CH_47

Tōji had only used the 【Hardening Technique】 on his right foot—but he didn't put it to use right away.

He'd rather spend a bit more chakra to have the jutsu prepped, waiting for the right moment to strike.

After Ishimin gained the upper hand, Tōji's opponent stopped holding back his chakra either. He alternated between the 【Phoenix Fire Technique】 and the 【Great Fireball Technique】 for two rounds.

Tōji found it hard to land a hit in that time. Otherwise, with the 【Hardening Technique】 reinforcement, he was confident one kick would've given that Iwa chūnin some serious internal damage.

Though only a few dozen seconds had passed, Tōji had tried repeatedly to close in on his opponent. But because the enemy knew he was going for a quick finish, it only made things more difficult.

『It's really tough without a decisive jutsu!』 Tōji, who'd never bothered to develop offensive power and only focused on survival techniques, was now feeling the pinch—but he could only complain inwardly.

Even so, Tōji decided to go for a reckless play.

"【Earth Release: Earth Clone Technique】!" Tōji's remaining chakra was already only about forty percent, and now he split off another ten percent.

As he finished forming the seals and created an Earth Clone, he briefly wondered if he was being impulsive.

Both Tōji and his clone used Body Flicker at maximum power, and for a moment, they actually managed to close in on the Iwa chūnin.

"Ah!" A cry of pain from Natchi!

Tōji didn't let himself get distracted. Both he and the clone threw several shuriken as cover. As the Iwa chūnin tried to dodge the shuriken coming from two directions, Tōji and his clone—exactly as he'd envisioned—attacked from left and right simultaneously, landing powerful kicks reinforced with the 【Hardening Technique】 on the Iwa chūnin…

Thud! Thud! The Iwa chūnin took solid hits to both his chest and back, and with a cough, spat out a mouthful of blood.

The Earth Clone, seemingly fearless, grabbed the injured, unresponsive Iwa chūnin in a bear hug. Tōji's real body coated his fists with the 【Hardening Technique】 as well…

Thud! Another dull impact of fist meeting flesh…

The Iwa chūnin might not have been dead, but he was breathing out far more than he was breathing in. His head drooped, and he stopped moving.

But Tōji didn't dispel the clone—he let it keep holding the Iwa chūnin, just in case he was faking death. After all, the ten percent chakra was already spent.

Only then did Tōji have a moment to see what had happened to Natchi.

It looked like Natchi had also taken a heavy punch from Ishimin's 【Hardening Technique】—now it was entirely Neru holding the line against Ishimin.

When it was Natchi and Neru working together, their superior agility let them suppress Ishimin. But now that Neru had to face Ishimin head-on alone, the situation was far worse.

Neru was gritting her teeth, occasionally using her hair in its secret-art state to block Ishimin's punches and kicks…

Seeing that Natchi was badly injured but not immediately dying, Tōji planned to join forces with Neru to take down Ishimin.

But the moment he stepped into the fight, he realized something was wrong.

Natchi had already retreated to the side.

Neru had also stepped back a pace…

Now it was Tōji holding the line against Ishimin!

"You know our Iwa 【Hardening Technique】!" Ishimin said with a hint of anger, only now realizing that the one who'd just engaged her was using the 【Hardening Technique】 to counter hers. Even though Tōji was using two kunai to block Ishimin's fists, he still had to protect every part of his body!

But a jutsu like the 【Hardening Technique】 varied from person to person—Tōji simply couldn't out-muscle Ishimin.

And on top of that! Neru had really thrown him under the bus. She'd directly placed Tōji—a genin who considered his taijutsu only passable—at the front against an Iwa chūnin who specialized in taijutsu!

Tōji's punches and kicks weren't as fast as Natchi's or Neru's—but his footwork was quick! And he was using some small deflection techniques to reduce the impact.