Swish! Swish! Swish! The young Cloud ninja swung his short sword, his form splitting into three, surrounding Naruto from the front, back, and left.
The Cloud Style Crescent Moon Slash was similar to the Leaf Style Crescent Moon Dance, both using clones to launch attacks. The difference was that the Leaf Style used physical clones, while the Cloud Style used illusions, with the real body hidden among them, making it highly deceptive.
But no matter the style, it was meaningless against Naruto now!
—Shinra Tensei!
Naruto chose the simplest and most direct counter!
Whoosh!
The two illusions crossed paths in front and behind Naruto, while the real body on the left was forcefully repelled, falling off the bomb bird, his short sword flying out of his hand...!!
"Screech!!"
The summoning bird from earlier swooped in, catching the boy in mid-air!
His bones ached, and he was shocked. "What was that just now...?"
Naruto turned, indifferent. "Want to try again?"
"Don't underestimate me!"
The boy, full of spirit, formed hand seals, but Naruto acted first, reaching out from a distance.
—Bansho Ten'in!
Whoosh!
The boy's feet left the summoning bird, flying towards Naruto!
"What is this...!?" Despite his shock, he completed the hand seals.
Crackle! Lightning gathered in his hands, forming a ball, which he threw at Naruto, aided by the pull.
—Lightning Release: Lightning Ball!
"Oh? A condensed Lightning Release that can be thrown..."
Naruto maintained Bansho Ten'in with his left hand while raising his right.
—Preta Path!
Konan, who had dispersed into paper during Shinra Tensei, reformed half her body, closely watching Naruto: Using the Deva Path and Preta Path simultaneously, Naruto's mastery of his left eye had reached a new level!
Whoosh! The right hand absorbed the lightning ball, while the left hand grabbed the boy's throat!
The boy, restrained by Naruto, was still defiant, forming a seal with two fingers.
"Screech!"
The summoning bird screeched, diving at Naruto.
Naruto remained calm.
—Preta Path!
Gurgle!
The boy's chakra flowed from Naruto's left hand, absorbed in an instant!
Poof! Without chakra, the summoning bird vanished in white smoke.
Naruto said, "Agile and quick-witted. More importantly, you're young and already at Jonin level. What's your name?"
The boy replied, "Cloud, Buroi!!!"
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Naruto thought: Buroi, given time, could become the next Kakashi of the ninja world...
"Heh..." Buroi's arm dropped, a look of resignation on his face.
"This smell..." Naruto sniffed, his eyes narrowing.
Swish! He tore off Buroi's ninja jacket, along with hundreds of explosive tags, and threw them away!
Boom!!!
The explosion lit up the night sky, Buroi's face pale. His last-ditch effort had been seen through!
Naruto stared at him. "Do you want to die that badly?"
Buroi closed his eyes. "Kill me!"
"Alright, I'll grant your wish..."
Naruto glanced down, then threw Buroi forcefully.
"Sensei Tutai, I acted on my own again. I'm so useless. Sigh, I never confessed to Samui. But maybe it's for the best. Liking someone fifteen years older? That's weird, right? If she rejected me, I'd be a laughingstock..."
Falling, Buroi bid farewell to the world!!
Bang!!!
The heavy impact left a crater, but he didn't die...!!
"Ouch... Why am I not dead??"
He realized he had landed on freshly turned soft soil!
"Could it be...!?" He looked up in shock at the passing shadow.
Naruto's Rinnegan under the mask watched below, murmuring, "Don't be in such a hurry to die, young man. Your time to shine hasn't truly come yet..."
...
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
The battle in the Hidden Cloud Village had raged for an hour!
The Raikage was still fighting the Hellhounds, but he had gotten smarter. He realized that using cutting techniques only increased their numbers!!!
—Heavy Flow Violent Strike!!
Bang!!!
He used an elbow strike to send a Hellhound flying!!!
Cloud ninjas skilled in Earth Release surrounded it, performing a joint jutsu!!
—Earth Release: Earth Flow Wall!
Boom!!!
Thick layers of earth trapped the Hellhound, temporarily immobilizing it...!!
"Roar...!"
There were still thirty-six Hellhounds around the Raikage!!!
"Argh, damn it...!" The Raikage was furious, his chakra running low...!!
"Raikage-sama, hold on a bit longer, the sealing team is on their way!!!!"
The Raikage shouted, "Where's Tutai? If he were here, this would be easier!!!"
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Elsewhere, a rhino rampaged, buildings crumbling like tofu, dozens of Cloud ninjas wrapping thick chains around it, pulling with all their might...
"Argh...!!!"
But they were thrown around...!!
A calm and steady man appeared.
—Lava Release: Rubber Wall!!
Gurgle!!
The ground sank, a rubbery liquid rising, trapping the rhino's legs, immobilizing it!
The surrounding Cloud ninjas were relieved. "Tutai-sama!! Thanks to you, we'll take it down!!"
Tutai said, "No need, I'll handle this. Go support other areas...!"
"Understood, be careful!"
After they left, Tutai looked at the rhino's eyes.
"All these summons have those troublesome eyes, but how could there be so many? They must be projections from the summoner..."
He paused, saying, "You're watching, aren't you?"
"..." The rhino didn't respond.
Tutai continued, "The summons avoid non-combatants and civilians. I don't think they have that intelligence, so you must be controlling them, based on shared vision. I deduce you can share vision with your summons...!"
"Having fought you once, I know you're goal-oriented and don't want unnecessary conflict. So, let's talk. Maybe I can give you what you want!"
On the bomb bird's back.
"As expected of Uncle Tutai, his sharp analysis rivals Shikaku's..."
Naruto sighed, standing up and telling Konan, "I'll be right back."
Clang!
A Flying Thunder God kunai landed before Tutai, and Naruto appeared. "Tutai-san, you're right. If the Raikage were half as smart as you, this wouldn't have escalated..."
Tutai said, "I despise your actions, but I opposed this conflict from the start. I'm a Cloud ninja, I must follow the Raikage's orders..."
Naruto asked, "And now?"
"Your power exceeds my expectations. To prevent further sacrifice, take this..."
Tutai pulled out a scroll.
"..." Naruto's eyes narrowed under his mask, not moving immediately.
Tutai said, "Relax, it's the secret scroll of the Lightning Release Chakra Mode, untouched. I'm not foolish enough to invite more trouble for the village..."
"..." Naruto used gravity to pull the scroll over.
"Sigh..." Tutai sighed. "Honestly, I don't know if this is right. Who knows what you'll do with it."
After verifying it, Naruto put the scroll away, looking at Tutai. "Time will prove your decision right."
Tutai asked, "Can this end now?"
Naruto asked, "Tutai, want to work for me?"
Tutai was stunned, then laughed. "Don't joke. I'm a Cloud ninja, I'll never betray my village!"
"That's a shame." Naruto sighed but didn't press. "But it's fine. As long as you live, your wisdom will serve the ninja world. That's enough..."
Swish!
Leaving behind those thought-provoking words, Naruto vanished.
Tutai was puzzled: For the "ninja world"? What is his true goal? He's such an enigmatic figure...
Swish!
Naruto returned to the bomb bird's back.
Konan asked, "Did you get it?"
Naruto nodded. "Yes, it's time to go back..."
He placed his hand on Konan's shoulder and used the Flying Thunder God Technique to return to the Rain Village!
Poof! Poof! Poof! Poof...!
The summoning beasts across the Hidden Cloud Village disappeared in white smoke...
"Hahaha... I finally defeated these damn dogs!!!!"
The Raikage shouted triumphantly, the lightning dissipating. He lay on the shattered ground, sweat streaming from his bronze skin into the earth...
That night, the Hidden Cloud Village did not sleep.