Defeating Nawaki, Four Cards of Chakra

Time had arrived at March once again.

For the Ninja Academy, March is the season for graduation and moving up a grade.

The students of the Sixth Grade Class A were about to graduate and become Genin.

Meanwhile, Natsuki, who had been in the second grade, was moving up to the third grade.

His age also changed from seven to eight along with it.

The day before the enrollment for Third Grade Class A was the graduation exam for Sixth Grade Class A.

Natsuki arrived at the Ninja Academy playground early in the morning.

He did not wait long before he saw Uchiha Mikoto.

"Good morning, Mikoto-senpai."

Natsuki greeted her with a smile on his face.

He and Uchiha Mikoto had become acquainted through a fight.

On top of that, because he had given her a helping hand, the two of them had become friends.

Over the past year, they had met, sparred, and eaten together many times.

"Good morning."

Uchiha Mikoto said softly, "You didn't have to make a special trip."

"I wouldn't call it special."

Natsuki shook his head and asked, "Have your team leader and teammates been decided yet?"

"They have. After I graduate, I will be joining the Konoha Military Police Force."

Uchiha Mikoto replied.

Although the Konoha Military Police Force started with the name Konoha, it was actually a department under the control of the Uchiha clan.

Its duties were somewhat like a weakened version of the Anbu, managing and maintaining the public order of Konoha.

From the moment of its creation, it had been assigned to the Uchiha clan by the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama.

His intentions were manifold.

First, the Uchiha clan had made great contributions to the founding of the village, and Konoha had to show some appreciation.

Second, it was a test from Senju Tobirama for the Uchiha clan.

If the Uchiha clan could integrate into Konoha through the Konoha Military Police Force, then everyone would be happy.

But conversely, the Uchiha clan would end up offending the entire village of Konoha because of it.

That trend was already emerging, and many villagers had complaints about the Konoha Military Police Force.

"That is within expectations."

Natsuki casually took out a Summoning Storage Scroll and said, "Mikoto-senpai, this is a graduation gift for you."

"Thank you."

Uchiha Mikoto was slightly stunned, but she did not refuse.

She took the Summoning Storage Scroll and took a look, discovering that it was filled with Blue Healing Potions.

"This is too expensive, and I can't use this many Blue Healing Potions."

Uchiha Mikoto tried to hand the Summoning Storage Scroll back.

Nowadays, Blue Healing Potions had become a necessity for the ninjas of Konoha.

Especially when going out on missions, everyone would carry a few bottles.

After all, they could save a life at a critical moment.

"I'll tell you a secret."

Natsuki did not take it back and said, "I invented the Blue Healing Potion, so I didn't spend any money on it."

"What?"

Uchiha Mikoto asked in a tone of surprise.

Konoha had not made the inventor of the Blue Healing Potion public.

First, they were worried that ninjas from enemy villages would target Natsuki; if a student at the Ninja Academy had invented such a potion, they would certainly try to find a way to capture him.

Second, they were worried that Natsuki's life would be affected; wealth moves people's hearts, and even in Konoha, he was not absolutely safe.

"That is truly a surprising secret."

Uchiha Mikoto said with self-awareness, "I won't tell anyone else."

"Mm."

Natsuki nodded and said, "I wish you success in your exam. Come find me to hang out when you have time."

"Thank you."

Uchiha Mikoto wore a gentle smile on her face.

She put away the Summoning Storage Scroll and turned to walk toward Sixth Grade Class A.

Natsuki did not linger for long.

After leaving the Ninja Academy, he arrived at the residence of Orochimaru.

As soon as he entered, he saw a flowing stream of water in the courtyard; it was Nawaki, who had arrived early and was practicing Water Release.

Having spent a long time with Nawaki, Natsuki understood his strength well.

Simply put, he was a version of Senju Tobirama who didn't know any forbidden techniques.

He had plenty of Chakra, excelled at Water Release, and was learning the very same Water Release techniques used by Senju Tobirama.

Of course, his Taijutsu was also quite good, as his sister was Tsunade, after all.

"Senior Nawaki."

Natsuki asked with a smile, "When are you free? Let's have a proper spar."

"Sure!"

Nawaki immediately replied happily, "I've been wanting to know exactly how strong you are for a long time!"

"How about right now?"

Orochimaru's voice suddenly rang out.

No one knew when he had arrived at the doorway.

"I think that works!"

Nawaki said, immediately brimming with excitement.

"That works for me too."

Natsuki thought for a moment and agreed.

He had originally intended to talk to Orochimaru about the Shadow Secret Technique he had created, but on second thought, demonstrating it directly in combat would be more intuitive.

"Watch out, Natsuki!"

Nawaki warned, "I've improved a lot during this time!"

"Same here."

Natsuki replied, refusing to be outdone.

Although they trained together most of the time, that didn't mean they didn't have hidden strengths.

Body Flicker Technique!

Nawaki was the first to move.

He lunged forward, leaped into the air, and brought his right leg down from above.

Golden Right Leg!

Natsuki instinctively raised his leg to block.

But as their legs collided, he immediately realized something was wrong.

A massive force surged toward him, making his right leg go numb.

In the nick of time, he immediately used Reinforcement Magic and retreated.

BOOM!

Nawaki's right foot landed, and spiderweb-like cracks appeared on the ground.

Natsuki immediately recognized this as Tsunade's Heavenly Foot of Pain.

Although Nawaki's Heavenly Foot of Pain was far inferior to Tsunade's, it could still easily handle his Golden Right Leg.

Nawaki did not get complacent just because he had the upper hand in the first exchange.

Seizing the opportunity, he formed hand seals.

Water Bullet Barrage Technique!

Water spheres, like bullets, flew continuously toward Natsuki.

Shadow Space!

Natsuki raised both hands.

A large number of Kunai and Shuriken flew out from his shadow, swarming to collide with the dense barrage of water.

"What is this?"

Nawaki couldn't help but be stunned.

"Shadow Secret Technique? Did Natsuki actually succeed?"

Orochimaru, who was watching the battle, wore a look of surprise on his face.

A year sounds like a long time, but for creating a new Ninjutsu, it was actually very short.

In particular, this Shadow Secret Technique was at least at the level of a B-rank ninjutsu.

It was common for a B-rank ninjutsu to take several years to create.

For example, in the original story, Namikaze Minato spent three years creating the Rasengan.

Although the Rasengan was an A-rank ninjutsu, Namikaze Minato was a genius among geniuses; for anyone else, it would have been even slower.

Water splashed everywhere.

Kunai, shuriken, and water orbs collided violently.

Natsuki didn't wait for them to decide the outcome before pulling a wooden sword out of the Shadow Space.

One Sword Style: 36 Pound Cannon!

He slashed out, and a sword wave surged toward Nawaki.

Nawaki was highly focused, and the moment he saw the wooden sword, he formed hand seals.

Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!

A massive water dragon flew out and collided with the sword wave.

Combined with the previous kunai, shuriken, and water orbs, the courtyard suddenly became quite lively.

Nawaki breathed a sigh of relief and instinctively looked toward Natsuki.

But his expression changed, because he couldn't see Natsuki.

He hurriedly looked around, but still found nothing.

It was as if Natsuki had vanished into thin air.

Only Orochimaru lowered his head, looking at the shadow moving rapidly across the ground.

He actually created this Shadow Secret Technique himself as well?

Two Shadow Secret Techniques created in one year?

If this got out, every ninja in the Ninja World would be shocked.

Nawaki sensed danger.

He had never seen Shadow Assassin, and coupled with the aftermath of the previous ninjutsu, he hadn't noticed Natsuki's shadow.

In the critical moment, he gritted his teeth and immediately formed hand seals.

Water Release: Water Formation Wall!

A standard Water Release: Water Formation Wall could only block one side, but the Water Release: Water Formation Wall of Senju Tobirama could block all four sides.

A stream of water flowed rapidly around Nawaki, and just as it was about to surround him, a piercing sound rang out.

Nawaki instinctively turned his head, and a flash of a blade stung his eyes.

It was Natsuki's One Sword Style: Iai: Lion Song.

Nawaki reacted quickly, kicking out with his foot.

But no matter how fast he was, he couldn't outpace the blade's flash.

Nawaki's body shuddered as the wooden sword struck his abdomen.

Natsuki, meanwhile, dodged his kick by shifting to the side.

"You... did you come out of the shadow?"

Nawaki asked, his eyes wide.

At this moment, what shocked him most wasn't that he had lost to Natsuki, but the Shadow Assassin technique Natsuki had used.

"This is a Shadow Secret Technique I created myself, called Shadow Assassin," Natsuki explained with a smile. "It allows me to hide within my own shadow."

"...?"

Nawaki opened his mouth but stopped, momentarily at a loss for how to respond.

No wonder he hadn't found Natsuki; he had been hiding in the shadow all along.

And to think such a powerful Shadow Secret Technique was self-created?

[Congratulations to the host for unlocking the fourth ability of the Uzumaki Naruto Template: Chakra Ton.]

Natsuki immediately felt the Chakra surging within his body.

It was so much that he wasn't used to it.