"Come on—let's begin!"
Rock Lee burst forward like a whirlwind.
In an instant, he threw eight punches and six kicks, his speed terrifying.The assault came like a raging storm.
Kimimaro responded with absolute calm. He blocked effortlessly, handling Lee's ferocious barrage with ease.
"That's incredible!"
Lee was stunned—and even more fired up.
"This kid's gotten stronger than he was during the Chunin Exams. It's only been a few days!""How did we miss this? I always thought he was just another Guy—rich in effort but limited early on. I didn't expect this…""With training like Might Guy's, anyone who survives it is a genius, no question.""Stop talking nonsense. Lee got this strong because Uzumaki-sama put him through hell during that training camp. Breaking him down, building him back up—again and again. He was reborn.""So that's it… Uzumaki-sama is terrifying. After just one month, those kids are catching up to us.""Still, that Kaguya kid in front of us is terrifying. If we fought him one-on-one, none of us would stand a chance.""Bones all over his body… it's creepy just looking at him. That's the Dead Bone Pulse, right?""No. Lee can't win. Dead Bone Pulse completely counters taijutsu. He's like a human hedgehog—there's no opening."
Lee was already faster than he'd been in the Chunin Exams. He'd even shattered several of Kimimaro's bones.
But even so, Lee was gradually being pushed back.
Blood dripped from his body. Fresh cuts kept appearing.
Sharp bone spikes would suddenly erupt from Kimimaro's body—too fast, too close, impossible to guard against.
"…Unless I open the Eight Gates, I can't win."
Lee retreated a few steps, eyes cautious.
It wasn't just the bones—even Kimimaro's basic taijutsu felt superior, as if fighting were instinctual to him. His combat sense was frightening.
"Can you step aside?" Kimimaro asked calmly. "I'm only looking for Orochimaru-sama."
For the first time, he looked directly at Lee—with genuine respect.
To last this long against the Dead Bone Pulse was no small feat.
"No," Lee answered firmly. "This is Konoha. I'm a ninja of Konoha."
"…Then I'll ask you to die."
Kimimaro's expression returned to cold indifference.
He didn't have much time left.
Otherwise, he would never have forced his way into Konoha.
Even if he died here, as long as it was on the path to Orochimaru, it would be worth it.
"Dead Bone Pulse — Dance of the Camellia!"
Bone blades formed in his hands as Kimimaro went all out. His speed doubled instantly.
Lee was shocked and tried to dodge—but his shoulders suddenly felt heavy. He couldn't move.
"Leave this one to me."
The voice was calm.
Lee saw only a figure pass him by and walk toward Kimimaro.
Clang!
Kimimaro's bone spear was stopped.
By a single finger.
Kimimaro's heart skipped.
His expression stayed cold as the bone spears blurred, stabbing again and again—faster, sharper.
Still—just one finger.
Every attack was useless.
"Dead Bone Pulse — Dance of the Larch!"
Kimimaro turned into a spinning blur. Dozens of bone blades erupted from his body, forming a rotating grinder as he slammed forward.
"Not bad. Keep going."
The newcomer looked relaxed, almost pleased.
He flicked a finger.
Kimimaro's devastating attack stopped instantly.
His body flew backward, tumbling in disgrace. The bones shattered, his face turning pale.
For the first time, despair appeared in Kimimaro's eyes.
This Konoha ninja… was overwhelmingly strong.
So strong that even desperation felt meaningless.
He knew—no matter how hard he tried, it wouldn't matter.
Even Orochimaru, the god in Kimimaro's eyes, felt far weaker than this man.
"Uzumaki-sama is here.""Unbelievable—he crushed that Kaguya kid with just one finger.""He's strong, but did Uzumaki-sama really need to step in himself?""You don't get it. That kid wasn't serious before. If Uzumaki-sama hadn't intervened, not just Lee—everyone here would've been hurt or killed. Once that Kaguya kid goes wild, it's pure disaster."
The watching shinobi whispered, eyes burning with awe.
It was Uzumaki Naruto.
Hearing a white-haired Kaguya survivor had appeared at the gate, Naruto had come over on a whim.
He felt an itch—and casually took over Lee's fight.
"Uzumaki… you're Uzumaki Naruto?"
"Yes."
"Where is Orochimaru-sama?"
"He's been captured. He's in prison."
"…I see."
As they spoke, Kimimaro stood up.
Crimson lines spread across his body like flowing magma. His skin darkened, his aura twisting into something desperate and terrifying.
His presence exploded—more than ten times stronger.
"This… this is horrifying.""He really wasn't serious before. Right now, he could kill me in one move.""Thank god Uzumaki-sama stepped in. Otherwise, even the villagers nearby would be in danger."
The Konoha shinobi shuddered.
Just looking at Kimimaro now felt like staring at death itself.
Lee took a sharp breath.
He had always been proud.
Proud of his sweat, his effort. Guy's praise—a genius of hard work—had fueled his confidence.
After Naruto's brutal month-long training, his strength had skyrocketed.
He had started to believe he was invincible.
During the Chunin Exams, he'd dominated—even pushed the monster Gaara into unleashing a tailed beast.
Victory after victory had bred arrogance.
But now, facing Kimimaro's killing intent, cold sweat poured down Lee's back.
Even with the Eight Gates fully opened, Lee wasn't sure he could defeat this version of Kimimaro.
"Your body can't handle Dead Bone Pulse anymore, can it?" Naruto asked calmly, concern in his voice.
"It doesn't matter," Kimimaro said coldly."For Orochimaru-sama, I'll give everything—even my life."
Pain wracked his body, but he forced his chakra to surge, flooding every bone.
Kimimaro knew—even at full power, he was no match for Naruto.
His instincts screamed at him to flee.
If he fought, he would die.
But how could he stop?
Orochimaru was his god.
And that god had been blasphemed.
Unforgivable.
Absolutely unforgivable.
"Dead Bone Pulse — Dance of the Early Ferns!"
Kimimaro sank into the ground and vanished in an instant.
His dull voice echoed faintly through the air—
Then the earth began to shake.
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