The moment Naruto's chakra stabilized, a ripple of power spread across the training ground. Nature's energy merged seamlessly with his own, settling into him like a second heartbeat. The golden pigmentation around his eyes sharpened, the orange irises burning with focus.
Tsunade's brows rose in surprise. "Quick… very quick," she remarked, crossing her arms but unable to hide the impressed tilt of her lips. "Seven, maybe eight seconds, and he's already in Sage Mode."
Jiraiya's grin was wide and unabashed. "Told you, didn't I? That's perfect, Sage Mode."
"Ha!" The old Toad Sage chuckled under his breath. Even for him, admitting that his student had surpassed him in a specialized art wasn't easy. Still, there was pride there — and maybe a touch of envy.
Kakashi exhaled, his lone visible eye narrowing. "So it is Sage Mode…" His head felt heavier than before, not from fatigue, but from realization. He'd thought Naruto had been holding back something—perhaps a new jutsu, maybe just raw chakra reserves—but this was far beyond what he expected.
Sage Mode was rare. Elite. In Kakashi's experience, only a handful of shinobi in history could use it, and even fewer could master it perfectly. That was why, despite his competitive streak, he already knew what this meant for their so-called bell test. His chakra was almost depleted, and now he was standing in front of someone wielding nature energy on top of his monstrous reserves.
There was no point in dragging this out… or so he thought—until Naruto suddenly formed a cross-shaped seal.
Two shadow clones flickered into existence at his sides. Naruto's voice rang out, steady and confident:
"Wind Release: Rasenshuriken!"
But the sphere forming in his hand wasn't the standard technique. The clones poured chakra into it, the sound of the wind chakra screaming in the air like a thousand blades grinding against steel. The sphere grew, the edges sharpening into shuriken-like protrusions — and still it swelled larger, denser, brighter.
The sound alone made Sakura flinch, her hands reflexively covering her ears. Even Jiraiya's expression turned more serious, watching the attack spiral into something monstrous.
"Naruto—" Tsunade's tone was sharp, almost panicked. She could feel it — that condensed, destructive mass of chakra could tear apart even the most battle-hardened shinobi. One direct hit and even a Kage-level opponent might not walk away.
Kakashi didn't need to hear any more. "I give up!" he called out quickly, raising his hand. "I give up, Naruto. You can have the bells."
Naruto's smirk was small, but unmistakable. "Kakashi-sensei, wouldn't it have been easier to say that earlier? You made me get serious."
Kakashi could almost feel a vein twitch in his temple. If his body weren't so drained, he might have tried to smack some humility into the kid.
Of course, Naruto hadn't planned to launch the Rasenshuriken at him. The display was intimidation, pure and simple — a crushing wave of killing intent to make Kakashi fold without a fight. It was faster that way.
With a flick of his wrist, the massive sphere began to shrink. The high-pitched scream of wind chakra faded, and the clones dissolved into puffs of smoke. Sage Mode faded from Naruto's features, his golden eyes returning to their usual cerulean blue.
Kakashi released a slow breath of relief.
Tsunade and Jiraiya approached, the former glancing briefly at the scarring in the surrounding forest. Deep gouges marred tree trunks. Some trees were simply gone — sliced clean through by stray wind chakra from Naruto's earlier training.
"You should be careful with that technique," Tsunade said at last, her voice carrying both authority and concern. "It's incredible power, no doubt. But at close range, the chakra backlash will tear into your own body. If you overuse it, your hands may not be able to mold chakra at all. Even I might not be able to heal that kind of damage."
Naruto blinked, then nodded slightly, though he didn't seem worried.
Sakura's brows furrowed. "Naruto… is that true? That dangerous?"
Before Naruto could answer, Jiraiya chuckled, shaking his head. "Relax. He fixed that problem ages ago — right after creating the jutsu. The kid figured out how to throw it, so there's no self-damage."
Tsunade turned to him sharply. "Project it? You mean to tell me he can launch a technique like that?"
Naruto scratched the back of his head, smiling sheepishly. "Granny, the pervy sage isn't lying."
Tsunade stared at him for a moment, then sighed, rubbing her temple. "Unbelievable…"
Kakashi walked over, shoulders still heavy with fatigue, and laid a hand on Naruto's shoulder. His eye softened. "You've surpassed me, Naruto."
The words were simple, but they carried weight. Seeing Sage Mode combined with a perfected Rasenshuriken left little doubt that his student had moved into an entirely different league.
Sakura stepped forward, her curiosity quickly morphing into something more playful — and annoyed. She reached up and squeezed Naruto's cheeks between her hands.
"Is this you?" she demanded, leaning close. "I thought we were still somewhere around the same level! How did you pull so far ahead without me noticing?"
Naruto laughed awkwardly, prying her hands away. "Guess I've been training harder than you thought."
Sakura huffed, crossing her arms, but there was a spark in her eyes. "Fine. Then I'll just train harder. I'm not letting you leave me in the dust."
Naruto grinned. "I'll be waiting, Sakura."
The breeze carried the faint scent of shredded wood and churned earth, reminders of what had just taken place. The forest stood scarred, but the air between them was charged with something else entirely — the quiet acknowledgment that Naruto was no longer the boy they had known.
He was a force all his own now.
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