Combination Ninjutsu

Fighting for the sake of fighting had not been Naruto's original intention in leaving behind a Shadow Clone.

But people lived in this world not to be constrained in everything they did. Holding a blade was meant to uphold the justice in one's heart.

Mindless barking was disgusting, but the courage and decisiveness of an ordinary man's fury, blood splashing within five steps, inspired admiration.

The Shadow Clone clenched his left hand into a fist and slammed it viciously into Sarutobi Shin'nosuke's face. He was laying it all out today—he could not stand people like these, who acted like whores yet demanded monuments to their virtue.

Today, he was determined to be that ordinary man.

Boom!

An Explosive Tag was tied to the end of a Shuriken. The instant it flew beside him, its fuse finished burning at precisely the right moment.

Just as the Konoha ninja were about to breathe a sigh of relief, a figure wrapped in a massive amount of Wind Release Chakra charged out of the fiery blast toward the nearest ninja.

Thud!

One kick, delivered with just the right amount of force, instantly took that ninja out of the fight without taking his life.

Debts had their creditors. He had already killed the Konoha ninja who had intended to do evil.

And who could guarantee that none of the ninja on the field were righteous and kind-hearted?

It was not worth taking the lives of such people over one or two rotten apples.

As the fight went on, the Konoha ninja also realized that their enemy was not trying to kill them. They quietly lowered their real weapons as well.

They fought with thirty percent sincerity and seventy percent pretense.

To be honest, they had long heard of Sarutobi Kakan's bad habits. But because of his surname, they had chosen to remain silent.

Compared to relatives of the Third Hokage, ninja like them, who came from minor clans or commoner backgrounds, were nothing more than small fry.

Naruto appeared behind one ninja and kicked out. That ninja skillfully spat out a mouthful of blood and fainted. As for whether he had truly passed out or was faking it, no one could tell.

Naruto himself was rather baffled that the resistance he faced kept diminishing as he fought.

But he was not stupid. You could not make it in the ninja world by relying solely on fighting and killing. Human relationships and social etiquette were the true way forward. Since they were giving him face, he had to return the favor.

"Fire Release: Fire Dragon Bullet!"

With half his face swollen, Sarutobi Shin'nosuke slipped behind him. Scorching chakra surged from his mouth and nose.

Within the flames, Naruto felt his chakra rapidly draining and could only sigh inwardly.

The best way to counter this kind of ninjutsu was actually to retaliate with Water Release, not stupidly endure it head-on as he was doing.

If countering it with an opposing nature transformation consumed one unit of chakra, and defending with another nature transformation consumed two, then blocking it the way he was took ten.

As for why he did not dodge, even if only thirty percent of the attack was real, that thirty percent left him with barely any room to evade. There was simply nowhere to go.

Against an overwhelming advantage in numbers, pure taijutsu and swordsmanship were somewhat powerless.

But the more helpless truth was that aside from the most basic Three Basic Jutsu and the Shadow Clone Jutsu, he did not know any other ninjutsu.

Having the desire to learn but no means to do so was painful.

In his view, he was suited for PVP. PVE did not suit him—or rather, it did not suit him without the ability to use the Nine-Tails' chakra.

Sarutobi Shin'nosuke watched him being scorched by flames and could not help feeling a toothache.

That guy's close-range lethality was terrifying. Every one of them would be finished the moment he got close.

Earlier, he had only managed to take that desperate punch because a clansman had rescued him by sheer luck.

High speed, high defense, high attack—just like the Raikage lineage of the Hidden Cloud Village. It was simply a disgrace to ninja.

Sarutobi Shin'nosuke thought bitterly.

But although that guy was monstrous, he was not without weaknesses. He could not attack from range, could he?

He exchanged glances with two clansmen.

The three quickly took up a triangular formation.

Naturally, Naruto would not let them have their way. Enduring a barrage of kunai, he charged toward the nearest enemy.

Unlike the others, these three were genuinely trying to kill him.

But if they dared arrange themselves like that right in front of him, they naturally had something to rely on.

"Earth Release: Earth Wall!" ×3

From all four directions, several Earth Walls layered three deep inside and three deep outside, sealing him in tightly.

Naruto had just smashed through an Earth Release wall in one direction when the trio's long-awaited combination ninjutsu came straight at him.

"Fire Release: Great Fire Dragon Bullet!" "Wind Release: Air Current Wild Dance!" "Wind Release: Sandstorm Array!"

Sarutobi Shin'nosuke was the main attacker, while the other two Sarutobi Clan ninja assisted his attack.

Although the other two ninja were not particularly skilled in Wind Release Ninjutsu, with both of them supporting him, Sarutobi Shin'nosuke's attack was as fierce as if he had taken Yasha Candy.

"Sarutobi Shin'nosuke, right? I'll remember you!"

As though a true fire dragon had descended, the chakra surrounding Naruto's body could not withstand it at all. He immediately turned into a puff of smoke and vanished from where he stood.

In the distance, Sarutobi Shin'nosuke stared at the middle finger he had raised, his face full of question marks.

What did that mean?

"Mr. Genichiro? Did something happen?" Ryokuko asked when she saw him suddenly stop walking.

"...It's nothing." Naruto withdrew his gaze and shook his head slightly.

It was inevitable that the Shadow Clone would lose.

But he had not expected it to lose so quickly.

The power of combination ninjutsu had somewhat exceeded his expectations. Then again, that made sense. If the crystallization of an entire world's wisdom did not have something to it, that would be hard to justify.

Should he get himself a few decent Wind Release Ninjutsu?

Naruto thought to himself. He did not have much of anything else, but he had plenty of chakra. If he learned a few battlefield-clearing Wind Release Ninjutsu, he could toss them at anyone he disliked. Just thinking about it felt rather satisfying.

Shukaku?

Naruto immediately pictured Shukaku using basic attacks as ultimate moves and could not help shuddering. Their scales were not on the same level; it was not suitable.

Temari?

Thinking of the girl's "breeze-level" ninjutsu, Naruto shook his head slightly, then nodded again.

Perhaps the little girl simply did not have enough chakra to bring out the true power of Wind Release Ninjutsu. The output of their engines was not on the same level at all.

Maybe Sunagakure had one or two trump-card S-rank Wind Release Ninjutsu.

It was, after all, the hidden village of the Land of Wind!

As for whether to acquire them, with Gaara around, he had not considered it for the time being.

And if worse came to worst, he could always put his face on the line and work as the little girl's personal bodyguard for a month or two.

"Brother Naruto, can you teach me ninjutsu?" A small boy beside the woman timidly poked his head out and asked.

"Oh?" Hearing his question, Naruto looked at him in surprise. As far as he remembered, this was the little boy's first time speaking.

"What's your name?"

"I-I'm Mizuki!" the little boy said in a trembling voice.

"Why do you want to learn ninjutsu?"

Mizuki? Naruto stroked his chin, finding the name somewhat familiar.

"I want to become a powerful ninja, protect the people I care about, and protect Mom!" Mizuki declared loudly.

Isn't this Teacher Mizuki?

Watching him earnestly state his dream, Naruto saw a familiar shadow in that childish face.

Life truly was strange.

"I agree with your beliefs." Naruto patted his head. "But unfortunately, I can't teach you."

"Why?"

"Konoha will not accept a child who already possesses chakra."

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