Chereads / Despite it All / Chapter 229 - Chapter 228: The Strongest Duo?! Pt 5

Chapter 229 - Chapter 228: The Strongest Duo?! Pt 5

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Hinata's POV (Nearby Chakra Anchor - Western River Plains)

Evening

"Hinata!" Sakura cried out as she placed her palms on her shoulders. As they spun, "she said, "Keep going. Here is my chakra!" She cried out. Hinata gasped as she felt the foreign and energizing chakra fill her; she spun faster as her Kaiten grew. This had bought them more time!

"Children keep them in place. Eventually, you will wear them down, and then we will feast. You dozen! To help our "allies"; the sooner we slaughter these pests, the sooner we are free!" The Queen roared, and Hinata growled in frustration as she saw the dozen the Queen had ordered fly off to do just what she said. While their allies could likely deal with them, timely interference could be lethal if they were in the process of another battle! But if she dropped the Kaiten, there was no guarantee they would both live! Should she risk their safety to ensure their foes stay or prioritize their lives?!

"Howling Fang Over Fang!" A gruff voice called out as Hinata witnessed a drilling blur easily smash through the dozen wasps attempting to leave the battle. The blur wasted no time, instantly zooming over to them and beginning to make repeated volleys, killing a few wasps with each strike. With Kiba's new efforts and Hinata's continuous Kaiten, they clear the share of wasps nearby. Creating an empty space between the remaining wasps, the Queen, and the three of them. Allowing the three a moment to breathe. "It's a good thing I got here when I did. Naruto and Sasuke were right to send Choji and me out. To think these bastard's got another entire Clan to help them."

"Kiba!" Sakura cried out happily, and Hinata smiled as well. She wasn't surprised to see one of their remaining missing allies now, and she was happy to hear her own teammate was doing well. "You know where Naruto, Sasuke, and Choji are!"

"Let's say we had something of a rough meeting," Kiba answered, nodding. "They back east fighting the Master and her lackey. I smelled a lot of blood and you two and figured you'd need help. Choji happens to see Lee fighting someone and rushes off to help him. Catch me up."

"It seems they're in cahoots with our enemies; either Ikam or one of his lackeys is the Master," Hinata explained.

"Master?" Kiba asked. "Pretty sure Naruto and Sasuke are in the process of kicking that guy's ass. It seems Ikam's group is here for a separate reason."

"Wouldn't going back to help them make the most sense then?" Sakura asked. "With them in mind, we have everyone. Why risk a fight with another dangerous group needlessly?"

"Our promise to the Okama, for one." Hinata reminded the group.

"Not to mention for what Muri of them says, we'll need the Chakra Anchor to leave anyway." Kiba agreed. "Seems like we need to remove the Queen and her royal army…"

"Sakura, you nearly took out Fenrir before!" Hinata realized with a jolt. If Kiba and I create an opening, you can take out the Queen the same way, right?"

"Uh, I guess…" Sakura said unconfidently.

"Course she can! No worries, teammate. I'll make it wide open for you. Just show 'em what Team Ten is all about!" Kiba backed up his teammate with a wide smile. Standing in front of her protectively and showing not even a shred of doubt in her ability. A decision Hinata noticed made Sakura visibly stand straighter.

"You'll do fine, Sakura! We must not back down!" Hinata cried as three prepared as the wasp once again mobbed forward to kill them.

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Lee's POV (Nearby Chakra Anchor - Western River Plains)

Evening

The charge had been predictable; an experienced close-range fighter like Lee using body language alone could tell her intent and exactly how she would do it. Leifazu planned a mad dash forward; it seemed the woman was sure she was faster than he. Once she was within striking range, she would go for a double-handed slash for his head. If the blow hit, it would surely split his skull in two. Killing him instantly in what was sure to be a gory fashion, certainly unyouthful…

Even knowing her plan, however, barely saved Lee. Her dash had been a distance of ten feet, well within Lee's reaction range. The last person who had so thoroughly outspent him had been Gai sensei; even Fuu had only roughly matched his speed. Only the knowledge of what her strike was to be saved him. Discarding outright countering the blow, Lee rolled to his back, narrowly avoiding having his head split and kicking up his feet to stop the hatchets in place. The force of the blow caused a sharp pain in both of his legs, but with a grit of his teeth, Lee kicked Leifazu back as he rolled through to his feet. Taking barely an instant to regain his bearings, Lee rammed his body into the woman, knocking her back and leaving her open to a powerful left hook to the face.

Lee could crack concrete with his blows, yet Leifazu merely ate the blow with her face and returned her hook. Smiling widely all the while, so close and caught off guard, Lee ate the blow and was rocked. However, his battle with Lee allowed him to adapt to oddly tanky females. Even as his balance was lost with pure willpower, Lee snapped off a head kick. The power of the blow knocked Leifazu off balance, but she smiled even then; she used the moment to twirl on his foot, unleashing an even more powerful body blow that lifted her off her feet and knocked her back. The woman looked somewhat surprised by the blow if unharmed. However, that mattered little for Lee as she was now open for one of his most substantial pure strikes. "You wide open, I will make this painless! Unyouthful Blow: Tough Love!"

Lee debated on his target as he aimed the double-handed strike. While an enemy, a woman would be unyouthful to kill, though doubtless, she was dangerous enough to warrant it. All the same as a gentleman, Lee aimed for her solar plexus; with any luck, it would knock her out, if not outright disable her, without needing to kill her. Though likely she'd be hospitalized for a while…

Wide open as she was, the blow landed cleanly. Lee was shocked by the toughness of the skin as he hit it, but all the same, he felt a telltale snap from within the woman. He likely drove the air out of her, knocked her silly, and managed to break her sternum. Leifazu cried in pain as she flew back, rolling on the ground from the power before collapsing on all fours. Writhing breathlessly all the while.

"Do not attempt to get up or fight back anymore." Lee politely informed. "That blow was aimed directly at your solar plexus and sternum. You can scarcely breathe, and such a powerful blow to a bundle of nerves has put you in shock. I will proceed to tie you up without harming you, though I will be forced to knock you out should you struggle too much."

"Oh, come on now, babe, I like it rough like that~!" Leifazu cackled as she somehow rose to her feet. Seemingly already over a blow, Lee had seen crippled grown men. "You're slower than me, but you can still hold your own. Fearless to an arguable fault, and have some serious power to your blows. But it'll take a lot more than this to stop me. Hell, you're good, but surprised Suzumebachi lost to you; weakling or not, no one survives this long without becoming a threat. So to lose to this is hilarious!" The woman cackled as she picked up her hatchets, seemingly unbothered.

Lee frowned as she stood. Even if she had been reinforcing herself with chakra, such a mighty blow aimed at a physically weak spot like the solar plexus should've been devastating. Yet she stood confidently all the same. It was as if her nerves and bones were somehow more durable than should be possible… "I will have to show off the power of my hard work to best you." As Lee finished the first part of his monologue, he allowed the chakra around him to flow around him. He was already at ease with Ninshu compared to Ninjutsu. Lee quickly controlled it as he activated his newest signature technique. "Youthful Aura! Youthful Aura: Mind Awakening!" Lee cried as he opened the first gate.

Lee could feel the stress of the day and combat fade from him, and his instincts and focus sharpened on the battle before him. Lee was never a planner, much preferring to rely on his power and instincts in battle. But when he activated the First Gate in tandem with Youthful Aura, he couldn't help but plan out his attack approach.

Leifazu, however, was no fool and blitzed him before Lee could open another gate. Themed was clever enough to realize that letting him power up would be foolish. Swinging her high and low hatchets, Lee lazily jumped up and straightened out in midair, narrowly avoiding death or delimbing. As he did, he locked eyes with Leifazu and jabbed the air between them several times. The woman was pushed back as a sudden burst of air slowly knocked her back. Lee landed and continued the barrage; however, Leifazu merely powered through several of them as she threw a hatchet at Lee's head. Barely ducking it, Lee paused his assault, allowing Leifazu to leap in with a wild hatchet swing. Lee fearlessly and skillfully caught it and snapped several jabs for Leifazu's face. However, the woman merely tanked them as she grasped them with her free hand as if searching for her own grip on her lost weapon. Lee suddenly heard whistling and disengaging by dropping low and rolling off; even as he did, however, he felt a sharp pain on his back and a small amount of wetness. Leifazu examined her blades with a smile as he rose to his feet. It seemed she was able to recall her weapons back to her hand…