Chapter 90

"You're after the Heaven Scroll!"

"Our team just happens to have it. I'll give it to you right away!"

Seeing that Gaara wasn't letting them go, Ino quickly took out a scroll from her ninja tool pouch.

She placed it on the ground, wearing an apologetic smile.

"We've given you the scroll. Can you let us go now?"

Gaara didn't even glance at the scroll on the ground. His gaze remained fixed on Kiba's team, as if he were looking at three dead people.

"Go ahead and make your move."

"Kill me, and you can survive."

"But we've already given you the scroll," Ino tried to explain the situation.

However, Gaara was already impatient and raised his hand.

"Ino, stop talking and get into the Ino-Shika-Cho formation!"

"Choji, prepare for an attack. Wait for my signal!"

Realizing that Gaara only intended to kill them, Shikamaru quickly shouted.

"I understand!"

Although Choji wanted to escape, he mustered the courage to stand at the forefront.

"Secret Jutsu: Multi-Size Technique!"

As he spoke, he rapidly formed hand seals. At the moment of completing the seals, his body suddenly expanded in all directions, like an inflated balloon.

"Next is the Leaf Body Flicker Technique: Human Boulder!"

Choji retracted his head into his collar and bent his limbs against his body. His entire form transformed into a round and rolling ball, quickly charging toward Gaara.

"Are you trying to mock me with this kind of jutsu?"

Watching the comically rolling meatball speeding towards him, Gaara's forehead vein twitched for the first time.

"Let me show you what a deadly jutsu is."

As he spoke, Gaara completed the hand seals again. He raised his hand high and prepared to crush the incoming meatball.

"Huh? My body!?"

Gaara's expression changed for the first time, showing a look of astonishment.

He looked around with a puzzled expression, casting his gaze on the elongated shadow under his feet.

This was Shikamaru's jutsu, the Shadow Imitation Technique.

"He's too powerful. I've stopped him but Ican't control his movements at all."

"Ino, it's all up to you now."

Sweat started to bead on Shikamaru's forehead. His hands, still forming seals, were trembling as if they would lose control in the next second.

"Got it!"

"I'll entrust my body to you!"

Ino had finally completed her seals. She formed a triangular hand seal in front of her chest, aiming it at the immobilized Gaara.

"Secret Jutsu: Mind Transfer Jutsu!"

A surge of spiritual energy shot out from the triangle. Ino's body immediately collapsed towards Shikamaru, who was lying beside her.

"Choji, now's the time!"

"Knock him away, then let's retreat quickly!"

Choji, who had been circling around on the sidelines, heard Shikamaru's call and immediately understood that Gaara was already under control.

It was now up to him to deliver the final blow!

"Got it!"

"Watch my Meatball Charge!"

The rapidly moving meatball kicked up a cloud of dust.

Finally, it crashed into Gaara, who remained motionless.

Then, a loud crash!

Before Gaara, who had been completely unprepared, a sandshell suddenly appeared, enveloping his entire body!

Sharp sand spikes protruded from the surface, resembling sea urchins!

Meanwhile, Choji, who had collided without any precautions, instantly deflated, letting out a scream.

"Waaah!!!"

At the same time, Ino, held by Shikamaru, let out a muffled groan, and blood started to trickle from her nose and mouth.

"Ugh..."

"How is this possible!?"

Shikamaru, holding Ino, shouted in disbelief.

"Choji! Ino!"

"I'm... I'm fine." Choji in front had several bloody holes in his body. He struggled to get up and crawled back in retreat.

Ino, on the other hand, spat out another mouthful of blood and woke up with a scream.

Shikamaru, holding Ino, pointed with terror at the distant Gaara.

"Ahh—!"

"Monster! He's got a monster sealed inside him!!!"

"What!?" Shikamaru seemed to have guessed something, and his face turned extremely grim.

"Could it be related to Naruto?"

Shikamaru hadn't finished speaking when a shower of sand spikes burst forth from the sky.

Swish!

Clang! Clang! Clang!

"Ahh!!!"

Holding the injured Ino, Shikamaru's upper body barely dodged the attack. However, in order to protect Ino, his lower body was pierced through by over a dozen sand spikes!

"You... really... have angered me!!!"

Gaara, whose secret had been exposed to Ino, had a face twisted with anger.

A large amount of sand emerged, rolling and surging around him, creating a sandstorm!

"Now, I will grant you the most painful death!"

With anger and rage contorting his face, Gaara's hands swiftly formed seals in front of his chest.

"Desert Imperial Funeral!"

As his palms forcefully came together, countless grains of sand materialized from beneath Gaara's feet, rapidly expanding!

In the blink of an eye, they formed into a tsunami-like wave of sand!

The sky was covered and the sun was blocked!

With a terrifying shadow, it descended upon Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji.

As he looked at the calamitous sandstorm, Choji suddenly became calm.

He took out a transparent box containing three colored pills and held it in his hand.

With a smile on his face that was different from usual, he turned around.

"Shikamaru, thank you for your care and trust."

"Are you going to..." When Shikamaru saw the pills in Choji's hand, his expression turned grim.

But he was interrupted by Choji before he could finish speaking.

"That's right," Choji's smile carried reluctance and affection.

"What a shame, I haven't finished eating all the snacks I've hidden. I really can't bear it."

With that, he took out all three pills and brought them to his mouth.

"Finally, you and Ino, you must survive!"

...

"Damn it, that kind of ninjutsu, Shikamaru and the others!!!"

Seeing the sand that covered the sky in the distance, Kiba immediately wanted to rush over.

But he was stopped by the sudden appearance of Temari.

"You can't go over there. If you don't want to lose your lives."

Kankuro also appeared beside them. "Even if you go there, it's basically certain death."

"That level of ninjutsu coming down, there won't be any living beings left in the area."

"Assholes!"

Kiba wasn't a fool, so he could only stop and watch helplessly.

Behind them, Shino and Hinata quietly circled around them, surrounding Kankuro and Temari.

"As long as we tie you up, we can threaten your teammates to stop this jutsu!"

Shino adjusted his sunglasses and spoke for the first time with an audible voice.

"Do you think you can use us to threaten Gaara?"

Temari couldn't help but laugh. "Unfortunately, you miscalculated."

"Not to mention whether it would work, do you think you can defeat us?"

Temari swung the massive fan behind her and placed it in front of her.

Kankuro also loosened the bandages, revealing his crow puppet.

Meanwhile, Sakura suddenly remembered something and quickly ran to where Kaze and Sasuke were sitting.

"Sasuke, Kaze, you must go and save Naruto and the others!"

In response to Sakura's cry, the two of them, with their eyes closed, remained motionless, as if they were asleep.

Sakura approached and prepared to shake Sasuke, who was on her left. But before her hand could touch Sasuke, he pushed her away.

Sasuke, with slightly opened eyes, glanced at Sakura emotionlessly and then closed his eyes again.

Sakura looked to the other side, where Kaze was equally unresponsive.

A deep sense of despair washed over her as she sat down on the ground.

She turned her head to look at the sand waterfall that was about to collapse.

Sitting on the ground in despair, Sakura finally remembered another name.

"Right, Naruto! There's still Naruto!"

"Naruto, come out!"

"Naruto!!!"

Buzz!

As Sakura's shout echoed, a gust of wind pressure swept out.

Simultaneously, a golden-red light flashed from the side, like a shooting star, heading toward the distant sand waterfall.

Following that, Naruto's voice belatedly rang out.

"Sakura, I heard your cry!"

***

That last part was cringe but oh well.

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