Not just the current Sasuke, but also Hyuga Neji from earlier.
Both of these guys had improved their strength rapidly. Compared to before Sasuke's defection, Naruto could clearly feel that these two had risen by several entire levels.
Is this what it means to be a genius?
"But I won't lose either!"
Naruto clenched his fists, his face showing unparalleled determination.
He thought of the downcast Sakura, and Tenten!
He had made bold claims about bringing these two despicable guys back.
Those weren't empty words!
For this day, he had been training relentlessly!
After training so hard for so long, there's no way I'll lose to you two!
Seeing Sasuke display such overwhelming power, instantly sending the previously dominant Hyuga Neji flying, how could Naruto fall behind?
Gurgle—
Gurgle—
A powerful and violent chakra overflowed from within Naruto's body. In moments, a layer of dark red tailed beast cloak covered Naruto's body surface.
Under the influence of the Nine-Tails' chakra, Naruto's emotions remained completely steady, his eyes clear and focused.
This was the result of his training during this period!
Originally, Naruto had been somewhat resistant to the Nine-Tails' power. After all, he had been branded with the name "Demon Fox" from birth.
How could Naruto not harbor feelings of resentment toward the Nine-Tails?
And Senju Hashirama understood this precisely. Though he hadn't taught Naruto many ninjutsu, he had put tremendous effort into this very aspect.
In Senju Hashirama's eyes, the number of ninjutsu wasn't that urgent for Naruto. Naruto's true power lay in the Nine-Tails within him.
Naruto's carefree personality was precisely the intangible force needed to resist the "hatred" that overflowed from the tailed beast.
So, under Senju Hashirama's guidance, although Naruto still hadn't fully accepted the Nine-Tails, he was no longer as resistant as he had been at the start.
The appearance of the Nine-Tails' chakra immediately drew the attention of everyone present!
"So he's the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki."
Baki dodged Sasori's attack, catching his breath, and glanced at Naruto from the corner of his eye.
But soon, Baki and the others turned their attention back, because in that brief moment of distraction, another wound had been added to his body.
"Oh, so he can already borrow the Nine-Tails' power? Not bad."
Uchiha Obito, who was single-handedly holding off both Kakashi and Yamashiro Aoba, muttered to himself with a teasing tone.
At the same time, a hint of regret appeared on Uchiha Obito's face.
This mission was to capture the One-Tail Jinchuriki. The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki was right before him, yet he couldn't be captured. It was truly frustrating.
Uchiha Obito shook his head slightly. There was nothing he could do about it.
Even if he had the ability to capture Naruto right now, Uchiha Obito wouldn't do so.
Right now, Uchiha Madara still hadn't made preparations to fully go to war with Senju Hashirama.
The time wasn't right!
Kakashi quickly glanced in Naruto's direction, then turned his attention back without showing much concern on his face.
As Naruto's supervising jonin, Kakashi had some knowledge of the progress Naruto had made under Lord Senju Hashirama's guidance.
Otherwise, Kakashi would have risked everything to break free from Uchiha Obito and rush to Naruto's side to prevent the Nine-Tails' chakra from leaking further.
At this moment.
Hyuga Neji, who had been sent flying by Sasuke's suddenly surging strength and speed, quickly adjusted his chakra in mid-air.
With precise control, Hyuga Neji expelled chakra from the tenketsu on his back, using it to slow his momentum. After a flip in the air, he landed steadily on the ground.
Hyuga Neji looked down at the spot where his arms had blocked Sasuke's attack. The clothing there was already scorched black.
Even now, both of Hyuga Neji's arms still throbbed with a burning, numbing sensation.
"Using Lightning Release chakra to stimulate every cell in the body, enabling high-speed movement and attacks while also providing a degree of defense."
"Truly an impressive ninjutsu."
Hyuga Neji raised his head, looking at Sasuke in the distance, cloaked in blue electrical currents, and spoke calmly.
As he spoke, Hyuga Neji swiftly circulated his chakra, rapidly dispelling the numbness in both arms caused by the Lightning Release.
"If that's all you've got, you're going to lose badly in a moment."
A cold expression on his face, Sasuke threw Hyuga Neji's own earlier words right back at him.
"Just watch!" Hyuga Neji's eyes narrowed slightly, beginning to exude a dangerous aura.
A sudden roar echoed from behind. Naruto, wrapped in the tailed beast cloak, surged past Sasuke at incredible speed, charging toward Hyuga Neji first.
"Sasuke, you jerk! You can't steal my opponent!"
"I said I was going to beat him up first!"
Naruto let out a loud shout as he sprinted on all fours like a wild beast, his speed just as fast as Sasuke's had been moments ago.
Seeing Naruto's current state, the spinning Sharingan in Sasuke's eyes quickened slightly.
"So this is... the Nine-Tails' power."
"Stronger than before."
A serious expression appeared on Sasuke's face.
Before his defection, Sasuke hadn't known what this power was. Now, of course, he understood.
During the Land of Waves mission before he defected, Naruto had displayed this power. But back then, Naruto hadn't mastered it at all.
And now, this power was even stronger than it had been then!
With a tremendous boom, Naruto blasted a huge crater where Hyuga Neji had been standing.
Hyuga Neji had moved away from his position in advance, dodging Naruto's attack. At the same time, he assumed the Gentle Fist stance. Instead of retreating, he advanced, quickly appearing right in front of Naruto.
Gentle Fist: Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!
Hyuga Neji's hands struck out in rapid succession, becoming a blur of afterimages. Each palm strike landed on Naruto's body with a heavy thud.
In mere moments, all sixty-four tenketsu on Naruto's body had been struck by Hyuga Neji.
As the final palm came down!
Naruto wasn't sent flying as expected. Instead, a smug look appeared on his face.
"Hehe, your attacks don't work."
Most of Hyuga Neji's attacks had been blocked by the tailed beast cloak on Naruto's exterior. Even the few strikes that hit the tenketsu were easily broken through by the tailed beast chakra overflowing from within.
"Now it's my turn to attack!" Naruto let out a loud laugh.
Shadow Clone Jutsu!
A shadow clone instantly appeared beside Naruto, quickly extending both hands to press against one of Naruto's hands in a spiraling motion.
"Too slow. And who said my attack was over?"
Seeing Naruto's attacking motion, Hyuga Neji not only didn't dodge but instead assumed the Gentle Fist stance once again.
Gentle Fist: Eight Trigrams One Hundred Twenty-Eight Palms!
Hyuga Neji launched the Gentle Fist again, but before his hands could strike down, his movements suddenly stopped.
Sasuke had already charged in from another direction, massive electrical currents radiating from his right hand!
"Chidori!"
Sasuke let out a low shout, directly attacking from behind Hyuga Neji.
In the moment Hyuga Neji paused due to Sasuke's sudden attack, Naruto's own attack was also fully prepared!
A blue sphere of chakra appeared in the palm of Naruto's hand, radiating a dangerous aura.
"Rasengan!"
Naruto let out a mighty roar, raising the Rasengan in his hand and thrusting it straight at Hyuga Neji from the front.
A double pincer attack!
Clearly, this was a coordinated move between Naruto and Sasuke!
These two guys!
They claimed they didn't want each other's help, but their movements were perfectly in sync. Truly worthy of having once been in Team 7!
Sensing the dangerous aura coming from both front and back simultaneously.
Hyuga Neji's eye twitched violently. He quickly abandoned his Gentle Fist stance, mobilizing his chakra to burst forth from every tenketsu in his body.
"Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven!"
Hyuga Neji let out a low shout, spinning rapidly like a top.
The surging chakra formed a spinning absolute defense, like a blue dome of light inverted over the ground.
[
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