Naruto: I am Nara Shikamaru

Holding the meteorite that emitted an eerie purple aura, Shikamaru couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement. He had come to the Hidden Star Village for the "Star", he never expected it would fall into his hands so easily. The thought that this "Star" could accelerate chakra refinement made Shikamaru, who had long struggled to increase his chakra reserves, burn with fervor.

"Shikamaru…"

Natsuhi hesitated, words on the tip of her tongue as she looked at him.

"What is it, Natsuhi?" Shikamaru immediately asked, noticing her expression.

"I'll go with you... but could you not use the Star for training?" she asked, cheeks flushed, her eyes full of hopeful pleading. She had already told Shikamaru about the Star's dangerous radiation.

"Heh… Natsuhi, are you worried about me?" Shikamaru chuckled.

"I…" Natsuhi faltered. Hearing his teasing tone stirred an inexplicable emotion inside her. Ever since she had accepted Shikamaru, her feelings had subtly shifted, her affection growing maternal in nature. Just thinking about their relationship gave her a strange thrill.

"Don't worry." Shikamaru said with a faint smile. "I have my own way of dealing with it."

He then asked Natsuhi to stand guard outside while he placed the Star on the altar. With no fear of betrayal, he intended to harness the Star's power to cultivate. From her eyes, he could see she no longer held any hostility, only obedience. Shikamaru hadn't expected forceful methods to be so effective. First Haku, now Natsuhi, were all the women in the Naruto world like this?

"Shadow Ninjutsu: Shadow Armor!"

Poof!

A dark, shadowy chakra surged from Shikamaru's body, wrapping around him like a protective shell, shielding him from the Star's radiation. This technique was one he had specifically developed during his journey to claim the Star, capable of blocking all forms of radiation.

Slowly, he extended both hands toward the glowing, purple meteorite. The moment his chakra circulated, a faint humming sound echoed.

Hummm, 

As Shikamaru's chakra began to flow, the Star's surface glimmered with streaks of violet light and trembled slightly. Assuming this was normal, Shikamaru paid it no mind and moved his hands even closer.

"Ah!"

The instant his hands neared the Star, Shikamaru cried out. The Star suddenly flared with a violent burst of purple light, as if magnetized to his hands. Energy surged from the Star into his body in a torrential flow, bypassing the protective chakra armor like it wasn't even there.

"Shikamaru!" Hearing his scream, Natsuhi rushed in and gasped at what she saw, Shikamaru's body was entirely engulfed in the Star's purple glow, the surrounding energy violently churning.

Boom!

As she tried to approach, the swirling energy repelled her backward. Her expression turned grave.

"Secret Art: Peacock's Grace!"

Poof!

A powerful wave of purple chakra burst from Natsuhi, forming a fierce chakra beast. Determined to save Shikamaru, she aimed to knock the Star from his hands.

Whoosh!

The beast transformed into a violet streak of light, shooting toward Shikamaru.

At that moment, it was as if the Star sensed her power. The energy surrounding Shikamaru surged and began to spiral violently, forming a spinning vortex of purple light. Before her attack could land, it was dragged in and absorbed. At the center of that vortex was Shikamaru.

"Ah!" Shikamaru screamed again, overwhelmed as the flood of energy poured into him. His body felt like it was about to explode from the pressure, his cries echoing through the cave.

But he wasn't the only one screaming.

"Ah!" Natsuhi's cry joined his, her face filled with horror. She realized her chakra was being forcibly siphoned by the vortex, draining rapidly without her control.

"Shikamaru…" She managed to call out one last time before collapsing to the ground with a dull thud, unconscious from chakra exhaustion.

"Ah!"

Shikamaru let out one final anguished cry before blacking out from the unbearable, searing pain.

With both of them unconscious, only the swirling violet energy remained in the cave. Shikamaru's body, now suspended midair at the vortex's core, floated eerily in the unnatural light...

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A/N: If you're enjoying the story, you can read up to Chapter 54 (28+ chapters ahead of the current one) on my Patreon: patreon.com/vynthor