A few hundred meters away from the clearing where Naruto and Sakura had just encountered the cloaked man, Yami stood motionless, concealed in the shadows of the trees. His cloak hung loose around him, the only part of his body visible being the gleam of his white mask—smooth, expressionless, hiding his emotions. His eyes behind the mask narrowed slightly as he felt the presence of the two Konoha ninjas approaching.
He had taken things too far, perhaps. It had been a gamble to push them into this fight, but Yami was a man of testing limits, especially the limits of those he considered interesting. He wanted to see how far Naruto and Sakura had come, how much they had truly learned under his guidance over the past few days. The training had been brutal, taxing, but now it was time to see the fruits of their labor.
The threat he had left hanging in the air—the words, the warning—was designed to provoke a response. He knew how Naruto operated; his headstrong nature would never allow him to walk away from such a challenge. Sakura, always protective, would follow him without question, ready to defend her teammate. Yami had predicted that much. Now, he would witness how far they could push themselves.
He wasn't worried about their physical capabilities—not anymore. He had seen what they could do with their training. But now, it was time to see if they could truly face the kind of danger that he, a seasoned fighter, represented.
A shift in the air caught his attention—Naruto and Sakura had arrived, standing not far from his position. He could feel the rage and determination emanating from Naruto like a tangible force, while Sakura's calm yet intense aura was just as palpable. They were ready for this.
Yami took a deep breath, adjusting his stance. He would be using nothing but his speed and taijutsu—no jutsu, no transformations. This was going to be a test of pure physical prowess, an unadulterated confrontation between trained bodies.
As he stepped forward, his movement was swift but deliberate. The leaves beneath his feet barely rustled as he silently advanced towards the two Konoha ninjas. The mask on his face hid the smirk that tugged at the corners of his lips.
Naruto was the first to make a move. "You're gonna regret messing with us!" he shouted, his body surging with chakra as his eyes hardened with the determination that only someone like Naruto Uzumaki could possess. He wasted no time and charged forward, his fists aimed for Yami's chest.
Yami didn't flinch. He didn't even seem to acknowledge the attack at first. Instead, he moved—his body flowing effortlessly, stepping aside just as Naruto's fist passed through the air where Yami had been a split second before.
The blow missed, but Naruto wasn't discouraged. He spun around, his legs lashing out in a spinning kick aimed for Yami's ribs. This time, Yami didn't sidestep. Instead, he twisted his body and caught Naruto's ankle mid-flight, stopping the kick cold. With an almost casual motion, he shoved Naruto's leg to the side, sending him tumbling to the ground.
Before Naruto could react, Yami was already moving again—his speed leaving him as little more than a blur to both Naruto and Sakura. His foot collided with the side of Naruto's ribs, sending him flying back several meters.
"You've improved," Yami said calmly, watching as Naruto struggled to regain his footing. "But you still rely too heavily on your chakra. In a fight like this, your body must move faster than your thoughts."
Naruto grinned as he pushed himself off the ground, the familiar surge of determination in his eyes. "Then I'll make my body move faster!" he shouted, his eyes glowing gold as the chakra of the Nine-Tails swirled around him, activating the power of his Kyuubi Chakra Mode (KCM).
His body began to glow with a red aura, his physical capabilities increasing exponentially as he tapped into the enhanced speed and strength that came with KCM. Naruto dashed forward once more, this time faster than ever, his fist aimed straight for Yami's face.
Yami watched him approach, unflinching. As Naruto's fist closed in, Yami made his move—his foot striking the ground as he launched himself into the air with impossible speed. In mid-air, he turned his body, dodging Naruto's punch and landing lightly behind him. In one smooth motion, Yami reached out and swept Naruto's legs out from under him.
Naruto fell, crashing to the ground with a grunt. He quickly flipped onto his feet, shaking his head to clear his dazed thoughts. "Damn it, you're fast…" he muttered under his breath, his fists clenched.
"You've got more than just speed," Yami acknowledged, his tone casual as he watched Naruto get back into his stance. "But you're too predictable. You rely on brute strength and chakra. You need to start thinking with your body, not your mind."
Sakura, who had been watching the entire exchange with a focused gaze, couldn't take it anymore. She wasn't going to stand by while Naruto kept getting tossed around. Without warning, she rushed forward, her movements fast and calculated as she closed the distance between herself and Yami. Her chakra surged as she called upon her Hundred Healings technique, her strength enhanced as she aimed a series of rapid punches at his chest.
Yami tilted his head slightly, watching her approach. Unlike Naruto, who relied on explosive speed and strength, Sakura's attacks were more deliberate—each punch calculated, aimed at specific pressure points to break through his defense. He admired the way she moved, the way she used her own physical prowess, but he could tell it wasn't enough.
As Sakura's first punch came in, Yami shifted his weight to the side and struck her wrist with a precise, almost surgical motion, redirecting her punch off to the side. He followed this by grabbing her arm and twisting it around her back, forcing her into an awkward position.
"Impressive," Yami said, his voice low. "But you still overcompensate. You need to use less power, more precision. Trust your body's instincts."
Sakura grimaced, trying to free herself from Yami's grip, but his hold was firm. In an instant, she shifted her weight and used her other hand to strike at Yami's chest with a palm thrust. Yami anticipated this, stepping back just enough to avoid the strike, but Sakura followed immediately with a low sweep, aiming to take his legs out from under him.
Yami was fast—faster than Sakura could keep up with. He jumped into the air, flipping backward, his body moving fluidly as he landed several feet away from them, watching them with an inscrutable expression.
"You're stronger than I expected," Yami said, his mask hiding the slight smile that formed beneath. "But you need to think less about defeating me and more about the flow of battle."
Naruto and Sakura were breathing heavily now, both of them tired but determined to keep fighting. They had learned so much from Yami—his teachings were unlike anything they had ever experienced before. But facing someone of his caliber was a whole other level of difficulty.
"We're not backing down," Naruto said, his voice resolute, the golden chakra aura flaring brighter as he stood tall. "Not until we beat you!"
Yami nodded, acknowledging their resolve. "Very well. Show me what you've learned."
Without further warning, he closed the distance between them in an instant, his movements a blur of strikes and counter-strikes. His punches were like lightning, landing with the precision of a master martial artist. His kicks were swift and devastating, each one a carefully calculated attack aimed at critical pressure points.
Naruto and Sakura responded in kind, using everything they had learned from Yami's training—their chakra, their physical strength, and their refined taijutsu. They moved as one, Naruto rushing in with a flurry of punches and Sakura following up with precision strikes designed to disorient and destabilize their opponent.
But no matter how fast they were, Yami was faster. No matter how hard they hit, his counter-attacks were always one step ahead. His movements were a seamless flow of punches, kicks, and evasions, each strike delivered with the purpose of not just defeating them, but pushing them to their limits.
The fight continued for what seemed like an eternity. Naruto and Sakura fought with everything they had, but Yami's skill and speed were simply too much. It wasn't about defeating them—it was about showing them that there was always room for improvement.
Finally, after several minutes of intense combat, Yami stepped back, his chest rising and falling with controlled breath. He looked at Naruto and Sakura, both of them panting and exhausted.
"You've come far," Yami said, his tone respectful. "But there's still more to learn. You must push beyond your limits. Only then will you truly become stronger."
Naruto, wiping sweat from his brow, nodded determinedly. "We'll get stronger. I won't let anyone stop us!"
Sakura, equally exhausted, gave a tired smile. "We'll get there, together."