Almost Killed Kabuto, Naruto Was About to Soar

[That was...

the power of the Nine-Tails!!]

Kabuto, blasted into a tree hollow, had his pupils suddenly constrict as he stared in horror at Naruto, whose entire body was surrounded by crimson Chakra and Cursed Seal markings.

At the same time, his right arm, which had blocked the attack, kept making sizzling sounds as its cells regenerated...

That was the Medical Ninjutsu: Yin Healing Wound Destruction he had stacked on himself at the last possible moment.

"You actually dared to sneak attack Sakura while I was unconscious...

Unforgivable!"

As Kabuto stared at Naruto, Naruto glared back at him with bloodthirsty eyes and snarled viciously.

If Sakura's shout had not awakened him just now!

Then Sakura might have...

How could Naruto possibly accept something like that!!

"Naruto, actually, I..."

"Multiple Shadow Clone Technique..."

Seeing that Naruto was conscious, Kabuto was about to talk his way out of it, but Naruto forcefully cut him off as soon as he opened his mouth.

Bang bang bang bang bang...

Under Sakura and Kabuto's dumbfounded gazes, several huge clouds of White Smoke suddenly erupted in all directions...

The next moment,

More than a thousand Naruto clones appeared from every direction, completely surrounding Kabuto...

"I will never believe you again...

You hypocritical, black-hearted senior!!

Get him, everyone..."

Naruto shouted at Kabuto, then swung his arm. A thousand Narutos attacked at once.

"This is bad..."

Seeing so many Naruto clones charging at him, Kabuto's face darkened as he hurriedly defended himself...

With the strength he had displayed, there was no way he could defeat this many clones.

Even if he went all out, he might not be able to win...

And that would inevitably draw Konoha's attention!

If Orochimaru's plan were discovered by accident, he would be unable to escape blame...

After all, Orochimaru had not sent him here to provoke Naruto and Sasuke.

[So this is my only option?]

As he rapidly fought off the Naruto clones rushing at him, Kabuto's thoughts raced until he made a decision.

"Naruto, I truly mean no harm...

If this is about the Scrolls, then you can have both of them!"

The moment he decided, Kabuto acted. He decisively threw the Scrolls to Naruto and shouted in surrender.

Hmph, let this Nine-Tails brat be smug for a while!!

"Scrolls??

Hmph, I'm not that stupid!

This must be a trap. They're fake Scrolls..."

The instant Naruto saw them, he judged Kabuto by his own standards. Without hesitation, he kicked the Scrolls away and shouted confidently.

At the same time, he and the hundred clones around him formed Hand Seals together...

[Fake??

This self-righteous idiot...]

Kabuto, who had already prepared to stop, was instantly speechless. Looking at Naruto's smug expression that said, You can forget about fooling me, he cursed inwardly.

But that was not the important part now. The important part was that Naruto was about to use a ninjutsu!!

As far as he knew, Naruto only seemed to know the Shadow Clone Technique...

"Pfft... pfft pfft..."

Seeing Naruto and the others begin their Hand Seals, Kabuto immediately sped up his attacks to destroy the surrounding clones.

He wanted to find an opening to form Hand Seals and defend himself...

But the Naruto clones around him were no pushovers. These Shadow Clones, created with the power of the Cursed Seal and Nine-Tails, were vastly stronger and faster than the frail clones from before. They immediately swarmed him, leaving Kabuto no chance to form Hand Seals!

"Wind Release: Super Breakthrough..."

In less than a second, Naruto and over a hundred clones completed their Hand Seals simultaneously and shouted as their technique erupted.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..."

More than a hundred clones opened their mouths and blew toward Kabuto at once, while the remaining clones instantly dispelled themselves.

In the next instant, under Kabuto's disbelieving gaze,

More than a hundred Wind Release attacks merged in an instant, becoming a super hurricane that howled toward him...

Although this overwhelmingly powerful Wind Release lacked the razor-sharp ferocity Orochimaru achieved through wind-nature transformation, its terrifying wind pressure still snapped tree trunks and branches apart, turning countless rocks, sand, and branches into weapons that continuously smashed into Kabuto...

Left with no other choice, Kabuto could only unleash his Chakra and use Medical Ninjutsu: Yin Healing Wound Destruction to enhance his recovery.

[Hmph, is that all?

Without any other means of attack, the powers of the Nine-Tails and Cursed Seal have merely increased his Chakra...

Compared with Sunagakure's One-Tail Jinchuriki, Nine-Tails Naruto is still far too weak!]

Seeing Naruto seemingly out of tricks, Kabuto scoffed inwardly, contempt filling his eyes.

An attack of this level posed no threat to him at all...

"Fire Release: Great Dragon Fire Technique..."

Just as Kabuto was secretly feeling pleased with himself, Sasuke's voice suddenly rang out in a booming shout.

The next second,

Under Kabuto's terrified gaze, a Fire Dragon with astonishing flames roared forth and plunged into the Wind Release attack...

In an instant, fire fed the wind, and wind fanned the flames...

The already raging hurricane exploded into a scorching torrent of fire that surged toward him, turning the surroundings into a blazing sea of flames with overwhelming force.

Kabuto was immediately plunged into a life-and-death crisis...

"Earth Style: Subterranean Voyage..."

With his life on the line, Kabuto no longer hid his strength. At the cost of severe burns across his body, he unleashed Earth Style at full power and fled.

"He got away??

Damn it...

It's all your fault, Sasuke...

Your Fire Style was too slow..."

As the fiery torrent faded, Naruto did not see Kabuto's corpse. He turned and shouted angrily.

His eyes radiated wildness and malice...

"So he escaped!

Did you actually want to kill someone??"

Sasuke said with feigned disdain, his crimson Sharingan fixed firmly on Cursed Seal Naruto.

Why did this guy feel a little bloodthirsty and violent?

Was it because of the Cursed Seal or the Nine-Tails Chakra??

Either way, he had to be on guard...

"Hmph, don't talk to me like that...

I'm very strong now!

He dared hurt Sakura, so why can't I kill him!!"

Naruto raised his head, refusing to back down. His gaze toward Sasuke carried a faint hint of provocation.

He should be able to challenge genius Sasuke now, right...

"Sakura got hurt??"

Sasuke's breathing stopped. He immediately turned and rushed toward the tree hollow.

He had thought he returned at just the right time, but he had still been one step too late...

He should never have escorted Karin to the edge of the Forest of Death!

"Sasuke-kun, Naruto...

Come take a look! These seem to be real Scrolls..."

Just as Sasuke was about to reach the tree hollow, Sakura's shout came from the nearby forest.

The tension in Sasuke's heart instantly eased...

Good. Judging by her voice, she should be fine.

"Real Scrolls?

Did I misunderstand him??"

Hearing that, Naruto's eyes lit up. His figure became an afterimage as he passed Sasuke and arrived beside Sakura, lowering his head to inspect them.

[So fast...

At least five times faster than my Cursed Seal speed!]

Sasuke stared at Naruto's figure in shock, but quickly calmed himself.

The Curse Mark of Heaven was, at its core, an Inferior Sage Art that overdrew the body's potential, drew upon natural energy, and combined them!

Naruto had the Uzumaki Physique and Nine-Tails Chakra supporting him, so the power he developed would naturally be somewhat stronger than Sasuke's...

They were both borrowed powers that overdrew the body anyway, so it was no big deal...

"Hehehe...

They really are Heaven and Earth Scrolls.

Sasuke, I've surpassed you this time!

Looks like you, the Top Student, aren't all that impressive...

Want to fight?

Whoever wins becomes the Top Student!!"

After checking them, Naruto held the Scrolls and challenged Sasuke to a fight.

What Dead Last would not want to rise up and crush the Top Student!

Naruto was naturally no exception...

And if he defeated Sasuke in front of Goddess Sakura...

Hehehe, just thinking about it made Naruto unable to suppress the excitement and anticipation in his heart...

[Detected Naruto's malicious proposal. C-rank tenfold reward triggered.

Mission: Defend the glory of the Top Student; Reward: 1 card of Chakra...]