51-55

*Chapter 51: Maru Teaches You a Lesson*

Choji Akimichi stared at Shiro in disbelief.

Even though he knew Shiro could use the Multi-Size Technique to enhance his physical strength to an incredible level, the key was that Shiro hadn't even used the technique yet.

And the calm look on his face, as if he'd done something insignificant!

"Shiro, I know you're really strong, way stronger than me! But the guy in front of us has almost the strength of a Jonin. Taking him down won’t be easy! So, you should go ahead; the number one rule for ninjas is to complete the mission!"

"Take a long time to deal with him?"

Shiro chuckled dismissively.

Then, with a powerful push of his legs, he leaped forward like lightning.

When Jirobo saw Shiro charging at him, his eyes grew serious. He clapped his hands together and slammed them onto the ground.

"Earth Style! Earth Return!"

Instantly, a wall of earth rose up, blocking Jirobo.

Ding! Earth Style: Earth Return, recognized!

Shiro smiled indifferently. His right hand gathered chakra rapidly, forming a faint blue sphere in no time.

"Let's see if your Earth Style: Earth Return can block my Rasengan!"

With a single push of his hand, Shiro launched the sphere.

Boom!

The earthen wall trembled as the Rasengan drilled into it.

"You think that jutsu can stop me? How naive!" Jirobo laughed arrogantly.

But at that moment, cracks, like spiderwebs, began appearing on the wall in front of him.

The cracks spread quickly, soon covering the entire wall!

"No way! What jutsu is this? It's actually breaking through Earth Return!"

Jirobo panicked and tried to dodge.

Boom!

The wall shattered, debris flying everywhere.

Amidst the flying rubble, the faint blue Rasengan headed straight for Jirobo.

"No!"

Terrified, Jirobo instinctively tried to block with his hands.

Boom!

The Rasengan hit him square in the chest, the force of it spinning his large body through the air.

He tumbled through the air, crashing into five or six trees before smashing into a large boulder, embedding himself into it—whether alive or dead, no one knew.

Choji stood in shock, unable to believe what he was seeing. The red pill he'd been holding fell from his hand without him noticing.

Just moments ago, Choji had used all his strength and still couldn't defeat Jirobo. But Shiro, with just one jutsu, had blown Jirobo away!

Suddenly, Choji felt dejected.

"No wonder so many girls like you. You're handsome and your jutsu is insanely strong. Any girl would give you a second look!"

Seeing Choji speak so seriously, Shiro blushed despite himself.

"But you promised me BBQ, and you still haven’t delivered!"

Shiro nearly stumbled and fell.

It wasn't that he was stingy—Choji could eat so much that he'd go bankrupt if he really let him eat his fill!

There was no doubt about it!

Shiro quickly coughed and put on a serious face.

"Choji, you handle this guy. I’m going after Sasuke!"

"Got it! If you’re on the case, we’ll definitely get Sasuke back!" Choji nodded seriously.

Shiro sprinted ahead, not wasting a second.

After a few minutes, he noticed several markers on the trees.

Keep up! We’re waiting for you ahead!

Seeing this, Shiro smiled, feeling warm inside.

He remembered watching Naruto and getting choked up at this moment. If it hadn’t been for people around, he might’ve shed a tear.

He sped up.

After about ten minutes, Shiro spotted a giant spider standing on a huge web through the gaps in the trees.

Next to the spider stood a man with six arms—Kidomaru!

Unlike Jirobo, who was simple-minded and relied on brute strength, Kidomaru was different. He was a tactician.

Jirobo was the weakest of the Sound Four, but Kidomaru was another story!

When using his Cursed Seal, Kidomaru transformed into a giant spider-like figure, his spider webs stronger than steel, even two oxen couldn't pull them apart!

Below the web, Hyuga Neji struggled like a butterfly caught in a spider’s trap. Though he was putting up a fight, it seemed impossible to escape the web.

Fortunately, Neji's Gentle Fist technique countered the web to some extent, allowing him to hold out for a while longer.

"A spider web? Watch me burn it down!"

Shiro snorted and formed hand signs.

"Fire Style! Fireball Jutsu!"

The Fireball Jutsu was a basic fire-style technique and a must-learn for the Uchiha Clan.

The size of the fireball was proportional to the user's chakra level.

With Shiro’s immense chakra, the area before him turned into a sea of flames!

Watching the flames roar, Shiro rubbed his nose proudly.

"I’m not just good at grilling fish; turns out I’m pretty good at grilling spiders too! Maybe I should open a barbecue joint, the business would boom!"

Halfway through his joke, Shiro stopped abruptly.

"Oh no! I forgot about Neji!"

Just as Shiro started to panic, a tan boomerang flew in, snuffing out the flames along its path!

Looking ahead, he saw that much of the spider web had been burned, and Kidomaru was covered in burns, giving off an oddly delicious smell, like well-roasted chicken.

"You brat! You attacked me from behind!" Kidomaru roared, spitting more webs from his mouth.

"Careful! That’s no ordinary spider web. Don’t let it touch you!" Neji gasped, struggling to catch his breath.

A massive circular mark on the ground nearby indicated Neji had just used his Rotation technique.

Shiro exhaled in relief. He’d been worried he might’ve roasted Neji alive.

Wiping the sweat from his brow, Shiro suddenly noticed the spider webs closing in.

Kidomaru smirked, his face full of triumph.

"I’ve got you now!"

Kidomaru's webs weren’t just strong—they were nearly impossible to cut, even with a sharp kunai!

But Shiro simply smirked, a faint blue chakra forming in his palm.

The chakra extended, taking the shape of a sword.

With a casual flick of his wrist, Shiro sliced the web in half.

"Who did you say you’ve caught? Sorry, I was daydreaming. Could you repeat that?"

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 52: Fierce Battle Against Kidomaru*

Kidomaru gritted his teeth as he glared at Shiro.

Earlier, he had nearly been killed by Neji Hyuga’s Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms, which almost sealed his chakra points.

Fortunately, his pores quickly secreted the Gold Adhesive Armor, blocking the deadly attack!

Now, another boy appeared who could cut through his web, instantly souring Kidomaru's mood.

"I hope you, boy, can entertain me for a while longer!"

Before Kidomaru could finish speaking, he suddenly realized Shiro was already right in front of him.

His body instinctively secreted mucus, and in an instant, a layer of earth-colored armor coated him!

"Useless boy, this armor is made from a special adhesive, there's no way you can—"

Before Kidomaru could finish, Shiro waved his hand.

A light blue chakra blade sliced through his body, sending waves of pain throughout his entire being.

Kidomaru winced in pain, quickly putting distance between him and Shiro.

"Damn it! How did you do that? My armor is completely intact!"

Shiro raised his hand, showing the long sword to Kidomaru, a mocking smile on his face.

"This is just a chakra scalpel. It cuts directly through your internal organs. By the way, I learned this move from Kabuto Yakushi!"

"Kabuto-sama!"

Kidomaru’s expression grew more sinister before he finally calmed down.

His confident expression returned.

"Boy, both of you are close-combat Taijutsu users. I only need to keep my distance to crush you effortlessly!"

With a cold sneer, Kidomaru began weaving hand signs.

Amidst a puff of smoke, a massive spider appeared above Shiro!

Neji Hyuga quickly rushed to Shiro's side, speaking with concern: "Shiro, you're the person Hokage specifically instructed me to protect! Leave this to me!"

Shiro chuckled bitterly.

Although Neji Hyuga, as part of the branch family, seemed to hold a decent position, in the eyes of the Hyuga clan's main family, he was merely a bodyguard!

From childhood, he had been protecting the clan’s princess, Hinata Hyuga!

And now, he continued to serve as a bodyguard, this time for Shiro.

Shiro smiled softly. Though he couldn’t say much, he felt a deep sense of injustice for Neji Hyuga.

"Neji, if you want to break free from the divide between the main and branch families, you need to keep improving your strength! When you’re strong enough, I’ll remove your Caged Bird Seal!"

Neji's body trembled, his eyes filled with emotion as he gazed at Shiro.

Shiro smiled and walked in front of Neji, turning to Kidomaru.

"You think I’m a Taijutsu user? You’ve misunderstood me!"

Kidomaru was startled and quickly sliced open the giant cocoon produced by the spider.

In an instant, small spiders rained down.

"Stand behind me, Shiro! I’ll protect you!" Neji’s eyes were filled with emotion, and he immediately stood in front of Shiro.

Neji's body crouched low, his hands open—one high and one low.

"Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!"

Ding! Detected Taijutsu: Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms! (Unable to use Gentle Fist, acupuncture points cannot be sealed)

Neji's rapid strikes killed the falling spiders, but their numbers kept increasing.

Neji's speed was starting to falter!

Shiro quickly mimicked Neji's earlier stance, and with a sharp cry, he called out, "Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Blades!"

Shiro wasn’t just joking when he shouted that.

The spider webs could only be cut with a chakra scalpel, and using his hands would result in getting entangled.

If that happened, he’d be unable to move!

Since he was using a chakra scalpel, calling it "Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms" didn’t seem appropriate!

Neji Hyuga stared at Shiro in disbelief.

The Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms required the Byakugan to maximize its potential, so few outside the Hyuga clan learned it.

But Shiro’s moves didn’t seem like it was his first time using them; in fact, in some aspects, he was even better than Neji!

This sparked Neji's competitive spirit, causing him to lower his body further and increase his spinning speed!

"Eight Trigrams One Hundred Twenty-Eight Palms!"

Neji’s speed doubled in an instant, his hands moving so fast they left afterimages!

Ding! Detected Taijutsu: Eight Trigrams One Hundred Twenty-Four Palms!

Shiro's lips curled into a slight smile.

But Shiro didn’t plan to continue using the Eight Trigrams One Hundred Twenty-Four Palms.

After all, he needed to leave some space for Neji. Plus, his goal had already been achieved; there was no need to continue.

"Finish him."

Shiro activated his Sharingan, slowly raising his head to meet Kidomaru’s gaze.

In an instant, Kidomaru froze in place.

His body felt as if it had been filled with cement; he couldn’t move at all!

"Genjutsu! Those eyes are just like that other kid’s!" Kidomaru muttered in frustration.

Without Kidomaru’s control, the giant spider wandered aimlessly.

The small spiders inside the cocoon also stopped falling.

Shiro and Neji were suddenly freed from the assault.

"Genjutsu? Was it that simple?" Neji said, his mouth twitching.

He had fought desperately, with kunai stuck in his back, without even touching Kidomaru.

But Shiro had simply used a genjutsu to control him!

Neji suddenly began questioning his life choices!

"It's not over yet. I’ve only immobilized him. You’ll have to finish him off," Shiro said nonchalantly, as if it were no big deal.

Suddenly, the small spiders inside the cocoon crawled out and covered Kidomaru’s body.

One of the spiders bit into him.

The pain jolted Kidomaru’s nervous system, breaking him free from the genjutsu.

"Brats! You missed the best chance to kill me. Now, I’m going to make you pay!"

Kidomaru’s body was covered in cursed seals, which spread uncontrollably. His entire form began to change!

"What’s happening!" Neji stared at Kidomaru in shock.

With the transformation, Kidomaru’s chakra surged, increasing by several times!

"Cursed Seal Transformation! But it has some side effects—it takes a massive toll on the body!" Shiro smiled dismissively.

After all, compared to Sage Mode, the Cursed Seal was insignificant!

In his transformed state, Kidomaru spat out a clump of earth-colored mucus.

The mucus slowly solidified into the shape of a bow!

"This bow has a 100% accuracy rate. No matter where you run, I’ll shoot an arrow straight through your heart! So, before you die, show me those cute, terrified expressions!"

"100% accuracy? Let’s see just how strong your so-called accuracy really is!"

___

end

*Chapter 53: The Caged Bird's Seal*

Shiro smiled while casually playing with a golden kunai in his hand.

"Kid, let's see how long you can keep up that tough act!"

Kidomaru snorted with dissatisfaction written all over his face. He spat out another glob of mud-colored slime from his mouth, which quickly transformed into an arrow.

"Then let's start with you!"

Kidomaru grabbed the webs with four hands, drew back the bowstring with two others, and positioned his feet on the arrow's body. He pulled the bow until it formed a full moon shape. Shiro nonchalantly tossed the kunai in his hand. But due to interference from a small spider, its trajectory shifted and hit a tree behind Kidomaru.

"Hahaha! It's useless! Prepare to die!"

As Kidomaru released the bowstring, the arrow shot straight toward Shiro with a devastating aura. Everything in its path was torn apart! Seeing this, Neji Hyuga rushed in front of Shiro, preparing to block the destructive arrow with his body.

Shiro shook his head in exasperation and placed a hand on Neji’s shoulder.

"Flying Thunder Technique!"

With a flash of golden light, Shiro and Neji Hyuga vanished from where they stood. The arrow landed where Shiro had been standing moments before, creating a massive crater on the ground.

"Impossible! Where did they go?!"

"Your so-called '100% accuracy' is only effective against slow opponents. But in the face of my speed, it’s nothing!"

Shiro said as he gently patted Neji on the shoulder.

"Eight Trigrams One Hundred Twenty-Eight Palms!"

Neji Hyuga closed in on Kidomaru, his palms striking rapidly like raindrops, landing blow after blow on Kidomaru! Although armor continuously appeared on Kidomaru’s body, Neji’s speed was too fast—each piece of armor was shattered the moment it formed!

After Neji’s 128 palms finished, all of Kidomaru’s chakra points were sealed. Without chakra support, the cursed mark began to fade, and Kidomaru fell from the tree. Neji slumped down onto a tree branch, exhausted.

As long as someone is hit by the Eight Trigrams One Hundred Twenty-Eight Palms, no matter how powerful they are, they won’t be able to use any chakra afterward. Unless, of course, they have an external boost—like Naruto Uzumaki!

"Shiro-kun, I wasn't entirely convinced after you beat me before, but after today, I completely acknowledge you. With Tenten and Hinata by your side, you'll surely be happy!"

Shiro couldn't help but awkwardly laugh at Neji's serious expression.

"Alright, I'll leave this spider to you. I need to catch up with Sasuke!"

As Shiro darted off, Neji looked at his retreating figure and muttered to himself.

"Caged bird, can you really help us break free?" Neji murmured, removing his forehead protector to reveal the green curse mark on his forehead.

Shiro swiftly moved through the trees. After about ten minutes, he heard the sound of a flute in the distance. A slight smile appeared on his lips, and he sped up.

"Hey! Isn’t that Tayuya!"

Tayuya, locked in a strategic battle with Shikamaru Nara, shuddered at the sound and quickly turned around. Seeing Shiro, her face twisted with anger.

"It's you! How dare you show up in front of me again!"

As soon as she finished speaking, the curse mark began spreading across her body, covering her once pale skin in black markings. The curse then intensified, turning her skin even darker, and six demonic horns sprouted from her head.

"Whoa, what’s going on here?!" Shiro’s mouth twitched.

Normally, in a fight, you’d save your trump card for the end. But the moment Tayuya saw Shiro, she activated her second-level cursed seal! It was like starting a game of cards by playing the highest hand!

Shikamaru, meanwhile, didn’t have many visible injuries and still wore his lazy expression.

"Saved, saved, I’m glad you're here!"

Shiro gave a wry smile. Shikamaru had exceptional intelligence, excelling in both individual and team combat strategies. However, his laziness and dislike for trouble held him back from reaching his full potential, leaving him behind the "overpowered" crowd.

"What do you mean, ‘I'm saved because you're here’? Aren’t you worried about the others?"

"You being here means they’re definitely safe. Instead of worrying about that, I’m more interested in when we can return to the Leaf Village," Shikamaru said with a yawn, scratching his head.

He didn’t have an air of smugness, but rather, his face showed even more disdain.

"Stop ignoring me! Don’t underestimate me!" Tayuya finally snapped, shouting in fury. The sound of her flute filled the air, and the sharp notes sliced through the trees like swords.

"Why so angry? Can't we just sit down and talk peacefully?" Shiro dodged the attacks with a smile.

"Shut up, you bastard!" Tayuya roared, biting her thumb and forming hand signs.

"Summoning Jutsu!"

In an instant, three giant demons appeared before them. One wielded a massive club, with long hair obscuring its face. Another had bone claws and bulging muscles like solid rocks. The third demon, wrapped entirely in bandages with no hands, kept staring at the sky like it was gazing at the moon.

"Die!" Tayuya’s flute played faster, and the three demons charged forward. Despite their massive size, they moved with incredible speed and reached Shiro in an instant.

"Come on! Three against one?! What did I ever do to you? Go bother Shikamaru!"

"Idiot! If you hadn’t used genjutsu to break the Four Violet Flames Formation, I wouldn’t have gotten a harsh punishment from Lord Kabuto! Today, I’ll make you wish you were dead!"

The three demons were now upon Shiro, raising their fists to strike him down.

"Expansion Jutsu!"

Shiro didn't retreat. Instead, he formed hand signs, using the Expansion Jutsu. His arm swelled in size and smashed the three demons away with one giant punch! The power of the Expansion Jutsu combined with his raw strength gave the demons no chance to fight back, sending them flying.

"You knocked my three demons away with just one punch! Aren’t you a genjutsu specialist? How are you so strong?!"

Shiro sighed in frustration.

Originally, he had planned to focus on genjutsu and just look cool doing it! But somehow, his skills had developed in a different direction, and now he was on the path to becoming an all-around ninja!

"No matter what type of ninja you are, this next attack will finish you!" Tayuya warned as the sound of her flute grew even more urgent.

The three demons, who had been struggling to get up, suddenly froze in place.

"Final Movement, Ninth Chapter! Chaos of the Demon Mirror!"

—End of Chapter—

*Chapter 54: The Power of the Thunder Prison*

The three ghosts lifted their heads towards the sky, and their mouths began to open wider and wider!

Suddenly, three transparent, snake-like spirits slithered out of their mouths.

With Tayuya's flute playing, the spirits began scanning their surroundings and quickly locked onto Shiro!

Shiro furrowed his brow.

These spirits had no physical form, so typical ninja techniques were ineffective against them.

And these three spirits could devour any chakra they touched!

But dealing with them was quite simple—just kill Tayuya, the one controlling them.

However, Tayuya knew this weakness well and had already put distance between herself and the battle.

The biggest issue was that Shiro had used up his Flying Thunder Break technique when he killed Kidomaru, and his chakra pathways hadn't fully recovered yet, so he couldn't use it again for now.

So, if Shiro wanted to get close to Tayuya, he'd have to rely solely on his own speed!

"You think hiding far away is going to help?" Shiro sneered as he began making hand signs.

"Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!"

In an instant, the moisture in the air gathered frantically, and the air around them began to dry out.

A water dragon appeared from thin air, though smaller than the one Shiro had previously summoned over the lake!

The dragon spiraled a few times before charging straight at Tayuya.

Tayuya smirked, and the tune of her flute changed sharply.

The three spirits lunged at the water dragon and passed right through it.

As the spirits pierced through, the water dragon froze in place, then collapsed into ordinary water, splashing onto the ground!

"It's useless! Any jutsu controlled by chakra is completely ineffective against me!"

Shiro's expression became serious.

Although Tayuya's strength was barely at the Jonin level, her jutsu was strange, and Shiro didn't know how to deal with it at the moment.

"Since you're not making any moves, I'll come to you!"

In an instant, the three spirits darted toward Shiro like venomous snakes, while Nara Shikamaru crouched nearby with his eyes closed, seemingly deep in thought.

"Damn it! Looks like I have no choice but to go all out!"

With the Flying Thunder Break technique unusable and Tayuya refusing to engage directly, Shiro had only one option left—another jutsu!

*Lightning Style: Thunder Prison!*

Shiro's hands flew through hand signs at a speed almost impossible to follow with the naked eye!

"Lightning Style: Thunder Prison!"

With a soft shout from Shiro, five birds formed from chakra soared into the air, circling above Tayuya.

Tayuya frowned deeply.

The sight of the birds gave her a sense of impending danger!

She quickly urged the spirits to attack!

One bird!

Two birds!

Just as the spirits were about to strike the third bird, Shiro's eyes lit up, and a slight smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

"You're too slow!"

The birds began chirping louder, and arcs of electricity leapt from their bodies.

Wherever the electricity touched, the area was instantly charred black, leaving deep grooves several centimeters into the ground.

And they were in a forest now.

The trees struck by the arcs burst into flames, and thick smoke billowed into the air!

The flute's melody stopped, and the spirits froze in place.

Within the Thunder Prison, Tayuya's screams echoed, gradually growing weaker.

"Oh? Still alive?"

Through the thick smoke, a figure staggered out—it was Tayuya, who had reverted from her cursed seal state!

Shiro wasn't surprised.

After all, two of the five birds in the Thunder Prison had been swallowed, weakening its power enough for Tayuya to escape.

If all five birds had remained, even an elite Jonin would have struggled to escape the Thunder Prison!

Although, an elite Jonin might be able to escape before the Thunder Prison fully formed.

Nara Shikamaru looked on in disbelief.

A single jutsu had harnessed the power of nature, destroying an entire forest!

It was said that battles between Kage-level ninjas could reshape landscapes.

And Shiro was only twelve years old, yet he could already wield such a devastating jutsu!

"No wonder the Hokage values you so much! If nothing unexpected happens, you'll probably become the next Hokage!"

Shiro, however, wasn’t smiling.

He had already expended a huge amount of chakra earlier healing Rock Lee.

Then, after two more battles, he'd just unleashed the domineering Thunder Prison jutsu.

His chakra reserves were almost completely depleted!

Shiro quickly took out a soldier pill and popped it into his mouth, his face relaxing slightly.

"Shikamaru, go keep an eye on her. I need to chase after Sasuke!"

"No way! You want me to watch over this woman? That's such a hassle! And in your current state, you still want to go after Sasuke? You know the Hokage's top priority is to protect you!"

Nara Shikamaru said, stepping in front of Shiro to block his way.

As the two argued, a breeze picked up around them.

The wind grew stronger and stronger, until it became hard for Shiro and Shikamaru to keep their footing!

"Wind Style: Great Sickle Weasel!"

A female voice called out, and the wind suddenly intensified!

A weasel-like figure could be seen darting through the forest, slicing trees in half wherever it passed!

The weasel rushed into the blazing fire.

But as it passed through, the flames were instantly extinguished!

In no time, the entire fire was put out!

"Temari!" Shiro regretted it instantly. Such a powerful Wind Style jutsu was right in front of him, and he hadn't learned it!

"You idiots! Setting such a huge fire in the forest and not doing anything about it! Do you know how many people could’ve died if it kept spreading?"

Temari landed in front of the two on her giant fan, her face filled with anger, ready to punch them both!

Shiro scratched his head awkwardly.

He had used up all his chakra earlier, so he had no energy left to put out the fire!

But Shiro had to admit he respected Temari a lot. She had always stayed by Gaara's side, trying to reduce the number of people he killed.

Even though she took part in the Leaf Destruction Plan, she hadn't actually killed anyone in the end.

"Stop grinning, Shiro! We're here because the Fifth Hokage requested help to protect a ninja named Shiro!"

Shiro felt both touched and helpless.

He didn’t expect Tsunade to care so much about him, even asking for help from the Land of Wind!

But the problem was, how could he escape if he was being protected by Sand ninjas?

Shiro subtly shifted his feet, preparing to run away at any moment.

"Shiro! Where do you think you're going? No wonder the Fifth Hokage is so concerned about you—I'm so jealous!"

Shiro twitched in frustration, wishing he could smack Shikamaru.

His perfect escape plan had been ruined by a single comment!

Temari slowly turned her gaze to Shiro, raising an eyebrow and giving him a disdainful smirk.

"So handsome, no wonder you get so much attention! But where do you think you're sneaking off to?"

Shiro twitched again—since when was being handsome his fault?

"Uh, you know… nature calls."

"Fine, I'll come with you! This is my first collaboration with the Leaf, so we can't risk anything!"

"You're kidding..."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 55: The Hero Saves the Beauty

Shiro couldn’t help but take a few steps back.

Even following me to the restroom? Temari’s persistence is too much!

But seeing the serious look on her face, Shiro instantly understood.

She’s serious!

Since the so-called "bathroom escape" wasn’t going to work, Shiro quickly gave up on the idea.

After all, if Temari was really going to watch, Shiro couldn’t actually do his business!

"Forget it, it's not that urgent! I’ll go after Sasuke instead!"

Temari nodded slightly and casually placed her giant fan behind her.

"Alright, I’ll go with you! My first mission is to protect you, and the second is to retrieve Uchiha Sasuke!"

Since there was no avoiding it, he might as well embrace it.

With Temari’s protection, fighting Kimimaro should be a lot easier!

Shiro thought as he casually popped a soldier pill into his mouth and started rushing forward. However, halfway there, he felt like he was missing something.

He muttered softly while counting on his fingers,

"Choji Akimichi, Neji Hyuga, Shikamaru Nara, Naruto Uzumaki... Damn! I forgot Kiba Inuzuka!"

According to the storyline, Kiba should be fighting Sakon and Ukon right now, at risk of being killed any moment!

But with Temari here, Kankuro must have arrived to help.

Kiba just has such low presence!

As Shiro rushed forward with all his might, he and Temari finally burst out of the forest.

Outside the forest, Gaara hovered in the air, blood dripping continuously from his body. Not far away, a raptor-like creature was bouncing around rapidly!

"Kimimaro!" Shiro couldn’t help but shout out loud.

Kimimaro possessed the Bloodline Limit: Shikotsumyaku, allowing him to use his own bones as weapons!

His combat strength was incredibly formidable; with taijutsu combined with Shikotsumyaku, he was virtually unbeatable in close combat!

In the original story, he easily defeated both Gaara and Rock Lee!

If not for his illness flaring up at the last moment, Gaara never would’ve become the Fifth Kazekage!

"Gaara!" Temari's face filled with worry.

After hesitating for a moment, she grabbed her fan and rushed forward.

Shiro looked closely.

Gaara was now covered in his Sand Armor, with his eyes turning into the shape of coins!

If the fight continued, it wouldn’t take long before he summoned the One-Tailed Beast, Shukaku!

"Die!"

Gaara clapped his hands and slammed them onto the sand. Instantly, the ground began to turn into sand, rapidly gathering around Kimimaro, trapping him!

"Sand Style: Sand Burial!"

Ding! Detected ninjutsu: Sand Style, Sand Burial!

Shiro heard the system notification and couldn’t help but shake his head.

Although Sand Burial was incredibly powerful, a group-kill ninjutsu, it required a lot of sand to be effective.

And Shiro didn’t have a technique to turn the ground into sand, so this move was pretty useless for him!

As Gaara kept channeling chakra into the sand, the earth trembled, with sand rippling toward Kimimaro like waves.

Temari, seeing this, stopped in her tracks.

Her worry faded, knowing Gaara’s attack—once it hit, almost no one could escape!

Gaara, with his usual stoic expression, showed a hint of satisfaction.

That was how confident he was in himself!

"Run! Gaara, Temari, run!" Shiro shouted loudly.

He knew the upcoming part of the story very well.

A sudden attack from underground!

Back in the original, Gaara and Rock Lee were almost killed by this move!

Seeing that neither Gaara nor Temari paid him any mind, Shiro quickly sprinted toward Temari.

Then, he grabbed her tightly and dashed backward!

"Shiro! What are you doing? Let me go! Don’t tell me you think that monster can survive Gaara’s attack?" Temari’s face showed a mix of anger and embarrassment.

But Shiro didn’t loosen his grip, and Temari hit him a few times in frustration.

Just then, the ground began to shake, and bone spikes shot out at high speed, turning the sand sea into a forest of bones in an instant!

Behind Shiro, the bone spikes chased them relentlessly, about to catch up!

"Let me down! If you keep this up, we’re both going to die!" Temari’s face turned pale.

She now understood Shiro’s intention.

Regretting hitting him earlier, she realized how dire their situation had become.

Seeing the speed and height of the pursuing bone spikes, Temari had no confidence they could escape.

If Shiro hadn’t tried to save her, he wouldn’t have been caught in such danger!

But if he let her go, Shiro might still have a chance to run!

"Shut up! Just shut up, woman!"

"Damn it! I have no choice but to gamble!"

Shiro quickly pulled out a kunai, holding it in his mouth, and began making hand seals with one hand.

The kunai in his mouth started glowing faintly with a golden light.

The glow was weak, as if it could fade at any moment.

Shiro’s heart lifted. He hadn’t expected it to work!

Using the Flying Thunder Break technique when his chakra pathways were still blocked was risky—who knew what could happen!

But there was no time to worry about that now.

Hesitating any longer would mean death!

"Go!"

Shiro threw the kunai with all his might.

The kunai flew through the air, and before it even hit the ground, Shiro urgently yelled,

"Flying Thunder Break Technique! Take me away!"

A flash of yellow lightning appeared, and Shiro and Temari vanished from the spot.

Just as they disappeared, countless bone spikes erupted, leaving behind only torn pieces of their clothing.

Shiro reappeared where the kunai landed.

As soon as he touched the ground, he spat out a mouthful of blood!

With no strength left to hold onto Temari, Shiro collapsed, his hands barely supporting him on the ground, his vision turning white.

"Didn’t expect the backlash to be this strong!"

His chakra pathways were now blocked in many places, though it wouldn’t affect his use of other ninjutsu.

But the Flying Thunder Break technique wouldn’t be usable again anytime soon!

Still, despite everything, Shiro was secretly relieved.

He was alive! That was all that mattered!

Temari, still shaken from the ordeal, saw Shiro coughing up blood and felt overwhelmed with guilt.

If she had just listened and left when he told her to, none of this would’ve happened!

She had been hired to protect this man, and in the end, he ended up saving her life!

"Are... are you okay?"

"I’m fine... not gonna die!"

Temari finally sighed in relief, but her face turned red. After a moment of hesitation, she asked,

"Why did you come to save me? You could’ve just left me behind."

"My brain must’ve short-circuited, thinking about saving the damsel in distress! But I don’t think now is the time to worry about that." Shiro chuckled bitterly and pointed toward the forest of bones behind them.

"Gaara!"