"Gulp." Sakura swallowed hard, rubbing her eyes.
She could hardly believe the scene she had just witnessed.
"Tch, gotten stronger again, have you?" Sasuke, at the side, snorted coldly, his heart filled with even more despair at the gap between himself and Naruto.
Naruto satisfactorily retracted his hand.
He had grown stronger since his battle with Guy several years ago.
His current self, whether in Ninjutsu or Kido, was much stronger than before.
Moreover, the combination of Ninjutsu and Kido could amplify their power to a greater extent, achieving an effect much like a chain of ninjutsu.
He believed that even a Jonin couldn't afford to underestimate such an attack.
But Naruto knew that this kind of attack wouldn't be enough to stop Kakashi.
Sure enough, though the field was a mess, Kakashi's figure was nowhere to be seen.
Kakashi, having successfully dodged the attack, was inwardly astonished.
As expected of Naruto. In just a few short years, he's grown so much. Even without formal instruction, his strength has far surpassed last year's Genin.
But he should know, he's not facing an ordinary Jonin,
but Hatake Kakashi, seasoned in countless battles, known to his enemies as the Copy Ninja.
Hidden Jutsu: Headhunter Jutsu!
A pair of hands shot out from the earth beneath Naruto, grabbing his ankles.
A confident smile touched Kakashi's lips. He could already imagine the amusing sight of Naruto being dragged into the earth with only his head exposed.
At that moment, he certainly wouldn't be able to maintain his refined and gentle demeanor.
"Hado Number 57: Daichi Tenyo!"
As the words fell, the entire ground suddenly roiled. Shattered earth violently erupted from the stable ground, revealing Kakashi's shocked eyes below.
Taking advantage of Kakashi's momentary distraction, Naruto broke free from Kakashi's hold, his fingertips lightly tapping on the rubble as he quickly leaped into mid-air.
"Got you," Naruto chuckled, extending a finger.
"Hado Number 12: Fushibi!"
In an instant, his Reiatsu unfurled, forming a massive Kido net that completely ensnared Kakashi below.
But after the smoke cleared, the Kakashi in the Kido net had turned into a log of wood.
"Astonishing reaction and decision-making, Naruto." Kakashi appeared behind Naruto like a shadow. "But this is where it ends."
Before Sasuke and Sakura's shocked eyes, Kakashi's hands flew through a rapid series of hand seals.
"Oh no! Does Kakashi-sensei still intend to kill Naruto?" Sakura watched this scene with a heavy heart, feeling utterly helpless.
"Thousand Years of Death!"
Kakashi's hands instantly formed the Tiger Seal shape and thrust towards Naruto's rear.
"Wh-what kind of ninjutsu is this?!" Sasuke's eyes widened.
Sakura blushed and covered her eyes, daring not to look.
Naruto-kun, even if your... your that place gets... whatever-ed, I can still accept it! I'll apply medicine for you~
The young girl's heart was incredibly resolute.
"Kakashi-sensei, using such a crude method of attack really doesn't suit your status," Naruto suddenly chuckled lightly.
Kakashi saw Kyoka Suigetsu in Naruto's hand suddenly shatter, dissolving into beautiful, sparkling motes that merged with the air. The next moment, the world before his eyes rippled like the surface of a lake.
"Shhlick." The Thousand Years of Death successfully penetrated the vital spot, but the expected warm sensation didn't arrive. Instead, Kakashi only felt a sharp blade of wind cut through the air beside him, and alarm bells instantly rang in his head.
Information about Naruto's Kekkei Genkai instantly flashed through his mind.
A bizarre Kekkei Genkai that could manipulate vision, creating illusions through the refraction of water and light.
The only way to overcome it was to abandon one's sight.
Kakashi believed that if he used his Sharingan, this illusion-type Kekkei Genkai would surely be broken without a fight.
But if he had to use his Sharingan against a student, he would be too disgraced.
Substitution Jutsu!
He expertly performed the Substitution Jutsu. However, before he could fully land, Kakashi's vision blurred again, and the next moment he saw a second blade still thrusting towards him. "What's going on?" A trace of horror finally appeared in Kakashi's dead-fish eye. His hands unhesitatingly formed seals.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
A scorching, violent fireball erupted from his mouth, its power vastly different from what Sasuke used—at least five times stronger.
A small area in front of Kakashi was instantly engulfed in a sea of fire, the air distorting from the scorching heat.
"Shhlick." Amidst the blazing fire, a conspicuous white light suddenly shone.
Then, a straight, dazzling white line appeared right through the firelight. The seemingly fierce flames were actually split cleanly in two.
Naruto, dressed in white, walked through the flames, the Kyoka Suigetsu in his hand glinting with a dark green, cold light.
The parted flames continued to burn, yet they couldn't even scorch Naruto's clothes.
This bizarre scene made Kakashi's pupils shrink abruptly.
Even though he had made all sorts of mental preparations before the battle, only when the fight truly began did he realize he had still underestimated Naruto.
It should be said, as expected of his sensei's son; he truly possessed terrifying talent.
However.
He was the Copy Ninja Kakashi.
Besides his excellent ninjutsu, his Taijutsu was definitely not weak either.
Kakashi immediately charged Naruto, kunai in hand.
The air instantly filled with the dense sounds of kunai clashing against Kyoka Suigetsu.
Both Naruto and Kakashi engaged in a contest of super-high speed.
Sakura, at the side, was completely bewildered. Her vision could no longer track their movements. This made her admire Naruto while also feeling annoyed at her own weakness.
How can someone as weak as me stand by Naruto's side? How can I become a trusted partner?
Sasuke, beside her, had long since activated his Sharingan, but even so, his eyes could only barely follow their movements.
Initially, Naruto's storm-like attacks had Kakashi somewhat flustered in his response, but soon, Naruto was completely suppressed.
"This Kakashi's Taijutsu is actually this strong too?" Sasuke muttered in disbelief.
"Shhlick." Suddenly, a spurt of blood erupted from Kakashi. He retreated rapidly, looking at the wound on his chest in shock, his heart filled with disbelief.
How is that possible?
I clearly dodged that attack.
Could it be another illusion?
At this moment, Kakashi suddenly realized just how heavily he relied on his vision.
Naruto's talent had already surpassed his sensei's. He might become one of Konoha's top powerhouses.
Kakashi looked at Naruto gravely, his assessment of him rising once more.
What surprised Kakashi was this:
Naruto didn't press his advantage. Instead, he stood his ground, sword in hand, feeling the warm sunlight on his body, a look of enjoyment on his face as he said softly, "The sunlight just before noon truly is the most wonderful."
He was actually still savoring the sunlight? It was as if, to Naruto, he wasn't facing an unbeatable Jonin, but a... small fry.
"So pretentious." For some reason, this strange adjective popped into Kakashi's mind.
Sasuke, at the side, was breathing rapidly, his eyes shining with excited light.
That's it.
That's the kind of demeanor and expression.
It's simply...
Too cool.
I want to become that kind of man too.