Toru Kujyo stood his ground, his expression utterly calm as the bone bullets whistled toward him. His gaze shifted slightly. Along their flight paths, he saw strings of tiny bubbles appear and burst around Kimimaro. Those bubbles carried the signs of a life ebbing away.
A final burst of life? Toru Kujyo understood, the corners of his mouth lifting almost imperceptibly. The boy's body was already on its last legs, yet he could still unleash such power. What a shame.
He raised a hand, air swirling in his palm. An invisible force became a raging gale, forming a transparent barrier in midair. "Gale Palm!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The dense barrage of bone bullets struck the barrier with sharp, metallic cracks, then rebounded under the tremendous force. They shot in every direction like hail, blasting the courtyard's ornamental rocks and trees to pieces. Toru Kujyo used the recoil to leap lightly backward and landed firmly on the ground.
"Curse Mark Stage Two!" When his first attack failed, Kimimaro's gaze grew even more frenzied. The cursed seal instantly spread across his body, turning his skin grayish white. Sharp bone spikes sprouted all over him, two horns grew from his forehead, and a thick, bony tail extended from his back.
Powerful chakra erupted from his body, distorting even the air. Holding nothing back, he pushed his strength to its limit and charged at Toru Kujyo again like a streak of white lightning.
"Shikotsumyaku: Dance of the Willow!" The bones in Kimimaro's arms extended into two sharp bone blades. With a piercing whistle, he slashed them at Toru Kujyo.
Toru Kujyo's gaze sharpened slightly, and his hands rapidly formed hand seals. "Wood Release: Exploding Gun Tree!"
The ground split open with a thunderous crash. Countless thick roots burst from the earth, rapidly twisting and