Childhood memories: the weak, bullied version of himself had met two brothers and an older boy in the little Ichiraku Ramen Shop.
Though the memories had grown hazy, he could still faintly recall those childhood scenes.
Their bonds had formed in that moment: the future great hero, childhood friends, and extraordinary strength...
"Just as expected of an orphan. You're rotten to the core. I bet your parents were a couple of rotten lowlifes from the slums, too!"
After saying that, Josuke even kicked Naruto in the head.
This feels so good, beating the hell out of the Crown Prince. Wait, wait—sorry, Minato-sensei. I admit that dead Minato is seme.
And sorry to Aunt Kushina, too. QAQ
His parents had been insulted like that. Even if he had never met them, even if he didn't even know their names!
"N-no... That's not what you think!"
Anger? Heartache? Pain?
Naruto didn't know what emotions were swirling around him. The Tailed Beast Cloak settled over his body of its own accord, and one tail, then two, emerged.
Three years of training had transformed Naruto. He still couldn't control the Nine-Tails perfectly, but he was worlds apart from where he'd been three years ago.
He could now fully control the two-tailed form. (Author's note: Who knows if that's true? Let's just say it is.)
The waves of heat around the cloak forced Josuke to retreat. He knew it was working.
Naruto slowly raised his head, one step at a time. The Nine-Tails' sinister Chakra surged wildly around him. Josuke wasn't sure he could win.
Couldn't win?
Even if he couldn't, he still had to fight. I'm here to take down the elite!!
To be honest, the forest and river terrain didn't suit Josuke. He thought for a moment.
Then he drove Naruto toward the riverbank ahead.
Seeing Josuke flee, Naruto immediately gave chase. Josuke wasn't about to let him have his way.
"Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire!"
Leaning back as he formed Hand Seals, Josuke unleashed the Phoenix Sage Fire. Several fireballs hurtled toward Naruto.
Naruto dodged frantically.
The Phoenix Sage Fire exploded around him, and its power was no joke.
Even one hit would leave Naruto in serious trouble. In the blink of an eye, the two reached the riverbank. Once they arrived, Josuke stopped and looked coldly at Naruto.
"Still going to chase me? Keep it up and you'll die!"
Naruto said nothing. The Chakra surging around him showed his resolve.
After a moment, actor extraordinaire Josuke spoke up. "Fine. If you want to die, I'll make it happen!"
Josuke formed Hand Seals and opened with Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation, forcing Naruto several meters back. Naruto wasn't about to back down either; he flung three Kunai, but Josuke dodged them with ease.
"That's all you've got?"
Josuke shook his head and taunted him.
"No wonder you're a useless dead-last!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Naruto attacked. A fox claw formed from the Tailed Beast Cloak and swiped at Josuke.
Josuke used the Body Flicker Technique to dodge.
Pretty fast, but his Three-Tomoe Sharingan could still see it clearly.
He immediately formed Hand Seals. "Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet!"
Using the river around him, Josuke could minimize the Chakra needed to release his Ninjutsu.
That was why he'd chosen this place to fight Naruto.
Josuke spat out a water dragon that surged toward Naruto, leaving him no choice but to dodge again.
In the end, it was Naruto's own fault for not knowing many Ninjutsu. But then again, all he needed was the mindless Rasengan and Multiple Shadow Clone Technique. Why bother with all those flashy tricks?
That was Naruto for you. His opponents, on the other hand, had a lot more to consider.
After creating some distance, Naruto used the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique, summoning a horde of clones to back him up.
Josuke wasn't about to let him have it his way. He used the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique, too.
And met Naruto's Shadow Clones head-on.
A haze of white smoke rose around them, left behind by the clash between the Shadow Clones.
Before the smoke had cleared, Josuke charged forward.
"Five Gates: Open!"
The most Josuke could open with the Eight Inner Gates was the Five Gates, which was already quite impressive. He hadn't learned all of Might Guy's teachings, but it was enough for now.
Green waves of energy surged around Josuke. They looked like Chakra, but weren't entirely that; they were also bolstered by his vitality.
He kicked straight at Naruto.
Naruto raised an arm to block. He'd thought the cloak's flames would burn Josuke, but nothing like that happened. Instead, he took the full force of a heavy kick.
His arm went numb.
So hard.
Josuke, who had been knocked back, was just as surprised. Was the defense of just two tails really that incredible?
Naruto had taken Josuke's kick head-on with his arm.
Under normal circumstances, even if it hadn't broken, it would've hurt for days.
Tailed Beasts really were terrifying. Josuke licked his lips. Maybe he should get one for himself.
He didn't have any power or influence right now, but that didn't mean he never would.
After that kick, Josuke flipped backward and once again opened up some distance from Naruto. He then spat out Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique, and a huge fireball shot toward Naruto.
"Boom!"
Naruto took the attack head-on. What Josuke had expected didn't happen. A fist shot out of the smoke and slammed toward him so fast that he couldn't react at all.
Maybe it was because his Sharingan hadn't activated.
With no other choice, Josuke used the Substitution Technique, replacing himself with a wooden post. The fist struck it, shattering it into splinters.
If that punch had hit Josuke, he figured he'd have been stuck in bed for at least four or five months.
This fight had dragged on too long. He had to end it quickly, Josuke muttered to himself.
Meanwhile, on the other side...
Orochimaru and his subordinate Guren were locked in a fierce back-and-forth with Kakashi. But judging by their positions, Orochimaru seemed to have the upper hand, whether because of his vast reserves of Chakra or some other reason.
For now, Orochimaru still looked likely to beat Kakashi, though only narrowly.
Perched atop a giant snake, Orochimaru watched with a cold, mocking expression.
"Has Konoha run out of people? You sent this kind of trash to fight me?"
Kakashi tightened his grip on the Kunai in his hand, his brows furrowed.
He and Might Guy had tried every method they could think of, but still hadn't been able to break through Orochimaru's defenses. It looked like Orochimaru was deliberately keeping them pinned down to create an opening for Josuke to defect.
Now Kakashi could only hope Naruto would turn things around and bring Josuke back.
With that, Kakashi attacked again. Chidori gathered in his hand as he charged toward Orochimaru.
Orochimaru's fight was raging, and Josuke's was just as intense. The riverbank, which should have been flat, was now riddled with pits of all sizes.
They were the work of the two fighters.
On the field, Naruto used a Super Great Ball Rasengan and smashed it toward Josuke. Josuke couldn't block it head-on, which was why the huge crater had been left behind.
Josuke still had one last card he hadn't played, and now was the time to use it.
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