Teamwork

A fair and square showdown!

That was very much in Naruto's nature.

Though it looked no different from what he had done in the Original Work, the reasons were vastly different. Naruto was indeed straightforward by nature, but that did not mean he was an idiot. Many times, he simply could not be bothered to think too hard, not that he was incapable of figuring things out.

This direct frontal assault he had taken the initiative to launch.

Was Naruto's answer.

"You're a little faster than before!"

Watching Naruto flash into close proximity.

A faint look of satisfaction appeared in Kakashi's pupils.

Though he could not casually take out his "secret treasure" and savor it as he had in the Original Work, Naruto's attack still posed no great threat in Kakashi's eyes.

"Whoosh!"

With a light step to the left and a sideways dodge.

After swiftly evading the incoming Shuriken.

Kakashi delivered a heavy kick toward Naruto's face. The fierce attack made Naruto's eyes narrow as he instinctively raised his arms to block.

Bang!

Amid the heavy impact.

Along with the dust that burst into the air.

Feeling the violent force transmitted through his arms, Naruto's expression changed as his body was sent flying backward beyond his control.

Kakashi pushed off the ground.

Just as he was about to press in close and continue his assault.

From the positions to his left and right.

"Whoosh!"

Sasuke and Menma each flashed out.

Forming a pincer attack.

"Whoosh!"

"Whoosh!"

In an instant, they had reached Kakashi's close proximity.

Kakashi's expression did not change. As though he had anticipated their attack long ago, he twisted through the air diagonally backward, effortlessly pulling away from their pincer range.

Their crossing attacks struck nothing.

Menma and Sasuke seemed to have expected that as well.

"Whoosh!"

"Whoosh!"

They each flipped their bodies.

Pressing in from below at an angle.

"Whoosh!"

They drew Kunai from their sleeves with backhanded motions.

Aiming directly at Kakashi's vital points, they viciously drove them down.

They were clearly going for the kill.

Kakashi could not help raising his brows.

With his hands crossed.

He pushed and twisted.

Kunai flashed into his hands.

Clang!

Clang!

He casually blocked Menma and Sasuke's pincer attack.

Sparks burst forth, and the aftershocks of the collision rippled outward. Menma and Sasuke's expressions changed. This was pure suppression through strength, something no amount of technique could make up for. More importantly, this had only been a casual strike from Kakashi.

The gap between them was truly terrifying.

Without using the Nine-Tails' Chakra, I still have no chance of clashing with veteran Elite Jonin like them!

There was no need for a deep or intense exchange.

With just that light block.

Menma could clearly see his current limits.

That was only natural.

He had no real combat experience.

For the past twelve years, he had either trained alone without guidance or received only the most basic education at the Ninja Academy.

A meteoric rise in strength!?

That was absolutely impossible!

Why had Kakashi become a Jonin at the age of twelve?

Because after graduating at five, he had constantly wandered the bloodiest and most dangerous battlefields. Itachi Uchiha had been the same!

The greater the genius, the more they needed to undergo such tempering.

That was why Menma had never relaxed the sense of urgency in his heart. He knew full well what he would have to face!

"Sasuke!"

A sharp gleam appeared between Menma's brows.

His stance was one of forcefully pressing forward without the slightest intention of retreating.

At the same time.

He shouted in sync.

Boom!

The next second.

Another Sasuke appeared behind Kakashi's left side.

"OH!?"

The two identical Sasukes.

Made Sakura, who was still hiding in the grass, reveal a surprised expression. But Kakashi remained composed. With his strength, he had long sensed someone lurking around him.

Shadow Clone combined with the Transformation Technique? That's already beyond the level of an ordinary Genin.

Menma pressed down from the front.

Sasuke followed closely from behind.

A faint look of approval appeared in Kakashi's pupils, and he nodded to himself.

For rookies who had just graduated from the Ninja Academy to possess such attacking coordination.

They could definitely be considered above average.

But they're still too green, and too impatient!

Kakashi narrowed his eyes slightly.

The Chakra he swiftly gathered.

The next second.

Bang!

As Menma and his Shadow Clone forcibly restrained Kakashi, from the rear.

"Zzzzt, zzzzt, zzzzt, zzzzt!"

The transparent steel wires Sasuke flung out rapidly wrapped around Kakashi's body in an instant.

Clap!

Sasuke immediately formed hand seals.

Fire Style - Great Fireball Technique!

By Genin standards.

His hand seal speed was already incredibly fast.

A massive amount of Chakra gathered.

As Sasuke forcefully exhaled, a huge sphere of fire formed before him, then fiercely shot toward Kakashi's position.

Compared to the distance Menma had pulled back.

From farther away.

Naruto, who had already used Menma and Sasuke's pincer attack to readjust his stance, formed hand seals at the same time.

Wind Style - Great Breakthrough Technique!

A powerful gust gathered.

In an instant.

It enveloped the blazing flames.

Wind fueled the fire!

The flames swelled at once.

The fireball directly swallowed Kakashi's entire body!

"You actually killed Teacher Kakashi!"

The instant she saw that scene.

The innocent young girl hiding in the corner—Sakura Haruno—revealed a shocked expression and instinctively rushed out of the grass. With disbelief written across her face, she raised her voice and shouted at Menma, Naruto, and Sasuke.

The scene was utterly childish.

When they saw and heard Sakura's frantic shouting.

Let alone Menma and Sasuke.

Even Naruto's mouth twitched twice.

If that kind of attack could really take Kakashi down, then Brother Kakashi would have died who knew where long ago!

At that moment, even Naruto began wondering how Sakura had managed to graduate from the Ninja Academy!

"My, my, you were far too careless, Sakura!"

Sure enough.

The next second.

Kakashi had already appeared to Sakura's left.

His softly spoken words.

"AAAAAH!?"

Frightened Sakura in an instant.

Earth Style - Headhunter Jutsu!

Kakashi completed his hand seals in an instant.

His body sank underground.

With a light pull.

Amid Sakura's string of screams.

Bang!

Her body sank into the ground.

Leaving only her little pink head exposed above the earth.