Kakashi Was Dumbfounded, Youngsters Don't Observe Ninja Ethics

Naruto was right.

Kakashi also admitted that he had cheated.

Rules are rigid, after all.

People, however, are flexible.

Trying to restrain a living, breathing person with dead rules?

That sounds like a sign of insanity!

I see you're just trying to make things difficult for me, the Fifty-Fifty!

Kakashi pulled his Konoha forehead protector back down, covering the Sharingan on his left eye.

"Naruto, tell me, did you know from the very beginning that I was going to have you guys snatch the bells today?"

Kakashi appeared as steady as an old dog on the surface, but he was actually feeling a bit flustered inside.

He hurriedly changed the subject.

If he were to have the bells snatched away by Naruto in less than a minute, where would he, the Copy Ninja and Konoha's renowned elite jonin Kakashi Hatake, put his face?

Naruto shrugged, "If you don't say it, how would I know?"

Only a fool would admit it.

"...I..." Kakashi was momentarily speechless.

That's right!

He hadn't announced it yet.

How did Naruto know his intentions?

There's no such thing as mind-reading in the ninja world, right?

Even if he wanted to learn it, he could only fantasize about it in the books written by Jiraiya.

After all, mind-reading originated from the content of Jiraiya's novels.

Where a boy could easily know the inner thoughts of girls.

And then cater to their preferences.

To complete the grand ambition of establishing a harem of three thousand beauties!

Coach, this is good! I want to learn!

"Let's continue."

Naruto's gaze sharpened.

He entered a serious state.

Two Puppet Shadow Clone rushed toward Kakashi with lightning speed.

The speed of the two was not a bit slower than an elite jonin running at full tilt.

In the past, the massive amount of chakra within Naruto was consumed by the energy required to maintain the seal.

So much so that the shadow clones he produced at graduation were weak and flimsy.

They would collapse at the slightest touch.

But that was no longer the case.

Even if the seal were torn off, without his permission, the Nine-Tails wouldn't dare to act on its own accord or run amok.

Or flee to a small forest to live in seclusion.

Flee? How laughable, where would it run to?

It wants to flee, but it can't escape~

The waters outside Konoha are even deeper than they are here.

It, the Nine-Tails Demon Fox, Kurama, wouldn't be able to handle it!

The commotion caused by rushing out would certainly be significant.

And then it would just be captured again and shoved into a new jinchuriki.

That would be a living hell!

Not only would life have to be strictly regimented.

But there would likely be morning runs, too.

In a prison-like existence such as that, what fox would be willing to put up with such nonsense?

Staying with Naruto was perfectly fine as it was.

There was little to do every day, and it discovered it could rely on Naruto's massive chakra.

It could continue its cultivation while inside his body.

In short, to put it simply.

If someone wanted Nine-Tails to come out, it would rather be beaten to death than do something so stupid!

What was so good about the outside world, anyway?

Clinging to Naruto's thigh was the only correct choice.

It hadn't had a choice before, but now it just wanted to be a little fox that laid flat and only knew how to cheer from the sidelines.

Returning to the present moment...

"Trying to pull that again?"

"It seems I won't get anywhere unless I show some real skill."

Kakashi focused his full attention, casting aside his lazy demeanor.

"Go! Pika-Naruto!"

Naruto grabbed another puppet clone with one hand.

He swung it toward Kakashi with all his might!

The clone shot forward like a cannonball.

Bullseye!

Bang—

The body did a 360-degree flip in mid-air, greeting Kakashi's face with a kick.

However, his reaction was lightning-fast, and he blocked it with his elbow.

Kakashi winced in pain, baring his teeth.

What the hell!

This force was comparable to his good friend Might Guy.

Maybe even stronger!

"Naruto, have you ever considered learning taijutsu?"

"I have a jonin friend who teaches it."

Kakashi said while defending.

Based on this single kick alone.

Kakashi could conclude that Naruto was definitely a natural talent for taijutsu.

Besides, such troublesome matters.

It was better to dump them on Might Guy.

He had a successor, and he would be happy to teach.

"...Thanks for the offer, Kakashi-sensei, but compared to taijutsu, I still find practicing ninjutsu more interesting."

Another puppet clone caught up.

With a sliding tackle.

Master Uzumaki attempted to strike at his midsection.

Kakashi scoffed; this was the kind of mud-slinging attack only a child would use.

It wouldn't have the slightest effect.

He would deal with one shadow clone first!

It was too annoying.

He slammed a fist into the shadow clone.

He intended to disperse it instantly.

But his strike was blocked dead in its tracks.

"Are you kidding me? The shadow clone is as strong as the original?"

In that moment, Kakashi was stunned.

Shadow Clones are this useful?

That shouldn't be right.

Isn't that a useless skill?

Before he even had time to think it over.

The ground where he stood.

The surface shattered rapidly, and a pair of hands reached out to grab him, pinning Kakashi's feet tightly.

What the hell?!!

Just how many Shadow Clones were hidden underground?

Moreover, the chakra signature was concealed perfectly.

Even a ninja with his keen battlefield awareness hadn't noticed a thing.

He tried to pull his foot free!

He discovered that Naruto's strength was too great.

Naruto now possessed God-Level Taijutsu.

How could his strength not be immense?

Blue lightning crackled around Kakashi's hand.

But the arcs of electricity quickly faded.

He let Naruto snatch the bells away.

The entire ordeal took less than five minutes!

Kakashi had intended to use Chidori to fight.

But on second thought.

He decided against it.

Using the Sharingan was truly cheating.

And if he used Chidori and accidentally hurt Naruto, what then?

For students who had just become genin.

That would be far too harsh.

Using Chidori would inevitably lead to bloodshed.

His ninjutsu was meant for enemies, not for fighting his own people in Konoha.

"Kakashi-sensei, I can head out now, right?"

Naruto smiled, shaking the pair of small bells in his hand.

Though helpless, Kakashi nodded.

"Yes, you can head out for today..."

Bang—

Kakashi was only halfway through his sentence.

A puff of white smoke erupted.

Naruto's figure vanished in an instant.

Huh???

That wasn't Naruto's real body?

It was his Shadow Clone?!!

The three people present were stunned.

Especially Kakashi.

He stood there, dumbfounded!

Is the Shadow Clone Technique really that powerful?

Could it be that the Shadow Clone Technique I learned before was a fake?!

"Naruto, you get back here! Using a Shadow Clone to attend class is unethical!"

"Young people have no ninja integrity!"

Naruto had once again shocked Kakashi.

A massive change swept across Kakashi's usually calm face.

He was a jonin!

An elite jonin of Konoha, at that.

To think he would be defeated by a genin's Shadow Clone!

How incredibly embarrassing!

Sakura Haruno's pretty face was etched with confusion and disbelief.

Her red lips parted slightly.

She muttered to herself.

"I never imagined Naruto was actually that amazing..."

"A guy with such incredible strength and a handsome face used to pursue me so desperately."

"And I, in my arrogance, never gave him a chance..."

"Heh... in truth, I was the biggest fool of all."

"Naruto has transformed into the Fourth Hokage, the son of a hero, but what about me?"

The more Sakura thought about it, the more she felt she had lost out big time.

A sense of powerlessness, coupled with overwhelming regret and stifling frustration.

Rose from the depths of her heart.

Sasuke slammed his fist hard against a tree.

"Damn it!! Why... why, why has he become so powerful?!"

We went through the same nine years of compulsory education.

Why are you so outstanding?

Sasuke, driven by his thirst for revenge, was infuriated to see Naruto—a classmate he had always dismissed as a mediocre dead-last—suddenly reveal his true colors.

To think he had been playing the fool to catch the tiger!

So, you were hiding your strength all along.