Naruto: Reborn as Neji Hyuga After Dying in One Piece-Chapter 95. Nothing

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As Temari's voice grew hoarse from yelling, a figure began to surface atop Shukaku's head faint but unmistakable.

Gamabunta's eyes narrowed.

"That him? That's the jinchūriki?"

Naruto clung to the toad's back, still pale from the earlier whiplash.

"Huh? What'd you say, Chief Toad?"

"Look up, kid!"

Naruto followed Gamabunta's gaze and spotted him.

"Gaara!"

A thin, shadowed figure was emerging from the monster's head. His sunken eyes were framed by the unmistakable dark rings of insomnia.

"That's him," Gamabunta said solemnly. "Poor bastard's been possessed by Shukaku so long he hasn't slept in years. That's what those dark circles mean not eyeliner, kid."

Naruto's face paled.

No sleep... ever?

As someone who loved lazing around in bed, the thought horrified him.

"It's the girl," Gamabunta continued. "Her voice is starting to wake him up. You want to end this fight? Wake Gaara up Shukaku's power fades if he loses control."

Naruto clenched his fists. "I got it, Chief!"

---

Meanwhile, Shukaku wasn't just angry he was livid.

"Damn brat! She's messing with my nap!"

The beast's eyes darted toward the direction of the shouting. With a furious swipe to his gut—

"Wind Release: Drilling Air Bullet!"

A massive vortex of compressed air roared through the forest.

Neji's danger sense went haywire.

"Damn mangy raccoon!"

His Byakugan glinted as he scooped Sasuko and Sakura back over his shoulders.

A sharp thwack! He punted Temari with his foot to knock her airborne just before the projectile hit.

Temari let out a yelp.

"My butt, you bastard—!"

But the moment she saw the entire tree below reduced to mulch by the air bullet, her complaint died in her throat.

Shukaku spotted them.

"There you are, brat! DIE!!"

He unleashed a barrage of air bullets.

Naruto's panic hit instantly.

"Sasuko and Sakura are still over there!"

"Gamabunta, DO SOMETHING!"

"Hold tight!"

Gamabunta roared into action.

"Water Release: Liquid Bullet!"

His jutsu collided with Shukaku's attack, exploding into vapor and halting the assault. Shukaku shrieked in outrage.

"STUPID TOAD! YOU RUIN EVERYTHING!"

Gamabunta ignored him.

"Listen, kid. I'll buy you time. I'll lock that idiot down, but I can't hold him forever. You'll need to wake Gaara."

"But how do I—"

"We'll use a cooperative Transformation Jutsu. I can't transform worth crap, but I'll lend you my chakra to do it. You just need to form the hand signs."

Before Naruto could answer, power surged through his feet from the toad beneath him.

"Let's go!"

Naruto's eyes darted.

Claws and fangs... something with claws and fangs...

Wait...

His mind flashed to the cranky, rent-dodging fox sealed inside him.

He smirked.

"Got it!"

---

"Transformation Jutsu!"

BOOM!

Gamabunta transformed mid-leap into a towering Nine-Tailed Fox, complete with snarling fangs and slashing claws.

Shukaku froze.

"What the—?!"

It was all the opening they needed.

Gamabunta tackled Shukaku straight into the ground.

---

Neji touched down safely, setting Sakura and Sasuko down as Temari fell from the sky.

Without hesitation, he caught her in a bridal carry.

"Tch. Lucky you. No one's ever gotten this treatment before."

Temari blinked. Wide-eyed. Flushed.

No one? Like... I'm the first?

Her cheeks burned. Then she remembered this was the same guy who kicked her in the butt.

Get a grip, Temari!

Neji gently set her down, refocusing on Sasuko and pressing more chakra into her cursed seal.

Sasuko, dazed, blinked up toward the sky.

"...Was that... a fox?"

---

Back in the battle, Shukaku had shaken off the shock.

"That wasn't Nine-Tails' chakra! You tricked me?!"

His rage skyrocketed.

"HOW DARE YOU USE THAT FOX TO FOOL ME!"

"NOW, NARUTO!"

"I'm on it!"

Naruto sprinted up Shukaku's arm like a streak of light.

"GAARA! WAKE UP!"

And then—he headbutted him.

A pulse of crimson chakra rippled from Naruto's body.

Inside Shukaku, Gaara stirred—and the beast let out a final roar.

"I let my guard down..."

"Damn brat!"

"I'll remember this, Neji, YOU HEAR ME!?"

BOOM.

Shukaku dissolved into the sand, collapsing like a crumbling dune.

---

Neji clicked his tongue.

"Great. I'm on a tailed beast's hit list now. Thanks a lot, old man Sage. You said we were family guess I'm the adopted one."

He exhaled.

The battle was over.

But what came next... was far from over.

A flicker in his HUD caught his eye his system updated.

A new submenu fragment... tailed beast compatibility?

So I have to... interact with all of them to unlock it? Are you kidding me?

And what about unlocking the lion's head? Time-space powers? Dragon Vein? Kamui? Rinnegan hacks?

He sighed.

Too many plot threads...

---

Then, Temari stepped forward.

"...Hey. Neji Hyuga, right?"

"...Yeah?"

She hesitated, then cleared her throat.

"...Can you... maybe heal me a little?"

"...Hah?"

Temari flushed.

"Forget it!"

She spun away, embarrassed, but Neji got it. She was just worried about Gaara.

"He's fine," he said flatly. "That redhead's not going anywhere."

Temari froze.

A deep, quiet warmth spread through her chest.

He really did wake up...

I didn't make a mistake.

My little brother can still be saved.

Neji shook his head.

"Women. Always trouble."

He looked at her again. Despite everything, she just risked herself for Gaara.

"...But I guess I'm stuck with you."

Temari blinked.

"...What?"

"Nothing."

He turned away.

In his head, though—

I'm pathetic.

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