His physical condition should now be similar to Rock Lee's after he removed his weights during the Chunin Ninja Exams.
certainly...
It's just about physical fitness.
Araki doesn't yet know the techniques of the Konoha-Style Strong Fist.
Chapter 13 The Deal (Seeking first subscriptions)
"You..."
The scarred-faced Cloud Kushina Kumogakure's expression suddenly turned ugly, and he slowly loosened his grip on the ropes binding Kushina.
Then he clenched his fist again.
no!
We can't afford to be careless now!
The child, who looked quite young, was far more capable than he had imagined; even he felt nervous.
The little girl in their hands right now isn't a burden, but an important hostage. The secret infiltration and kidnapping mission has already failed, so the most important thing is to escape alive and send a message to their companions outside the barrier.
therefore.
The scarred man's expression turned much more serious.
Araki's speed was so fast that his eyes could hardly keep up, and the room was too small. Everything happened in the blink of an eye, which made him a little worried. He wasn't worried about Araki, but he was worried that if the commotion was too loud, it would attract more people.
This is a secret mission.
It must be carried out in secrecy.
Although the mission has encountered some difficulties at this stage, it has only been discovered by a child and has not yet been exposed.
If he were truly exposed, it would be very difficult for him to escape from Konoha given his strength.
He's just a Chunin.
"Little guy, you're pretty good, but you haven't really studied Taijutsu, have you? These movements you're making are all based on instinct, and maintaining that speed won't last long!"
As the scarred man spoke, he slowly swayed Kushina, positioning her in the Araki Kushina, making the situation a perfect three-point line.
This conveniently blocked Araki's path.
As a ninja from Kumogakure, he trained in Nintaijutsu from a young age and has a relatively good understanding of Taijutsu, knowing that such speed must be achieved through a straight-line impact.
The path between the two is now blocked!
"This girl is very important to you, isn't she?"
The scarred man's face contorted with rage. He couldn't possibly laugh at the sight of his two companions dying before his very eyes, but the current situation forced him to proceed with caution.
"How about we make a deal? I'll release this girl, and you'll come with me in return. You're very strong, and I can't hurt you!"
"I just wanted to rob some money, I didn't intend to hurt anyone, otherwise this girl would have been dead already. You also killed two of my companions, so we're barely even!"
"Even if I switch places with you, I don't intend to hurt you. Killing someone in Konoha is only for those who don't want to live. I just want to make sure I can leave. With you here, you won't ambush me, which will put my mind at ease. Releasing this girl will also put your mind at ease!"
"This deal is a win-win for us!"
What do you think?
The scarred man spoke one sentence after another, his tone low, deliberately creating the impression that he intended to discuss things with Araki.
His thinking was very clear.
When he saw Araki easily kill two of his Genin, he knew in his heart that the other party was no ordinary person.
Even if there was an element of underestimating the opponent.
However, they should not be underestimated.
If this stalemate continues, something bad might happen in Konoha. Not only would their own lives be in danger, but they would also cause trouble for the village.
The simplest solution would be to have Araki and Kushina switch places.
Only when he has Araki bound will he have no rivals, and that girl won't be able to cause any trouble.
After he defeats Araki, he can still complete the mission.
The scarred man hoped to resolve the situation through strategy. Although his plan wasn't perfect, he wanted to exploit the relationship between Araki and Kushina, Araki's desire to play the hero and save the damsel in distress, and the physical exhaustion from using Taijutsu.
As a fellow ninja skilled in Taijutsu, he knew very well that with Araki's physique, achieving such speed was already the limit, and there was absolutely no way he could use it continuously for an extended period.
This was the only clever method he could think of.
"If we really have to fight to the death, I'm not sure I might make some hurtful moves in the heat of the moment. This kind of deal wouldn't be a loss for you at all!"
Seeing that Araki remained silent, the scarred man decided to add fuel to the fire. With lightning speed, as if he had been single for countless years, he pulled a Kunai from his ninja tool pouch and pressed it against Kushina's neck from behind.
The Kunai's blade didn't touch Kushina's skin, but the cold glint it emitted made the hairs on the back of her Kushina stand on end.
Have you thought this through?
The scarred man's brows furrowed tightly, his eyes revealing a ruthless edge beneath a fierce exterior; only he himself knew the doubts swirling within him.
What's wrong with this person?
There was absolutely no reaction!
Can't you understand what I'm saying?
Aren't the conditions you proposed attractive enough?
Araki heard everything the scarred man said, but he felt nothing at all.
With that much brainpower, he certainly has a bit, but definitely not much.
What's not a loss...
They're treating people like idiots!
Araki remained completely unfazed. He had simply been testing the results of his Taijutsu over the past period, using this practical combat to clarify his physical capabilities.
As for the scarred man in front of them...
Araki realized that this person was stronger than the previous two, but not invincible, especially since threatening Kushina was pointless.
Go ahead and stab me if you dare!
Once the Nine-Tails is stabbed, it will emerge. This way, I can simply hide and won't have to worry about dealing with the aftermath; I can just leave it all to the Nine-Tails.
only...
There is a rather serious drawback here.
Doing this would expose Kushina's true identity as the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, and her future might not be so peaceful and smooth.
" Araki, don't agree to him! Run! Get out of here and find the villagers to help you! Don't worry about me, I'll be alright!"
Seeing that Araki didn't speak, Kushina assumed that Araki was seriously considering the matter, and her whole body tensed up, inexplicably becoming stronger.
She was willing to endure all of this for Araki.
Even with Kunai pressed against her neck from behind, she believed that as long as her throat wasn't slit immediately, the Nine-Tails ' power would help her recover.
Compared to the various scandals that were exposed, she was more concerned about Araki's safety. She was genuinely worried that Araki might impulsively try to exchange items with her.
"Shut up!"
The scarred man's face darkened, and he immediately raised his fist, which was clenched with Kunai, and slammed it hard against the back of Kushina's head.
"Bang!"
With a muffled thud, Kushina immediately felt a jolt in her head, and her vision blurred with multiple images.
"Stop!"
Araki immediately raised his right hand, and just as Kushina spoke, he suddenly had a new plan.
Often, when a girl says no, she actually wants it. So, Kushina tells him to run away, he can't actually run away, or that would cause problems.
I promise you!
Araki's lips curled slightly, revealing a calm smile. He abandoned his fighting stance and strode directly towards Kushina's position, showing no sign of tension whatsoever.
"Exchange now!"
Chapter 14 The true hunter often appears in the form of the prey! (Second update)
"No!"
When Kushina heard Araki's words and saw Araki approaching, her eyes widened in shock and confusion.
"What's wrong with you? Didn't I tell you to run? What are you doing here? It's dangerous, don't you know that?"
Kushina screamed loudly, extremely agitated. She felt that Araki was like an idiot, capable of such a one-for-one exchange; didn't he care about her safety at all?
at the same time.
As she spoke, a warm feeling welled up inside her.
This is a feeling I've never had before.
It's a feeling of being recognized and valued.
More importantly, there was also the excitement of being treasured. Araki didn't say much, but she was certain that Araki did this to save her, even at the risk of his life!
Araki has already come to regard her as the most important person in his life!
Amidst Kushina's complex thoughts, there was a mixture of anxiety about Araki's foolish actions and a surge of emotion for him. Her heart, which had become empty after becoming Jinchūriki Araki, was now filled with Araki's love.
"It's alright, don't worry, I'm here to save you."
Araki smiled and said softly, "Now that the plan is finalized, it wouldn't be a problem to take advantage of Kushina's emotions as well."
He had already accepted Kushina as a friend from the bottom of his heart.
I understand that Kushina is quite sentimental. In the original storyline, Minato won her heart by carrying her in his arms under the moon. Now that he is saving someone, he should express his feelings.
After all, if you want to win a girl's heart, you can't just do things; you also have to use your words.
"Hey kid, you're a man, you made the right choice. Don't worry, I won't make things difficult for you. I just want to leave here safely."
The scarred man quickly said.