He actually learned the Fourth Hokage's Flying Thunder God Technique...!
Anko Mitarashi's expression was extremely grave. She had lived through that era and knew firsthand how the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, had created battlefield legends with his extraordinary mastery of the Flying Thunder God Technique!
Anko pondered: The earlier Earth Style technique too. Naruto has repeatedly demonstrated abilities beyond what the intel provided. He must have been hiding his true potential for a long time, plotting this moment!
Tokuma Hyuga, looking tense, asked, "Captain Anko, what should we do?"
Anko replied, "We stand no chance. Take Awaro and Muta and retreat!"
Naruto said, "The others can leave, but Miss Anko, you must stay...!"
Tokuma was startled: His target is Captain Anko!?
Buzz... The scattered kikaichū insects began to regroup. This was a hidden attribute of the Aburame clan's jutsu: when the user loses consciousness during battle, the insects will lock onto the last chosen target and launch a relentless attack!
"What a troublesome jutsu..."
After forming hand signs, Naruto clasped his hands in front of his chest!
—Fire Style: Tornado!
Whoosh!
Naruto's cloak fluttered as flames rose from beneath him, swirling around his body and burning the surrounding insect swarm!
Tokuma exclaimed, "This is our chance to retreat..."
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Suddenly, several Naruto shadow clones charged forward, concealed by the fire, each wielding a Rasengan!
"There are too many of them, we can't handle this..."
Tokuma activated his Byakugan, and with chakra pouring from his body's tenketsu, he spun rapidly, creating an impenetrable defensive barrier!
—Eight Trigrams: Palm Rotation!
Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom...!
Naruto's shadow clones vanished one after another.
As the Palm Rotation subsided, Tokuma locked onto the approaching Naruto with his Byakugan, gathering chakra in his palm for a powerful strike!
—Eight Trigrams: Vacuum Palm!
Boom!
The strong gust forced Naruto back a considerable distance.
Naruto praised, "As expected of the Hyuga clan's elite, but this is where it ends..."
Swish!
A Rasengan formed in Naruto's hand, rapidly expanding with continuous chakra infusion!
Knowing he was in a dire situation, Tokuma shouted, "Captain Anko, I'll cover you here! Retreat quickly and report everything that happened here to the village!"
—Giant Rasengan!
Naruto leaped high, driving the massive sphere downward!
—Eight Trigrams: Palm Rotation!
Gritting his teeth, Tokuma executed Palm Rotation once more!
Boom!
The Giant Rasengan collided with the barrier of the Palm Rotation, producing a heavy sound... The airwaves surged, but under the relentless grind of the Rasengan, the Palm Rotation quickly weakened. The previously impenetrable barrier began to reveal Tokuma's struggling form!
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It's not that Tokuma is weak, but Naruto is too strong...
Boom!!
As the Palm Rotation shattered, Naruto withdrew the force of the Giant Rasengan in time...
Even so, the collision's force sent Tokuma flying, his back slamming hard against a tree, knocking him unconscious.
Landing on the ground, Naruto looked at Anko and said, "Now... there's no one left to interfere, Miss Anko."
Anko clenched her fists tightly. "Naruto, why are you doing this?"
After a brief pause, Naruto donned the hood of his cloak, speaking in a low voice, "For the future of the ninja world, I need that man's help. Miss Anko, you are essential..."
"That man... huh!"
Pondering Naruto's words, Anko suddenly felt a sharp pain from the curse mark on the back of her neck.
She wondered, "The curse mark hasn't reacted in a long time. Why now... But there's no time to worry about that. There's something more important!"
Swish, swish, swish, a small snake slipped from her sleeve, quickly disappearing into the undergrowth.
"Sending information back to the village..." Naruto noticed but didn't stop it.
He thought: Fine, let my identity as a rogue ninja be cemented. That way, my actions from now on won't implicate the village!
As the snake safely carried the information away, Anko's heart settled.
At least it wasn't all for nothing.
Anko said, "Now, I can play with you properly, Naruto..."
Naruto said, "You could also try to escape; there's a chance you might succeed..."
Anko looked at the fallen Tokuma and others, understanding that even if she could leave, she couldn't abandon her three companions.
She tapped her forehead protector with her thumb, resolute and firm, "A Konoha ninja doesn't abandon comrades and run away! You, being from Konoha, should understand this better than anyone!"
Naruto smiled, "Ah, I understand... In the ninja world, those who break the rules are considered scum, but those who don't value their comrades are worse than scum!"
"Then there's no need to say more!"
Anko began forming hand signs, gathering chakra, thinking: I have only one move that can threaten the current Naruto, but it requires him to get close and lower his guard to execute. Let's set it up...
Completing the hand signs, Anko's chest swelled.
—Fire Style: Dragon Flame Jutsu!
Boom!!
The ultra-high-speed jet of flames shot straight toward Naruto...
Seeing the approaching flames, Naruto quickly thought: If I counter with a fire style, it will undoubtedly burn her. If we must suffer injuries, being drenched by water is safer than being scorched by fire.
Swish, swish! Naruto swiftly formed hand signs!
—Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet Jutsu!
Whoosh! A surging torrent erupted, flooding the area. Forming a dragon shape, it devoured the encroaching flames and rapidly descended upon Anko!
"Ugh...!!" Anko was overwhelmed by the water, at a loss for what to do!
Whoosh! Naruto dashed forward, reaching out to Anko.
But at that moment, Anko's hand shot out like lightning, intertwining fingers with Naruto's to form a sign!
"This is a mutual death move, Naruto. In your current state, you will threaten the village. I'm going to die here with you!"
—Ninja Art: Twin Snakes Mutual Death!
Snap! Snap!
Two snakes emerged from Anko's sleeve, coiling around both her and Naruto... The dark red glow was a prelude to an explosion!
"!" Naruto's pupils contracted.
Boom, boom, boom, boom!!!
Amid the powerful explosion flames, Naruto activated the Flying Thunder God Technique, flashing away with the unconscious Anko, appearing at the marked location...
Gazing at the chaotic aftermath of the explosion, Naruto murmured, "Indeed, fighting with all one's might brings back memories of those glorious days..."
Konan approached, looking at the other three unconscious Konoha ninjas. She knew Naruto wouldn't kill them, so she said, "The birds and beasts in this area have been driven away by the battle, and Konoha villagers will soon arrive to take them back..."
"Indeed, let's return..."
Naruto, holding Anko, leaped from the tree, placed his hand on Konan's shoulder, and vanished using the Flying Thunder God Technique.
Shortly after they left, several Konoha ANBU members arrived at the scene.
The leading white-robed ninja held a scroll, the same information scroll Anko had sent earlier, intercepted and now in their possession.
Since it was an urgent message left by Anko without time for complex codes, they deciphered it, revealing what had transpired here...
After examining Tokuma and the others, the black-robed ninjas reported to the white-robed leader, "All three are still alive. Naruto Uzumaki didn't deal a fatal blow, and Anko Mitarashi's whereabouts are unknown. Judging by this... she was likely taken by Naruto Uzumaki."
"What should we do with these three? Should we take them back and wait for Lord Danzo's instructions?"
The white-robed ninja, a mid-level leader under Danzo in the Root organization and a fervent follower of Danzo's creed of dark justice, hesitated before replying.
He said with a gleam in his eyes, "Although we are all Konoha ninja, our philosophies differ, making us as incompatible as fire and water... The Root's approach is to ruthlessly eliminate unfavorable factors."
Raising the scroll, he continued, "With this intel scroll and the bodies of these three, Naruto Uzumaki's defection from Konoha will be confirmed. Additionally, based on public opinion among the lower ranks, this is the most compelling evidence... No need to consult Lord Danzo. We'll carry out the Root's philosophy to the end! Kill them!"
"Understood..." After a moment's silence, the black-robed ninjas drew their blades and mercilessly stabbed Tokuma Hyuga, Muta Aburame, and Awaro in the heart!
What should have been a rescue by Konoha turned into an inexplicable death at the hands of their comrades!
Staring at the three bloody corpses, the white-robed Root member murmured darkly, "Now, Lord Danzo's era has truly begun!"