered everywhere.
"Petty tricks!"
Temari sneered, but her eyes became more vigilant. This Shino Aburame was more troublesome than she had imagined.
Shino Aburame also seemed to realize that conventional insect swarm tactics were ineffective.
He stopped the futile insect swarm charges and recalled all remaining insects to his side.
A black cloud of insects circled and danced around him, emitting a low hum, seemingly accumulating power.
"Is he going for one last push?"
Temari's eyes narrowed, and she gripped the handle of her Three-Star Fan tightly, Chakra beginning to pour into it in large quantities. She knew her opponent was going all out.
Shino Aburame formed hand signs again, and the insect swarm surrounding him suddenly became even more violent. The black insect cloud compressed and condensed, as if it was about to transform into a giant beast ready to devour someone!
He was preparing to unleash some powerful insect secret technique!
However, Temari would not give him that chance!
"Your insects end here!"
Temari shouted, and her Three-Star Fan fully unfurled with a fierce motion.
The massive fan cast a shadow in the sunlight, and she poured all her Chakra and strength into it!
"Wind Release: Scythe Weasel Triple Slash! Maximum Output!!"
"Boom—!!"
No longer just three, but dozens of even larger, more condensed, and more violent wind scythes, like a destructive storm,
swept across the entire area where Shino Aburame stood, instantly covering it.
These wind blades not only had astonishing cutting power but also stirred up a large amount of rubble and sand from the arena, forming a terrifying, indiscriminate cutting storm!
The range was so vast that there was no escaping it!
This was the strongest attack Temari could unleash at this moment!
She intended to bury Shino Aburame and his insects completely in one fell swoop!
Shino Aburame's insect swarm was like a mantis trying to stop a chariot in the face of such a terrifying storm.
The black insect cloud was instantly torn apart and pulverized by the violent wind blades.
Dense, suffocating popping sounds merged into one continuous roar!
Black insect fluid splattered like raindrops in the wind and sand, and the remaining insects frantically tried to protect their master with their bodies, but it was futile in the face of absolute power!
Shino Aburame himself was also caught by the edge of the storm.
He barely managed to shield his head and face with his arms, his windbreaker was cut by the sharp wind blades, and his body was repeatedly pushed back by the impact. His sunglasses were also blown off, revealing a slightly pale but still calm face underneath.
The storm raged for more than ten seconds before gradually subsiding.
The arena was a mess, covered with crisscrossing deep slash marks and countless tiny insect corpses, mixed with sand, forming a foul "insect swamp."
Shino Aburame stood at the edge of the insect swamp, his clothes torn, breathing slightly, with only a few surviving parasitic insects weakly crawling beside him.
He had lost most of his insects, which meant he had lost his fighting ability.
Although he could use the Secret Technique: Insect Cocoon to emergency hatch more insects for battle, it would consume a large amount of Chakra, and secondly—there was no point in struggling.
Until he cultivated more powerful parasitic insects, Shino Aburame had no way to overcome Temari's Wind Release.
"I surrender."
Shino Aburame calmly raised his hand.
Shiranui Genma instantly appeared in the arena, glanced at Shino Aburame who had voluntarily surrendered and the insect corpses all over the ground, then looked at Temari, who was still standing despite considerable Chakra consumption, and announced loudly:
"The winner of the fourth round is—Temari!"
The Hidden Sand Village audience erupted in cheers.
Temari slammed her massive Three-Star Fan onto the ground with a "bang," breathing slightly, a proud smile of victory on her face as she looked at Shino Aburame: "Your insect tactics are good, but it's a pity you ran into me."
Shino Aburame silently bent down, picked up his sunglasses from the ground, and put them back on, obscuring his gaze.
He didn't look at Temari, nor did he speak, only staring down at the remains of his companions (insects) on the ground, silent for a few seconds.
Then, he nodded slightly to Shiranui Genma as a signal, turned, and calmly left the arena, his back still straight, as if the recent crushing defeat had not affected him much, though that silence seemed to carry a hint of solemnity.
Shikamaru sighed as he watched Shino Aburame's retreating figure: "No choice, the elemental counter is too severe."
Akimichi Choji frustratingly punched the railing: "Damn it! That woman is so strong!"
Then, he turned to look at Asuma Sarutobi, who was smoking, and tore open another bag of chips he carried, tossing them into his mouth with a crunching sound: "Asuma-sensei, we lost again today, is there barbecue?"
Asuma Sarutobi put his arms around Akimichi Choji and Nara Shikamaru's shoulders, chuckling, "Yes, yes. By the way, is Shino one of our class members?"
...
This battle clearly demonstrated the absolute counter of Wind Release against insect secret techniques. Temari, relying on the powerful Wind Release of her Three-Star Fan, cleanly ended Shino's insect swarm with overwhelming superiority.
After winning, Temari did not immediately leave the arena. Instead, she stood there, kicked up her massive Three-Star Fan, held it, and pointed it towards Hinata in the spectator stands, arrogantly and wildly saying: "Hyuga's young lady, I challenge you! Get ready to be defeated by me!"
A wave of sound rose from the audience, everyone discussing amongst themselves.
"Temari is the princess of Hidden Sand Village, and Hyuga Hinata is the princess of the Hyuga clan. A battle between two princesses? Interesting." Naruto's mouth curved into a smile as he looked at Hinata, "What do you think?"