The swirling sand obscured Tenten's vision. She couldn't see the situation of the two fighting, but she trusted that Neji wouldn't lose.
And indeed, Naruto's blade still failed to pierce through his Big Bro-in-law's Chakra Shield.
It was fundamentally impossible to break through a Rotation with just a blade imbued with chakra, unless he was wielding one of the two blades from Lord Madara's Susanoo.
Naruto wasn't completely unable to break Rotation; a Rasenshuriken or a Tailed Beast Ball would work, but unfortunately, he couldn't use them without revealing his identity.
The rotational force of the Rotation caused the blade to become unstable. The lesson from the last time he hit Rotation with a Rasengan was vivid in his memory, so Naruto gripped the hilt tightly this time to prevent it from slipping.
Then, because he gripped it too hard, the hilt shattered...
Dodging the flying blade by tilting his head, Naruto leaped out of the obscured area. Fighting his Big Bro-in-law, who possessed the Byakugan, without clear vision was an unwise move.
At the same time, he cursed Orochimaru furiously in his mind: Look at the shoddy blade in your base! So flimsy! What shady workshop did you use to con me with this unregulated junk?!
He didn't consider for a moment that the fault lay with him for stealing the blade first, or for not knowing how to use it to absorb force while clashing with Rotation. This blame, he promptly dumped on Auntie Orochi.
No, I can't let this go.
After a moment of thought, Naruto decided to go back to Orochimaru's and snatch another Sword of Kusanagi.
What else could he do? Orochimaru had so many Swords of Kusanagi.
How many Swords of Kusanagi Orochimaru possessed had always been a mystery in Hokage.
He lost one fighting the Third Hokage.
Later, during the Sannin Battle, he spat out a Sword of Kusanagi that looked much like a blade and could extend.
During the Heaven and Earth Battle, he again produced and spat out an extending, sword-shaped one.
Sasuke snatched one from him.
Just when everyone thought he had no more, Orochimaru spat out another before being instantly killed by Itachi after transforming into the Eight-Headed Serpent.
It was as if every time he appeared, he felt obliged to produce a Sword of Kusanagi, lest he fail to live up to his status as one of the Sannin, and they were never duplicates.
For example, the blade-like Sword of Kusanagi that pierced his heart—Naruto had never seen it in the original story, because it didn't extend. He had snatched it so long ago, and besides its entry ability, he hadn't discovered any other capabilities.
While Naruto plotted how to swindle the serpent, Neji also used the sandstorm as cover to rush towards Tenten.
He wanted to save Tenten first.
Looking at his Big Bro-in-law, Naruto cracked his knuckles a few times, a wicked grin on his face.
Big Bro-in-law, you broke my blade, which is equivalent to unsealing me. If anything goes wrong in a bit, you're going to be responsible.
Indeed, for someone untrained in swordsmanship to use a sword was akin to being in a sealed state.
Naruto couldn't use a sword; perhaps his sword talent was negative. Even after using it for so long, he still just swung wildly.
But he just wanted to use it, because it looked cool.
With chakra adhering him to the ground, Naruto instantly accelerated, his speed a full third faster than before.
"Nani!" Neji exclaimed in surprise. That wasn't his fastest speed just now?
Neji, who had originally intended to rescue Tenten before confronting the enemy, had no time to think further. He spun around, crossing his arms above his head, blocking Naruto's punch.
Staggering back three steps, Neji shook his sore arm, his mind filled with shock. What a heavy punch...
"Is this the strongest genius of the Hyūga Clan?" His words were mocking, but his body was not slow. Naruto followed up with another punch.
Neji lowered his center of gravity, blocking at his chest with one hand, enduring the pain of the blow. With his other hand, two fingers pressed together, he aimed at Naruto's arm.
"Tch." A scornful grin played on his lips. Naruto channeled strength into his waist, retracted his shoulder two centimeters, then lunged forward explosively, his arm also taut with power. He landed a punch even heavier than before on Neji.
Pseudo-Inch Force: Heaven-Splitting!
He genuinely didn't know "Inch Force." It would be ghostly if he could learn such a power technique just from watching videos and game animations.
So, his move was form without spirit, an empty shell.
However, Naruto planned to consult an elder expert after returning to the village to see if he could figure out this technique. The close-combat power of Inch Force was still very strong.
"Pfft." Neji, sent flying backwards by the blow, spat out a mouthful of stale air, crashing into the structure beneath Tenten.
"Rumble, rumble."
The dilapidated shrine first let out a tremendous roar, followed by creaking sounds, but it ultimately held firm and didn't collapse.
Looking at the dust-filled hole, Naruto silently cheered Neji on. He knew the power of his own punch; Neji wouldn't be severely injured, but it certainly wouldn't feel good.
Hang in there, Big Bro-in-law.
I know you can do it.
Then, he kicked a few more stones into the hole.
This kind of battle might be a bit cruel to his Big Bro-in-law, but Naruto didn't intend to stop.
I'm hitting you for your own good.
The ninja world was a place that valued strength. So, he hoped his Big Bro-in-law would become stronger, but he wouldn't directly guide him.
I studied science, not education. How would I know anything about teaching?
So Naruto could only use the same method he used to help Sasuke awaken his Sharingan to help his Big Bro-in-law improve: one word, fight.
People only unleash their full potential when pushed to the brink. As the Hyūga's number one genius, Neji's potential was definitely not small.
Hinata only comprehended the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms during the Fourth Great Ninja War, but Neji knew it as a child. Moreover, when fighting Kidōmaru, he even used his shoulders, elbows, and other body parts to assist in performing a pseudo-Eight Trigrams One Hundred Twenty-Eight Palms.
Hinata, who could create several Gentle Fist techniques on her own, definitely had good talent, but Big Bro-in-law was clearly superior.
Rotation, Hanabi took so long to learn, yet Neji mastered it on his own.
He was one of Konoha's most talented individuals, unlike Naruto, who was cheating.
So Naruto hoped his Big Bro-in-law would unleash his full potential. It was better for him to be pushed by Naruto than by an enemy, at least he wouldn't suffer severe injuries or lingering after-effects.
Inside the hole, Neji had blood at the corner of his mouth, but he was smiling.
The crossbow was behind Tenten, unseen by Naruto, but Neji could see it. The previous tremor had tilted the crossbow by two angles.
He had calculated the angle; even if it fired, it would at most graze Tenten's skin.
The originally hopeless situation had given him a glimmer of hope.
But the hope was faint, because he didn't know if the arrow was poisoned.
"Eight Trigrams: Air Palm." With one palm, Neji shattered a stone, then sidestepped to avoid several others, walking out of the building's opening.
"Finally out, huh? I thought you were going to hide until your teammate came back," Naruto chuckled.
Neji didn't want to come out either, but Tenten was still stuck above. If he didn't come out, Tenten would be in danger, so he could only come out to buy time.
"You held back just now, why?" Neji asked.
"Killing you with one punch would be too boring. Only a prolonged beatdown brings me pleasure, you know," Naruto said. "Less talk, more action!"
The two clashed again. Neji was still defending, but he was secretly releasing chakra from his Tenketsu.
He ducked under a punch, the powerful wind of the fist stinging his cheek, but he also assumed his ready stance.
"Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!" Neji formed his hands into palms and struck at Naruto's chest.
Naruto didn't defend. The Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms wasn't an unavoidable attack; it could be defended against. Even the guy who could use the Seven Heavenly Breaths, Shion, had blocked it and repelled it.
Naruto didn't like defending; he liked attacking. His entire body burst forth with chakra, breaking through the suppression as he swung his arms: "Ora Ora Fist!"
His fists met Neji's palms, then quickly retracted, only to unleash four more punches.
Neji sped up, and Naruto sped up too.
Tenten watched, dumbfounded.
The Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms can be broken like that?
Indeed it could, as long as one could break through Neji's chakra suppression and strike faster than Neji. Naruto possessed both of these conditions.
Fists and palms collided incessantly, but ultimately, Neji was slightly outmatched. He wanted to retreat, but Naruto gave him no chance, landing a punch squarely on his stomach.
"Urgh…" This punch was also very heavy, causing Neji to lean down and dry-heave.
Naruto stopped attacking, waiting for Neji to recover.
Hang in there, Big Bro-in-law.
You can do it.
I don't expect you to create techniques on the battlefield, but at least you need to perform the true One Hundred Twenty-Eight Palms today for me.
If you can unleash an Eighty Gods Vacuum Attack, I'll even bring you along to fight Kaguya.
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