As they spoke, countless grains of fine sand had already enveloped Kimimaro's entire body.
A massive pillar of sand spun under the influence of wind chakra.
Trapped inside, Kimimaro felt as though he had fallen into a cramped cage, unable to move.
Gaara raised his arm from a distance and clenched his hand hard.
The spinning sand pillar seemed to be gripped by an invisible hand, squeezing forcefully inward.
Inside it, Kimimaro had already lost the ability to breathe.
Even now, Kimimaro remained as composed as ever.
The cursed seal array on his chest suddenly began to rotate.
Lines of runes spread outward from the array.
With his chest as their center, countless "ink lines" crawled across Kimimaro's entire body.
With these "ink lines" covering him, Kimimaro actually regained some ability to move.
The sand squeezing him from outside seemed to have lost its effect.
Kimimaro slowly raised his right foot, then kicked through the restraints of the sand "cage."
Bang!
His right foot landed heavily on the ground, like a drumstick striking a drumhead with force.
Rock Lee, who could only watch from the sidelines without intervening, cried out in shock.
"Heavens! Even that can't hold him?"
Gaara frowned slightly, his hands still clenched tightly.
The spinning pillar of sand continued to squeeze inward furiously.
Yet none of this could stop Kimimaro's advance.
An arm covered in black lines reached out of the sand pillar.
Then came his other leg, his entire upper body, and finally his head.
Kimimaro successfully broke free of the sand's restraints and appeared before Gaara and Rock Lee.
At the sight, Rock Lee got up, ready to charge forward and fight.
Gaara stopped Rock Lee and said bluntly:
"If you act now, you won't help at all. You'll only hold me back."
Rock Lee's