The Future: Naruto Fanfiction

Chapter 166-BREAKTHROUGH

West Aturia

Ming Dai grinds to a halt as he is sent backwards by a strike from Shao Chin. He thinks that perhaps Naruto's words from before made him underestimate his opponent. Shao Chin is not a battle specialist, but that doesn't mean he is weak. The two of them are both class 7 warriors. Ming Dai has been trained from the very beginning by one of the greatest fighters to have ever graced Homeworld. While Shao Chin cannot boast such experience, he has faced countless beasts in head-on combat, surviving every encounter.

Shao Chin readies his bow once man before firing an arrow at Ming Dai.

Ming Dai quickly dodges the arrow, simple given the distance that Shao Chin has put between them. However, as he dodges, Shao Chin begins to move forward. Ming Dai is very much a close-range fighter and has few ways to counterattack. He tries to step forward but as he does so another arrow comes flying in his direction.

The situation becomes stuck, a loop which is worse for Ming Dai every time it occurs. Each time Shao Chin takes another step closer to him, making the arrows harder to dodge and more rapid in frequency. Meanwhile, Ming Dai has no way to fight back. Even the environment works against him, as there are no sticks or stones he can throw in the desert. Sora's student just keeps gambling on his own ability to dodge the increasingly difficult attacks, hoping that he can get close enough to attack.

Eventually it happens, seemingly a slip up from Shao Chin, the hunter arrives within attacking distance. Ming Dai leaps at Shao Chin, but the latter slips back away, letting himself be carried just off the floor by his 'gale' powers.

Sora's student naturally pursues Shao Chin, wanting to press his advantage and remain on the offensive. As he goes after him, he realises that there was never any advantage to begin with. As Shao Chin had been advancing towards Dai, he had been placing traps along the floor. It is a strategy that he enjoys using, especially against beasts. It almost always works, with Hannah's instinct making her a rare exception to the rule.

Dai finds his leg caught in a snare and brings his 'strength' energy to bear, tearing it apart. This small bit of wasted time is enough for Shao Chin to fire another arrow at Ming Dai. This time the arrow connects, striking him painfully in the upper arm. Ming Dai quickly removes the arrow and rolls to the right, hoping to avoid the next shot.

The arrow wooshes past Dai's head. Thankfully Shao Chin has proven himself unable to completely see through his battle tactics. This is the first moment in their duel that Ming Dai has felt his experience has been to his advantage, the first time he was able to outfox his adversary, even if just for a moment.

Regardless, they are caught in the same loop once more. Endless arrows rain down upon Ming Dai, following quickly one after the other. It's a very low risk ranged tactic for Shao Chin, and a very high-risk defensive strategy by Ming Dai. However, Ming Dai continues to dodge, even as the seconds and the minutes tick by. Shao Chin grins to himself, any normal warrior would have been hit by now. Ming Dai has spent time hiding in the shadow of Uzumaki Naruto, now he is starting to show just a bit of his true potential. He is beginning to show the talent that makes him a genius warrior.

Nearby, the Uzumaki family are continuing to sustain the diving attacks from Claude the Owl. He dives down on them in order. First Kushina, then Himawari, then Minato. While he may be their enemy, he is a good person in control of his actions and does everything in his power to avoid hurting Mito. His job is to keep them busy so that they can't intervene and save Naruto's life.