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After a second of shock,
the One-Tail Jinchuriki violently swung his tail, sending Naruto flying dozens of meters away.
Naruto's kunai, with an explosive tag attached, remained in that indescribable position.
As Naruto flew backward, he calmly uttered a single word:
"Explode!"
Instantly,
Ichibi's tail emitted a massive, spherical red and yellow flame.
After the explosion, the stirred white dust even covered the entire screen.
The weakest spot, the most violent explosion.
The white dust slowly dispersed,
revealing the One-Tail Jinchuriki with half of his body blown away.
His entire face showed a ferocious expression, and his saw-like teeth were tightly clenched.
'He actually detonated it at the base of my tail, my weakest defensive point!'
'Although I wasn't injured,'
'I couldn't nullify the impact.'
'Did I underestimate him?'
Hearing Gaara's internal monologue, countless Chunin and Jonin across the Ninja World were astonished.
He wasn't injured!?
At that spot, releasing an explosive tag!
He merely couldn't nullify the impact!
The One-Tail Jinchuriki's defensive capabilities have reached such a level!
One must know that he is still nominally a Genin.
This is the Chunin Exams Arc!
Such defensive power, even an average Jonin probably couldn't break through!
He is only around twelve years old now, yet he possesses such strength.
When he reaches adulthood and fully masters Ichibi, it's truly unimaginable!
Naruto's enemy is like this; how can he defeat him?
On the other side,
Sasuke, having recovered some stamina, caught Naruto who had been sent flying.
Sasuke, his face covered in the black Cursed Mark of Heaven, stood up, supporting his injured body, and said,
"Hey, Naruto,"
His voice seemed weak, yet it was undeniably firm.
"Even if you have to overexert yourself, you must save Sakura."
"After you save her, quickly take her and escape."
"You can definitely do it."
"I can hold him off for a little while now."
"If I die here,"
"it just means I'm only this strong."
"I once lost everything."
"I don't want to see important comrades"
"die in front of me again."
Naruto stared blankly at Sasuke.
'Important comrades'
Sasuke actually has such resolve!
He would rather sacrifice himself than see his comrades die in front of him!
This kind of resolve reminded Naruto of many people.
Iruka-sensei of Konoha!
The huge fuma shuriken pierced his back.
Yet he looked at him so gently!
He thought of what Kakashi-sensei said in the Land of Waves.
'I will never let the enemy kill my comrades.'
He thought of Sasuke blocking in front of him, covered in steel needles!
He thought of just a short while ago.
Sakura standing in front of Sasuke, holding a kunai!
And Haku.
He was also willing to use his body to block Chidori!
These people are all willing to sacrifice for others!
Sasuke also has such resolve!
Then what about himself... Naruto stood up, slowly clenching his fists.
"Is that so, that's how it is."
He looked at the One-Tail Jinchuriki.
"Because he's very much like me."
"Because he lives a lonely and sad life."
"That guy has always been in solitude."
"Fighting only for himself."
"That's why I thought he was strong."
"But true strength shouldn't be like that."
"Fighting only for oneself"
"cannot make one truly strong."
As he said this,
Naruto remembered the handsome young man from the Land of Waves.
'Do you have important people?'
'Only when a person wants to protect something he loves can he truly become strong.'
At that time, Naruto couldn't quite understand this sentence.
With facts presented before him again and again,
Naruto's heart was impacted time and time again.
Now he saw Sasuke as a positive example.
And the One-Tail Jinchuriki across from him as a negative example.
He finally understood the true meaning of strength.
It's not about fighting alone.
But having a group of important comrades behind you!
Just as Haku predicted.
'You will become strong.'
Naruto also solidified his resolve at this moment.
With a "clap,"
his hands instantly clasped together.
Naruto utilized the massive Chakra within his body.
If one explosive tag couldn't cause damage!
Then he would use another, and countless more!
Sasuke, standing nearby, looked at Naruto with eyes full of surprise.
It was as if he saw a powerful energy rising from his body!
Not just Chakra!
But something else!
Fighting spirit!
"I definitely will!"
Naruto looked at the unconscious Sakura not far away.
He said firmly,
"Protect you all!!!"
"Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu!!!"
Countless Narutos appeared in the forest.
As if every tree was laden with fruits named 'Naruto'.
Not only were Temari, Sasuke, Gamakichi, and the Ninja dog Pakkun, who were all watching this duel on the screen, shocked.
Even outside the screen.
Countless Ninja across the Ninja World were shocked.
Basically, the entire screen was filled with "Naruto."
It was impossible for others not to see Naruto!
"Has the Seventh Hokage finally started fighting seriously!"
"The One-Tail Jinchuriki is going to panic; they said it was one-on-one, but it turned into ten thousand against one!"
"No wonder he can become Konoha's Seventh Hokage; with such growth speed and such a Ninja Way, he is indeed a born Fire of Konoha!"
"Although Naruto previously said he was the hero of the story, which sounded like a joke, now I'm gradually starting to believe it!"
"This is Konoha's Seventh Hokage-kun; it seems this battle is nearing its end!"
Konoha.
Ninja Academy.
At some point,
Kakashi had secretly snuck back.
However, at this moment, no one had time to bother with him.
They were all staring at Naruto on the screen, their eyes shining.
Naruto-kun, full of fighting spirit, is truly handsome!
Beat that monster opposite him down!
Victory ultimately belongs to Konoha!
And to Uzumaki Naruto!
Sasuke silently looked at his own small figure on the screen compared to Naruto.
He never imagined that he would actually do that for a comrade... He tried his best to recall his thoughts at that time.
Could it be that, as Naruto said,
to become strong, it's impossible to be alone!
Sakura looked at herself, bound to a tree Root and unconscious.
She felt a bit disheartened for a moment.
Her comrades were all getting stronger.
Only she seemed to have changed nothing.
Kakashi looked at the screen, and a sense of camaraderie for this team inexplicably arose in his heart.
It was as if even before Team Kakashi was formed, he already wanted to protect these three children.
He turned his head and saw Sakura looking dejected, so he reminded her.
"Sakura, everyone's talents are different. I believe you will definitely be able to fight alongside your comrades in the future!"
Sakura looked at Kakashi-sensei.
"Mm!"
She nodded.
She felt a little moved in her heart.
Hidden Sand Village.
Training ground.
Dust flew, and sand and stones scattered.
The wooden dummies used for kunai and fuma shuriken training were all shattered to pieces.
Gaara looked at the sight of the opponents helping each other on the screen.
His heart was filled with suppression.
His chest felt heavy.
His head started to ache again, as if being hammered.
To alleviate the pain, he could only destroy.
Continuously releasing sand from his gourd: sand bullets, sand shuriken, sand kunai.
Temari and Kankuro had long noticed that something was wrong and had already hidden far away.
They looked at the screen, then at Gaara.
For a moment, they didn't know what to say.
They were all Jinchuriki.
They all had similar childhoods of being ostracized, so why were things so different now...