able to enlarge various parts of his body without much concentration. His reaction time had also increased, being able to immediately prevent an attack by Sai from harming Shikamaru or Naruto.

Chōji was then seen in a restaurant together with Team Asuma and Team Kakashi, now including Sai. Sai was surprised to see them after his encounter with them. Sai then started giving nicknames to everyone, in the hope of getting along better with them. He almost called Chōji fat, but Naruto covered his mouth to prevent him doing so.

In the anime, when Sora explores Konoha, he gets into a conflict with Kiba and Akamaru. Chōji then appears with Shikamaru while Sora and Kiba were arguing, telling them not to fight. Sora then insults Chōji calling him fatty whichenraged him. After Lee and Naruto join the "fray" it is ended before it gets serious by Shikamaru and Asuma. Asuma then treated the Konoha 11 boys to lunch accompanied by Sora.

Later, Chōji arrived with Raidō Namiashi, Aoba Yamashiro and Ino as back-up for Asuma's Nijū Shōtai team in their fight with Akatsuki members Hidan and Kakuzu. As the Akatsuki pair fled due to their arrival, Chōji prepared to take the fatally injured Asuma back to Konoha for treatment. Asuma, however, knew that he wouldn't make it back to Konoha, and gave some parting words to his team. He told Chōji that he was a kind-hearted boy, who thinks about his friends, and, therefore, may be a stronger ninja than anyone else, and to simply believe in himself.