I Read It In A Book

Chapter 10

Charging in, Naruto jumped over the barrage of kunai that flew faster than they had previously. When he landed, Kai was already in his face. He leaned to the right to avoid the fist flying towards his face. He immediately had to block the follow up right that shook his body. Kai spun around and delivered a brutal kick to his stomach, sending him skipping across the ground a few yards.

Naruto rolled back to his feet and tried to lean out of the way of the round house coming to his face but it was too late. He took the hit and was once again sent skipping across the ground. Kai stood in his spot with the black markings still covering his body. Naruto picked his mask up enough to spit the blood from his mouth. Standing back to his feet, he rolled his neck out and rushed again.

Kai rushed as well, when in range he went for a right hook that Naruto sunk under and delivered a jab directly beneath his extended bicep. Kai grimaced and kneed him in the side. Naruto rolled with the hit immediately and jumped into a 360 to avoid the low kick directed at his knees. In his spin, he brought a fist out that connected brutally with Kai's chest. The two got back to their feet and traded another series of blows until Naruto's superior speed allowed him to gain the upper hand.

Kai rolled to his back and kicked himself back up. He leaned back avoiding the roundhouse kick that almost took his head off. When he righted himself, he lunged forward giving Naruto a shoulder charge that threw him off balance. With an opening he gave a spinning back kick to his side sending him again tumbling across the field.

Naruto rolled out of his tumble and leaped as hard as he could to his right, avoiding the much more potent ball of flames heading his way. When he landed, he saw Kai performing more hand signs. He awaited his next move. Kai finished his string of seals and put his hands out to the side. Miraculously, two whips made of flames shot out from his hands. Naruto was still unfazed.

Kai swung one around above his head and snapped it towards Naruto. Naruto rolled out of the way of it and immediately had to jump to avoid the other one that swung just underneath him. He allowed himself to fall to the ground, avoiding the next one that swung right over top of him. Then he rolled across the ground, avoiding the next strike coming straight down at him.

Acting quickly, he rolled to a crouch and slammed his hands against the ground causing another wall of earth to shoot up in front of him. Kai sent both of the whips around either side, trying to hit him from within his cover. To his surprise, he heard him pop out of the ground from a few feet behind him. Turning around, he saw him going through hand signs. Kai snapped his whip towards him in an attempt to cut his jutsu. Naruto jumped to the side to avoid it. When he landed he stumbled, almost losing his footing.

Kai took the chance and swung both of his flame whips his way. Before they could hit however, they dispersed without his doing. He tried to bring them back, but they refused to manifest again. "What the hell…" he muttered running through the hand signs again. As he was doing that, the onlookers were watching in both amusement and amazement as the real Naruto stood directly behind their former leader having just gently placed a seal on his back. It was a remarkable thing to see their seemingly all powerful leader being made to look like a fool.

"Borrowed power makes you weak when it is no longer within your reach." Naruto said casually alarming Kai. He quickly jumped off to the side, facing off against Naruto and his clone.

"What the hell did you do?" Kai asked darkly. He grabbed at his neck as his curse seal began retracting.

Naruto began walking casually towards him and dispelled his clone. "I have cut your contact with that seal upon your neck." He said as everyone else grew confused. "A gift from Orochimaru I assume." He said casually, further shocking the crowd. Up to this point, they had assumed it was simply a technique of his that involved some kind of boost in his abilities.