""He's mine!" The bearded man with the hammer rushed forward unexpectedly, shoving the waterbender aside. He hoisted his hammer high, then brought it down with brutal force onto the pre-adolescent's head, his strike colliding with the ice that imprisoned Naruto.

"Naruto!" The dark-haired boy shouted in shock, witnessing how the shinobi was sent flying, breaking free from the shattered ice. His concern escalated as he saw a stream of blood trickling down from Naruto's forehead. "You're a son of a whore! He was defenseless!" Dororo's furious cry rang out, his gaze locked onto the treacherous attacker.

The hammer-wielder smirked in response to the other boy's intense glare. "If you've got something to say, come on over, brat…" His smile widened as he stared down the boy for a moment, then chuckled. "Hey, I know you! Your sister's the one who spreads her legs for coins, right? Was this brat planning to buy her so he could have fun with her? Nothing surprises me coming from that whore—" Before he could finish his sentence, a fist crashed against his mouth, sending him flying several meters until he collided with the cage bars.

The assailant was none other than Naruto himself, who heaved a heavy sigh and turned his attention to his opponent. With half his face smeared in blood from the wound on his forehead, Naruto kept his fist raised, staring unwaveringly at the bastard who had fallen to his knees, coughing up blood.

"Ahhh! M' bock!" The man attempted to speak, but with over ten missing or shattered teeth, the accumulated blood made it impossible to form coherent words. Nevertheless, he managed to rise furiously, seizing his hammer in a bid to attack the shinobi. His attempt was thwarted when a thin layer of ice formed beneath his feet, causing him to tumble to the ground.

Smirking evilly, the waterbender dispelled the ice that had caused the man's fall. "You…" Naruto clenched his fists, his fury evident as he picked up the nearby hammer. With a red glint in his eyes that only the bearded man could see, he approached his adversary until they stood face to face. Raising the hammer, he locked his gaze onto his victim one last time. "... you'll never touch her again." Lowering the hammer, he struck the fighter directly in the groin, producing a sickening cracking sound that compelled several onlookers to avert their eyes from the gruesome scene.

"…" Wearing a vacant expression, the former hammer wielder had blood streaming down from his crotch. Though he survived, the injuries he had sustained promised him a less than pleasant existence.

"…" Naruto released the hammer, turning his attention to the remaining six individuals.

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The boy's somber gaze remained fixed on them, sending shivers down the spines of some. A few even believed they saw the ghostly silhouette of a nine-tailed demonic fox lurking behind the boy, now with blue eyes featuring slit pupils.

"Get me out of here!" Four of the mercenaries, dropping their weapons, rushed towards the cage door in a desperate attempt to escape. The old man lethargically unlocked the cage, allowing the fighters to scramble out.

"Well, it's just you and me, honey," the waterbender said with a smile. She moved her hands gracefully, causing water to converge from various sources—alcoholic drinks from the spectators and pipes overhead. "Since I left the Northern Tribe, I haven't had a good fight. I hope you won't disappoint me." A mischievous glint danced in her eyes as she molded the water into a circling formation around her.

"..." Meanwhile, the earthbender lowered his hands, striking the ground. Earth surged forth to envelop his fists. Silently, the black-haired warrior from the Earth Kingdom flexed his legs, making the ground tremble. This motion prompted several pillars of earth to shoot up and advance directly toward Naruto.

The latter didn't stay still, nimbly sidestepping each block of earth hurled his way. He retreated and took a corner in the cage, observing the two elemental masters before him. "..." Blood continued to trickle from his forehead, causing his right eye's vision to cloud over. Swallowing hard, he recognized that this challenge might surpass even his battle against Azula. Using clones or a Rasengan would violate the supposed rules of this establishment and cost him his payment. Was this what Gai-sensei and Rock Lee felt? Relying solely on one's fists? Those eyebrows definitely deserved utmost respect.

"Naruto…" The shinobi snapped out of his thoughts at the sound of Dororo's voice. Lowering his gaze, he spotted his young friend near the cage. "I made a mistake bringing you here. If you keep going, they'll kill you… and Mio will kill me," the words were whispered, with his final sentence sending a shiver through him.

"She will…" Naruto heaved a heavy sigh, tearing off a piece of the shirt sleeve made by his young friend's older sister. He used the strip of brown cloth to fashion a makeshift headband, the fabric quickly staining red from his bleeding forehead.

"Then give up, brother! You're already defeated! Just give up! No one will blame you," the boy's passionate cries reached even the spectators, who were rallying behind 'the golden-haired fighter'.

"I won't, Dororo, because I never give up! That's my ninja way!"

"Well, it might be the end of your path, you idiot!" The boy's exasperated yell was cut short when he saw the blonde shinobi giving him a thumbs up, a broad grin on his face.

"Have faith in me, my boy! I'll show everyone what Uzumaki Naruto is capable of!" With a resounding shout, the shinobi pointed confidently at the two elemental masters before him.

"Are you done?" The question came from the white-haired woman who mockingly yawned. "You're fortunate that Wu is mute and respects you, considering you won the previous fights," she said calmly, gesturing to the stoic earthbender who nodded in agreement. "And I didn't attack you… because I find it amusing that you believe you can win." With that statement, she commanded the water to form into whips that lashed out at the shinobi. Naruto had to dart from side to side, evading the strikes. The whips hitting the ground left behind small craters or bent the steel bars.