As if it had descended from the heavens themselves, a gigantic Wind Release sword several meters long suddenly appeared in front of Hinata. It formed a protective barrier behind her and collided head-on with Kimimaro's Clematis Dance.
Boom!!!
The violent impact shook the battlefield.
Kimimaro was blasted backward more than a dozen meters before finally digging his feet into the ground to stop himself.
His pale eyes narrowed.
"Who's there?!"
Hinata, who had been moments away from despair, was stunned. Then joy flooded her face, replacing all fear. Her cheeks flushed pink as she recognized the figure standing before her.
"N-Naruto-kun?!"
The newcomer was none other than Uzumaki Naruto.
Shino also released a quiet sigh of relief.
"Naruto… if you're here, then that means…"
Naruto tightened his grip around the Kusanagi sword in his hand. His expression was cold and furious.
"Yeah. Those four scoundrels are dead too."
Kimimaro's expression barely changed, but his face grew even paler.
"Jirobo and the others… died?"
"You killed all four of them by yourself…"
A strange smile touched his lips.
"What a terrifying man."
"It's no wonder even Yakushi Kabuto lost to you."
"No wonder Lord Orochimaru values you so highly."
Kimimaro knew exactly who Naruto was.
Naruto was the vessel both Sasuke and Orochimaru desired the most.
More than once, Orochimaru had said that unless Naruto were some special anomaly, his natural talent and future potential would surpass Sasuke's by far.
In truth, Naruto had been Orochimaru's first choice.
Naruto, however, had no interest in any of that.
He had witnessed Kimimaro nearly killing Hinata.
The sight alone filled his chest with rage.
"Not just those four," Naruto said coldly, raising his sword. "You too."
"You tried to kidnap Sasuke."
"You nearly killed Hinata."
"I will never forgive you!"
Hinata's heart trembled.
Warmth spread through her chest like sunlight breaking through clouds.
"Naruto-kun…"
Kimimaro looked at Naruto quietly.
"Really?"
"It seems those people are very important to you."
"Nonsense!" Naruto snapped.
Kimimaro's lips curved slightly.
"Then perhaps you can understand how I feel about Lord Orochimaru."
"I would gladly die for him."
Naruto's eyes sharpened.
"Then go and die."
The Kusanagi sword in his hand erupted with fierce Wind Release chakra. The blade whistled through the air as though it could split the sky itself.
With a burst of speed, Naruto charged.
The sword swung downward like a storm.
Crash!!!
The air exploded under the violent collision.
Kimimaro frowned.
"Very powerful."
His Curse Mark had already reached Level Two.
Dark markings spread across his body, granting him monstrous power. The curse forcefully suppressed pain, healed damage, and amplified his chakra many times over.
But the price was terrible.
Kimimaro was already terminally ill.
Now, burning through the Curse Mark's power, he was like a candle in a hurricane—one that could go out at any second.
Blood spilled from the corner of his mouth.
Still, his eyes only became more determined.
He had to fulfill Lord Orochimaru's wish.
Even if it cost him everything.
"Uzumaki Naruto!"
Kimimaro roared as he charged forward.
"I also have a reason I absolutely cannot lose!"
The bone weapon extending from his arm twisted into the terrifying Bone Flower, and he attacked without hesitation.
Naruto met him head-on.
The Wind Release blade clashed violently against Kimimaro's Clematis Dance.
Naruto's technique was one of the strongest forms of Wind Release body combat.
Wind chakra excelled at cutting and piercing.
Yet even that power failed to destroy Kimimaro's bone weapon.
"Tough bastard…"
Naruto gritted his teeth, but his attacks did not stop.
"I refuse to believe your entire body is this hard!"
His Kusanagi sword glowed brighter as Wind Release chakra extended from the blade, turning each slash into a deadly wave of cutting force.
Kimimaro responded with terrifying taijutsu skill.
Every movement was precise.
Every strike was efficient.
Every defense was flawless.
Even while Naruto pressed forward aggressively, he could not break through Kimimaro's guard.
Kimimaro was one of the rare shinobi whose taijutsu could be considered nearly perfect.
He could contend evenly with Rock Lee—or even surpass him.
At Naruto's current level, pure hand-to-hand combat was still one of his weaknesses.
But Naruto was not relying on taijutsu alone.
He was using a hybrid combat style—ninja body techniques reinforced with Wind Release chakra.
Kimimaro's Bone Flower was harder than steel.
But not every inch of his body could maintain that level of defense.
Nor could he continuously generate bone armor everywhere without limiting his movement.
As the battle dragged on, thin cuts and blood marks gradually began appearing across Kimimaro's body.
Naruto, however, was far from unharmed.
He had already killed the Sound Four.
That battle alone had consumed a massive amount of chakra.
Then he had rushed here at full speed.
By now, more than half of his combat strength was gone.
He too was approaching his limit.
Still, compared to Kimimaro, Naruto's condition was far better.
Kimimaro was nearing death itself.
After countless exchanges, both men stood battered and covered in wounds.
Yet Naruto possessed extraordinary vitality and recovery.
Kimimaro, by contrast, looked like a dying flame.
Slowly but surely, Naruto was beginning to gain the upper hand.
Then suddenly—
Kimimaro coughed violently.
A mouthful of blood splattered onto the ground.
His face became as white as paper.
Naruto stepped back slightly, frowning.
"Looks like you've got an old injury."
Kimimaro shook his head and gave a bitter smile.
"Not an old injury."
"A disease."
"My time was already over long ago."
Naruto's eyes widened.
So that was why Kimimaro had been weakening with every passing moment.
Even so, Naruto's anger did not fade.
"And even like this," Naruto growled, "you still help that bastard Orochimaru do evil?!"
Kimimaro only smiled faintly.
"Uzumaki Naruto…"
"Is there someone you deeply respect?"
Naruto blinked in surprise.
"Of course there is."
"Iruka-sensei."
"Kakashi-sensei."
"And Pervy Sage."
"They're the people I respect most."
Kimimaro nodded.
"Then if one of them asked something of you…"
"Would you refuse?"
Naruto understood immediately what he meant.
He snorted coldly.
"That's different."
"They're good people."
"They're nothing like that monster Orochimaru."
Kimimaro sighed softly, blood continuing to run from the corners of his mouth.
"You're wrong, Naruto…"
"They're all the same."
"To those who believe in them… they're all the same."
Naruto lifted his sword once more.
"I don't care how Orochimaru brainwashed you."
"But if you want to take Sasuke…"
"I will never allow it!"
"Even if it costs me my life!"
Kimimaro smiled.
"Good."
"If that is your resolve…"
"Then let us decide everything with one final move."
Naruto's heart tightened.
"One final move?"
The next instant, Kimimaro unleashed everything.
Every drop of chakra.
Every ounce of Curse Mark power.
Every shred of life he had left.
All of it erupted at once.
"Shikotsumyaku…"
"The Dance of Clematis!!!"
The earth exploded.
BOOM!!!
Countless white bone spikes burst upward from the ground like a forest of spears.
They tore through the battlefield, shattered stone, and raced toward Naruto, Hinata, and Shino from every direction.
There were too many to count.
The range was enormous.
The destructive force was horrifying.
Hinata and Shino were both injured and low on chakra.
There was no way they could escape in time.
Naruto himself had little chakra left.
He stared at the incoming sea of bone spikes and cursed.
"Damn it!"
"How does this guy still have power like this?!"
"He's practically dead!"
The spikes closed in.
Naruto gritted his teeth and roared.
"Shadow Clone Technique!"
Smoke burst around him as four shadow clones appeared instantly.
Naruto looked around and clenched his fists.
"So this is all I've got left…"
Then his eyes sharpened.
That was enough.
He thrust both hands forward.
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"
The clones mirrored him.
A massive storm of compressed wind erupted from Naruto and his shadow clones at once.
The battlefield shook violently.
Dust, stone, and broken earth were blasted away.
Bone spikes shattered under the force of the incoming gale.
Hinata shielded her face as the storm howled around them.
Shino's coat snapped wildly in the wind.
Kimimaro stood in the center of it all, staring at Naruto through the raging dust.
Even at death's door, he smiled.
Because at last—
He had found an opponent worthy of risking everything against.
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