I founded the "Bragging Cult" in Naruto.

Chapter 237 When someone helps wash the dishes, you'll unconsciously use more tableware.

"Boom boom boom~"

Amidst the continuous explosions, Takezuki, enraged, charged at Minato once more. In fact, Takezuki had already chosen to flee when Minato first managed to escape.

Although there was a Konoha ANBU member watching from a distance, even if Takezuki was stupid, he wouldn't keep staring at Minato. But for some reason, Takezuki felt that he was faster than Minato, but no matter which direction he fled, he would be blocked by Minato's explosive tag tactics.

It's unclear whether the Konoha Anbu had prepared many clones beforehand, or whether the earlier disarray in speed was merely a deception; in any case, Takezuki seemed to be trapped in a cage.

The explosion of the detonator could not damage his exoskeleton, but the shockwave from the explosion would be amplified and transmitted into his body through the slight sway of the exoskeleton's end.

After six or seven waves of explosions, Zhu Yue felt that his exoskeleton was no longer as responsive as his own, as if there was some problem with the connection to his joints. But he didn't have time to think about it and changed direction to continue his sprint.

Tatsuma, who was watching from the sidelines, had guessed Minato's tactic: toying with the porcupine.

Zhu Yue, whose entire body is covered in bone spurs, is actually a humanoid porcupine. The loss of each bone spur has a significant impact on him.

Although his bone spurs can regrow using chakra and the bloodline limit of his bloodline, Zhu Yue's chakra is limited, and his body's tolerance is also limited.

As long as Zhu Yue's bone spurs are pulled out one after another, even if Zhu Yue's chakra can support him to continue growing, the pain brought by each growth and the blood brought out by the removal of bone spurs will make his body weaken rapidly.

However, these bone spurs are not so easy to remove, and Minato's method was very clever. Just like plucking feathers from birds, it is very difficult to pluck them dry, but if you scald them with boiling water, they will be much easier to remove.

These waves of detonating tags are... boiling water.

"Another explosive tag?!"

Looking at the activated sheets of paper at her feet, Zhu Yue gritted her teeth. Just as she was about to leave by the firelight amidst the explosion, she suddenly stopped in her tracks.

"Lightning Release! Earth Movement!"

The lightning snakes darting across the ground made Zhu Yue freeze, and just then, countless golden hairs, like a torrent of water, rushed towards him.

"Ninja Art! Lion's Mane Technique!"

The hair wrapped around each of Zhu Yue's exoskeletons, while simultaneously bending them toward the opposite joint direction.

"ah!!!"

The intense pain caused Zhu Yue to struggle, but the hair was tightly bound, and the more he struggled, the more his exoskeleton was bent.

"Ta-da~"

One by one, the bone spurs were broken off, and the exoskeleton, constantly shaken by the burst of air, became very unstable. In just a short while, half of the bone spurs fell off, and Zhu Yue's face was so grotesque that it was difficult to recognize her original appearance.

Without blades, the bone spikes were completely ineffective against these hairs, but Takezuki was also a Jonin with extensive combat experience.

After quickly regaining his senses, he decisively swung his right arm, and the bone spur on his right arm fell off in an instant, but in return, he gained freedom of movement in his right hand.

He concentrated his chakra in his palm, and his palm blade, like a tangible weapon, quickly cut through the hair that was wrapped around his head. However, the hair wrapped around the bone spurs on his back could not be cut off, so he simply stomped the ground with great force.

With a lunge forward, he forcefully pulled the bone spurs from his back with his hair.

"Gotcha!"

The expression beneath the mask in the forest also became calm. With a wave of his kunai, he cut off all his hair and disappeared from the spot.

Minato's figure reappeared beside Takezuki. Faced with Minato's unpredictable approach, Takezuki became extremely irritated, turned around and swung her hand, slashing at Minato with her palm blade.

"Bang!"

Another cloud of smoke erupted, and the one struck by Takezuki's hand chop was only a clone of Minato. At almost the same time, Minato's real body appeared beside Takezuki.

With his left hand holding up the Rasengan, he gently placed his right hand on an inconspicuous mark beside Takezuki.

"Bang!"

Using the Flying Thunder God Technique, the main body is faster and more agile. Facing Minato's clones using the Flying Thunder God Technique twice, Takezuki subconsciously misjudged the speed of Minato's Flying Thunder God Technique when it got close.

Minato's Rasengan seized the opportunity and blasted into Takezuki's back, which was covered with round, hole-like wounds.

His already bloody back became even more mangled after being touched by the Rasengan. In pain, Takezuki's chakra erupted once more, and the power within his bloodline was reactivated.

One bone spur after another emerged from the existing wound on his back.

Like a humanoid spiny dragon, if Minato insists on attacking, these protruding bone spikes will pierce through Minato's body without hesitation.

Moreover, in such a short time and distance, almost no ninja could react in time, and even if they could, what means would they have to escape?

Of course, this applies to the vast majority of ninjas.

The moment Minato saw bone spurs emerging from the wound on Takezuki's back, he stopped controlling the Rasengan. Without guidance, the chakra flow within the Rasengan became completely chaotic.

"Boom!"

The explosion of the Rasengan was almost simultaneous with the bone spurs emerging from Takezuki's back, and the burst of chakra and the piercing bone spurs pierced through Minato's afterimage.

Back under a large tree, Minato couldn't help but take two deep breaths. This battle had been a bit reckless; the choice of attack wasn't very good, and Takezuki still had a lot of stamina and chakra left.

He should have been more patient and waited until he had exhausted the exoskeleton before attacking Zhu Yue; that would have been a more sensible choice.

But when he saw Zhu Yue's back completely exposed, he couldn't help but make a move. After all, that opening was just too perfect, and if he did it again, Zhu Yue might not be so cooperative.

Taking a deep breath to calm his turbulent emotions, Minato also used the cover to check on Takezuki's condition.

Although many bone spurs grew on Takezuki's back at the last moment to defend against the Rasengan's damage, Takezuki's injuries were still quite serious.

The exoskeleton, which the explosive tags could not damage, broke several of its tendrils during the uncontrolled chakra burst of the Rasengan, with two even breaking under the skin.

Given Zhu Yue's unique bone veins, which prevent her from dispersing bone spurs on her own, the broken section is likely to become a high-risk area for infection. If it is not properly treated in a short time, it will endanger Zhu Yue's life.

At the same time, the part that initially came into contact with the Rasengan, which became a bloody mess, could no longer stop bleeding, and even severely affected Takezuki's shoulders and arms.

The intense pain and significant blood loss weakened Zhu Yue. He gasped for breath, gritting his teeth to suppress any cries of pain, but his forehead was already covered in cold sweat.

He tried his best to maintain the appearance that he was in good condition, but his body's instinctive reactions could not be lied to.

After observing the situation, Minato breathed a slight sigh of relief. His attack choice was very risky, almost causing him to be seriously injured or even killed, but the effect was still quite good.

If Zhu Yue doesn't receive timely treatment in this condition, time will eventually take its toll on his life.

However, the battle here has been going on for quite some time, and the continuous bombardment with explosive tags might attract the attention of some people, given the scale of the destruction.

Although he couldn't see it, Minato could vaguely sense that Aragyu was staring at him with resentful eyes.

Now, it's time to seek an opportunity for a decisive blow.

However, seeing that Takezuki had already begun to guard against the direction to his right, Minato frowned. Sure enough, the Flying Thunder God Technique was a mysterious technique, and he shouldn't have used it so many times recklessly.

Zhu Yue may not yet know that this is the Flying Thunder God Technique, or the meaning of a space-time type of body-flickering technique, but his actual experience has already taught this seasoned Jonin how to guard against Minato's attacks.

Tatsuma was also observing Takezuki's condition. He knew that Takezuki only had the strength and willpower left for one last counterattack. If he could succeed in his counterattack, he might still have the motivation to persevere.

However, if Zhu Yue suffers further trauma, there is no doubt that both her physical and mental health will be unable to withstand it. And facing this situation...

Tatsuma suddenly appeared beside Minato and whispered, "Do you need any help?"

Tatsuma's sudden appearance startled Minato, who was deep in thought. Looking at Takezuki, he felt somewhat unwilling, unwilling that he hadn't been able to finish the mission beautifully and powerfully. However, after thinking about the mission, he nodded in agreement.

If the goal is simply to kill Takezuki, Minato could win by dragging things out. However, it is indeed very difficult to quickly defeat Takezuki when she is on high alert.

He had actually achieved his goal of honing his skills, even better than he had expected, because Takezuki was stronger than anticipated, and Minato himself chose a riskier attack option. These unexpected events allowed Minato to reflect and learn a lot from them.

Given his current state, it would be difficult for him to have any means to defeat his enemy in one blow. Although he is no longer in a state where his chakra is always in short supply as he was when he was a child, Minato still expended a lot of his chakra just now.

The continuous Flying Thunder God Technique, two Shadow Clone Techniques, three ninjutsu, and the constant Body Flicker Technique and chakra-stimulated cell activation had nearly depleted his chakra.

Unless he takes a soldier's ration pill and refines it again, the remaining chakra is enough to use a technique that can harm Takezuki.

Seeing that Minato agreed, Tatsuma did not delay. He stepped out of the cover and, facing Takezuki's wary gaze, said, "As expected of a bloodline limit ninja, you can still survive under continuous attacks. However, your life ends here."

Tatsuma could swear that he wasn't after the kill, but he couldn't help but start stealing Minato's spoils of victory.

Minato is his good brother, he certainly won't hold it against him, right?

(End of this chapter)