Swish! Swish! Swish!
The young Kumo Shinobi slashed with his short sword and instantly split into three, surrounding Naruto from the front, back, and left!
His move, Cloud Flow: Three-Day Moon Slash, was similar to Konoha's Leaf-Style: Three-Moon Dance, both used clones to launch a coordinated strike.
The key difference?
Konoha's technique used real, physical clones.
Kumo's version used illusions, making it hard to tell which one was real.
But to Naruto, none of that mattered now.
—Shinra Tensei!
He used the most direct counter.
Boom!
Two illusions passed harmlessly by, while the real one was slammed by an invisible force.
The boy was blasted off the bomb bird, and his short sword flew from his hand.
"Ahh!!"
Luckily, the Summoning bird that brought him circled back and caught him mid-air.
Grimacing from the pain, the boy muttered,
"What… what was that just now?"
Naruto turned slowly and said in a calm voice,
"Coming back for more?"
"Don't underestimate me!"
The boy shouted, full of spirit, and quickly formed a hand sign.
But Naruto was faster, he reached out with one hand.
—Bansho Tein!
Whoosh!
The boy was yanked forward by an invisible force, pulled right off the Summoning bird.
"W-What is this?!"
Even while shocked, he finished his hand seals.
Crack!
Lightning surged into his palm, forming a dense sphere.
Taking advantage of the pull, he hurled it straight at Naruto!
—Lightning Style: Thunder Ball!
"Oh? A lightning ball condensed with Lightning Style and thrown as an attack…"
Naruto held Universal Pull with his left hand while raising his right.
—Hungry Kidō!
Konan, who had been scattered by the Shinra Tensei, slowly reformed half his body and watched Naruto closely.
Using the power of the Heavenly Path and Hungry Kidō at the same time showed Naruto's skill with his left eye had reached a new level.
Whoosh!
Naruto's right hand absorbed the lightning ball, while his left hand grabbed the boy's throat tightly.
The young shinobi struggled but didn't give up. He quietly formed a hand seal with two fingers.
"Oh!"
The Summoning bird screamed and swooped down toward Naruto.
Naruto stayed calm.
—Hungry Kidō!
Gurgle!
The boy's chakra flowed into Naruto's left hand and was instantly absorbed.
Boom!
Without chakra to maintain it, the Summoning Technique vanished in a puff of white smoke.
Naruto said,
"You're quick, adaptable, and young. You're already at the Jōnin level. What's your name?"
The boy gasped,
"Kumo Shinobi, Broyi!"
Naruto thought, If Broyi keeps growing, he might become the next Hatake Kakashi in the ninja world…
Broyi lowered his arms with a grim look.
"This smell…" Naruto sniffed, his eyes narrowing.
Swish!
With his right hand, Naruto tore off Broyi's ninja jacket, revealing hundreds of detonating tags hidden underneath, and threw them away!
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Explosions lit up the night sky. Broyi's face went pale, his desperate plan to die together with his comrades was clearly seen through.
Naruto stared at him and said, "Do you want to die?"
Broyi closed his eyes and whispered, "Kill me."
"Alright, I'll give you a ride..."
Naruto glanced down and forcefully threw Broyi away.
"Teacher Dodai, I acted on my own again. I'm useless… Oh, and I still haven't told Samui how I feel. But maybe it's better this way. Liking someone fifteen years older than you? That's just weird. If she rejects me, I'll just be a joke..."
As he fell, Broyi waved goodbye to the world.
BANG!
He hit the ground so hard it sank, but he didn't die!
"Ugh… it hurts, but why am I still alive?"
Only then did he realize the ground he landed on was soft, newly restored mud.
"Could it be...!?"
His eyes widened in shock as a huge shadow passed overhead.
Naruto's Rinnegan, hidden beneath his mask, stared down at him and murmured,
"Don't rush to die, promising young man. Your time to shine hasn't come yet..."
...
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
The battle between the Kumo Shinobi and their enemies had been raging for an hour!
Raikage was still fighting the hellhounds, but he had learned his lesson—using cutting attacks only made more hellhounds appear!
"Ligher Bomb!"
Boom!
He slammed his elbow into a hellhound, sending it flying!
The Earth Style experts among the Kumo Shinobi quickly surrounded the hellhound and cast a joint spell.
"Earth Style: Earth Wall!"
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
A thick wall of earth rose up, trapping the hellhound and stopping it for the moment.
"Ah!"
But thirty-six more hellhounds were closing in around Raikage!
"Ugh, damn it…" Raikage growled, his chakra beginning to strain under the pressure.
"Master Raikage, hold on a little longer! The Sealing Squad is on the way!"
Raikage shouted, "Where is Dodai? Where is Dodai? If we had his jutsu now, this would be much easier!"
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Elsewhere, rhinos charged forward, smashing buildings like they were made of tofu.
Dozens of Kumo Shinobi quickly wrapped thick chains around the rhinos' legs and bodies, trying to pull them back.
"Ugh…!"
But the riders and their mounts collapsed in chaos, the attack overwhelming them all.
A calm, composed man appeared in front.
"Lava Style: Rubber Wall!"
Coo coo coo!
The ground sank as a fluid, like liquid rubber, surged up. The rhino's four legs got stuck in it, losing its footing and becoming unable to move!
The Kumo Shinobi nearby cheered, "Master Dodai! Thanks to you, this will be over soon!"
Dodai said, "No need to thank me. Leave this to me. You all go support the other battle zones."
"Understood! Please be careful!"
After the other ninjas withdrew, Dodai looked directly into the rhino's eyes.
"All those summoned beasts have tricky eyes. But how can there be so many of them? They must be linked to the caster's vision, like a projection…"
He paused and added, "You're watching, aren't you?"
The summoned rhino didn't respond.
Dodai continued, "The summoned creatures only avoid Genin and civilians who can't fight. I don't think they're smart enough to do this on their own, so someone must be controlling them. Since this control is based on sight, I believe you and the summoned beasts share the same vision."
"After facing you once, I know you have a strong purpose and don't want to spread this conflict uselessly. So, let's talk. Maybe I can give you what you want."
On the bird's back, Naruto thought, "As expected from Uncle Dodai, his sharp analysis rivals even Shikaku's."
He sighed, slowly stood up, and said to Konan, "I'll be right back."
Clang!
Flying Thunder God's kunai landed right in front of Dodai with a swish! Naruto followed closely and said,
"Mr. Dodai, your analysis was right. If the Raikage were half as smart as you, we wouldn't be in this mess..."
Dodai replied, "Although I dislike what you're doing, I've opposed this conflict from the start. I'm a Kumo Shinobi and must follow Raikage-sama's orders..."
Naruto asked, "So, what now?"
Dodai said, "Your strength is beyond what I expected. To prevent more losses, take this."
He pulled a scroll from his arm.
Naruto narrowed his eyes beneath his mask but didn't move at once.
Dodai continued, "Don't worry. This is the secret scroll for 'Lightning Style Chakra Mode.' I haven't changed a thing. I'm not stupid enough to bring trouble to the village."
Naruto raised his hand, using gravity to pull the scroll toward him.
Dodai sighed, "To be honest, I don't know if this is the right choice. If that power falls into your hands, what will it become in the future?"
After confirming everything, Naruto tucked the scroll into his arms and looked at Dodai.
"Dodai, time will tell. Your judgment is sound."
Dodai asked, "Can we end this now?"
Naruto smiled and asked, "Dodai, would you consider working under me?"
Dodai was surprised, then laughed, "Don't be silly. I'm a Kumo ninja. I will never betray my duty!"
"Is that so? That's a pity." Naruto felt a bit sorry but didn't push it.
"It's okay. As long as you're alive, your wisdom will help this ninja world sooner or later. That's enough..."
Swish!
Leaving those thought-provoking words behind, Naruto vanished.
Dodai looked puzzled. Working for the "Ninja World"? What does he really want? He's such a mysterious figure...
Swish!
Naruto jumped back onto the Bomb Bird's back.
Konan asked, "Did you succeed?"
Naruto nodded. "Yeah, it's time to go back..."
He placed a hand on Konan's shoulder and flew back to the Rain Shinobi using Flying Thunder God!
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang...!
One by one, the Summoning beasts across Kumo Shinobi disappeared in white smoke.
"Hahaha... I, this old man, have finally beaten these vicious dogs!"
The Raikage shouted with passion as the lightning around him faded. He lay on his back on the broken ground, sweat streaming down his bronze skin into the dirt.
That night, Kumo Shinobi couldn't sleep.
.
.
TO BE CONTINUED
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