"Risking the lives of so many companions just to save one person, is this your idea of salvation?"
Kimimaro's words struck Naruto's heart like a series of heavy punches.
He wavered.
Sasuke was his companion, that was true, but so were these people.
If saving Sasuke meant letting Shikamaru and the others die here, he couldn't accept that.
Choice!
Everyone faces such choices.
And people often hold onto wishful thinking, wanting to have both.
But where in the world are there so many easy things?
"No! My companions are still holding on, they're just like me, wanting to save Sasuke!"
Naruto suddenly said.
And as he said these words, the battles changed.
Choji transformed into a butterfly!
His original fat, after consuming his family's secret medicine, the Chili Pill, transformed into massive chakra.
The chubby boy became slim, and a pair of chakra butterfly wings made him look incredibly powerful.
"You're no match for me now, because I'm a hundred times stronger than I was just now!"
Choji said the coolest line he'd ever uttered.
A punch was thrown!
Jirobo, with his Cursed Seal Level 2, couldn't even dodge in time.
This punch directly inflicted heavy injuries on him.
Choji half-kneeled on the ground, his whole body in excruciating pain.
His gaze had already shifted elsewhere.
Shikamaru and Tayuya were in a stalemate, and it looked like he was about to lose.
"I can't fall here yet, Shikamaru still needs me."
Choji endured the intense pain, his wings spread open behind him, and he rushed towards Shikamaru and Tayuya's battlefield at an incredible speed.
"Die!"
Tayuya broke free from Shikamaru's Shadow Imitation Technique, intending to finish him off directly.
But Choji suddenly attacked, landing a punch on her face.
Bang!
Tayuya, in her Cursed Seal Level 2 state, was sent flying instantly.
Choji, in his butterfly form, defeated two members of the Sound Four in a row, and he was already exhausted.
The effects of the secret medicine had worn off.
"Shikamaru, are you alright..."
As soon as Choji finished speaking, the butterfly wings on his back disappeared, and he couldn't even stand steady, collapsing straight to the ground.
"Choji!"
Shikamaru screamed in horror, embracing Choji.
"Shikamaru... The happiest thing in my life was becoming friends with you... I really wish I could be friends with you forever. Thank you for believing in me... Shikamaru..."
A smile appeared on Choji's lips, but his breath became extremely weak.
"Choji! Wake up! Don't sleep! Wake up!"
Shikamaru broke down.
At this moment, he regretted immensely, why did he bring Choji on this mission?
While Choji and Shikamaru had achieved a temporary victory, the situation for the other three wasn't looking good.
"As expected, opening only three gates isn't enough to defeat Neji. Then... Fourth Gate of Pain, open! Fifth Gate of Limit, open!"
Rock Lee was going all out at this moment!
Neji's expression turned serious.
"Lee's Eight Gates Release Formation is even stronger than before."
Previously, when he opened five gates, Lee's entire meridian system was damaged.
But this time, although the burden was still heavy, Lee could already withstand it.
He had become stronger again.
Lee's movements suddenly accelerated!
"So fast!"
Even Neji's Byakugan could barely keep up with Lee's speed.
"Rotation!"
Facing Lee's attack, Neji activated his Rotation to defend.
Within the Rotation, he was absolutely safe.
Lee's speed wasn't fast enough to replicate Kimimaro's maneuver yet.
However, Lee leaped into the air, reaching the sky.
Then, his body began to spin, turning into a green whirlwind, descending from the sky like a drill, smashing into the Rotation!
"What!"
Neji was startled, not expecting Lee to come up with such a way to counter his Rotation.
The blue chakra shield started to crack.
The Rotation dispersed!
Lee punched towards Neji's cheek!
Bang!
A direct hit!
Neji crashed into a large tree.
Lee followed closely, another punch!
"Neji, even if I have to break your arms and legs, I will bring you back to Konoha!"
Facing Lee with such determination, Neji knew he had to stop him quickly.
Otherwise, this idiot might directly open the sixth gate.
At that point, even Tsunade wouldn't be able to save him.
"Lee, I'm sorry."
Neji suddenly said, causing Lee to pause.
He still has his own consciousness?
This was the first thought that crossed Lee's mind.
And this moment of distraction gave Neji an opportunity.
"Gentle Fist Art, One Hundred Twenty-Eight Palms!"
The Eight Trigrams Formation activated!
"Oh no!"
Lee exclaimed, as Neji's teammate, he knew what this meant, but it was too late.
One hundred twenty-eight palms were struck by Neji at an extremely fast speed, each hitting Lee's acupuncture points.
Even the ferocious Eight Gates Release Formation, after taking this full combo, had its chakra completely sealed!
The immense power within Lee vanished instantly, and he collapsed to the ground due to the side effects of the Eight Gates.
"Neji... come back to Konoha."
Even lying on the ground, Lee continued to persuade.
"I will definitely go back, but not now."
Neji thought silently, but didn't respond to Lee.
"Don't go, Neji!"
No matter how Lee called out, Neji didn't stop.
Observing the battles around, Kimimaro looked at Naruto in front of him.
"Your companions' situation doesn't seem as optimistic as you think."
"I will never give up! I won't let my companions die here!"
Naruto formed hand seals.
"Multiple Shadow Clone Technique!"
In an instant, over two thousand shadow clones appeared before Kimimaro.
Only Naruto could create such a massive number of shadow clones.
Two thousand shadow clones attacked together, while the rest went to help others.
Kimimaro glanced at the Naruto shadow clones around him and slowly said, "Such a technique is useless against me."
"Whether it's useful or not, we'll only know after trying! Naruto Uzumaki Two Thousand Combo!"
Naruto had truly mastered the art of ganging up.
"Such a nuisance, let's finish this in one go."
Kimimaro's gaze coldly swept over the numerous shadow clones, and the Shikotsumyaku within him began to activate.
"Dance of the Early Fern!"
The next moment, a shocking scene unfolded.
Kimimaro plunged his hands into the ground, and then countless sharp bone spikes erupted from the earth!
In that instant, a forest of bones formed around him, with him at its core!
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The bone spikes were incredibly sharp, piercing through the vital points of all of Naruto's shadow clones, dispelling them one by one!
Smoke billowed.
Naruto's Two Thousand Combo was instantly broken.
"This guy, what kind of monster is he..."
Naruto looked at Kimimaro with a hint of fear in his eyes.
With his own power, he had actually altered the terrain.
And it was such a sinister forest of white bones.
How did he do it?
(End of Chapter)