Kimimaro's heart soared with excitement, like a dandelion carried by the wind.
His Dance of the Larch bore some resemblance to the Hyuga clan's Gentle Fist, but the multitude of sharp bone spikes gave his attacks a rigidity that made them far more brutal. If he managed to break through Ye Zi's defenses, the sheer number of bone spikes carrying immense force would undoubtedly inflict severe injuries, if not death.
Despite Kimimaro's relentless attacks and attempts to vary his moves, Ye Zi's steadfast defense left him unable to gain any ground. Yet, the density of Kimimaro's bone spikes was astonishing. Even after countless clashes with Ye Zi's lightning-infused blade, they showed no signs of breaking.
The crowd watched the battle with bated breath, their gazes fixed on the duel. Many were afraid to even blink, not wanting to miss a single moment, even though most couldn't follow the intricate exchanges between the two.
Amid the attacks and defenses, a spark of fighting spirit quietly ignited in Kimimaro's Sharingan.
Shikotsumyaku: Dance of the Young Fern.
As Kimimaro's punch flew toward Ye Zi, a light cracking sound echoed. The bone spikes encasing his fist and arm suddenly shot forward like arrows released from a bow, aiming at the short distance between them.
"Hm?"
Ye Zi's pupils contracted sharply. Chakra surged explosively from his feet, propelling him backward and briefly creating distance between himself and the incoming projectiles. This gave him a few precious moments to deflect them.
Clang, clang…!
As he retreated, Ye Zi swung his blade, deflecting all the bone spikes.
Though he managed to block the attack, Ye Zi was visibly surprised. This move was practically a nightmare for close-range combat.
The ability to instantly launch the bone spikes from his arms, if not for Ye Zi's quick reaction and the time he created to counter the attack, the wood clone might have been destroyed by the close-range assault.
"To instantly launch so many bone spikes… it seems Kimimaro has already achieved a high level of mastery over Shikotsumyaku," Ye Zi's wood clone thought. Watching from the edge of the training ground, Ye Zi himself was thinking the same thing.
To block the spikes, Ye Zi had created some distance between himself and Kimimaro.
Shikotsumyaku: Ten-Finger Drilling Bullets.
Kimimaro extended both hands toward Ye Zi. Each of his fingers revealed exposed bones, which were propelled forward by chakra like bullets shot from a gun, flying straight at Ye Zi.
The speed of these projectiles was astonishing, they were faster than thrown senbon. Even for a prepared shinobi, their sheer velocity made them difficult to dodge.
"So fast," Ye Zi thought, the observation flashing through his mind. His dynamic vision, rivaling even Minato's, allowed him to track the ten projectiles effortlessly. Without wasting chakra, he used his blade to deflect each one.
After the first ten projectiles were deflected, Kimimaro closed the distance again, firing another volley of ten finger bullets at Ye Zi.
"Can he regenerate them in such a short time? If they're infinitely regenerable, this technique would be extremely practical for taking down enemies," Ye Zi mused as he calmly deflected the second wave.
By this time, Kimimaro had already closed in. Though he had stronger attacks at his disposal, he understood that Ye Zi's goal in this training match was to evaluate his taijutsu abilities. Hence, he refrained from using his most powerful techniques until he had fully displayed his other combat skills.
This showed Kimimaro's meticulous thought process, a trait that could greatly benefit him in battle.
Shikotsumyaku: Dance of the Spear.
Using the two volleys of finger bullets as cover, Kimimaro transformed his arms into bone spears and thrust them toward Ye Zi's face and chest.
Ye Zi casually sidestepped the attack, narrowly avoiding the spears. Even though his intention was to focus on defense, he couldn't help but feel the instinct to counterattack. It was a habit ingrained through countless battles.
His lightning-coated blade, Chijin, slashed toward Kimimaro's right arm.
At that moment, a faint smile appeared on Kimimaro's lips.
Noticing the smile, Ye Zi immediately halted his attack and retreated a step. That single step saved him from what could have been a defeat.
Without warning, multiple bone spikes erupted from Kimimaro's right side, including the arm that had transformed into a spear, aiming directly at Ye Zi's previous position.
Fortunately, Ye Zi's retreat created just enough distance to avoid the insidious attack. This move forced Ye Zi to reassess Kimimaro's mastery over his kekkei genkai.
"As expected of Ye Zi-sama, he even dodged that," Kimimaro thought, suppressing his smile, though a hint of disappointment flickered in his eyes.
Ye Zi took several steps back, widening the gap between them. Calmly, he said, "In battle, avoid showing emotions. When I saw you smile just now, it made me wary enough to evade your attack."
To Ye Zi, showing emotions like satisfaction before an attack landed was a foolish mistake that often alerted the enemy and made them more cautious.
Still, he hadn't anticipated that Kimimaro had such a trick up his sleeve. Even though he noticed the smile, his instincts usually wouldn't have prompted him to retreat so decisively. After all, the counterattack he abandoned could have severed Kimimaro's arm. It was a chance he wouldn't normally let slip.
Yet he had stepped back, avoiding injury. The experience left him with a strange feeling, causing his brows to knit slightly.
Seeing Ye Zi's slight frown, Kimimaro assumed he had made a significant mistake and quietly resolved to never repeat it.
With most of his close-combat techniques demonstrated, it was time for the next step. Activating the second state of the Cursed Seal of Heaven. In this form, his Shikotsumyaku would reach its full potential.
"Ye Zi-sama, I'm activating the second state of the Cursed Seal of Heaven!"
The curse mark on Kimimaro's body suddenly radiated a crimson light and began to spread across his body. Soon, a pair of skeletal wings burst from his back, slowly unfurling.
The wings, resembling umbrella frames, were covered by a thin membrane, their color resembling withered wood, it was a shade that matched Kimimaro's altered body.
"Kimimaro…" Standing with the others, Jūgo was deeply moved as he watched Kimimaro enter the second state.
This form resembled Jūgo's own berserk state, appearing monstrous. Yet Kimimaro didn't seem to mind at all, his expression filled with eagerness and anticipation.
The youths present were all shocked by Kimimaro's transformation.
"Is this the power Ye Zi-sama granted to Kimimaro?" they thought in astonishment.
"Wings?" Ye Zi raised an eyebrow. If these allowed flight, they would provide a significant advantage in combat.
Despite only exchanging a few moves so far, Ye Zi could clearly see how much effort and dedication Kimimaro had invested in mastering his kekkei genkai, Shikotsumyaku, resulting in such a high level of proficiency.
Even without activating the second state of the curse mark, Kimimaro's strength was already superior to that of an ordinary Jōnin. Now, with the second state activated, how much stronger could he become?
Ye Zi genuinely began to feel a sense of anticipation toward Kimimaro. With Shikotsumyaku, Sharingan, Hashirama cells, and the incomplete Sage Mode granted by the Cursed Seal of Heaven, all these factors combined seemed to have created a truly monstrous entity.
Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind, what would happen if Kimimaro were to face Might Guy in battle?
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Currently on Chapter 526 - Secrets and Manipulations