Seeing the fingertip-sized blood hole on his shoulder stop bleeding after only a moment, Naruto couldn't help but freeze in surprise.
He hadn't expected the Nine-Tails' chakra to have such powerful regenerative abilities!
"Is this the power that Lord Hashirama was talking about?"
Naruto was instantly reinvigorated, charging toward Neji once more.
Seeing this as well, Neji couldn't help but frown slightly.
The power of the Nine-Tails, huh?
A jinchuriki truly is extremely troublesome to deal with!
While Neji was attacking Naruto, Sasuke had used the brief opening to flash behind Neji.
At some point, two kunai had appeared in Sasuke's hands.
Chidori Blade!
Lightning-natured chakra rapidly flowed from Sasuke's hands into the two kunai, which began radiating an intense blue lightning glow.
Sasuke's eyes flashed as he raised both kunai and hurled them simultaneously at Neji's back.
"Before the Byakugan, no trick goes unnoticed!"
Though his back was turned to Sasuke, Neji could clearly see every move. He stomped hard on the ground, swiftly sidestepping to the left.
Just as Neji dodged, the two Lightning-infused kunai collided in midair.
One kunai abruptly curved in a bizarre arc, shooting toward the left as well.
Infused with Lightning-natured chakra, the kunai was unbelievably fast!
Neji had no time to dodge a second time!
"Looks like I guessed right!"
A smile appeared on Uchiha Sasuke's face.
Without the slightest hesitation, Neji instantly spun and unleashed Rotation, deflecting Sasuke's incoming kunai.
"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"
Sasuke didn't stop moving. He quickly formed hand seals, gathering chakra in his throat, and unleashed a massive fireball forward.
The scorching heat and the fireball's explosive force collided with Rotation, unleashing a tremendous roar.
That kunai earlier had merely been Sasuke's way of restricting Neji's movements.
After all, Neji's movements were simply too fast — ordinary ninjutsu alone couldn't hit him!
Neji quickly retreated from the smoke and dust, his clothes now somewhat scorched black.
Though Rotation had deflected a portion of the jutsu's power, some of the impact had still reached Neji.
Another explosion rang out as Naruto charged from a different direction, catching up to Neji just as he emerged from the smoke.
Naruto's Tailed Beast Cloak now had two tails. A violent chakra aura radiated from his body.
At this point, Naruto's speed and power had both surpassed what they were before.
"Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Naruto let out a thunderous shout.
POOF! POOF! POOF!
White smoke blanketed the ground. Both Neji and Sasuke stared in disbelief as thousands of Naruto's shadow clones filled their vision.
"This guy... isn't this a bit ridiculous!"
Neji immediately assumed a defensive stance. He no longer had the luxury of tracking Naruto's real body — his Byakugan field of vision was filled entirely with Naruto.
"Since when has Naruto gotten this strong?"
Sasuke saw shadow clones wrapped in Tailed Beast Cloaks surrounding them from every direction, a flash of shock crossing his eyes.
"Naruto Two Thousand Combo!"
Every shadow clone summoned by the Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu let out an earth-shaking roar simultaneously.
The next instant, the countless figures all charged toward Neji at once.
A tidal wave of yellow figures instantly engulfed Neji.
"Gentle Fist — Secret Jutsu — Multi-Chakra Iron Cannon Jutsu!"
Neji raised both hands, shaping them like guns, and bullet-like chakra cannons continuously fired from his fingertips!
Because Naruto had spread his chakra across the Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu, each shadow clone's defense had dropped significantly.
Every chakra cannon fired from Neji's fingertips took out one of Naruto's shadow clones.
But sadly, there were simply too many shadow clones!
If he kept using this jutsu, Neji knew that by the time he cleared all the shadow clones, his own chakra would be completely depleted.
With that realization!
Neji ceased his jutsu assault. But in that brief pause alone, the surrounding area was already packed with charging Naruto clones.
Neji deployed Rotation once more, using its high-speed spin to temporarily clear an area around him.
He swiftly pulled a scroll from his shinobi tool pouch and pressed it to the ground.
A puff of white smoke dispersed.
A remarkably slender longsword wrapped in steel wire appeared in Neji's hand.
One of the Seven Swords of Kirigakure — Longsword: Nuibari!
Neji hadn't originally planned to use Longsword: Nuibari. Wielding this shinobi sword meant he fully inherited the identity of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, and represented Kirigakure as well.
Compared to the other members of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist, Neji knew he was the weakest.
Deep down, Neji didn't consider himself a worthy wielder of a shinobi sword.
So from the very beginning, when Lord Yuto had placed this shinobi sword in his hands—
Neji had always carried it with the mindset that he was merely keeping it safe for Lord Yuto for the time being.
But now, looking at the overwhelming sea of Uzumaki Narutos surrounding him!
Neji gripped Longsword: Nuibari tightly — he absolutely could not lose!
He had already lost to Uzumaki Naruto once. He would absolutely not lose a second time!
"Then, Naruto — I'm getting serious!"
Neji let out a low shout. Grabbing the steel wire with one hand, he fiercely hurled the longsword forward.
Longsword Ninja Art — Interception Slash!
The slender longsword threaded through the air at speeds invisible to the naked eye, while the unspooling steel wire fanned out from Neji as the center, forming a semicircular wire net.
Every strand of steel wire sliced through the air, emitting piercing screeches!
The charging shadow clones that entered this zone were swiftly sliced apart by the interweaving longsword and steel wires, dissolving into white smoke!
Terrifying!
The moment Longsword: Nuibari was unleashed, its indiscriminate attacks rapidly cleared Naruto's shadow clones from the area.
As one of the Seven Swords, Longsword: Nuibari possessed not only the greatest attack range but also immense killing power. Most importantly, it could render enemies completely unable to fight back!
Both the longsword and the steel wire were highly offensive in nature. The wielder had to possess considerable skill, otherwise they would wound themselves while attacking the enemy.
In the original story, the second wielder of Longsword: Nuibari, "Snakeberry," was too afraid of injury and only dared to throw the sword, never able to draw out its fundamental power.
But Neji didn't need to worry about that. With the Byakugan and his terrifyingly precise chakra control, Longsword: Nuibari would only become more devastating in his hands.
At this moment, on the other side.
Sasuke, who could barely get a move in, watched as Neji — now wielding Longsword: Nuibari — became even more terrifying.
Sasuke couldn't help but clench his fists so hard that his fingernails dug into his palms, drawing blood.
"This guy..."
"This guy... wasn't even fighting at full power before! Does he look down on me?!"
Anger and frustration appeared on Uchiha Sasuke's face as he watched Neji's battle with Naruto from afar.
Sasuke especially felt that despite all his grueling training, the gap between himself and Naruto didn't seem to have changed at all.
This frustration caused the Sharingan in Sasuke's eyes to spin rapidly.
On the battlefield, in a short time!
Under Longsword: Nuibari's devastating attacks, most of Naruto's Multi-Shadow Clones had already been wiped out.
And at this moment.
Naruto, hidden behind a large tree, saw this scene and grew visibly anxious.
Damn it, at this rate there was no way to get close!
Just as Naruto was wracking his brain for a countermeasure, a calm voice suddenly came from behind.
"Found you, Naruto."
Neji's voice rang beside Naruto's ear. Naruto's expression changed and he tried to flee on the spot.
But several steel wires shot out from all directions, instantly binding Naruto to the tree!
(End of Chapter)
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