Chapter 2: The Not-So Amazing Race! Part 1

Based on: Land of Tea Escort Mission Arc

Hokage Office

Early Morning

"No training today, Naruto?" Jo asked the blond chūnin, Sakura and Sasuke standing beside their blond teammate.

"I got all the training I needed with Master Ryu yesterday before he left for a mission, Hayabusa-sama," Naruto said with respect. "Is there a mission you need us to go on for the village?"

"It's a personal one," said Jo. "An old friend of mine from the Land of Tea, Jirocho Wasabi, has requested aid from me. However, since I am occupied with the Hidden Leaf, I cannot go. With all Jōnin out on other missions, I have no choice but to send a three-man cell to do it."

"So Kakashi-sensei's out, huh," said Sakura.

"The leader for this mission will be you, Naruto." The blond's teammates looked shocked as Naruto went over the details of the mission with the Hayabusa Clan Leader.

"Taking orders...from Naruto..." Sometimes Sakura forgot the blond ninja was promoted to Chūnin after Orochimaru attacked the village. Either it was because it was something she least expected or because Naruto didn't wear the standard vest.

On the way to the Land of Tea

"Alright, listen up, Sakura, Sasuke, because I don't want to repeat myself. For starters, remember that I am the leader of this mission, and as leader, you will listen to my orders. However, you are free to voice your thoughts if you don't think you agree with them, in which I will give you my personal thoughts on them. You are also free to act on your own, though only at times where I am unavailable. If you bring personal feelings into the mission, I will jump in."

"I still think Kakashi-sensei should've been leader of this mission instead of you," Sasuke told the blond chūnin, sounding annoyed by the thought of taking orders from Naruto of all people.

"Yes I know how much you miss having Kakashi-sensei in charge, but seeing as how he's elsewhere and not here, it can't be helped," Naruto told the Uchiha, who looks away in annoyance.

"Tch...To think The Third made you and Shikamaru chūnin..."

"To be honest, no one should have been made chūnin due to the attack that interrupted the exams," said Sakura.

"Maybe so, Sakura, but as the Devil's luck would have it, The Old Man and Hayabusa-sama were going through the fights from mine up until Sasuke and Gaara's match. Shikamaru, Temari, and I were the only ones who managed to make it, regardless of who won or lost."

"That ticks me off," said Sasuke. "I'm sure Hinata went easy on you because you're good friends with her."

"Say what you want, Sasuke, but you weren't really there when the exams started. She fought me with everything she had until the end of the match. To say she let me win is an insult to her hard work and I won't tolerate that." Naruto glares at Sasuke, who does the same to the former as Sakura panics a bit from the intensity the two emanated. The two calm down once Sakura spots a tea house and suggests they stop to rest and eat.

"...I hope they have some good red bean soup..." said the blond.

Teahouse

After ordering, Team 7 waits patiently for their meals. While Sakura sat with Sasuke as usual, Naruto sat opposite of them, listening to his music. When the Uchiha asked what the mission was all about, Naruto told them they'll find out once they arrived at their destination.

"Just sitting down in the shade sucking on red bean soup?" Team 7 turned their heads to face a stranger who looked a few years older than them. He had a spiky ponytail, a slight tanned skin and brown eyes. "A ninja's life is pretty cushy it seems." Naruto and Sasuke say nothing to him as Sakura watched in silence.

"I guess you don't get much action in the Hidden Leaf Village...Judging by how out of shape you look." Naruto said nothing to him, wanting to focus on the current song he was listening to. Seeing Sakura, the stranger introduced himself as Idate Morino, calling the pink-haired girl "Sweetie", making her face turn red from how sweet he was talking to her.

"How about I scoop you up into my arms and take you away. I can see us having quite a happy future in your eyes."

"Thank you, but I have someone in mind," said the red-faced Sakura.

"A shame really. I was hoping to be your prince," said Idate. "I should be going now. Have a safe travel, ninjas." The three said nothing as Idate left the tea house, just as the server returned with their meals.

"Here you go. Thank you for waiting said the server, who puts down their orders. "I'll take these whenever you're ready," she adds, setting down two pairs of bills after.

"Wait, why do we have two bills?" asked Sakura.

"That? One's for you and your friends', and the other one's for that young man who left. He said you were going to pay for him. Sakura and Sasuke's eyes looked shocked after realizing Idate just done and dashed. Putting his ear to the floor, Sasuke notes how faint Idate's steps we're becoming, noting how fast he was from that.

"That little snake!" yelled a furious Sakura. In response, Naruto told the two there was nothing they could do about it, and that they were careless before turning around and making his way towards the bathroom. "Let's just accept it and have ourselves a bite."

"But-"

"Sakura, he's just some dine-and-dasher, one whose order isn't that big for me to pay. Just let it go." Right after Naruto finished, Sakura and Sasuke let out a sigh in unison, begrudgingly agreeing to let Idate go. "Good." Once he was out of their view, Naruto teleports outside of the teahouse.

With Idate

"Hah, before they can even get started, I'm gonna be miles away," Idate said to himself as he distanced himself further from the teahouse.

"Care to repeat that?" asked Naruto, startling Idate, who doesn't see a branch in front of him and trips over it, falling through a bush and falling down a slope. Along the fall, he dropped his pocket knife, which lands in a hole of a tree. As Idate gets up, Naruto caught up to him.

"What's the use of speed if you don't watch where your going, Idate Morino?" asked Naruto. "Now, I'll be dragging you back to the teahouse by the back of your shirt. It may be nothing more than a bill, but it's your bill and neither I or my teammates will pay for it."

"I-I...I'm sorry!" yelled Idate, who goes on his knees and begs. "I got robbed of my money and had no way of paying for my meal. Then you and your team came and I had no choice."

"That is pure bull," said Naruto. "If you wanted to, you could've helped out at the-" Before Naruto could finish, Idate's pocket knife falls from the hole in the tree and falls on the blond's head before dropping on the ground next to Idate. Taking notice of the object, the blond was about to pick it up until Idate quickly snatched it from the ground and moved away from his pursuer.

"Now what?" asked the annoyed blond chūnin as Idate removes what Naruto thought were leg warmers until he dropped them, creating two small craters that blew dust in the blond's face. Swatting it away, he watched as Idate ran off once more, letting out a bothered sigh.

"Give it up, idiot, you'll never catch me!" Idate yelled, feeling sure that he escaped the blond due to his increased speed. Looking back, to his shock, Naruto was already catching up to him. "What!?"

"Have to admit, you're fast..." In an instant, Naruto disappeared in a flash, appearing right next to an unprepared Idate. "but I can say with confidence that I'm faster." With a simple sweep kick, Naruto knocks Idate off his feet, making him fall forward and onto his stomach as the blond appears in front of him.

"Try anything else, I dare you," Naruto insisted in an intimidating tone. Noticing a square sized bump on Idate's right thigh, Naruto told him to empty his right pocket or he'll cut around it with a kunai. Scared for his life, Idate pulls out his wallet, further angering Naruto as he gestured him with his hand to give it to him.

After being given the wallet, the blond chūnin looks inside it, finding out Idate had more than enough money in it to buy a hundred times the amount of the bill. Without saying a word, Naruto took out the exact amount of money Idate's meal costs before tossing the wallet back to him.

"Got robbed of your money my ass. If you weren't such a cheap crab, I wouldn't have had to run all the way here." At this point, Idate looked confused. Didn't he run all the way here to kick his ass and drag him back to the teahouse like he said he was? And don't people usually take all the money in another person's wallet?

"I got what I was here for, now scram and never pull this stunt again. Get a job and work your butt off. Count yourself lucky that Sasuke or Sakura weren't the ones in front of you. Also, the Hidden Leaf was attacked by enemy shinobi recently, and many people died from it you ignorant fool." Idate's eyes widened when he was informed of the attack on the Hidden Leaf. "To respond to your earlier remarks on not getting much action there, we get enough." Idate looked sympathetic after what he heard from Naruto, who ran back to his teammates after, leaving some dust flying from taking a single powerful step.

"What a strange ninja." Getting up from the ground, Idate notes on how fast Naruto was, hoping he doesn't run into him ever again.

With Naruto

Degarashi

Wasabi Clan Main House

"Everyone, thank you for coming," The Wasabi Clan head, Jirocho, said to the three young Hidden Leaf Ninjas who stood before him.

"Thank you for having us," Naruto told the Wasabi clan head before getting down to business. "Hayabusa-sama said you would tell us the details of the mission once we arrived."

"Of course," said Jirocho. "Do you three know of the Todoroki Taisha dedication ceremony?" Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura looked at each other for answers, not finding any and turning their attention back on Jirocho.

"The Todoroki Taisha dedication ceremony started with a legend where Clan Wasabi, dedicates the treasure balls of Ryuko to the Todoroki Taisha, the storms would settle. With that legend came a customary event that happens once every four years. Initially, it it started out as an event to dedicate the treasure balls, but eventually became a festive race where the one who places first will dedicate them."

"I think I know where this is going," said Sasuke.

"There are two clans residing in this port village, my clan the Wasabi family, and the long standing Wagarashi family. We always fond each other in constant disputes and fought over the city boundaries. Those caught in the middle would end up getting hurt during these fights. To put an end to the fights, the feudal lords started talking about a bargain: Decide who will be the boss of the city through the Todoroki Taisha dedication ceremony. The Wagarashi family, who won after hiring a ninja four years ago, has once again hired a ninja this year."

"So that's why you asked for his help. You wanted to make sure the race was fair, and make sure nothing happens to your runner," Naruto told the Wasabi family head.

"Correct. Once more..." Bowing his head to them, he asks the three young ninjas to lend the Wasabi family their strength. "We can't afford to lose this race."

"That's why we're here," Sakura said with a smile.

"Thank you..."

"So who's your racer?" asked a curious Sasuke, his question answered when Idate enters the room, to his and Sakura's shock.

"I-It's you three..." said an equally shocked Idate.

"We meet again, Mr. Dine-and-Dash," said a now-smirking Naruto. Seeing the way Naruto smiled, Idate started sweating.

Evening

Town

"Boss Jirocho's a really high-ranking person, you know," Idate told Naruto, who was walking beside him through town while listening to his music. "He doesn't have to beg to a ninja."

"Uh huh..."

"Are you even listening?" With his usual blank expression and a sarcastic tone, Naruto repeats everything Idate told him. "To think Boss hired someone like you...I don't like running around with someone of unknown origin."

"Oh, really? That's crazy," Naruto told him, sounding uninterested, making Idate angry. His anger dissipates when the two hear three men from the Wagarashi family yell at a man they kicked out of a nearby restaurant he owned.

"P-Please forgive me!" said the restaurant owner.

"Ungrateful bastard, who do you think you need to thank to be able to work? Are you going to go against the Wagarashi family? Huh!?"

"N-No, not at all, but I need you to pay me or else..." One of the three Wagarashi clansman cracked his knuckles, telling the restaurant owner someone should teach him some manners. Throwing a right punch, the Wagarashi clansman has his right fist knocked upward by a left rising kick from Naruto, Idate looking to where the blond was standing earlier, wondering how he acted within a split second. Naruto then knocked the man off his feet with a kick from his right leg before he touched the ground.

"Who the hell-" The three Wagarashi clansman man froze in fear once Naruto looked at them with a calm but menacing presence, his killing intent leaking out.

"If you three don't want to get hurt, or humiliated by a twelve-year old, I suggest you run away, NOW..." Listening to the blond, the three Wagarashi clansman run off in fear. Facing the restaurant owner, Naruto offered to help him up, being thanked in the process as Idate watched, surprised by the way the blond dealt with those men.

Sushi Restaurant

"Are you sure you want to pay?" asked the restaurant owner, who was questioned by the blond's large order. "I can make it on the house since you saved my life."

"I don't mind. Besides, those men didn't pay for their meals so I'll spend up to the amount they ordered and then some," Naruto told the owner, sounding polite as Sasuke and Sakura looked at him, wondering how the blond was fine with spending so much money. Idate remained silent, still recalling how menacing the blond was, despite being several years younger than the men he scared off.

"You are too kind. Perhaps next time you come here?" Naruto responds with a nod before the owner got ready to complete their orders.

"Before any of you can ask, I save my money, and I get an allowance (from Pervy Sage and Kureha), which I also save."

"I'm surprised you asked us to come eat with you, and you rarely ask us," Sasuke points out.

"I'm the leader of this mission," Naruto told the two. "What sort of example would I be if I didn't treat my teammates once in a while?"

"That does make sense," said Sakura. "Wait a minute, Kakashi-sensei never did this for us."

"I don't really mind it," said Naruto. "I'd probably have plans already before he even decides to treat us." Sasuke agrees with Naruto, telling his teammates the same thing.

"Well, enjoy this sushi tonight, because we have a huge day tomorrow." As soon as the sushi was finished, the chef placed their orders in front of them. As Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura dig in, the latter noticed Idate wasn't eating.

"You need to eat. You'll need all the energy and rest for tomorrow. That man is counting on you, us included, to win, or at the very least try your best."

The next day

Degarashi Port

7:58 am

Seeing how large the crowd was, Sakura admits she was expecting just the two clans to appear, not the whole village as Naruto and Sasuke looked over the routes Idate and his competition were taking.

"Starting here, the two are to head to the midway point at Modoroki Shrine on Nagi Island by boat, take one of the two Ryuko's jewels waiting there, and then dedicate them at the Todoroki Great Shrine on Ouzu Island. Shortcuts, obstructions, and secret maneuvers are all allowed...This race is crap."

"Naruto!"

"I have the right to voice my thoughts. The fact that sabotage and shortcuts are allowed is ridiculous, and that us making sure the race is fair, per instructions given to us by Jirocho, is just a means to even the competition with the rival clan. The races I've seen were better organized and fair than this one."

"You three can just relax and watch," Idate told the three ninjas. "Don't follow me around!"

"If we don't, we're not really doing our job, Mr. Dine-and-Dash." Bothered by the nickname, Idate tells the blond to not call him that. "Whatever you say."

"The Todoroki Great Shrine Race will start soon!" said the announcer, using speakers to get his message across. "Wasabi Family's runner, Idate Morino! Wagarashi Family's runner, Fukusuke Hikyakuya!" Once the announcer counted down starting from three, the two runners readied themselves as the doors in front of them open and the announcer yelled for them to go. The runners picked their feet off the ground as they sprint towards their boats.

While Fukusuke took his boat and set sail to the shrine, Idate took a left and ran into the forest, Sakura informing her teammates that he's running away.

"We're right next to you, ya know, use your regular voice. You sure about that?" Naruto asked, Sakura asking him if he's blind. "Either that, or you're not observing your surroundings carefully."

"What does that mean?" asked a now-confrontational Sakura.

"You'll know once we catch up to Idate, now let's go," said Sasuke, who runs off without the two.

"...What Sasuke said."

With Idate

"Boss...Trust in me. I will win this race!" As he ran along the dirt trail, Idate noticed he passed a tree he saw a couple of minutes ago. Realizing he was in a genjutsu, he stops to dispel it and continues running.

"I'm out of it!" Suddenly, his right foot loses its footing in front of him, realizing he was put in another genjutsu and was now about to fall off the edge of a cliff. He is saved by Naruto and Sasuke, the two catching him by his legs.

"Double Genjutsu. Aren't you glad that we disobeyed you and follow you around?" Idate clenched his teeth in annoyance as the two ninjas got him back up on land as Sakura joins them.

"That was an unnecessary help," Idate told the three as he got on his feet.

"Really, then should we kick you off the cliff and let you help yourself?" Naruto asked the runner, who paled when the blond asked the question. "Thought so. Like it or not, we're here to make sure you don't die, unless you want your Boss to lose to those thugs."

"...I hate you guys, you (Naruto) most of all," Idate told the three. "But you're right. I don't want to die, and I don't want the Boss to lose." As he faced north, Idate is stopped by Sakura, who asks him why he's not heading back to the port.

"It's faster this way," he told the pink-haired kunoichi.

"He is right," said Naruto, to Idate's surprise. "There's a seasonal wind, a strong one, that's starting to blow across the ocean."

"How did you-"

"The cloud at the starting point," Naruto responds, interrupting the runner. "Looking at the map of the land and putting that wind into account, there's a port to the north where an ocean current flows straight to Nagi island. The wind will allow the boat Idate will be riding on to arrive at Nagi Island faster than the other boat."

"...Right," said Idate, a bit amazed that the blond knew what he was thinking.

"Now let's get a move on guys. Don't want to waste any precious time." With all four in agreement, they continue running along the path leading to the port in the north. Upon arrival, Idate asked the old man living near the port if they could use the boat that was already in the water, the old man allowing them to use it, telling Idate to win for the Wasabi family in return.

With Naruto

Ocean

Boat sailing towards Nagi Island

While Sasuke and Naruto adjusted the sails, Sakura approached the latter, asking him if he thinks Idate was a ninja.

"Most likely. He can run extraordinarily fast for one. Speed like his requires special training and dedication to it. With speed like his, he could've applied it to his taijutsu and reach the Chunin Exam finals like Sasuke and I."

"Wait, you two were in the finals!?" Idate asked out loud.

"Yeah," Sasuke answered. "Though, it was interrupted before it could be completed. In the end, this dobe managed to pass it thanks to sheer luck."

"I did finish my fight before all hell broke loose, don't forget that," Naruto adds, Sasuke telling him to not remind him of that fact.

"Then you must have had a darn easy proctor," Idate told the blond. "Really, the level of the Chunin Exam has dropped..." Team 7 look at Idate all surprised, the runner covering his own mouth after realizing what he said.

"So you are a ninja," said Naruto.

"Now I remember. Idate Morino." Sasuke's response further surprised Idate.

"If I remember, Morino was the last name of the proctor during the written exams," Sakura adds.

"Ibiki is...ALIVE!?"

"You his son?" Naruto asked, Idate correcting him saying Ibiki was his older brother. "I see, and yes he's alive."

"Are you sure!? Posi-" Before Naruto could give him an answer, an arrow flies past Idate and hits the floor of the boat. Behind them, three ninjas from the Hidden Rain were sailing towards them on a boat of their own, firing arrows from their crossbows as haze clones come out of the floor of the boat and the water to attack them. "So those are the ninjas they hired...At least they're not fishmen or pirates with fruit powers. His teammates look at Naruto funny, wondering what he meant by the last part. "Sasuke, Sakura, stay here and protect Idate. I'll go sink their boat."

"Hold on there. Why are you-"

"In the case that I don't come back in time, you two are the only ones who can get Idate to the island. I'll try to make it quick before they ruin this boat. Be careful, some of them may be the real deal."

"How?" asked Idate. Seeing the look in his eyes, Idate knew what he meant. "You're not going to..."

"They chose this," Naruto told the runner before disappearing in a flash.

"Get behind us, Idate," Sakura told the runner as she and Sasuke readied their kunais while the Hidden Rain Ninjas advanced on them.

Hidden Rain Ninja Boat

As soon as he appeared, Naruto cuts the jugular of the Hidden Rain ninja with the crossbow, before he could prepare another arrow, catching his teammates off guard.

"MUBI!" Turning his attention towards the Hidden Rain Ninja who had both of his eyes covered with a sash (Kagari), Naruto stops him from forming hand signs by grabbing his pointing fingers and bending them all the way back, kicking back the other ninja (Oboro) before breaking the left shin of the one in front of him with his left foot, then dislocating the left arm with a powerful tug.

Naruto then takes his kunai, slits him in the throat, and stabs him in the right lung in quick succession before lifting him up by his shirt and crushing his rebreather. As Naruto prepared to drop him into the water, Oboro fearfully observed the brutality of the blond chunin.

"Your left arm and leg are broken, and you can either stop your throat from bleeding out or prevent water from flooding your right lung. Either way, you're dead." Saying nothing else, Naruto drops Kagari into the water, who slowly sinks to the bottom, unable to save himself.

"You...How can someone-"

"You agreed to go on your mission. No turning back now. I suggest calling off your buddies on my boat, or you'll suffer a far worse death than your friends, and trust me, it'll be a slow one." Oboro took a step back whenever Naruto approached him, telling him to stay away from him. Before he could get closer, Naruto sensed another presence on the ship, jumping back to avoid a blast of ki.

"Who...Who are you!?" Oboro shouts. As the smoke settled, Naruto came face to face with a muscular man with pale skin, grey hair, and black eyes. He had on a vest and a pair of black ninja pants. Resting on his back was a collapsible dual bladed scythe. Noticing the spider tattoo on his chest, Naruto realized who his opponent was.

"You're a ninja from the Black Spider Ninja Clan..."

"D-...Did the Wagarashi hire you?"

"Yeah, they did," said the Black Spider Ninja.

"Then that means-" Without warning, the ninja formed his left hand into a knifehand and thrusts it into Oboro's chest, who spits out blood in response. "It means nothing, except your reward becomes mine. I have no need for and hate weak ninja like you. Ninja who couldn't even pass the second stage of the Chunin Exams. To think the Hidden Rain can only produce ninjas with this caliber of strength..." Finished, the Black Spider Ninja pulls his left hand out of Oboro's chest, killing him.

"He was able to hide his ki from me...Had I not sensed his killing intent..."

"You...I sense ki in you, Hidden Leaf Ninja, one belonging to a Hayabusa. I've been eager to kill a Hayabusa."

"Hayabusa? I am not a part of their clan," Naruto told the enemy ninja.

"There's no denying it, you are Hayabusa, your energy tells it all. If you insist on saying you're not one of them, that means you have no knowledge of your lineage." Naruto responds by telling him he was an orphan with no knowledge of his family. "With ki like yours, you'll slwly grow to be a threat to my clan, which is why I must kill you before you find out just how strong you can get. What is your name?"

"Naruto Uzumaki."

"I am Sakujo of the Black Spider Ninja Clan. It'll be a privilege for me to kill you, and an honor for you to die by my hand."

[Naruto OST - Bad Situation]

Sakujo takes out his dual bladed scythe and throws it at the blond chunin as he runs at him. Naruto slides under it to avoid getting his head sliced off and transitioned into a rising right knee kick that gets blocked by his opponent's right hand. Naruto winced in pain as he observes the palm of Sakujo's right hands and saw that he applied a thin layer of ki to it that was shredding his knee like a blender. Noticing the dual bladed scythe returning to Sakujo's hand, Naruto clenched his teeth in annoyance.

"Oh great, it comes back." Naruto jumps out of the way as the weapon returns to Sakujo's hands and applies chakra to the blades.

"Wind Release: Serial Waves of Wind!" With a swing of his weapon, Sakujo sends multiple blades of wind at the blond. Despite raising his ki to increase his defense, Naruto was surprised to see his ki failed to protect him as the blades cut into his arms and legs, the force of the attack being strong enough to push him off the boat.

"His ki is stronger than mine...Not good!" Acting quick, Naruto applied chakra to his feet and skids on the surface of the water, just as Sakujo jumps out of the boat and lands in front of him, creating a huge splash. Naruto finds himself further annoyed when the metal pole for the weapon separates into sections

Sakujo alternates which of the two blades from his weapon he sends flying towards the blond as he whips them forward, the blades narrowly slicing him as he tries and fails to avoid them, unable to weave any hand signs to use his ninpo.

"With the wind blowing towards Nagi Island, he's using it to increase the speed at which his weapon goes. He's also not giving me time to wave the hand sign's needed to produce a clone. I'd use Air Grenade, but his weapon would just slice it up...Worst of all, my right knee is injured, and I'm not healing as fast as I usually do."

"My weapon was forged by our clan's witch, Obaba, it's blades being capable of halting the healing process," Sakujo revealed. As you move, you will only lose more blood, with your movements getting slower and slower." Hearing Sakura's screams, he turns his head towards the boat his teammates and Idate were on, and finds it set on fire. He tries to go after them, only to get blocked by his opponent, who tells him it's rude to take his eyes off his opponent.

"If you want to go save them, you'll need to kill me first!"

[Music End]

"Looks like I'll need to use that damn fox's chakra..." Sakujo found himself amazed to see Naruto utilizing a strange red chakra to heal as steam came out of the closing wounds that he (Sakujo) inflicted on him (Naruto).

"Just how is it that you healed those wounds?"

"I have a troublesome fox inside of me." With the little chakra he had left to use, Naruto had two Fuma Shurikens appear in his hands, infusing them with chakra before throwing them towards his opponent. The blades on Sakujo's weapon catches them by the open circle in the center of them and hurls them back to the blond. Naruto jumps and performs a midair spin, avoiding the fuma shuriken that were flying above and under him, the two spinning weapons flying off into the distance. During that time, the blond chunin was able to form a flaming mass of pyrokinetic energy in his hands, launching it at Sakujo, who gets hit straight in the chest by it. Seeing the minor burn wound on his chest, he commends Naruto for hitting him, but tells him, in his current state, his ki wasn't strong enough.

"Had you been given more time to improve your ki's strength, this wound would be worse than this one that's already healing."

"This opponent is beyond my current level, and I can't run from this fight to help Sasuke, Sakura, and Idate. My pride as Master Ryu's student won't let me. Now I understand how Sasuke feels being a member of the Uchiha..."

[Jujutsu Kaisen OST - 時間外労働 (Working Overtime)]

"What a hypocritical situation I've put myself in, letting my own pride prevent me from properly doing my mission..." Naruto said to himself, a grin on his face.

"Hohhh?"

"Sasuke, Sakura, you better keep Mr. Dine-and-Dash safe until I get back in one piece..." As Naruto relaxed himself by letting out a slow breath, Sakujo swung one of the scythe blades at him. The blond then utilized Reinforcement Magic to strengthen his limbs, magic circuits appearing around them. Right before the blade could hit him, Naruto performed a ducking dash to both avoid the scythe blade and close the distance between him and Sakujo before executing a strong punch with his reinforced right fist. The strength behind the punch knocks Sakujo back, his feet skidding in the surface of the ocean's water.

"Until then, there's a difficult wall in front of me that I need to break through." Seeing a thin trail of his own blood flowing down his mouth, Sakujo wipes it with his right hand before it could reach his chin and looks at it. He then lets out a smirk and looks straight at Naruto.

"All that strength to draw this much blood from me...Strong, but not enough to finish me."

"That's fine by me," Naruto responds. "I'm willing to be a selfish hypocrite to my teammates if it means I can go further beyond the me right now."

"Well said, but you'll have to keep your head on your shoulders if you want to get there!" Sakujo shouts in an excited manner as he sends a flurry of wind blades at the blond chunin.

[Music End]

TO BE CONTINUED