Battle Against Kato Dan

In the training grounds.

"My name is Kato Dan, and I will be your temporary team leader Jonin from now on," Kato Dan said with a smile to the three of them, Uchiha Matsuri.

Looking at the very young man before them, the three of Uchiha Matsuri were slightly stunned.

What was going on? Why was there a sudden temporary team leader Jonin added to their squad?

During the conversation, Uchiha Matsuri suddenly felt his sleeve being tugged by Kushina Uzumaki beside him.

"Matsuri, why do you think this guy suddenly got assigned to be our team leader Jonin?" Kushina Uzumaki whispered.

"I don't know, but I think Lord Third Hokage must have sent him," Uchiha Matsuri replied dismissively.

"This guy looks much weaker than Lord Orochimaru," Nohara Shin joined the gossiping crowd.

"Don't be careless. Since he's a team leader Jonin, his strength must be far superior to ours," Uchiha Matsuri said seriously.

Seeing the three of them whispering and discussing him, Kato Dan gave a wry smile and then relaxed. It was no wonder, as he was an outsider joining midway, not leading from the beginning! Since these three brats looked down on him a little, he would have to show them some real skill.

"Since you doubt my strength, why don't we have a competition?" Kato Dan said with a laugh.

"A competition?"

"Yes, I'll hang this bell on that tree 300 meters away. After the competition starts, let's see if you three can grab the bell before I do." Kato Dan shook the bell in his hand.

"The three of us against you, one person?" Nohara Shin adjusted his glasses, his eyes firm.

"That's right," Kato Dan nodded.

"Then Senior Dan, you'd better be careful," Kushina Uzumaki said fearlessly, even provocatively.

Uh... Kato Dan couldn't help but feel speechless.

As a Jonin, being looked down upon by three Genin who had just graduated from the Ninja Academy, Kato Dan couldn't help but find it a little amusing.

Actually, Kato Dan didn't know that the reason Nohara Shin and Kushina Uzumaki dared to provoke Kato Dan was their full confidence in the abilities of the three members of Orochimaru's squad.

After half a year of integration, the three of Uchiha Matsuri were no longer the same three people. Although they were all still Genin, the exceptionally talented Uchiha Matsuri and Kushina Uzumaki had reached a level exceeding ordinary Chunin. Even Nohara Shin, who was once called a "dead last," now had strength close to that of a Chunin.

However, the three of Uchiha Matsuri also clearly realized that the current team's biggest weakness was the lack of combat experience. Therefore, to make up for this deficiency, they had to gain experience through constant battles. This was also the reason why the three of them had been taking missions for the past six months.

"In that case, let me teach you brats a lesson!" Kato Dan thought to himself.

"Then let's begin," Kato Dan gave the order, and then quickly ran towards the tree where the bell was hung.

"So fast," Uchiha Matsuri analyzed calmly, "but still far from Minato Namikaze."

As Kato Dan ran, he saw that the three of Uchiha Matsuri were falling behind him, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curl up slightly. However, in the next instant, years of accumulated combat experience made Kato Dan instinctively dodge to the right, avoiding Uchiha Matsuri's Shadow Clone sneak attack.

Uchiha Matsuri, whose sneak attack failed, did not get discouraged. Instead, he took advantage of Kato Dan's slowing speed and formed hand seals.

"Lightning Style? Four Pillars Binding Technique!"

Four pillars of lightning, emitting blue electric light, suddenly rose around Kato Dan. The four pillars connected to each other by emitting lightning to the sides, trapping Kato Dan within.

After using the Lightning Style, Uchiha Matsuri gave a look to Kushina Uzumaki and Nohara Shin, who were rushing over.

Receiving Uchiha Matsuri's signal, Kushina Uzumaki suddenly stopped, standing beside Uchiha Matsuri. Nohara Shin, on the other hand, ran past the two, heading towards the tree with the bell at full speed.

At the same time, Kato Dan, who was temporarily trapped by the "Lightning Style? Four Pillars Binding Technique," quickly formed hand seals.

"Wind Style? Wind Blade!"

A chakra blade made of wind rapidly formed in Kato Dan's right hand. Grasping the wind blade, Kato Dan slashed fiercely at the barrier formed by the Lightning Style.

Bang!

When the wind blade hit the barrier, it cracked, and then disappeared with an explosion.

Breaking through the barrier, Kato Dan formed hand seals.

"Fire Style? Great Fireball Technique!"

A super large fireball, about ten meters in diameter, rushed towards Uchiha Matsuri and Kushina Uzumaki.

"Water Style? Water Wall!"

A powerful stream of water gushed from Kushina Uzumaki's mouth, directly piercing the Great Fireball Technique and hitting Kato Dan. However, just as his body was hit by the stream of water, Kato Dan suddenly disappeared.

"Not good, it's a Substitution Jutsu," Uchiha Matsuri thought to himself, realizing the bad situation. He looked back and saw that Kato Dan was about to catch up to Nohara Shin.

Uchiha Matsuri hurriedly threw more than a dozen kunai. Kato Dan dodged the kunai by jumping left and right, but this forced him to slow down.

Uchiha Matsuri and Kushina Uzumaki exchanged glances, and then attacked Kato Dan from both sides respectively. Due to their skillful coordination, the attacks from Uchiha Matsuri and Kushina Uzumaki caused quite a bit of trouble for Kato Dan for a while. Trapped in a difficult battle, Kato Dan naturally couldn't chase after Nohara Shin anymore.

"These two little guys are a bit tricky!" Kato Dan thought.

Since he couldn't get rid of these two, he had no choice but to use Shadow Clones.

"Ninja Art? Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Five Shadow Clones emerged from Kato Dan's main body and all rushed towards Nohara Shin, who was about to reach the tree.

"Yin Seal? Release!"

Uchiha Matsuri, whose chakra was less than half, decisively released the Yin Seal. The large amount of chakra stored in the Yin Seal broke through the seal and quickly flowed into Uchiha Matsuri's body.

Sensing Uchiha Matsuri's chakra rapidly increasing, Kato Dan couldn't help but be taken aback.

"So it's the Yin Seal. It seems I underestimated this kid," Kato Dan's forehead beaded with sweat.

"Since Senior Dan dares to use Shadow Clones, then Senior Dan should also be aware of the Shadow Clone Jutsu's drawbacks!" Uchiha Matsuri glanced at the serious-looking Kato Dan.

"Naturally. When using the Shadow Clone Jutsu, one's own chakra is divided equally among each clone," Kato Dan said seriously, frowning.

"Then, let Senior Dan experience my ninjutsu!" Uchiha Matsuri suddenly grinned sideways.

"Earth Release? Rock Fist Technique!"

A fist made of rock and earth instantly appeared beside Uchiha Matsuri's right hand. The rock fist shot rapidly towards Kato Dan in front of him. Kato Dan couldn't dodge in time and was sent flying by the rock fist.

After Kato Dan was sent flying, the five Shadow Clones suddenly disappeared.

"It seems I have to use my trump card," Kato Dan said, clutching his chest.