Kimimaro's terrifying strength was always displayed before Naruto in an understated manner.
This left Naruto shocked and feeling somewhat powerless.
Could he really save Sasuke from Kimimaro's hands?
Naruto clenched his fists, unsure whether to advance or retreat.
"Let's end this."
Kimimaro's figure merged into the bone forest, causing Naruto to lose his target.
"Where is he?"
The next moment, he emerged from the giant bone cone beside Naruto!
A palm strike descended!
"Oh no!"
Naruto exclaimed. The attack came too suddenly, leaving him no time to react.
Is it over?
Yes, it should be over.
He was no match for Kimimaro.
Moreover, Naruto's heart was filled with hesitation, no longer as determined as before.
He closed his eyes, seemingly giving up.
But at that moment, yellow sand appeared before him.
"When did you learn to give up?"
A hoarse voice sounded, startling Naruto. He abruptly opened his eyes.
Gaara had arrived beside him at some unknown point.
Kimimaro's attack was blocked by a shield formed from yellow sand.
"Gaara!"
Naruto was surprised and delighted to see Gaara here.
Gaara ignored Naruto and looked at Kimimaro, who was close by.
"We meet again."
Kimimaro greeted Gaara softly, unconcerned about the yellow sand blocking his path.
Gaara crossed his arms and silently observed the white-haired boy before uttering a few words.
"Otogakure, Kimimaro."
Meanwhile, Temari and Kankuro also arrived in time. Temari went to help Shikamaru, while Kankuro went to aid Kiba Inuzuka.
The Sand intervened!
The tide of the battle shifted once again.
"The Sand has also arrived? It seems that after the last incident, Konoha's fighting strength is indeed quite lacking. However, the Sand just allied with us, Otogakure, against Konoha, and now they've become Konoha's allies? How fickle."
Kimimaro's words were filled with mockery.
Gaara frowned slightly. He knew the Sand's current situation was awkward.
But he didn't dwell on it.
Sand swirled around Gaara and surged toward Kimimaro.
"Sand Drizzle!"
The sand condensed into spheres in mid-air, then transformed into a torrential downpour of yellow sand!
Kimimaro raised an eyebrow. In the time they hadn't seen each other, Gaara's strength had improved considerably.
He was indeed worthy of being the future's youngest Kazekage.
Faced with such an attack, Kimimaro didn't choose to confront it head-on but instead quickly retreated, temporarily avoiding the onslaught.
"Naruto, I'll handle this. Go save Sasuke."
Gaara said coldly.
"Alright! I'll leave it to you, Gaara."
Naruto knew Gaara's strength and immediately went to rescue Sasuke.
However, facing the mountain of crystal, it would be difficult for him to break through with his current power.
"You should know that you're no match for me."
Kimimaro steadied himself and said in a low voice.
"That was the old me. Now, I'm different."
"Your strength has improved?"
"No, I've found my own path. Understanding this, I fear no one!"
Gaara formed hand seals!
A massive amount of chakra erupted at this moment.
"Desert Tsunami!"
Gaara had prepared in advance, instantly transforming the surrounding rocks into sand.
A sand wave, ten meters high, swept over!
"That's quite impressive."
Kimimaro looked at Gaara, who was suspended in the air by sand, and then at the overwhelming sand wave, a smile appearing on his lips.
The sand wave crashed down!
Completely engulfing Kimimaro!
A sea of sand formed!
Gaara frowned. Based on his understanding of Kimimaro, the opponent's strength was definitely not limited to this.
As expected, the next moment, a tremendous surge erupted beneath the sea of sand.
Gaara pressed his hands on the sand sea and shouted, "Sand Waterfall Funeral!"
Terrifying pressure instantly infused the sand sea.
This technique was enough to crush everything within the sand sea.
But unfortunately, Kimimaro wasn't within its range.
Boom!
With a loud explosion, the sand sea burst open!
A deep pit appeared!
Kimimaro stood unharmed in the sand pit.
Gaara's face was filled with shock.
"It had no effect at all? How did he do it?"
Although Gaara had guessed that this technique wouldn't take down Kimimaro, he didn't expect the opponent to remain completely unscathed.
Beneath the sand sea, Kimimaro had activated the Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven. Protected by the blue chakra shield, he naturally remained unharmed.
"It seems that not only has your heart calmed down, but even the Shukaku within you has become quiet."
Kimimaro stood in the pit, looking at Gaara outside.
"Why did you help me before?"
Gaara asked his question.
"Well, it was just on a whim."
"A whim?"
Gaara frowned.
"Time's up. I think our battle should end here."
Kimimaro suddenly became serious, as if he had noticed something.
"Don't think you can easily defeat me like before."
Gaara looked as if he was facing a formidable enemy.
"Sorry, but this is as far as you can go now."
Kimimaro extended his right hand, his index finger pointing at Gaara.
"Sword Finger White Lightning!"
A bone protruded from his index finger.
White lightning entwined the bone, but strangely, the bone wasn't white but black.
The Clow Card of the Sword!
The bone's shape changed, revealing a sharp tip.
Whoosh!
The black bone, carrying white lightning, shot toward Gaara!
A sand shield immediately appeared before him, but it was like paper in the face of the Sword Finger White Lightning, instantly shattering!
The Sword Finger White Lightning pierced a small hole in the sand shield and directly hit Gaara!
His sand armor fell apart!
This strike hit Gaara's chakra point directly!
The flow of his once vast chakra was disrupted.
The black bone pierced through his body!
Blood splattered!
Then Kimimaro's voice sounded again.
"Binding Spell Thirty: Tri-Headed Skull!"
Three beak-shaped beams of light followed closely behind the Sword Finger White Lightning.
The next moment, Gaara's wrists and waist were bound by the Tri-Headed Skull!
His body was forced back several steps before crashing into a giant bone cone.
Three yellow beams of light instantly embedded themselves into it.
Movement sealed!
Chakra flow cut off!
Blood trickled from the corner of Gaara's mouth.
This technique again!
This was the third time Gaara had been bound by the Tri-Headed Skull.
Each time, the technique's power was different.
And this time, its power was the strongest.
Most importantly, his chakra points were sealed.
This meant he couldn't mobilize his chakra to break free from the predicament.
Point sealing was clearly a technique of the Hyuga clan. Why did Kimimaro also know it?
And he even released it in this form.
Gaara's mind was filled with questions.
But he knew one thing: he had lost to Kimimaro once again.
(End of Chapter)