Naruto Card King

The power of the Rasengan was enough to shatter a mountainside. Even a Jonin—unless they specialized in Taijutsu defense—could never withstand a direct hit from it!

Saki couldn't withstand it either, but his sword had saved him!

In the split second before the Rasengan exploded, his instincts screamed of impending doom. While it seemed like he had been blasted away, he had actually made an evasive maneuver, dodging part of the technique's full force.

Like a cannonball, Saki was hurled through the air. But mid-flight, he twisted, his feet slamming into a tree. With another agile flip, he landed stably on a thick branch.

"You—" Saki's eyes widened as he glared at Haruto Saito, disbelief written all over his face.

He looked battered. The violent explosion of the Rasengan had sent a windstorm across his body, tearing through his clothing as if he had been whipped a hundred times. His robes were shredded, his skin lined with bleeding cuts. Several gashes marred his face, red streaks trailing down.

Crack! Boom!

A loud snap followed by a thunderous crash echoed. The massive tree Saki had just used as footing splintered down the middle and collapsed under its own weight.

Saki kept his eyes locked on Haruto. His hand trembled slightly—numb from the impact. His grip on his sword wavered, struggling to maintain control.

Using pure sword techniques to take on an A-rank close-range Ninjutsu? It was reckless. Saki had never expected Haruto to be this strong. The Rasengan… that was a move only a Taijutsu master could normally unleash.

Meanwhile, Haruto was equally stunned.

Saki's resilience was terrifying. Even when caught off guard, he had survived the Rasengan. It wasn't just Haruto's own lack of power—it was also Saki's incredible reaction speed and adaptability that had saved him.

Nearby, Agakura—who had been chasing Uchiha Mikoto—sensed the burst of powerful chakra behind him. From the corner of his eye, he saw Saki being blasted away. Shocked, he hesitated in his pursuit.

"You little brat… I underestimated you!" Saki suddenly grinned, his expression turning savage. "A prodigy of Konoha, huh? One year from now, this day will be your death anniversary!"

Saki lunged forward, his body vanishing into a blur as he charged at Haruto at blinding speed.

Haruto remained on full alert. His muscles tensed as he shouted toward Uchiha Iwa, "Hey! Lord Iwa! Don't even think about running! I can't hold him off alone!"

Uchiha Iwa had no intention of fleeing. As a seasoned elite Jonin, he knew exactly what needed to be done.

If he ran and left Haruto alone, the boy would be killed instantly, and the situation would return to its previous dire state. But if he and Haruto worked together against Saki, they might just be able to turn the tide.

Saki flickered several meters to Haruto's side, his fingers forming rapid seals in a blur.

"Wind Release: Consecutive Air Slashes!"

Blades of wind burst forth in a deadly spiral, slicing toward Haruto at terrifying speed. Haruto stomped the ground, channeling raw power through his legs as he leaped diagonally, barely avoiding the onslaught.

Meanwhile, Uchiha Iwa finished his own hand signs.

"Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire!"

Nine kunai wreathed in flames shot toward Saki like a volley of scorching bullets.

Saki leaped between trees, evading most of the fiery kunai.

From above, Haruto dove down, sword raised for a crushing blow. Saki flicked his wrist, hurling kunai toward him. Haruto twisted mid-air, deflecting the projectiles with his blade.

Uchiha Iwa charged in, clashing with Saki in a furious exchange of swordplay. Blades flashed, their movements blurring as the two engaged in a deadly dance, exchanging dozens of strikes in mere moments.

Haruto darted back into the fray, joining the assault.

Uchiha Iwa was already nearly Saki's equal in strength. With Haruto's added pressure, Saki found himself struggling, forced on the defensive. While Haruto wasn't using his full power—holding back his brute strength and samurai techniques—his heavy strikes still provided crucial assistance to Iwa.

"He's not a Taijutsu specialist… and not a Jonin," Saki quickly analyzed.

The overwhelming force Haruto had displayed with the Rasengan seemed to be his strongest technique. In the ongoing fight, his attacks weren't nearly as impressive. Saki deduced that the Rasengan was likely his trump card—his strongest move.

And he was right.

Rasengan was indeed Haruto's most powerful close-range Ninjutsu. But it wasn't his strongest technique overall.

The three combatants wove through the forest, the battle raging on.

Uchiha Iwa led the offense, Haruto supported, and Saki was increasingly pushed back. Haruto's sword swings carried immense weight—Saki could feel it—but that was the extent of the threat.

Iwa also noticed it. Haruto had strength, but his swordsmanship was average at best. His technique was riddled with flaws. If not for the two-on-one advantage, Saki would have cut him down long ago.

But only Haruto knew the truth—he was holding back.

"Watch out!" Iwa suddenly shouted.

Haruto ducked just in time, narrowly dodging a kunai that whizzed past him. He caught a glimpse of Agakura approaching from behind.

Agakura had abandoned his pursuit of Mikoto—he had returned to the battlefield.

Saki was more important than Mikoto. If Saki died, even if Agakura managed to kill Mikoto, Iwa would hunt him down and kill him afterward.

Agakura knew this.

The three-man brawl became a chaotic four-way clash. Haruto was the weakest among them, but Iwa held the line, ensuring Haruto stayed alive. If Haruto died, the balance of the fight would collapse.

Iwa was prepared to fight to the death.

With Agakura occupied, Uchiha Mikoto had successfully escaped. Iwa had no regrets—he would gladly die if it meant her safety.

—

Mikoto sprinted through the dense fog, leaping onto a tree branch and crouching beneath the canopy. She scanned her surroundings, finding no one chasing her. Distant roars of battle echoed from behind.

"Could that kid really be that strong?" she murmured, hesitation flickering in her eyes.

If the fight had reached a deadlock, her return could shift the balance.

She was only a Chunin, but she could still provide support, striking from the shadows.

Logically, she should have kept running. But she couldn't abandon her comrades. She had been raised with the belief that the Uchiha never ran from battle.

"I'm going back!" Mikoto clenched her fists and turned, sprinting toward the fight.

Before long, she reached the battlefield.

The forest was in ruins, trees reduced to smoldering wreckage. The four fighters clashed in a whirlwind of steel and flames.

Mikoto hid, waiting for the right moment to strike.

"Haruto!" Uchiha Iwa suddenly called out mid-fight. "I misjudged you. You truly embody the spirit of a Konoha shinobi. Your courage and resolve… I respect them. It is because of people like you that Konoha remains strong."

It was high praise. Iwa had completely reevaluated his opinion of Haruto.

Haruto, however, grimaced. "Can you not say things like that? It sounds like you're giving your last words."

"I have no intention of dying. And neither do you," Iwa replied firmly.

Mikoto, watching from the shadows, felt moved. Her opinion of Haruto shifted.

Then Haruto suddenly spoke.

"Well, I hate to disappoint you… but I have no intention of dying with you either."

Before anyone could react, he turned and bolted into the fog at full speed.

He ran. Again.

Iwa's eyes widened in shock.

Mikoto froze, stunned.

Even Saki was caught off guard before his face twisted in rage. "Kill that little brat! I want him dead!"

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