'This can't go on!'
'I have to try!'
Lee clenched his teeth, coating his hand with Chakra for defense, then grabbed the bone blade and kicked Kimimaro hard.
"Thicket of Bones Dance."
Kimimaro remained unruffled. Numerous bone spikes suddenly sprouted from his body.
Just as Lee's foot was about to kick the sharp bone spikes, Lee pushed off the ground with his supporting foot, forcefully creating distance from Kimimaro.
"As expected! His ability counters me too much!"
Blood dripped from his hand. Lee deactivated the Eight Gates, as his body couldn't handle it anymore.
'Dammit, am I going to die here?'
Lee ground his teeth.
He was unwilling.
There were still many things he wanted to do.
To prove to everyone that even someone as foolish as him could become a first-rate Shinobi.
This had always been his dream.
But now, it seemed he would stop here.
"Don't give up, Lee."
A voice tinged with laughter reached Lee's ears, and then a figure stood before him.
That familiar back instantly moistened Lee's eyes.
"Takumi-kun!"
He shouted loudly, then suddenly changed his expression. "Be careful! The enemy uses strange Ninjutsu!"
"I know."
Takumi didn't turn his head, his gaze fixed on Kimimaro filled with pity.
A person of such loyalty.
Pity that his loyalty was to Orochimaru.
He was like Haku, someone Takumi found regrettable.
The difference was that Haku's Zabuza could at least respond to Haku.
But Orochimaru...
Let's not mention him.
"Are you Takumi?"
Kimimaro stopped, carefully observing Takumi. "Please come with me. Orochimaru-sama needs you."
"What if I refuse?"
Takumi said coldly.
"Even if I die, I will take you back."
Kimimaro's eyes were unwavering… nothing could shake his resolve now.
"Ten-Finger Drilling Bullets."
He suddenly raised his hand, firing ten finger bone bullets.
But Takumi was prepared.
The pre-controlled Iron Sand instantly condensed into bullets, colliding with Kimimaro's finger bone bullets at high speed.
"Tsk, the force still isn't enough."
Takumi shook his head regretfully. 'If the magnetic force were strong enough, I could fire a Railgun like Misaka. Pity this magnetic force is far from it.'
If he could truly perform a Railgun, with its penetrating power and speed, even Madara would find it hard to block, right?
Unfortunately, the magnetic control required was too strong; he couldn't achieve it yet.
"Sand? No! It's Iron Sand!"
Kimimaro frowned, quickly recognizing the technique Takumi used.
"This is the Sandaime Kazekage's technique. How do you know it?"
Kimimaro was puzzled.
"Who says only the Sandaime Kazekage can use Magnet Release?"
Takumi raised an eyebrow. "I just picked it up casually."
"Picked it up casually... That's just too strong, too enviable."
Behind him, Lee couldn't help but say.
For Lee, who couldn't learn other Ninjutsu, watching these techniques always filled him with admiration.
If he could use such Ninjutsu, he wondered if he could contend with Kimimaro.
"Child's play."
Kimimaro snorted coldly and immediately charged forward, swinging his bone blade.
Takumi simply stretched out a hand calmly. A large amount of Iron Sand swiftly enveloped Kimimaro.
"Iron Sand Binding Coffin."
With a clenching motion, the Iron Sand rapidly wrapped around Kimimaro's body, then formed the imprint of a hand squeezing tightly.
"He... is he dead?"
Lee asked cautiously.
"Not yet. He's not someone who dies so easily."
Takumi said calmly. "However, he's close to death."
After all, Kimimaro was terminally ill. Even if Takumi didn't kill him, he would die soon.
Lee's expression was complex. "Is that so?"
Clearly, Lee didn't know this and thought Takumi intended to kill him.
He wanted to ask Takumi to spare him. Although Kimimaro was an enemy, Lee admired him greatly.
That dedication to completing the mission even at the cost of his life.
Unfortunately, he couldn't say it.
Kimimaro was an enemy. If he asked for leniency, his stance would be compromised.
'Activating Cursed Seal Level Two right away?'
Takumi was somewhat surprised but soon understood. "Right, the power of Iron Sand is much greater than sand."
Kimimaro struggled free from the Iron Sand.
His body had now undergone a drastic change.
His skin turned black due to the Cursed Seal, several bone spikes protruded from his back, and a thick tail with a saw-toothed bone blade at the end appeared behind him.
"I don't have much time. It seems I must take you by force."
Kimimaro's expression remained icy, unfazed by Takumi's powerful technique.
"To gain power, you'd accept becoming this inhuman form?"
Takumi looked at Kimimaro with pity. "If you didn't have that hereditary disease, your future achievements would have been limitless."
"Shikotsumyaku... truly a powerful Kekkei Genkai."
Takumi shook his head regretfully.
"As long as I can help Orochimaru-sama, giving my life is enough."
Kimimaro said, charging forward with incredible speed.
Takumi remained in place, extending a hand to control the Iron Sand.
The Iron Sand rapidly condensed into an Iron Sand Shield before Takumi.
Kimimaro's attack struck the shield with a loud crash but couldn't penetrate the Iron Sand defense.
"Iron Sand's defense is very strong."
Takumi said leisurely, waving his hand.
Under his control, the Iron Sand swiftly enveloped Kimimaro again.
"This trick is useless against me!"
Kimimaro said coldly, struggling fiercely to break free from the Iron Sand encasement.
"Is that so?"
A faint smile played on Takumi's lips.
Soon, Kimimaro felt something abnormal in his body.
His joints felt as if they were rusting, his movements gradually slowing until he couldn't move at all.
Takumi waved his hand, dispersing the Iron Sand covering Kimimaro.
Kimimaro stood motionless on the ground, like a statue.
"What happened to him?"
Lee asked, bewildered.
"His joints are frozen."
Takumi explained briefly. "Now he can't move even if he wants to."
However, upon hearing Takumi's words, a glint flashed in Kimimaro's eyes.
Then, a large number of white bones burst from his joints, along with the Iron Sand that had infiltrated his body.
"Hmm?"
Takumi frowned.
Kimimaro charged forward at extreme speed.
The spiral bone spike in his hand carried immense pressure.
"Takumi-kun!"
Lee cried out in panic, but it was too late for him to intercept.
Facing Kimimaro's attack, Takumi stood unwavering.
Just as the spiral bone spike was about to pierce Takumi, a pair of gigantic hands suddenly appeared, grasping Kimimaro and lifting him high like a small animal.
"Aah..."
Lee stared, mouth agape.
He had just witnessed the Susano'o Takumi used while teaching Sasuke.
Now, although only two arms appeared, the shock was still immense.
"I didn't expect you to break that move."
Takumi miscalculated, but thinking about it, it was normal for Kimimaro to counter it.
Using Iron Sand to control an enemy's joints, rendering them immobile, but facing a Kekkei Genkai like Shikotsumyaku that controls bones, obviously, it wouldn't be effective.