"If we retreat now… Sasuke will definitely die!"
Hinata's voice trembled slightly, but her resolve was unshakable.
"Haaah—!"
With a sharp exhale, she released both hands outward, fully unleashing her chakra. At that instant, a faint Eight Trigrams formation spread beneath her feet, its pattern glowing subtly against the ground.
Her Byakugan activated to its fullest extent.
Every movement, every shift in chakra, every subtle twitch of muscle—
All of it became clear in her vision.
Combining her perception with the Gentle Fist and the Eight Trigrams Palm technique, Hinata stepped forward, her body flowing into a defensive stance that resembled an impenetrable fortress.
It was no longer just defense.
It was absolute defense.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Kimimaro attacked relentlessly.
His Dance of the Camellia was as swift as lightning, his bone blade slicing through the air in graceful, deadly arcs. His movements were smooth, fluid—like flowing water, yet sharp enough to cut through anything in its path.
And yet—
He couldn't break through.
Hinata's palms never directly collided with his bone sword.
Instead, she released precise bursts of chakra at the exact moment of contact, striking the sides of the blade and altering its trajectory.
Each deflection was perfect.
Each movement was calculated.
Sometimes, she even redirected his attacks entirely—turning them into potential counters against him.
Only someone with the Byakugan could achieve such flawless precision.
Even among the Hyuga Clan, this level of control was rare.
Kimimaro narrowed his eyes slightly.
"…Impressive."
For the first time, genuine admiration appeared in his gaze.
"This girl…"
"Her perception and technique are nearly flawless. Combined, they form an absolute defense."
He had underestimated her.
In the past, his Dance of the Camellia had been disrupted by Rock Lee's unpredictable Drunken Fist—an unorthodox and chaotic fighting style.
That had been unexpected.
But Hinata's method was entirely different.
There was nothing chaotic about it.
It was precise.
Structured.
Perfectly logical.
She was responding to force with force, adapting seamlessly to every change in momentum.
And yet—
There wasn't a single opening.
Not one flaw.
Behind her, Shino watched silently.
Even he couldn't help but feel impressed.
"…As expected of Hyuga Hinata," he murmured inwardly.
Then he shook his head slightly.
"No… not just that."
"She is worthy of standing among Konoha's strongest."
His gaze sharpened.
"I can't just stand by and watch."
A surge of chakra erupted from his body.
At once, countless kikaichū insects poured out, forming a dense, dark cloud that surged forward like a living storm.
Their target—
Kimimaro.
Even while locked in combat with Hinata, Kimimaro did not relax his vigilance.
The moment the insects approached, his bones shifted.
A thin, hardened membrane formed beneath his skin, covering his body like armor.
The kikaichū swarmed over him, attempting to devour his chakra—
But the bone membrane blocked them.
Shino's eyes narrowed.
His target wasn't random.
It was precise.
Kimimaro's left shoulder.
The spot where he had previously extracted a bone.
"…Hmm?"
Shino frowned slightly.
"There's no wound?"
Kimimaro stepped back, disengaging momentarily.
He glanced at the insects clinging to his shoulder and quickly understood.
"You were targeting the wound from where I removed a bone."
"You're clever."
His tone remained calm.
"But unfortunately…"
"Every time I extract a bone, my body regenerates almost instantly."
"My Dead Bone Pulse allows rapid healing. You won't find any openings."
Shino exhaled softly.
"…What a troublesome ability."
Meanwhile, Hinata's breathing had grown slightly uneven.
Her earlier defense had required immense concentration and chakra control.
Her face was pale.
But her eyes remained determined.
She didn't need to win.
She only needed to stall.
And she was confident—
She could do it.
Kimimaro looked at her again.
"…You're impressive."
"But defense alone won't win you this battle."
Hinata didn't respond.
She simply steadied her breathing.
Kimimaro's gaze sharpened.
"So that's your plan…"
"To stall me."
He paused briefly.
"…But I won't let you succeed."
His voice turned cold.
"If you refuse to fight properly—then I'll simply leave."
Before his words had even fully fallen—
He moved.
Like a flash, Kimimaro leapt forward, bypassing both Hinata and Shino in an instant.
His target—
Sasuke.
"Wait!"
Hinata's expression changed.
Without hesitation, she rushed forward to intercept him.
And that—
Was exactly what Kimimaro had been waiting for.
"Dead Bone Pulse… Willow Dance!"
In an instant, his entire body seemed to merge with his blade.
His movements softened, becoming fluid and unpredictable.
Like willow branches swaying in the wind—
Gentle.
Yet deadly.
This technique wasn't meant to overwhelm—
It was meant to counter.
As Hinata approached, his body swayed, effortlessly evading her strike.
At the same time, he used that motion to launch a counterattack.
Hinata's pupils contracted.
Too fast!
Her Eight Trigrams Palm stance had already been broken.
It was too late to return to her defensive formation.
There was only one option left.
Meet force with force.
"Gentle Fist… Eight Trigrams Palm!"
Boom—!
Her palm collided with the bone blade.
A powerful surge of chakra exploded outward from the point of impact.
But—
Kimimaro's strength far exceeded hers.
The collision sent Hinata flying backward.
"Hinata!"
Shino's expression changed instantly.
Without hesitation, he stepped forward.
"Secret Technique… Insect Sphere!"
In an instant, countless kikaichū gathered around him, forming a rapidly rotating sphere.
It became a defensive barrier.
A living shield.
Kimimaro's Willow Dance erupted against it.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Like a violent storm, his strikes rained down.
He pierced through parts of the sphere—
But there were too many insects.
As soon as one layer was broken, another replaced it.
For a brief moment—
He couldn't break through completely.
"…The Hyuga Clan and the Aburame Clan."
Kimimaro spoke calmly.
"As expected of Konoha's noble clans."
"…Interesting."
Shino's eyes gleamed.
"Secret Technique… Drill!"
Boom—!
The insect sphere suddenly changed form.
The kikaichū began spinning at extreme speed, transforming into a piercing vortex.
Like a drill—
Like a storm—
They surged toward Kimimaro with overwhelming force.
Kimimaro frowned slightly.
Maintaining full-body bone armor required enormous chakra.
And it restricted his movements.
He couldn't sustain it indefinitely.
Just as he prepared to reinforce his defense—
Hinata moved again.
"I won't let you succeed this time!"
Her voice was firm.
She struck out with both palms.
"Eight Trigrams… Vacuum Palm!"
Boom—!
A compressed blast of air shot forward like a cannon.
It struck Kimimaro directly.
The impact was immense.
This was one of the Hyuga Clan's most powerful techniques—
A secret passed down for generations.
It could not be underestimated.
Kimimaro was sent flying.
He didn't even have time to form his bone membrane.
Shino's eyes flashed.
"This is our chance!"
The kikaichū surged forward instantly.
Buzzing sounds filled the air—
Dense.
Oppressive.
The insects enveloped Kimimaro completely, forming a cocoon-like mass around him.
They bit into his flesh.
They devoured his chakra.
Without his bone defense—
He had no protection.
"…We did it!"
Hinata's face lit up with relief.
Shino also let out a quiet breath.
Their combined effort—
Had finally gained the upper hand.
"No one can escape unharmed once their chakra is devoured by kikaichū."
That was Shino's confidence.
But then—
"…I must admit."
A voice echoed from within the cocoon.
"I underestimated you both."
Kimimaro.
The next moment—
BOOM—!
A terrifying surge of chakra exploded outward.
The entire mass of insects was blown away instantly.
The sheer force—
Was overwhelming.
As the dust settled—
Kimimaro stood there once more.
But something had changed.
Black, flame-like markings spread across his body.
His aura had become heavier.
Darker.
Stronger.
Hinata's Byakugan immediately detected it.
"…His chakra… it's skyrocketing!"
Shino's expression darkened.
"…How is this possible?"
Then realization struck him.
"…The Cursed Seal?"
Kimimaro nodded slightly.
"Yes."
"This is the power granted to me by Lord Orochimaru."
"The power of the Cursed Seal."
He stepped forward slowly.
His gaze fell upon both of them.
There was no arrogance in his tone.
Only acknowledgment.
"To force me to this point…"
"You've both done well."
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)