Naruto: The New Beginning

33. Kakashi vs Team 7 - 2

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Ten water dragons roared down and smashed into the ground, causing waves to splash around and gradually spread to the feet of the clones.

Kakashi had already vanished from his spot. The ten Narutos and the Sakura clone in the front row immediately started moving.

The three Sakura clones stood back-to-back in the centre while the ten Narutos formed a circle to guard the surroundings.

Suddenly, a hand emerged from the ground at Sakura's feet, pulling her down until only her head was exposed.

Kakashi appeared, hearing Sakura shout, "Sasuke!" But when she spoke, it was Naruto's voice, and he flashed Kakashi a big smile before turning into smoke and dissipating.

'Sasuke' and 'Naruto' immediately charged at Kakashi, trying to disrupt his movements.

The ten surrounding Narutos turned, and one of them transformed back into Sasuke, quickly forming a seal. Sasuke's cheeks puffed up as he shouted:

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!"

"A shadow clone?" Kakashi was surprised. Did he swap out Sakura with a transformation technique while I was distracted by the water dragons?

How did he know my target was Sakura? No, as long as the three people standing together are shadow clones, the outcome will be the same no matter which one I attack!

Kakashi quickly figured out Naruto's and Sasuke's strategy. His hands formed seals at lightning speed:

"Earth Release: Earth Wall!"

Kakashi clapped his hands on the ground, and a four-to-five-meter-high earth wall rose, blocking the oncoming fireball. The dog's head carved into the wall was scorched black.

Naruto seized the opportunity to form seals, and a large amount of water spurted out of his mouth:

"Water Release: Water Bullet!"

Sakura, who was standing next to Naruto, released her transformation and threw six shuriken, sealing off Kakashi's left and right escape routes.

At the same time, Naruto released a shadow clone, which then dissipated.

The clone on the other side of the earth wall received the message and immediately signalled Sasuke.

Kakashi ran up the dirt wall, but when he looked up, he saw two kunai shooting straight down from above—it was Sasuke's shuriken-throwing technique!

Kakashi deflected the attack with his kunai and continued running to the top of the dirt wall, looking down at the three of them.

The kunai hadn't made an impact; Sakura's six shuriken were embedded in the earth wall, and Naruto's water bullet hit the wall and flowed down, briefly raising the water level.

Sasuke had already bypassed the earth wall and joined Naruto. They had planned that the three of them should regroup as much as possible. Otherwise, they would be easy targets.

Kakashi clapped his hands atop the earthen wall and said, "This is a very impressive team effort. First, Naruto's ten shadow clones were used as a feint to distract me."

"Then, ten shadow clones combined to use Water Dragon Bullets. When I lost visual contact, you swapped the real body with the shadow clones using a transformation technique, making the clones the bait."

"After I attacked, you flanked me on both sides, Naruto and Sakura blocked my retreat to the left and right, continuing to harass me with shadow clones."

"You've used the memory-transmitting ability of shadow clones very cleverly to guide Sasuke's attack from my blind spot."

"I'm impressed, but Naruto, your chakra must be nearly exhausted by now, right? Maybe it's time to admit defeat?"

The chakra cost was indeed significant. With twenty shadow clones, ten water dragons in a waterless environment, and a water bullet, it's been draining. The transformation technique can be ignored.

Naruto cooperated by releasing several shadow clones within Kakashi's field of vision.

He panted and said, "It's been taxing, but have you wondered why the three of us are just standing here, listening to you...?"

Kakashi suddenly rolled off the dirt wall, his eyes narrowing at the sight of a golden chain on the wall, still quivering with energy.

"...Finished?" Naruto's voice reached Kakashi as he leapt away from the wall, leaving him with a lingering sense of fear.

"Where did you learn that?" Kakashi followed the chain with his eyes, noticing it stretched from behind Naruto, hanging down against his thighs, concealed by the shallow water on the ground, and quietly wrapped around the earth wall. So the water bullet was used for this!

"I remember this technique isn't typically used like this," Kakashi muttered, stunned by the versatility of the Adamantine Sealing Chains, known for binding even-tailed beasts. How did her son use this technique so...creatively?

"Are you trying to kill me!?" The golden chains dissipated into fragments as Naruto started gasping. Nonsense, if I had my mother's full strength, I'd summon four chains directly to your face, but I'm not wasting that kind of energy on you.

Seeing Naruto was exhausted, Sasuke pulled out a kunai to guard Naruto's right side, while Sakura moved to cover his left.

Kakashi observed their coordination with satisfaction. "Well, you're showing a good application of ninjutsu as ninjas, but let me teach you another lesson in ninja tactics—illusion!"

"Break!" Naruto was suddenly disoriented, but then he felt a huge tail tap him lightly. He snapped back to reality. "Thanks, big fox!"

"Pfft, you fell for such a basic illusion? Pathetic!" Kurama mocked.

Naruto didn't argue, opening his eyes to see that Sakura had already formed a seal and released herself from the illusion. Great, Sakura—this illusion's level is pretty decent.

Just as Naruto was about to help Sasuke break free, he saw Sasuke's eyes suddenly widen and turn red, with a single tomoe spinning slowly in each eye.

Naruto was stunned. Sasuke, you've awakened your Sharingan—at the perfect moment!

Kakashi was equally shocked. Could it be that Itachi's younger brother is also a genius?

Sasuke felt the change, looked at his hands, clenched his fists, and smirked. "With this power, I should be able to defeat Naruto."

Naruto was taken aback. I see you as a brother, and your first thought after awakening your Sharingan is to beat me?

Sakura was overwhelmed by Sasuke's smile, her eyes practically turning into hearts. "So cool, so cool, so cool..."

Fortunately, Kakashi remained focused on the exercise. He raised an eyebrow and said, "So, you've awakened the Sharingan? Well, I have one too. Let's see if you, as a Uchiha, can match up to me, an outsider."

"Stop looking down on me!" Sasuke couldn't bear the insult and charged forward, his eyes blazing red.

It's beyond unfair to push kids to awaken their Sharingan just to play mind games. Naruto had no choice but to rush in and grab Sakura, using her as "cover."

Kakashi felt no shame and continued, "Besides ninjutsu and illusions, there's also..."

Kakashi disappeared in an instant, reappearing to kick Sasuke in the chest, finishing his sentence with, "...taijutsu!"

Naruto caught Sasuke as he was sent flying backwards, pulling him to safety.

Sakura seized the moment and threw her kunai, trying to buy time for Naruto and Sasuke to adjust their positions—just now, she hadn't seen Kakashi's movements at all!

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