A Growing Affection

Chapter 58: Grass vs. Leaf

"Byakugan," Neji activated his Genjutsu, to little avail. His enhanced vision failed to pierce the Saburo's chakra laced fur.

'Even  if I cannot see his chakra network, I can still strike at his internal  organs,' the Dojutsu user concluded internally, 'and the additional bulk  must slow him down. It is best if I end this quickly, so I can return  to the others.'

Without another second of hesitation, the Leaf  shinobi charged forward, leading with his fingers. Saburo swung his left  chain at Neji's jaw, but the small fighter ducked easily under the  weapon. His fingers darted out, and he struck three times around the  Grass bear's heart in the span of one breath. Even as he connected, the  altered human was lashing out with his right hand, and Neji was forced  to roll to his right to avoid having his left arm bound and burned. To  the Hyuga Jonin's surprise and annoyance, his opponent did not collapse.  Instead, the bear-shaped warrior chuckled at his grimace.

"My  guard hairs are stronger than most armor," he boasted, "and this form  gives me an extra thick layer of fat and muscle under my hide. I felt  your little attacks, but they're too gentle to do any real damage to me now."

He swung both of his chains horizontally, one high and one low. Neji was too close to dodge, so he extended his hands and spun.

"Eight  Trigrams Palms Heavenly Spin," he incanted, expelling chakra from his  open hands. The Hyuga technique first sent the chains flying, then  connected with Saburo's wrists, knocking them away too.

"That tingles," the ursine shinobi chuckled, as Neji darted back out of range.

"Now  what, boy?" he continued to mock, swinging the red-hot links lazily  before him, "Your special little Taijutsu doesn't do jack to me, nor do  your other techniques. While if I get one solid hit on you, this fight's  over. And close combat is your only real weapon."

Looking  desperate, the Leaf Jonin flung his left arm wide, releasing three  kunai. Saburo did not even try to block. The blades were stopped by his  fur, failing to draw even a drop of blood.

"That's just... sad?" the  Grass soldier trailed of in confusion when he heard a hissing sound. He  glanced down, and saw sparks spitting out of the loop on one of Neji's  knives. Before he could comprehend what was happening, the paper bombs,  built into each blade, exploded.

Naruto skidded to a halt as twin bursts of water and lightning  bounced Toki's men into the air. A number of soldiers were scattered  about the hall, unconscious but alive. The stone tiles rattled, and most  of the remaining soldiers capsized in the earth shaking jutsu. This  clearing allowed Naruto to see his opponent. The blond Chunin grinned in  dark joy when he realized the enemy ninja was the same one who had  impersonated him the previous day.

"You guys should back off," Uzumaki warned the regular army, "This is gonna get a little bit messy."

The soldier's pulled their disabled comrades back to a safe distance and set up a second line, just in case Naruto failed.

"Naruto  Uzumaki," the smaller ninja inclined his head politely, "We were not  properly introduced yesterday. I am Jinji of the Circuits, a Chunin of  the Village Hidden in the Grass."

"Of the Circuits?" Naruto looked confused, "What does that mean, you're a robot?"

"No," the bald shinobi said flatly, but then his expression perked up, "Let me give you a demonstration of my title."

He  raised his elongated arms, and the Leaf Ninja finally noticed his odd  bracers. They were made primarily of metal and plastic, and did not  appear to very useful for stopping attacks. Each of the forearm panels  had two rows of six raised plastic semi-circles.