Choji swallowed the pills, and he immediately felt his body fat burning away at a visible rate. Steam burst from his pores as his sweat evaporated instantly due to the intense heat generated by the process.
The searing pain surged through Choji's entire body, his nervous system overridden by sheer determination. Ignoring the agony, he charged forward. Immense chakra erupted from his back, propelling him like a comet. The wings of a butterfly materialized on his back, woven from pure chakra.
Jirobo spun around, his senses on high alert as a sudden surge of power enveloped the area. But there was nothing to see—just an eerie silence. Then, a voice echoed through the air, chilling him to the bone. "You're about to learn why messing with the Leaf was a big mistake!" Jirobo's heart raced as he instinctively leaped backward, desperate to preserve his own life. "Keep your distance, I still have your frie—"
His words trailed off as he took in the scene before him. Choji stood a few meters away, gently placing Tenten against a tree. But that wasn't what shocked Jirobo. It was his own hand—still pressed against Tenten's face. Panic surged through him as he slowly lifted his arm, only to find it missing.
Choji's rage blazed as he tore Jirobo's filthy hand away from Tenten's face, flinging it aside like a discarded rag. The sickening thud as it hit the ground echoed through the clearing. Jirobo winced, his remaining hand clamped tightly over the stump where his other hand used to be, blood seeping between his fingers.
Swallowing his pride Jirobo sought to buy himself enough time to escape "Why the hell did you become so strong... Anyways this is my loss, I surredAAAAGH" Choji showed no mercy nor restraint, his body withered more the longer time passed it was now or never
Choji's rage fueled his attack. His fist plunged deeply into Jirobo's gut, but it wasn't enough. "UUUOOOOHHH!!!". Choji concentrated all his chakra into this punch, effortlessly drilling through Jirobo's tough skin. "DIE, YOU BASTAAAARD!!" Blood sprayed from Jirobo's mouth as Choji's fist impaled him, driving all the way through his abdomen
"Hah!...Ugh... Damn...Fatso!" Jirobo's defiant curse echoed through the clearing as he collapsed to his knees. Choji's arm slipped out of Jirobo's gaping stomach, leaving behind a trail of gushing blood. Both combatants reverted from their monstrous forms. Choji was now malnourished in a near death state collapsed backward onto the ground, unconscious. Jirobo's vision blurred, but before his demise his gaze caught a glimpse of a red cloth dancing among the trees.. *Thud* and so Jirobo breathed his last and fell.
A new variable emerged from the dark forest. A red cloaked indivial covered in bandages from head to toe. They walked calmly towards choji with an iron stake at hand. Standing over choji the mysterious figure fell to their knees and lifted the stake to the sky holding it firmly with their hands.
"Please give me strength so that you may have many sacrifices, Lord Jashin!" The Jashinist's fervent prayer hung in the air as they lowered the sacrificial stake. But fate intervened *clang!* An unexpected obstacle halted the stake's descent. A layer of sand materialized, swiftly seizing Choji and pulling him to safety beside Gaara in the sky. Meanwhile, Tenten already layed unconscious atop Gaara's flying sand platform.
'This person.... Something feels off' grousome coughs that escaped from Tenten drew Gara's attention,"Her condition is dire,Several deep cuts, significant blood loss and internal bleeding…" Gaara's gaze shifted to Choji, who layed nearby, hanging on the edge death. The weight of the decision pressed down on him save them or to pursue the fleeing Jashinist?
But when he looked again, the red-clothed figure had vanished along with Jirobo's lifeless form. Gaara's decision hung in the air, a delicate balance between compassion and duty
'I suppose I have no choise, they are Naruto's comrades' Gara changed his course towards the leaf village.
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Meanwhile, Naruto stood as the sole leader amongst the Leaf Shinobi. He followed Shikamaru's previous example. "All right," he turned to Garm, "how close are we?"
Garm briefed them of the situation. "Not much longer before we make contact," he reported. "They haven't set any traps either."
Kiba chuckled "Heh,They're underestimating us," he remarked. "They never thought we'd get past their numbskull of a partner."
Shikamaru returned shortly after, naruto's short reign coming to its end. After confirming his identity Naruto told him all that happened while he was gone. Although he had no real reason to stay behind when he did. he used that opportunity to give Naruto a small taste of what leadership entails.
Shikamaru back in formation called out "Alright next Kiba, Akamaru, Garm.... Are you ready". Garm eyes sharpened as he resolved himself for his first true battle "I am...". Kiba ever confident had a massive smirk on his face " Do you even need to ask, just leave it to us right Akamaru" kiba's partner barked in confirmation.
"Shino you'll be replacing them after we separate. I hope you're all set" shika asked out of formality as he already knew the answer to that question.
"I planted a female Kikaichū beetle on that mysterious coffin Sasuke is inside of, I can continue the persuit at your command" As he spoke, a male Kikaichū beetle crawled onto his outstretched index finger from under his jacket's sleeve.
The Kikaichū beetle is a parasitic insect used by members of the aburame clan. They posses many abilities that includes a trait that allows Shino to discreetly track enemies. Female beetles can produce a hormone that male beetles can track down from afar.
"Make sure you live up to my name shino" kiba picked up the pace. He charged forth, his battle fervor aflame.
"Hey don't go running on your own!" Naruto pushed forward nearly breaking out of formation in one leap. 'gotta watch my strength it's not as easy as everyone makes it out to be'.
"Uh, keep up with kiba, don't break out of formation" Naruto tried his best to give out orders but he wasn't suited to this kind of work, at least not yet.
"You heard the boss, full speed ahead" shikamaru doubled his pace as he lead the others towards kiba. "Yes... N-Naruto kun" although she struggled to keep up, Hinata pushed her body to its limits so that she wouldn't be a burden.
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Ahead of the konoha Shinobi, the remaining sound four kept up a steady pace unaware of the dangers that come their way.