Kimimaro didn't answer them. Instead, his gaze drifted upward, settling on the roof of the hospital. Standing on the concrete ledge was a man clad in a green jumpsuit and a green Leaf jonin vest. Might Guy.
The two shared a silent look. Guy's expression lacked his usual boisterous cheer; his eyes conveyed a very clear, unspoken warning: Take one more step towards his student, and you are dead.
A faint smirk lifted on Kimimaro's lips. Wanting to probe the capabilities of this Hidden Leaf elite, he purposefully took a deliberate step forward.
The response was instantaneous. Guy, practically erased the distance between them. Launching himself off the roof in a violent blur, as he executed a blinding Leaf Hurricane.
He's fast, Kimimaro thought, his eyes widening.
With zero time to properly dodge or counter, Kimimaro relied entirely on pure muscle memory. He forced his chakra to spike, aiming to erupt a cluster of defensive bones from his skin. But Guy was faster. Mid-descent, he miraculously shifted his trajectory, altering his momentum to deliver a brutal, crushing kick directly to Kimimaro's face instead of his spine.
The impact sent Kimimaro flying backward through the air. The irregular, jagged bone structure he had hastily formed around his cheek and jaw to absorb the kinetic force of Guy's boot.
~~
Kimimaro skidded across the dirt, coming to a halt. He didn't look angry; instead, he placed a bent index finger against his chin, deeply lost in thought. He analyzed the sensation of the strike and the way his last defense had manifest.
"I see," he mused internally. My clan's Kekkei Genkai doesn't just have to be rigid. If I can control the viscosity and internal shape of the bone, I can manipulate it to be hard, soft, or entirely malleable. Kidomaru used to secrete that Sticky Gold from his very pores by altering his bodily fluids...
An idea sparked.
If I can deliberately break down my hard bone density into a fluid, hyper-dense soft marrow, I should be able to sweat it out through my pores.
He closed his eyes, focusing inward. It wasn't easy. The Shikotsumyaku was built on rigidity, and forcing his bones to liquefy into a secretable marrow took immense chakra control. He struggled through the first few attempts, feeling the agonizing friction under his skin. But within moments, his terrifying talent won out.
Bone Density -> Liquid Marrow -> Pore Secretion -> Seamless Osseous Armor
A thick, pale, calcium-rich liquid began to ooze rapidly from his pores, instantly hardening upon contact with the open air. Within seconds, Kimimaro was completely encased. He looked like a White Knight, covered from head to toe in a seamless, overlapping suit of high-density osseous armor. If he coupled this form with the latent power of his Curse Mark, his defensive capabilities would be virtually impenetrable.
"Shikotsumyaku: White Knight"
"I will have to thank you, Mr. Guy," Kimimaro said, his voice echoing slightly beneath the bone mask as he walked back toward the trio. "You gave me quite an enlightenment just now."
Stopping a few paces away, he deactivated the armor, the white calcium flaking away into dust. "As a token of my gratitude, let me grant you a wish. Name what you desire."
~~
Might Guy stroked his chin, rubbing the stubble as he seriously pondered the offer. He looked Kimimaro up and down, noting the boy's incredible resilience and adaptability. Suddenly, a brilliant flash beamed from Guy's teeth. He reached behind his back and, with a dramatic flourish, produced a brand-new, skin-tight green bodysuit.
"Be my student!" Guy boomed, giving a thumbs-up.
Kimimaro froze. His legendary composure completely evaporated. "Wh... what are you talking about? Do I... do I have to wear that green bodysuit?" he stammered, a rare look of genuine horror crossing his pale face.
Standing on the sidelines, Neji could only watch in a mixture of awe. "An expected reaction," Neji thought, "Still, this Kimimaro is an absolute monster. I could see that Guy-sensei didn't hold back on that kick, yet this Kimimaro took the hit, evolved his technique on the fly, and didn't suffer a single injury and the Guy-sensei's Kick did not crack his armor."
Kimimaro took a deep breath, fighting down the urge to retract his offer. He was a somone of immense pride. "I am a man of my word," he muttered, his voice trembling slightly with regret. "I... I will be your student. But I will only wear the green vest... and only for a whole day."
Might Guy was absolutely devastated. His heart, usually full of youthful passion, felt momentarily crushed because Kimimaro had openly hesitated to accept his gift only for a day. This wasn't just any piece of clothing; it was a custom-designed, air-free, itch-free masterpiece of tailoring... the pinnacle of comfortable athletic wear... suitable for Taijutsu, Ninjutsu or any jutsu.
"I cannot allow myself to despair!" Guy thought, hot tears of overwhelming emotion running down his face. He gripped his own head in a dramatic display of passion, his teeth flashing. "True youth never gives up hope! I know that once Kimimaro experiences the absolute freedom of this fabric, he will understand!" With a trembling, enthusiastic hand, he thrust the folded green fabric forward.
Kimimaro stared at the garment, with a subtle, involuntary twitch beneath his left eye. The mere image of himself parading around in a skin-tight, emerald-green jumpsuit was jarring. "I am a man of my word," he silently reminded himself, drawing on every ounce of his stoic willpower to maintain his composure.
Trying to shift the focus from his impending fashion crisis, Kimimaro accepted the green bodysuit. "Mr.Guy," he requested smoothly, "could you direct me to Hokage Tsunade's current location?"
Rather than waiting for a dressing room, Kimimaro began to remove his Kimino right then and there.
The suddeness of the moment was too much for the onlookers. Guy and Rock Lee instantly slammed their hands over their faces, weeping tears of intense youthful solidarity, yet they couldn't resist peeking through the gaps of their fingers.
Neji, a few paces back, pinched the bridge of his nose in sheer, unadulterated panic. "I can't make it in time," Neji thought frantically, closing his eyelids to no avail. "Damn it… my Byakugan is already active!"
To Kimimaro's profound surprise, the green garments were, against all logic, incredibly comfortable. They offered unparalleled flexibility without a single hint of friction. To keep his dignity intact, he quickly layered his usual, carefree Kimino over the jumpsuit, concealing the vibrant green beneath.
Guy, wiping away his tears with a dramatic sniff, struck a dynamic pose. "Say no more, young man! I shall personally escort you to Lady Tsunade myself!"
~~
A/N:Bonus chapter for every subscriber.
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