The Future: Naruto Fanfiction

Chapter 77 LARA'S PLAN

The Rear Entrance

Naruto crosses his fingers to execute the juts that has become most closely associated with him, the shadow clone jutsu. Thousands of clones appear, each scattered around Carmen in a slightly different position with a massive ball of blue and white chakra in hand. The wind-release rasen-shuriken is a jutsu Naruto invented, to him it feels like it was a lifetime ago now. While others such as Minato, Boruto and Kakashi have attempted to learn the jutsu, Naruto has remained its true master, the most proficient practitioner that has ever lived.

The wind in the surrounding area howls and shrieks, for the first time the result of Naruto's power rather than Carmen's. Simultaneously, the clones each move slightly to one side or the other, gaining a slightly improved position as they do so. Then, the clones all throw their arms forward at the same time, launching the enlarged devastating wind attacks on the solitary aristocrat.

Carmen simply endures the attacks. She doesn't move a muscle. Without 'life', Naruto cannot touch her.

Naturally, Naruto knew about the futility of this attack in advance of launching it. He had only ever intended this attack as a smokescreen for his true intentions. Once more the attack has been planned carefully around Carmen's sensory abilities and deficiencies. Naruto has noticed that sudden changes in light stun Carmen slightly, perhaps due to her reduced vision. This attack does more than that though, the howling sound flying in every direction, the blinding light, the rumbling as the rasen-shuriken reach their target, they all shadow Naruto as he executes his next move.

The 7th Hokage uses his own rasen-shuriken barrage to disguise himself as he runs around to Carmen's rear, leaps up at her, and grabs her from behind. A grasp around her neck, his upper-arm pressed in exactly the right position, this is the perfect way to attack someone stronger than yourself. Even a monster needs air if it is going to fight.

Joining the original body, the enormous number of Naruto clones run at Carmen, each grabbing her in any way they can, restraining her so that the original body can stay in control of her for just one extra millisecond. These small margins can make all the difference in the world, and Naruto isn't the kind of man who ignores that.

Carmen can feel the desperation seeping through Naruto's skin. It only deepens her fury. If he were just like Boruto this would be easy, she wouldn't have to like him. However, Naruto's similarity to Endou Akashi speaks to his potential. To let him pass here would be such a waste, to stop him would be to praise Naruto. Yet, despite the great compliment that she is paying to him, he continues to ignore what the previous emperor would have wanted.

Carmen manages to pull a single hand free of the clones' restraints. That is enough. She gathers golden 'air' energy on this hand, flicking it by the wrist and generating a tremendous burst of wind as she does so.

Instantly the clones are destroyed, and the original body is sent skyward. His injuries aren't too great, and his trajectory is promising as he falls towards the grouped Clyde and Sarada. 'If only I could get a better position to attack, I might have a chance'. Naruto lands between Clyde and Sarada, his gaze fixed on Carmen as he does so. 'No, her powers are too strong. I don't know if there is anything I could do to overcome them'.

"Naruto, if things keep going like this it will end up the same as last time" Sarada says.

"I know" Naruto replies. "But what can we do, nothing I am coming up with is working, she's just too good. She is different to the ones we have fought before, she has clearly fought powerful enemies before".