129. Step Aside. I’m About to…

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"Wait!"

Shikamaru shouted, raising both hands as he stepped forward.

"Let's not escalate this we're not here to start a fight. We just want to talk."

Kidomaru sneered, unimpressed. With a flick of his arm, three figures were yanked from the trees above: Naruto, Kiba, and Choji, dangling by transparent threads around their ankles.

"What's your excuse for this?" he smirked.

Kiba instantly hurled a smoke bomb to the ground boom! Clouding the battlefield in seconds.

"Hmph. Useless." Kidomaru's fingers twitched, manipulating the invisible wires.

"You can't escape. I've laced this entire area with chakra threads thinner and tougher than steel. You won't even see them until it's too late."

Shikamaru whistled. "Wow… didn't expect that kind of skill from you. Seriously impressive."

Kidomaru's expression darkened. "Impressed enough to die? Because I'm about to huh?"

His limbs locked in place.

"W-What…? My body—!"

Shikamaru smirked. "Sorry, I've got a few tricks of my own. Thanks for standing still long enough for Shadow Possession Jutsu."

Naruto pumped a fist. "Nice one, Shikamaru!"

Sakon sighed. "Ugh, such a headache… But you think he's the only one with powers?"

Jirōbō slapped both palms to the ground.

"Earth Release Barrier: Earth Prison Dome of Magnificent Nothingness!"

The ground erupted. Shuriken flew toward Shikamaru Neji and deflected them, but the connection to his shadow jutsu broke. The paralysis failed.

The massive earthen dome locked them in.

"Leave them to me," Jirōbō muttered. "Time to replenish my strength."

"Fine," Kidomaru said, lifting Sasuko's coffin over his shoulder. "Don't take too long."

The three departed quickly while Jirōbō stood guard.

---

Inside the dome, Naruto and Kiba launched attack after attack but the earth barely chipped.

"Damn it!" Kiba growled.

Neji stopped them cold.

"Don't waste energy. This isn't just earth it's infused with chakra and actively draining ours."

Everyone felt it. Their chakra was leaking with every breath.

Shikamaru turned to Neji. "You've got a plan, right?"

Neji nodded. "I do."

Naruto jumped. "Then get on with it already! Break this stupid wall!"

Neji gave him a cold glare.

Naruto shrank back. "…Right. My bad."

Shikamaru grinned. "You want to split them up and pick them off one by one?"

"Exactly."

Neji studied the wall's chakra pattern compact, like a miniature Planetary Devastation. Designed to seal and drain, not just trap.

"Choji… You'll take him."

"Me?" Choji blinked, then nodded seriously. "I can do it."

He might not stand out, but Neji had helped train him hard. As a member of the Akimichi clan, the bigger his body, the stronger his techniques.

"Good. When the wall breaks, Jirōbō's yours."

Neji stood back.

"Step aside," he said calmly. "I'm about to —cough!—cough! Show off a little."

Naruto and Kiba gave him space immediately.

"Go ahead, Boss."

Lightning sparked in Neji's palm.

"Thanks to Guy-sensei's training, and Kakashi's extremely detailed notes on the Chidori..."

Naruto stared. "Wait… That's not Chidori."

He shut his mouth. If Neji wanted to call it Chidori, who was going to argue?

Naruto had just learned Rasengan. Neji already had that mastered and now this too?

What didn't the guy know?

Neji raised his hand.

[Thunder Spiral Strike – Lv. 35 Skill]!

Electricity surged into his hand, forming a concentrated blade of lightning quieter than Chidori but far more refined. No birdsong, just raw voltage.

Everyone else gulped.

This was going to hurt.

---

Outside, Jirōbō smirked while absorbing their chakra.

Then… he froze.

A light flickered through the cracks.

"…What the hell?"

BOOM!

The wall exploded outward in a violent flash of lightning, blasting him backward. He hit the dirt, groaning, blood soaking through a gash across his torso.

Neji stepped out of the dust.

"Hm. You dodged. Not bad. Should be manageable for Choji."

Jirōbō gasped, hand pressed to the wound.

That hit… that hit HARD.

But he couldn't fail. If he let them pass now, Orochimaru's entire plan could collapse.

He grits his teeth and slams a palm to the ground—summoning chakra.

The ground rumbled again.

"Earth Release: Tombstone Dumpling!"

A boulder the size of a house rose into the sky.

He hurled it with a roar.

"Move!!" Kiba shouted.

Neji stood firm.

Choji stepped forward, fists clenched.

"Human Boulder!!"

His body spun into a giant rolling cannonball, smashing straight through the boulder. Neji cleared the debris midair with a palm strike.

Jirōbō stared, stunned.

"They're still standing…"

Choji stood tall, blocking the path.

"You guys go ahead. I've got this."

The others nodded and took off.

Naruto shouted back, "Kick his fat butt, Choji!!"

"Will do!"

Choji grinned. No one else could call him that but saying it about someone else? That was fine.

Jirōbō glared. "You're fat too."

Choji puffed out his cheeks. "I'm not like you."

The two charged like sumo titans, their fists crashing together in a brutal test of strength.

One injured. One at full power.

Jirōbō could still transform—burn life force to boost power.

Too bad…

So could Choji.

This fight was far from over.

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~Support with 200 PowerStones = 1 Bonus Chapter

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