Chapter 31: BOB
There's a saying: if you seek death, you will find it. Characters who don't have the protagonist's plot armor usually don't last long. At their current level, without tapping into the Nine-Tails' power, Kimimaro could defeat Naruto in seconds.
Though he didn't have many fights in the original story, Kimimaro was practically a bug-like existence in the early stages. But Takahashi wasn't afraid of him. His own speed and strength were his confidence.
Bone spurs erupted from Kimimaro's body. Two sharp blades made of bone appeared in his hands, and he charged at high speed, so fast he seemed to glide. His entire body was a weapon—hard, sharp bones making direct confrontation dangerous.
As he ran, he fired a volley of projectiles from his fingertips—the ability of his Kekkei Genkai.
Ten-Finger Drilling Bullets.
Seeing this, Naruto used the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique. But seven or eight clones were destroyed in the blink of an eye.
He had the remaining clones swarm Kimimaro, but the boy's expression didn't change, a sneer curling his lip. "Pathetic tricks."
Dance of the Larch.
Bone spurs burst from his entire body. He spun wildly, as if performing a dance, his movements fluid and seamless. The swarming shadow clones were effortlessly shattered.
Sakura was even more useless, completely out of her depth. She was just dead weight.
Takahashi didn't even have the heart to call her out on it. She was purely a liability.
This level of attack couldn't stop Kimimaro at all. He was upon them in a flash. He drew a bone sword from his left arm, combining it with precise, graceful movements for a series of swift, consecutive strikes. His form was so elegant even Takahashi had to nod in appreciation.
There were very few truly skilled weapon users in the entire ninja world.
Takahashi decided to test the waters. He flashed forward instantly. However, with bone spurs erupting all over Kimimaro's body, he couldn't find a clean spot to strike effectively. Still, the glancing blow sent Kimimaro flying.
Kimimaro's face darkened as he landed. He refocused his gaze on Takahashi. It seemed this guy was the real threat of the three. Once he was dealt with, the others were nothing.
But the speed of that attack made him wary. Suddenly, more bones sprouted from his body. "You forced this," he hissed. "Dance of the Clematis."
This technique used his Kekkei Genkai to grow dozens of bones from his body. In close combat, it provided high defense to withstand impacts while also attacking the opponent. Its defensive power was immense.
If Takahashi remembered correctly, even Rock Lee, with the First Gate of the Eight Inner Gates open, couldn't damage this form. Even nunchaku were useless.
Seeing this, Naruto felt utterly helpless. Invulnerable to weapons, water, and fire? How are we supposed to fight that?
His attacks were completely ineffective. Kimimaro looked completely at ease, not even trying his hardest.
Now Naruto started to panic. He looked to Takahashi. "Hey! Do you have a plan or not? We can't just let Sasuke get away! Say something!"
Takahashi thought for a moment, his tone cool. "The two of you will only slow me down. I'd have to split my focus protecting you. That was just his warm-up. If he uses his ultimate move, you won't even have a chance to escape."
Naruto wanted to argue, but seeing Kimimaro's calm face not far off, he dropped the idea.
He nodded, frustrated. "Sakura, let's go. We'll go back and help Kakashi-sensei."
The two left with complicated looks, but Takahashi didn't care about their feelings. If Kimimaro was at full health, he might even be a match for a Sannin.
While Takahashi was confident he could win, it was always better to be careful.
With the two gone, Takahashi could finally fight at full strength. "We don't have to hold back anymore," he said. "We both know our own strength."
Kimimaro seemed to agree. Instantly, he activated his Cursed Seal of Earth. His aura surged violently.
They decided to end it with one move. Kimimaro placed his hands on the ground. Sharp bones erupted from the earth, attacking Takahashi one after another. They were incredibly fast and numerous, covering the entire ground like a forest of bones. This was an all-out attack, hard to defend against.
This was his strongest ninjutsu. Kekkei Genkai: Dance of the Young Ferns.
Takahashi dissolved into particles of light, flying high into the sky. Watching this terrifying attack from above, he felt a chill. While it was easy for him to dodge, against a group of enemies, this move was a true massacre. The only counters were perfect evasion or an overwhelmingly powerful force to obliterate all the bones.
Takahashi descended slowly, but he didn't relax. Kimimaro had hidden himself among the bones, condensing his hand into a spear of bone, waiting to strike.
Though his body was enhanced, Takahashi didn't think it was tougher than Gaara's sand armor.
Kimimaro was one with this bone forest, able to move freely within it. This kind of ambush was truly hard to guard against.
But he didn't know Takahashi had already predicted his move. He was setting a trap, deliberately standing near a large bone spur, waiting for the rabbit to crash into the tree.
Sure enough, Kimimaro took the bait. He quietly appeared behind Takahashi, a spiraling bone spear in his hand. A direct hit from this would be fatal to anyone.
Feeling the chill at his back, Takahashi flashed away instantly. Using his Mirror Jutsu, he reflected himself high into the sky, looking down on the bone forest from above.
Kimimaro's heart jolted. Oh no. I've been tricked.
But by the time the thought formed, it was too late to run. No matter how fast he was, he couldn't outrun light.
High in the air, Takahashi posed like a great eagle spreading its wings.
"My turn. Yasaka's Magatama!"
Countless shining points of light, like a meteor shower, rained down, shattering the bone forest. Kimimaro, unable to dodge in time, was struck hard.
Flickering spots of light covered his body. His already failing body grew weaker. He spat out a mouthful of black blood.
"You are strong," he gasped. "Losing to you... I bring no shame to Lord Orochimaru's training. Now... finish it."
But a strange, almost lecherous smirk spread across Takahashi's face. He turned toward Kimimaro with a weird look in his eye.
Sensing this strangeness, Kimimaro's expression shifted to one of alarm. "What are you doing? Stay away from me! Don't come any closer!!"