The Power of Faith…!!

Having taken the first of the Three Coloured Pills, Chōji rises to Jirōbō's level in raw power, trading heavy blows even as the pill's toll begins to wear on him. The retreating recovery team questions whether Chōji can win, but Shikamaru explains that securing individual duels is the best outcome they can expect, and that Chōji, who brands himself the team's weakest, is holding up his end. Shikamaru insists that self-assessment is mistaken, because Chōji is in truth the strongest of them. Jirōbō triggers the first stage of his cursed seal to gain the upper hand and taunts Chōji about being left behind by his allies. Refusing to prove Jirōbō right or to let Shikamaru down, Chōji downs the second pill, the yellow Curry Pill, swelling to enormous proportions.

Chōji uses the first soldier pill to match Jirōbō's strength but starts to suffer its strain. Shikamaru voices his conviction that Chōji is actually the strongest member of the group. Jirōbō activates his cursed seal's first stage. Determined to honor Shikamaru's faith, Chōji takes the second Curry Pill and grows to gigantic size.

A Sasuke Recovery Mission arc chapter collected in Volume 21. The installment centers on Chōji's self-doubt and Shikamaru's trust in him, setting up the escalating power of the Akimichi pills in the duel with Jirōbō.