A light breeze stirred, and the afternoon sunlight filtered through the canopy, glittering overhead like stars when he looked up. It was somewhat dazzling.
Naruto, his entire body wrapped in a thin layer of armor, then fastened protective gear over his head.
"Naruto, you're already very strong. You're only five years old; there's no need to rush like this."
Minato Namikaze, within the Sealed Space, wore a deeply troubled expression.
"Father, I'm not rushing. I've never neglected my Taijutsu training, and I've mastered all the Fuinjutsu as well."
Naruto replied to his father in an even tone.
He did not mention Ninjutsu, because Minato Namikaze had only taught him several forms of the Rasengan he had developed himself, along with basic Ninjutsu such as Shadow Clones.
"But there's no need to put yourself through such dangerous Shuriken training just to test yourself."
A conflicted look flashed across Minato Namikaze's face before he continued trying to persuade him.
"I'm wearing protective gear. Don't you also want to know whether my neural reaction speed is enough to learn the Flying Thunder God Technique, Father? No one is following or watching me now. The Third Hokage is currently inspecting Konoha Hospital. This opportunity is rare and can't be missed."
After saying that, Naruto ignored his father and casually took out two Sealing Scrolls.
After feeding Chakra into the storage formulas on the scrolls one after another, six crossbow launchers capable of firing multiple Kunai appeared on the ground. Each launcher could fire nine Kunai in an instant.
Naruto picked up one of the launchers and walked to the stone platform holding a bamboo basket of Kunai, then began loading it.
Before long, all the launchers were filled with Kunai. Naruto first marked where he stood, then began setting up the fixed launchers on the surrounding tree trunks around the stone platform.
Another month had passed since his meeting with the two Uchiha brothers. Over that month, he had continuously fought Itachi Uchiha's Data Puppet in the Mirrored World.
Until last night, he had finally received a breakthrough reward.
He had obtained Itachi Uchiha's godlike Shuriken techniques and Fire Release Chakra!
He had mastered all the Fuinjutsu Minato Namikaze had taught him at the beginning of the month, with the exception of the Reaper Death Seal.
Minato Namikaze had stated that he would absolutely never teach him the Reaper Death Seal.
Later, Naruto had asked to learn the Flying Thunder God Technique. He possessed abundant Chakra and powerful sensory ability, and he believed he already met every requirement for learning Flying Thunder God. Yet this time, Minato Namikaze had neither refused nor agreed immediately.
He said he needed to see whether Naruto's reflexes met the requirements for learning Flying Thunder God, then kept dragging things out in hesitation without agreeing.
Naruto vaguely guessed why his father was unwilling to teach him Flying Thunder God right away.
But Naruto did not force the issue. He did not know whether Minato Namikaze, as a father, was truly pretending to be oblivious or merely seeking peace of mind. The Mirrored World had collected Minato Namikaze's data on the day they acknowledged each other.
Minato Namikaze often went to the Mirrored World with Naruto, so even if he did not teach him, it was only a matter of time before Naruto obtained everything he knew.
Still, Naruto also wanted to test just how fast his neural reactions truly were. If they really were insufficient, he planned to focus his efforts elsewhere.
After fastening the fishing lines connected to each launcher's trigger onto the ring of a Kunai handle, Naruto walked beside the three stone pillars next to the platform and drove the Kunai directly into the ground beneath his feet.
Minato Namikaze's expression tightened when he saw this. "Naruto."
Naruto's expression remained indifferent. "I'm starting, Father. Please don't distract me."
As he spoke, Naruto checked once more that every launcher's firing direction was precisely aimed at the positions he had planned, then immediately and decisively kicked the Kunai beneath his feet.
Tap tap tap~~
The launchers on the tree trunks activated in response. In an instant, fifty-four Kunai shot down at his position with terrifying penetrating force.
Bang bang bang~~
Several Kunai embedded themselves in the open ground.
The instant Naruto kicked away the Kunai, he had already leaped up with agile movements. As his body hung in the air, he flicked both hands, sending several Kunai flying.
Clang clang clang~~~
The sound of successful interceptions rang out. Naruto's mind stirred, and as his body twisted, he tapped one of the stone pillars with a single foot. Just as his body was about to turn, pain struck his lower abdomen and shoulder at the same time.
After the Kunai struck the protective gear on Naruto's body, they bounced away.
But in that instant, Naruto's entire mind abruptly tensed. Beneath the protective gear, his eyes held only pure, cold reason, calm and utterly undisturbed.
The attacks did not disrupt his next movements.
Thump!
His heart pounded violently. It was as though he could hear his blood surging like a rushing current, ceaselessly pounding through every part of his body.
Time seemed to have passed for a long while, but in reality, not even the span of a blink had gone by.
Still suspended in midair, Naruto did not hesitate in the slightest. With swift movements, he evaded the other incoming Kunai, crouched in midair, and landed on the stone platform beside the three stone pillars.
One attack from the front, one from behind. If not for the Kunai I threw earlier, then...
Is the Sharingan's perception really indispensable?
Not right! Even without the Sharingan, according to my calculations, only the attack to my shoulder should have been unavoidable. It seems that wearing protective gear created a mental obstacle. I failed to break through my limit.
After recalling every detail of the Kunai trajectories as they attacked him, Naruto abruptly made up his mind. Once he had restored the launchers to their original arrangement, he began removing his protective gear.
Minato Namikaze was shocked. "Naruto! What are you doing taking off your armor?!"
Naruto's expression did not change as he responded, "I'm trying again."
"Don't be reckless!" Minato Namikaze's expression changed drastically. Then, in an anxious tone, he said, "Naruto, you're already very strong. I don't know why you're so obsessed with power, but at your age, you can take things slowly, one step at a time!"
Kurama glanced at Minato Namikaze without saying anything. It felt that the Fourth Hokage understood his own son even less than a fox like it did.
From the moment it had formally linked its Chakra with Naruto and touched that reason within Naruto that regarded everything with indifference, it had known that any decision Naruto made was beyond question.
Having removed all his protective gear, Naruto calmly drove the Kunai into the ground once more.
"Father, I can't slow down. I already can't slow down."
His steady voice did not carry the slightest fluctuation. Naruto's eyes shone brightly, like sharpened blades.
Minato Namikaze's expression turned bitter again upon hearing this. Just as he was about to speak, he hurriedly swallowed his words.
Because he saw his son had already kicked away the Kunai controlling the launchers.
Tap tap tap~~
The instant the fifty-four Kunai shot out, Naruto's body had already leaped into the air. His hands moved as before, throwing several Kunai to intercept the attacks. The first wave of attacks was entirely outside his consideration.
Splat!
Blood immediately poured from Naruto's shoulder, where three Kunai were embedded.
But he had successfully avoided the attacks from the front. Without the slightest distraction, his blood nearly boiled beneath his heart's powerful pounding, yet Naruto's emotions were even calmer than when he had worn protective gear.
Snap!
With an unimaginable movement, his body landed on the stone platform once more.
Naruto looked up, endless sharpness blooming in his azure eyes.
"Father, no one can make me slow down! Because I'm pursuing the right goal!"
Within the Sealed Space, Minato Namikaze stood dumbfounded.
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