“Neji”, Shikamaru talked into his walkie-talkie, “Do you see anything?”

Neji, who was with Choji, replied back, “Not yet.”

The Sakura Rescue Team was heading towards the Village Hidden-in-sound where Sasuke’s lair should be hidden. As a five-man cell, the team was divided into two units; the tracking units and the reserve units. Kiba and Akamaru, who were in the tracking units with Naruto and Shikamaru, were taking the scent of both Sakura and Sasuke while Neji, who was with Choji, was the look-out. Team have been going for half an hour, non-stop.

“Hey Shikamaru”, said Naruto, “What the plan when we meet up an enemy?”

“Thrash him I hope.” Kiba added.

“Well”, Shikamaru said thoughtfully, “If we’re facing a group of them, one of us will act as a decoy while Choji get rid of them in a single strike.”

“You can count on me, Shikamaru!” said Choji through Neji’s walkie-talkie.

“However”, continued Shikamaru, “If there is only one of them, then we surround him or her and interrogate him or her.”

   “Sound like a good plan!” grinned Naruto.

“But it not so likely that there will be only one of them.” Neji pointed out.

“Well…” But before Shikamaru could say anything, three giant tree trunks flew at them.

“What the…?” cried Kiba.

“WATCH OUT!” shouted Naruto.
Two tree trunks missed them as they evade the wooden missiles; the third one was heading towards Shikamaru.

“Shikamaru!” yelled Naruto, “LOOK OUT!”

“YIKES!” said Shikamaru.

Before the coming trunk could knock him off senseless, it suddenly smashed into pieces.

Shikamaru grinned. “Thanks, Choji!”

“Anytime Shikamaru!” replied Choji.

The five of them landed in the open clearing.

“I thought you said that there was nothing!” Kiba snapped at Neji.

“There weren’t”, Neji retorted back, “I have checked to 50 metres from us!”

“Quiet everyone!” said Shikamaru, “Something is coming!”

“Get ready!” cried Naruto.

A giant ball……. Thingy was launching towards the group, something like an arm was straightened and it was aiming a punch at Naruto. Before Naruto could dodge, Choji deflected the punch, hold the attacker’s hand and swung him away with all his might. The attacker managed to land safely. He gave them a grin mixed with impression and anger.

“Impressive”, he sneered, “I wasn’t expecting a bunch of punks to parry that!” He straightens up and continued with a grim grin, “Allow me to introduce myself! I’m Jugo of the Scale at your service!”

The team arranged themselves is battle position. “How do you know we were coming?” asked Neji.

“My friends warned me of your arrival!” Jugo laughed. Just then, a crow landed on his shoulders. “I have the ability to understand my feathered friends.” He said proudly stroking the bird fondly.

“Damn!” muttered Kiba, “I should have sworn there suspicious activities among the birds!”

Naruto nodded then said, “What do you want? We have no business with you!”

Jugo let the crow fly off before replying, “My master, Lord Sasuke, ordered me to welcome the would-be hero. But,” he grinned, “It looks likes there more than one!”

“You….” Naruto heatedly started.

“Calm down, Naruto!” said Shikamaru, “We don’t if there is only one of them!”

Jugo just smiled. “Don’t worry, I’m the only one. But that doesn’t mean five against one will stop me!” As he said that, his body started to transform. His skin turned dark purple and horns appeared from his head and his hair grew whiter and longer.

“Uh-oh!” gulped Choji.

“Not again!” moaned Kiba.

In front of them was a huge demon with sharp horns on his head and sharp teeth. When he talked, it sounded like a corpse talking, “It was a good thing that I still have the late Lord Orochimaru’s curse mark!” he remarked. Then he turned to the team. “Now, I think I will tear you four beanpoles and that fat-ass over there!”

“I’m gonna blow you away!” declared Naruto.

“You regret when you mess with me and Akamaru!” roared Kiba.

“ARF!” barked Akamaru.

But before they could do anything, they heard a sound of a faint thunder, “What did he say?”

Shikamaru turned around, uncomfortable. He got a good reason. Choji looked as if he wants to kill someone.

  Jugo, not understanding the situation, continued his taunt, “I could just drive you four into the ground and let you watch me treating that fatso like a punching bag!”

“I’M NOT FAT!” roared Choji and he slammed his fist on the ground, causing a tremor that nearly buried his comrades and the foe in front of them.  

“Watch out!” shouted Shikamaru as he ducked flying rocks missiles.

“IT JUST BIG BONES!” bellowed Choji as he pulled an enormous ball of hardened soil and tossed it at Jugo. Jugo just punched the flying ball and it turned into soft soil again. Seizing the opportunity, Naruto, Shikamaru, Kiba and Neji stood besides Choji.

“Choji”, Shikamaru started, “We need to think of…”

Choji didn’t give him the chance to finish. “Sorry Shikamaru, this is my fight! You and the others should continue!”

“But...” Naruto said with some concern in his voice.

Choji suddenly faced him. “Do you want your wife dead because you stayed with someone who can fight for himself?”

Naruto was about to say yes but he just shook his head.

“Then just go without me!” Choji insisted hotly, “I join you guys later!”

Shikamaru was about to protest but just said, “Take care of your self, Choji.”

Choji grinned. “I will!”

With that, the four left the battle scene and continued on. Choji then turned to the demon Jugo. “All right!” he said, cracking his fingers, “You’re gonna get the worst beating you have ever get!”

Jugo began talking to himself, “Shall I take him to Lord Sasuke or tear him limb from limb? Maybe I kill him.” Then he faced Choji, “Bring it on, fatty!”

“Art of the Super-Expansion!” shouted Choji and suddenly, his body became a balloon. “Art of the human-juggernaut!” and his head, hands and feet disappeared in his body and it was rolling towards Jugo.

“What the?” said Jugo but he was suddenly flattened by the force of the rotating ball. Jugo felt like a pancake. Choji was charging towards him again. With a snort, Jugo grabbed a tree trunk, and using it as a club, he whacked Choji causing him to hit numbers of tree trunks. Choji gave groan but quickly hold his ground when Jugo charged at him. Both of them wrestled with each other until Jugo managed to throw Choji on the ground. Choji lay there, gasping for air. Before he could stand up again, Jugo was resting his foot on Choji’s stomach, now in his normal form.

“How should I kill him?” Jugo asked himself, “Should I tear all his limbs off or should I ground him into powder? Maybe I tear him limbs from limbs!” He turned to Choji and jeered, “Too bad fatso! I will finish you off right here right now!”

“WAIT!” Choji said hoarsely, “Before I die, can I please it something that my wife made for me?”

Jugo was suspicious. “If you’re talking about military pellets, then sorry, I’m not that stupid to…”

“No! No!” said Choji, then he pulled out a yellow ball from his rucksack, the Karegan Curry Pellet of the Akimichi clan. “I want to chew this home-made chewing-gum that my wife always makes for me! Since you gonna kill me, let me remember her in memory!”

Jugo thought for a while, and then said, “Fine! But hurry up!”

Choji quickly ate the pellet. No sooner had he finish, an aura of chakra formed around him.

“What the..?” began Jugo when he was violently thrown off and landed on the ground painfully. Before he could get up, roar was sounded, “ART OF THE SUPER-EXPANSION!”

Choji was suddenly enlarged as huge as a rolled carpet and slammed onto Jugo. An explosion was heard far and wide. After a few minutes, Choji felt no more signs of struggling. Jugo was crushed to death. Choji went back to his normal size and bellowed, “NO ONE SURVIVE WHEN THEY CALLED ME FAT!”

No sooner had he said that, he felt backwards and gave a groan, rubbing his stomach. Then he felt in a faint.