Chapter 14: Green Vest

Chapter 14: The Green Vest

Tonari, still lost in the rush of his battle instincts, reflexively unleashed a blow that sent the Cloud Anbu flying through the air.

The roar that erupted from him was not entirely his own—it carried the primal force of the Two-Tails. The chakra surrounding him, nearly solid in its intensity, began to take full form.

The crimson hue threatening to overwhelm him began receding, and the pressure in his body lightened.

The shift in energy came just in time.

Tonari's face, at least, remained untouched, his features spared from the overwhelming transformation. His body, however, remained in a crouched, predatory stance, like a beast preparing to pounce.

The tail-like bulge of energy on his back began to recede, unable to fully manifest.

The clawing, invasive energy of the Two-Tails was halted at the last possible moment.

Had the transformation gone further, the line between who controlled the body—Tonari or the Two-Tails—would have been blurred beyond recognition.

For now, Tonari remained in control.

---

"Tch."

The Two-Tails' voice echoed in Tonari's mind, dripping with disdain.

Though the transformation was incomplete, the portion of chakra Tonari had managed to harness granted him newfound strength. It wasn't enough to overpower the Anbu entirely, but it made one thing clear:

Tonari was no longer a helpless lamb awaiting slaughter.

With all four limbs propelling him forward, Tonari surged toward the Cloud Anbu with startling speed.

The Anbu, though briefly disoriented from being thrown, quickly regained his composure. He was, after all, a highly trained special Jonin tasked with elite missions.

As he regained his footing, his hands blurred into a series of rapid hand signs.

"Lightning Style: Thunder Snake!"

A serpentine bolt of blue lightning crackled to life in his hands, its jagged form hissing and sparking as it shot toward Tonari.

The brilliant flash of lightning illuminated the forest, but Tonari didn't falter.

Thanks to the clarity granted by the Two-Tails' chakra, he tracked every movement of the Anbu's hands. Every sign, every gesture—it was all visible to him now.

With a burst of confidence, Tonari charged straight through the oncoming attack.

His clawed hand, sheathed in fiery chakra, sliced through the lightning as if it were nothing more than air.

The brief sting of electricity barely registered before it fizzled out against the overwhelming energy surrounding him.

The Anbu stared in shock as Tonari emerged unscathed from his attack.

Seizing the moment, Tonari closed the gap between them with frightening speed.

With a swipe of his claws, he aimed directly at the Anbu's short blade.

The Anbu gritted his teeth, raising the blade in a defensive stance. He braced for impact, but it wasn't enough.

Bang!

The force of Tonari's strike sent the Anbu reeling. His blade held firm, but the sheer power of the attack left him breathless.

Tonari didn't stop there.

Using his newfound speed and strength, he pressed the advantage, clawing and striking at the Anbu with relentless precision.

For every wound the Anbu had inflicted on Tonari earlier, Tonari returned the favor tenfold.

Though his strikes were measured, they weren't intended to kill. They were meant to cause pain—a brutal, calculated retribution for the suffering he had endured.

When the Anbu finally hit the ground, his once-pristine white mask was drenched in blood.

The forest around them was in disarray, trees uprooted and earth scorched from the intensity of their battle.

Tonari crouched low to the ground, his breaths ragged and uneven. The fiery chakra surrounding him flickered, its intensity waning.

But he couldn't afford to let his guard down.

---

"The Two-Tails' chakra… It's dangerous," Tonari thought, his mind racing.

The negative energy coursing through him was suffocating. He could feel it gnawing at the edges of his consciousness, threatening to overwhelm him completely.

If he didn't finish this quickly, the battle would end in disaster.

Forcing his trembling body to move, Tonari shifted into a crouching stance.

His hands dug into the earth as he channeled the last vestiges of the Two-Tails' chakra into a single, focused point.

A black sphere began forming at the edge of his lips, its surface rippling with volatile energy.

The tiny sphere grew steadily larger, drawing in the chakra around it.

It wasn't a fully-formed Tailed Beast Ball, but it was enough.

The Anbu, still struggling to rise, could only watch in horror as the energy condensed further.

With a roar, Tonari unleashed the attack.

The resulting explosion tore through the forest, carving a massive trench through the earth. Trees splintered, rocks disintegrated, and the air itself seemed to vibrate from the sheer force of the blast.

As the energy dissipated, Tonari staggered, his body succumbing to exhaustion.

The fiery chakra surrounding him flickered one last time before fading completely.

His vision blurred, the edges darkening as his strength gave out.

But before he lost consciousness entirely, he caught a glimpse of something—or someone—approaching.

A flash of green.

"Green… a vest?"

The thought barely registered before his eyes closed, and he slumped to the ground.

---

(End of Chapter)