Naruto Zaraki

Chapter 10

The air was thick with tension, the once serene riverbank now a battlefield scarred by the earlier exchanges. Naruto stood tall, his reiatsu burning around him like an untamed flame, while Jiraiya's expression was hard and focused.

"You're a stubborn brat," Jiraiya said, pulling out a scroll and unfurling it. "But you're forcing me to stop holding back."

Naruto smirked, sliding his tanto from its sheath. Though it was a modest blade, the way he wielded it with a relaxed grip hinted at his skill. "That makes two of us, old man."

Jiraiya slammed his palm against the scroll. "Summoning Jutsu!"

With a deafening boom, Gamabunta appeared, his massive frame casting a shadow over the battlefield. The Boss Toad's pipe clamped between his lips, and he surveyed the area before glancing down at Jiraiya.

"This better be good, Jiraiya," Gamabunta grumbled. "You know I hate getting dragged into pointless scraps."

"It's not pointless," Jiraiya replied, pointing at Naruto. "This kid needs to be brought to his senses."

So, it's come to this," Gamabunta rumbled, his deep voice carrying a note of regret.

Naruto smirked. "Hey, Bunta. Still smoking that pipe, huh?"

"Kid," Gamabunta sighed, "you've made quite the mess. Don't make me regret this."

Naruto's reiatsu flared again. "You might, old man."

---

Gamabunta swung his blade, the sheer force behind it enough to send a shockwave through the air. Naruto moved with blinding speed, dodging the strike and landing on the blade itself. He dashed up its length toward Gamabunta, tanto gleaming in his hand.

"Don't get cocky!" Jiraiya shouted, forming a series of hand signs. "Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"

A powerful gust of wind blasted toward Naruto, forcing him to leap back to avoid being swept away. The wind tore through the battlefield, uprooting trees and sending debris flying.

Naruto landed lightly on his feet, his tanto raised defensively. "Not bad," he said. "But you'll have to do better."

Jiraiya smirked, his hands moving again. "Fuinjutsu: Binding Chains!"

Golden chains erupted from the ground beneath Naruto, attempting to ensnare him. Naruto reacted instantly, his reiatsu surging outward in a powerful pulse that shattered the chains before they could reach him.

"You're really pulling out all the stops, huh?" Naruto

"This is just the beginning," Jiraiya said.

---

Jiraiya's hair began to extend and harden, forming into razor-sharp spikes. "Needle Hell!"

The spikes shot toward Naruto, forcing him to weave and dodge with incredible agility. Despite his speed, a few spikes managed to graze him, drawing thin lines of blood. Naruto didn't falter, instead closing the distance between them with a burst of speed.

Jiraiya transitioned seamlessly, his hair extending further and wrapping around Naruto like tendrils. "Wild Lion's Mane Technique!"

The tendrils tightened, attempting to immobilize Naruto, but the boy's reiatsu flared violently, shredding through the hair with raw force. He surged forward, his tanto slashing at Jiraiya with a speed and power that forced the older ninja to leap back.

"Not bad, kid," Jiraiya admitted, landing on Gamabunta's shoulder.

"You haven't seen anything yet," Naruto shot back, raising his tanto.

---

Gamabunta leaped into the air, his massive blade descending toward Naruto like a guillotine. Naruto didn't flinch. He raised his tanto, imbuing it with his reiatsu, and met the attack head-on.

The clash of blades sent a deafening shockwave through the area, the ground beneath Naruto cracking from the sheer force. Despite the size difference, Naruto held his ground, his reiatsu glowing brighter as he pushed Gamabunta back.

Jiraiya, still on Gamabunta's shoulder, formed a Rasengan in his hand. "Let's see how you handle this!" he shouted, leaping toward Naruto.

Naruto's eyes narrowed. He sidestepped Gamabunta's next strike and turned to meet Jiraiya head-on. Their clash was explosive, the Rasengan colliding with Naruto's reiatsu-infused tanto. The resulting shockwave sent both of them skidding back.

---

Naruto didn't give Jiraiya a moment to recover. He dashed forward, his tanto a blur as he unleashed a flurry of strikes. Jiraiya blocked as best he could, but Naruto's speed was overwhelming.

"You're good," Jiraiya admitted, sweat beading on his forehead. "But you're not invincible."

Jiraiya slammed his hand into the ground. "Earth Release: Mud Wall!" A massive wall of earth erupted between them, forcing Naruto to halt his advance.

Naruto smirked, raising his hand. Another Rasengan, this time infused with his reiatsu, began to form. "You're not the only one who can use this," he said, slamming it into the wall.

The Rasengan tore through the wall effortlessly, and Naruto burst through the debris, his tanto aimed directly at Jiraiya's chest.

Jiraiya barely managed to block with a kunai, the force of the strike sending him flying backward. He landed hard, panting.

---

Gamabunta stepped back, his massive blade resting on the ground as he observed the scene. "This kid's no joke," he muttered.

"Tell me about it," Jiraiya replied, wiping the sweat from his brow.

Naruto stood a few feet away, his reiatsu still burning brightly. Despite the intensity of the fight, he didn't seem tired.

"You're slowing down, Jiraiya," Naruto said, his voice cold. "Is that all you've got?"

Jiraiya's eyes narrowed. "Not even close," he said, forming a series of hand signs.

"Then stop talking and show me!" Naruto shouted, charging forward again.

Tbc