"Are you all ready?" Kushina suddenly stretched lazily and asked with a wicked grin.
"Ready for what?" Naruto asked, completely baffled.
"Hehe~" A dangerous curve spread across Kushina's lips. "Ready to get beaten up, of course. Did you think you got to eat my ramen for free?" She rolled her wrists, her knuckles cracking loudly.
Seeing this, Kushina in the screening hall burst into excited laughter. "Hahaha, I like that line too!"
"I'm not just going to stand here and take a beating!" Although Naruto had no idea what was going on, his instincts instantly put him on guard, and he took up a fighting stance. Sasuke drew a kunai almost at the same time, while Sakura was half a beat slower and still stood there blankly.
"Why?" Sakura looked so aggrieved she was about to cry. Hadn't they been happily eating ramen just a moment ago?
Kushina shook her seemingly delicate fist, which could actually smash through rock. "Because in the shinobi world, introductions aren't made with just your mouth. You use your fists too." Battle intent gleamed in her green eyes. "Show me what you're made of!"
"Then bring it on!" Naruto's gaze suddenly sharpened, blue chakra beginning to flow around him.
"Not a bad look in your eyes~" Kushina chuckled. "But there's no rush. I should at least give you some hope, shouldn't I?" Like a magician, she pulled out two bells. "Otherwise, I'm afraid I'll crush your spirits."
Sunlight shone on the bells, reflecting an enticing glimmer. Kushina casually hung them from a wooden post in the center of the training ground. "The rules are simple—if you get the bells, you win."
"Then I won't hold back! Multiple Shadow Clone Technique!" Naruto's expression instantly turned fierce as he formed hand seals and struck without another word.