Chapter 28: Will Naruto Uzumaki Claim His First Victory?

Chapter 28: Will Naruto Uzumaki Claim His First Victory?

Sakura, Yamato, and Sai simply didn't have the energy for this.

All they could think about was why they were inferior to a nine-year-old kid.

Although they had practiced martial arts at an early age, their bodies should be stronger.

But after all, they were ninjas too! They had also trained in taijutsu! And their opponent was just a nine-year-old child!

Was the gap between the Ninja World and the Empire really this huge?

It was one thing to accept defeat at the hands of adults, but losing to a child was just too hard to swallow!

"Don't feel ashamed," Iruka consoled them gently. "Astor is considered exceptional even among the middle schoolers in the Imperial Capital who practice martial arts. And coming from a ninja clan, he's been training since he was young and is already accustomed to this level of intensity. As beginners, how could you possibly compare?"

"Damn it! Even with your explanation, Iruka-sensei, it's still hard to feel happy about this!" Naruto grumbled angrily.

"Regardless of the reason, we ultimately lost to a child in terms of physical ability," Yamato sighed, his heart filled with helplessness.

In just two short days since their arrival in the Shenwu Empire, they had endured more setbacks and blows than they had in their entire lives!

It was one thing to be outmatched by their peers or adults, but losing to a nine-year-old child was humiliating.

Yamato gazed up at the sky, his eyes clouded with uncertainty.

With their current abilities, could they truly rely on martial arts to catch up with the people of the Empire and protect Konoha in the potential chaos to come?

"Damn that brat!" Naruto continued to mutter angrily.

"What's the matter, old man? You look pretty unsatisfied," Astor mocked. "Don't tell me you actually believed what Iruka-sensei said? Hmph! Be honest, someone like you will never be able to surpass or catch up to me in your lifetime! You might as well just resign yourself to following in my shadow! That goes for both physical ability and actual combat!"

"Actual combat? You think I'm afraid of you, you brat?" Naruto roared.

"Oh? Are you challenging me to a real fight? Now that's interesting! Let's have a proper match then, old man!"

"You asked for it, brat!"

Naruto's competitive spirit ignited.

The Three Ninjas of Hayate standing nearby paled, worried for Naruto.

They feared he would lose.

If someone had told them before that an elite ninja like Naruto would be outdone by a nine-year-old child, they would have laughed it off.

But now... they couldn't bring themselves to laugh, especially since this child was from the Shenwu Empire!

This powerful empire from another world was unbelievably formidable, defying all common sense and measurements.

"Guys... our opponent is... just a... child. We... don't need to take it to heart... let's just forget about it," Yamato panted, offering a reminder.

"Hey, hey, hey! Old man, old lady, you're not scared, are you? As I thought, not only are you weak, but your courage is pitiful too!" Astor continued to provoke them.

"Damn brat! I'm gonna beat you black and blue!" Naruto seethed.

Yamato's expression grew even more concerned.

Sakura, too, turned to Iruka, as if seeking his intervention.

However, to their surprise, Iruka did not dissuade them but instead said to the two, "As martial artists, we should not fear combat. Moreover, as beginners in martial arts, sparring with other martial artists is not necessarily a bad thing for your growth."

"But..."

The two fell silent, at a loss for words.

Astor, on the other hand, looked at Naruto and said, "Don't push yourself, old man! Why don't you take a break first, and then we can fight? Look at you; you're having a hard time just standing there."

"Damn brat! Don't underestimate me! I can take you on right now!" Naruto gritted his teeth.

"Naruto, why don't you take a break for now," Iruka said, stepping up to prevent him from overdoing it.

The children who had been watching the spectacle excitedly huddled together, buzzing with anticipation.

"It's on! It's on! Who do you guys think is stronger, Astor Sarutobi or that mountain uncle?"

"Of course, it's Astor Sarutobi! Although he's not as amazing as the top students like Jiduo and Zhihu, he's still way beyond any mountain uncle!"

"That's true. After all, this uncle doesn't even know martial arts.

A group of children looked down on Team Hayate, infuriating them.

Naruto, in particular, vowed to teach Astor Sarutobi a lesson.

It took nearly half an hour for Naruto to mostly recover his energy.

He and Astor stepped into the center of the field, eyeing each other.

There was a significant age gap between them, and their heights were noticeably different.

Astor, however, regarded Naruto with a casual, lazy demeanor. "Come on, old man. Show me what you've got. I still need to continue my training afterward. Everyone's waiting for me."

"You little brat! Don't you dare start crying later! Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Naruto shouted, forming hand seals.

Instantly, a group of shadow clones appeared, baring their teeth at Astor.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu? Not bad, old man. Now, bring it on!" Astor beckoned with a finger.

"Hmph!" The Narutos snarled in unison and rushed towards Astor, soon engaging in a flurry of punches and kicks.

But Astor was already using his Paper Chakram, effortlessly weaving through the crowd, occasionally striking back and popping the clones.

"Hey, old man, do you know what this technique is? Without any knowledge of martial arts, you can't hit me, let alone beat me," Astor said nonchalantly.

"...!" Naruto ignored him, and the clones continued their relentless assault.

Until...

A buzzing sound filled the air.

Astor was suddenly hit by one of the clones and sent flying into the crowd.

He looked surprised and turned to see where the attack had come from.

There, behind the Narutos, were several Narutos preparing Rasengan, the swirling wind blowing in all directions.

Astor's eyes widened in realization. "Not bad, old man. Looks like you've seen my Paper Chakram before."

"Hmph! You brat! The key to the Paper Chakram is to use perception and wind to dodge attacks. But by using Rasengan in multiple directions, I can create a whirlwind that will disrupt you! Let's see how you dodge my attacks now! Everyone, let's go!"

Naruto's excited roar spurred the clones into a frenzied charge towards Astor.

But the next moment—

Whoosh!

A three to four-meter-long wind blade sliced through the crowd of Narutos, clearing a path.

Astor's small figure burst through.

"What's the matter, brat? Aren't you going to use your iron blocks to block my attack?" Naruto taunted.

"You underestimate me, brat! I can take you on right now!" Astor gritted his teeth.

"Naruto, why don't you take a break for now?" Iruka stepped forward to prevent Naruto from overdoing it.

The excited children huddled together, buzzing with anticipation.

"It's on! Who do you guys think is stronger, Astor Sarutobi or that mountain uncle?"

"Of course, it's Astor Sarutobi! Although he's not as incredible as the top students, he's still way beyond any adult!"

"That's true. After all, this uncle doesn't even know martial arts."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end