At the center of the field, surrounded by dozens of Narutos closing in from all directions, Asuma did not retreat. Instead, he stepped forward.
"I've already seen this trick during the Chunin Exams, Naruto!"
Asuma laughed boldly, his massive frame bursting forth with agility that completely contradicted his build. Like a tiger leaping into a flock of sheep, he charged straight into the sea of Shadow Clones!
Bang! Bang! Bang!
He didn't use a single Ninjutsu. Relying purely on Taijutsu, Asuma tore through the clones with overwhelming force.
He slipped between a pincer attack from two clones, a brutal straight punch instantly shattering the one on his left. Without pause, his body twisted low, and a sweeping whip kick smashed into three clones on his right, dispersing them into clouds of white smoke.
Every movement was crisp and decisive, his transitions flawless, leaving no openings at all. In front of an elite jonin, Naruto's direct, crude brawling style looked painfully slow, like a badly replayed training video.
"S-So amazing!"
Rock Lee's eyes sparkled as he watched from the sidelines.
"As expected of Asuma-senpai! Even without opening the Eight Gates, his Taijutsu is still this fierce and oppressive!"
"Asuma's close-combat ability has always been among the best of Konoha's jonin."
Kurenai watched him dominate the battlefield with ease, a faint smile forming on her lips.
Boruto, watching his "dads" being wiped out as effortlessly as harvesting wheat, couldn't help but twitch at the corners of his mouth.
'Dad was way too reckless when he was younger. This kind of straightforward cover tactic gets seen through instantly.'
Still, Boruto's thinking was far more flexible than Naruto's had been at this stage.
His gaze flicked toward Asuma, who was currently wreaking havoc in the clone army. An idea flashed through his mind, and his hands immediately formed seals.
"Transformation Jutsu!"
With a soft poof, "Menma" vanished, replaced by a "Naruto" indistinguishable from the surrounding Shadow Clones.
Using the white smoke as cover, Boruto moved like a loach slipping through water, smoothly blending into the mass of Naruto's clones.
Unlike the others, he didn't charge in head-on. Instead, he used his comrades' bodies as moving cover, silently creeping toward Asuma's blind spot with the patience and precision of a seasoned assassin.
Kakashi, observing the scene, showed a brief flash of approval in his eyes.
'Compared to Naruto's single-minded, brute-force style, this kid Boruto actually has real combat sense. There's even a hint of his grandfather's flair.'
"That child called Menma has an exceptionally high combat IQ,"
Haku said softly, standing beside Kakashi as an assistant instructor.
"He noticed that when Mr. Asuma deals with large numbers of Shadow Clones, his subconscious locks onto 'Naruto's' usual straight-line charge pattern. So he deliberately disguised himself as a clone to hunt for an opening. That level of composure and cunning isn't something a child his age should normally possess."
"Yeah."
Kakashi spread his hands helplessly.
"Compared to him, a certain idiot who likes to solve everything with a headbutt is far more troublesome."
On the field—
Asuma smashed another Naruto apart with an elbow strike. Just as he turned to face the next attacker, a sudden sense of danger surged through him.
The "clone" rushing in from the blind spot behind his left side had unnaturally light footsteps—there wasn't even the faintest sound of air being cut.
"Hmm?!"
Asuma's heart clenched, and he instinctively dodged to the right.
Swish!
A kunai skimmed past his tactical vest. It didn't pierce his defense, but it was more than enough to send a chill down his spine.
Seeing the ambush fail, Boruto didn't hesitate. Using the momentum of Asuma's dodge, he flipped lightly through the air and landed several meters away, instantly widening the distance.
"Brat, you're pretty sharp,"
Asuma said, now fully aware of Boruto's identity, surprise flashing through his eyes.
"To think you'd use Naruto's clones as cover for a sneak attack."
If not for his accumulated combat experience, that strike might have actually landed.
At that moment, Sasuke—who had been standing far back, watching the Shadow Clone army get nearly wiped out—finally lost his patience.
"That idiot… has he forgotten all of our usual tactical coordination?!"
Sasuke ground his teeth in frustration. Against an elite jonin, wasting chakra on meaningless attrition was simply stupid.
His dark eyes instantly turned blood-red. Two black tomoe spun slowly within his pupils as sharp chakra surged from his body.
His hands blurred into afterimages as seals formed at blistering speed.
Snake — Ram — Horse — Rabbit — Tiger — Dragon
"Naruto! Stop wasting chakra!"
Sasuke shouted sharply.
"Use Wind Release to support me! Prepare a composite Ninjutsu!"
Naruto, who had been struggling to stabilize a Rasengan, froze for a split second before snapping back to his senses. He dispersed the unstable chakra and slammed his palms together.
"Got it! Leave it to me!"
As Naruto's original body formed seals, the remaining Shadow Clones immediately adjusted their strategy. No longer charging blindly, they inhaled deeply in unison.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique—!"
"Wind Release…"
Asuma's expression changed instantly when he saw Naruto and Sasuke preparing a Wind–Fire composite Ninjutsu.
He had personally witnessed Naruto's terrifying chakra reserves and casting range. If this kid unleashed a large-scale Wind Release without restraint, combined with the Uchiha clan's Fire Release, the resulting power would be anything but trivial.
'I can't let him release that!'
Realizing the danger, Asuma abandoned his engagement with the remaining clones. His chakra surged violently throughout his body.
"Wind Release: Whirlwind Fist!"
Dense, rotating wind-attribute chakra instantly wrapped around his fists. He launched a rapid barrage of punches, compressed gales blasting forward like invisible heavy cannons.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The violent air currents shredded every Shadow Clone in their path. Without slowing, the gale slammed directly into Naruto's original body as he was forming seals behind them.
"Waaaah—!"
Naruto was blown clean off his feet, tumbling across the ground several times before coming to a stop. The Ninjutsu he was preparing collapsed instantly.
"Dead last…"
Sasuke gritted his teeth—but his hand seals were already complete.
Even with Naruto interrupted, he didn't halt his attack. His chest expanded sharply as scorching flames erupted from his mouth.
Boom—!
A massive orange-red fireball, radiating intense heat, tore through the air and surged toward Asuma without mercy.
"Don't be so naive, kid!"