Naruto: I am Nara Shikamaru

"Ah, Sasuke!"

Sakura turned to see Sasuke already awake and cried out in surprise, but her expression quickly turned to fear as she noticed the eerie black chakra swirling around him.

"Sakura!"

Sasuke's cold voice cut through as he looked at the disheveled Sakura, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth. "Who did this to you?"

Then his glare shifted to Shikamaru and the others, full of murderous intent. "Was it you?"

Before Shikamaru could say anything, Sasuke instantly lunged at the nearest target, Choji!

Shikamaru snorted coldly and sprang to block him, grabbing Sasuke's hand just as it reached for Choji's throat. Feeling the corrosive black chakra leaking from Sasuke's cursed seal, Shikamaru quickly gathered his own shadows around his hand to block the attack.

"Hm?"

Sasuke was surprised to be stopped by Shikamaru. He hadn't expected his confident strike to be halted by the famously lazy classmate. Furious that the supposedly weak Shikamaru had stopped him, Sasuke's anger flared.

He tried to attack again, only to find himself immobilized, his shadow was connected to Shikamaru's!

"You…"

"Hmph! This is what you get for biting the hand that saved you. If I'd known, I wouldn't have helped you at all…"

Shikamaru muttered. He liked Sasuke's hunger for power but hated how that desire clouded his judgment.

"Sasuke, it was Shikamaru and the others who saved me." Sakura quickly explained, looking apologetic toward Shikamaru.

"Hmph! Next time, make sure you know the situation before acting…"

Shikamaru said coldly, then released the Shadow Imitation Technique.

"You…"

Sasuke's pride was deeply wounded. His anger erupted.

"Ah!"

The tadpole-shaped cursed seal rapidly spread across his body, eyes blazing with deadly intent. No matter that Shikamaru had saved him, all Sasuke wanted now was to kill him.

"Lion Combo!"

Bang bang bang bang!

Shikamaru was still retracting his shadow when Sasuke launched a sudden attack, kicking him high into the air. Sasuke followed with a backwards kick that slammed Shikamaru into the ground with a heavy thud, Shikamaru landed like a wooden stake.

"Damn!"

Shikamaru cursed silently, aching from the blows. He dropped from a tree, instantly gathering dark chakra in his hand.

"Shadow Ninja Art: Shadow Rasengan!"

"Fire Shield: Great Fireball Technique!"

Seeing the Shadow Rasengan forming in Shikamaru's hand, Sasuke countered with a blazing fireball from his mouth. But his expression froze in shock as the Shadow Rasengan effortlessly shattered his fireball. The dark swirling sphere grew larger and larger in Sasuke's eyes…

"No, don't…"

Sakura and Ino gasped in unison, unsure of the Rasengan's full power but alarmed by how easily it had destroyed Sasuke's Great Fireball. If Sasuke took that hit directly, he'd be dead or seriously wounded.

"Hmph!"

Hearing this, Shikamaru's Shadow Rasengan shifted course, then he kicked Sasuke hard, sending him flying. The Rasengan slammed into the ground with a deafening explosion.

Boom!

The earth shook violently under Shikamaru, a shockwave rolling outward. When the dust cleared, a massive crater nearly ten meters wide yawned before them. Everyone gasped, especially Sasuke, who had backed away in relief. If that attack had hit him, he didn't dare imagine the consequences.

"Choji! Ino! It's time to move…"

Shikamaru said coldly, then glanced toward a hidden spot.

"And you two over there, had enough watching?"

Whoosh whoosh!

Two figures suddenly darted out from the shadows, Neji and Tenten, Rock Lee's teammates!

"Hello! We're Lee's teammates, Neji Hyuga and Tenten!"

Neji spoke with respect in his voice as he looked at Shikamaru. From the intelligent strategy used against the Sound Village team to the strength shown against Sasuke, even proud Neji had to acknowledge Shikamaru's skill.

"Ah, Neji! Tenten! You're here!"

Lee greeted them happily.

"Nara Shikamaru!"

Shikamaru responded, then said, "Since you're not enemies, we'll be going."

He waved goodbye to Sakura, then vanished in a flash, leaving a somewhat embarrassed Sakura behind. Choji and Ino followed close behind.

"We'll leave too." Neji said, and with Tenten, they each helped Lee to his feet and turned to leave.

Behind them, a ninja wearing glasses pushed them up his nose and quietly slipped away unnoticed…

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