Ryujin Jakka's First Form

Naruto looked at Su Bai in confusion.

He did not understand why Su Bai would say such things at such a critical moment.

Meeting Naruto's gaze, Su Bai continued, "There are monsters sealed inside both of you. That power, that loneliness—you should understand it better than anyone."

Naruto's eyes widened as he stared at Su Bai in shock.

He had never imagined that his secret would be laid bare so bluntly, much less that Su Bai would bring it up at a time like this.

Seeing Naruto's reaction, Su Bai knew his words had worked.

His tone became gentler. "But Naruto, you're luckier than he is. You have us now—you have me, Sakura, Sasuke, Kakashi-sensei, and Iruka-sensei. But what about him?"

Su Bai pointed at Gaara. "He has no one by his side."

Following Su Bai's finger, Naruto looked at Gaara and suddenly realized something.

Wasn't that madness and despair in Gaara's eyes exactly what he himself had once felt?

Su Bai's voice rang out again, like a beacon in the darkness. "The only person who can understand him is you, someone who has suffered the same pain. Only you can truly reach his heart."

Those words were like a shot in the arm, instantly igniting Naruto's fighting spirit.

He clenched his fists, and a resolute flame blazed once more in his eyes.

"I understand, Su Bai."

Naruto spoke softly.

He fixed Gaara with a determined stare. "Thanks for reminding me. I won't back down again!"

Su Bai stood quietly to one side. Seeing Naruto's rekindled fighting spirit, the corners of his mouth lifted slightly.

He knew that this was the real Naruto—the boy who never gave up and would fight with everything he had for his friends.

Naruto took a deep breath and rapidly formed hand seals.

Determination gleamed in his eyes, as though he had already forgotten his fear and hesitation from moments ago.

"Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Naruto shouted, his voice full of resolve.

In an instant, white smoke erupted everywhere, accompanied by a series of sharp pops.

When the smoke cleared, the battlefield was densely packed with Naruto clones wearing orange jackets.

They surrounded Gaara, every clone's face brimming with fighting spirit.

"Go!"

At the original Naruto's command, all the clones launched a fierce assault at once.

Gaara was immediately thrown into a difficult battle.

Though his sand defense was powerful, it began to falter under attacks coming from every direction.

One Naruto rushed him from the left. Just as Gaara moved to block, another Naruto kicked at him from the right.

Above, below, in front, behind, to the left and right—Naruto's clones were everywhere.

"Bang!"

A heavy punch broke through the Sand Armor and slammed viciously into Gaara's abdomen.

Gaara grunted. Before he could steady himself, two more Narutos successfully ambushed him from behind.

"U!"

"ZU!"

"MA!"

"KI!"

Four Naruto clones kicked in succession, sending Gaara flying into the air.

Then another Naruto dove down from above and drove a beautiful axe kick heavily into Gaara's head.

"Naruto Barrage!"

Gaara crashed heavily into the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

By the time he barely managed to prop himself up, he was already covered in injuries.

His Sand Armor was shattered beyond recognition, exposing the bruised skin beneath.

Gaara panted heavily, his golden beast-like eyes filled with disbelief.

Watching this scene, Su Bai's eyes flashed with approval.

He knew the real battle had only just begun, and Naruto had found his own way of fighting.

Gaara staggered to his feet, a hint of madness flashing through his golden beast-like eyes.

He threw back his head and let out a long roar as the chakra within him surged forth like a burst dam.

"Enough! I'll make every one of you disappear!"

In an instant, violent shockwaves swept across the area. Trees bent, and shattered rocks flew through the air.

Gaara's body began to swell and distort. Sand surged in from all directions like a tide, rapidly condensing into a colossal creature.

When the dust settled, an enormous monster stood before everyone—it was the legendary One-Tail, Shukaku.

It had the body of a tanuki, yet it was as towering as a small mountain.

Blue markings covered its body, and its savage fangs gleamed with a chilling light.

Shukaku swung its massive claw, sweeping it toward Naruto's clones.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Amid a continuous series of explosions, Naruto's clones vanished like bubbles.

In the blink of an eye, dozens of clones had been completely wiped out.

Naruto's original body barely dodged the attack, but the shockwave still sent him flying. He crashed heavily onto the ground.

He struggled to rise, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. He was clearly at the end of his rope.

"Damn it... is this as far as I go?"

Naruto gritted his teeth and muttered. Then suddenly, he remembered the secret technique Jiraiya had taught him.

In a flash, Naruto bit his finger, and blood dripped down.

He quickly traced a complex seal in the air and shouted, "Summoning Jutsu!"

"Boom!"

A deafening boom rang out as a massive cloud of white smoke billowed up.

When the smoke dispersed, a giant toad as large as Shukaku stood prominently on the battlefield.

"Oh? It's you, Naruto brat."

Bunta's deep voice rang out. "Looks like things aren't going too well."

Sasuke, standing in the distance, was dumbfounded, his mouth hanging wide open.

He stared at the scene before him in utter disbelief, his heart churning with shock.

"This... how is this possible? Is that really Naruto?"

Without another word, Bunta charged directly at Shukaku.

The collision between the two colossal creatures was like two small mountains crashing together.

The massive shockwave swept through the area, uprooting trees and splitting the earth.

The entire forest trembled violently beneath this earth-shaking battle.

Su Bai stood in the distance, silently watching the fierce confrontation.

There was both surprise and satisfaction in his eyes.

"Naruto, your growth is truly astonishing."

He murmured softly to himself.

Su Bai stood to one side, silently sensing the experience points brought by the battle.

The system's pleasant notification sounded:

[Ding! Ninja combat detected nearby. Obtained 100000 experience points.]

[Ding! Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto template fusion progress: 12%. Current experience points: 100000/130000000]

[Congratulations, Host! Fusion rate has reached 12%! Ryujin Jakka's Initial Release first form, "Felling Slash," has been unlocked!]

A trace of joy flashed through Su Bai's eyes.

[Host]: Su Bai

[Fused Character]: Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto

[Zanpakuto]: Ryujin Jakka

[Current Fusion Rate]: 12% (100000/130000000)

[Initial Release]: All things in the universe, turn to ashes—Ryujin Jakka!

[Bankai]: None

[Hand-to-Hand Combat]: Shin'ō Academy Intermediate Hakuda

[Kido]: Destructive Art No. 4, "White Lightning" (can be used without an incantation); Binding Art No. 21, "Red Smoke Escape" (can be used without an incantation)

[Footwork]: Shin'ō Academy Intermediate Flash Step

[Zanjutsu]: Shin'ō Academy Intermediate Zanjutsu, Felling Slash

Felling Slash, Ryujin Jakka's first form.

In the instant the blade was drawn, it gathered flames upon its edge for an incredibly swift vertical strike, cleaving an enemy in two before they could react!

This technique originated from the ancient Shinto Munen-ryu Swordsmanship. After evolving over countless years, it ultimately became the signature technique Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto took pride in.

The essence of Felling Slash lay in its astonishing speed and power.

The user had to concentrate all the strength of their body onto the blade at the very instant of drawing it.

That power was like a volcanic eruption, forming a scorching current of air along the blade that was nearly invisible to the naked eye.

When Ryujin Jakka was drawn, that current would erupt in an instant, forming an incomparably sharp blade of flame.

The strike was as fast as lightning and as swift as the wind, often ending before the enemy could even react.

Felling Slash was powerful enough to cut through steel with ease, and could even split a high-level Hollow in two with a single blow.

Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto had once used this move to split apart a small mountain.

That alone was enough to prove Felling Slash's astonishing destructive power.

For Su Bai, this was not merely a new skill.

It was the beginning of an entirely new realm.

He could feel the chakra within him becoming more active as Felling Slash was unlocked.

It was as if boundless power was waiting to be awakened.

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