How Kurama Leads Naruto Astray

"That massive Chakra..." Kakuyoku Fubuki, still somewhat thoughtful, instinctively spread her wings and took a few steps back as she saw the two Chakra spheres in Naruto's hands.

As an elite ninja, she could immediately sense the strength of the opponent. However, used to relying on their Chakra armor, they had forgotten this ability. They were confident their armor could block any Ninjutsu or Genjutsu, even against high-level ninjas.

And that was usually the case. A regular Jonin would have a hard time breaking through the Chakra armor without some special skill.

But who were they facing?

A Jinchuriki.

The Jinchuriki of the strongest Tailed Beast, the Nine-Tails.

Even without having fully reconciled with Kurama, Naruto could still break through the opponent's Chakra armor with the Tailed Beast Chakra alone. And now, with Kurama's Chakra, it would be even easier.

Fuyukuma Mizore, not as quick-witted as Kakuyoku Fubuki, lacked the ability to assess the enemy's strength. He looked down on any Ninjutsu, thinking that as long as it was Ninjutsu, it could be blocked by the Chakra armor.

Having never seen a Tailed Beast, he didn't even know about the Tailed Beast Ball.

Seeing Naruto make such bold statements, Fuyukuma Mizore's face grew cold. Watching Naruto charge at him, he didn't retreat like Kakuyoku Fubuki. Instead, he swung his mechanical claw at Naruto, aiming to grab him.

Kakuyoku Fubuki soared into the air, squinting as she watched. She didn't stop Fuyukuma Mizore,, thinking she'd let him test the waters.

Naruto grinned. He loved facing opponents who charged straight at him without hesitation.

As the mechanical claw came at him, Naruto didn't dodge. His fox-like attire swirled as he blocked the attack, and before Fuyukuma Mizore could show any surprise, Naruto countered with the Tailed Beast Ball in his left hand and Rasengan in his right, slamming them into Fuyukuma Mizore's chest.

The Chakra began to explode!

Light erupted from the Tailed Beast Ball and Rasengan, and in the sky, Kakuyoku Fubuki instinctively raised her hand to shield her eyes. The powerful wind that followed the explosion blew her body away.

With it came a huge, thunderous roar.

The explosion of the Tailed Beast Ball was far more dazzling than their ice-based techniques. Even Nadare Rouga and Sasuke, who were fighting in the distance, 

instinctively stopped and looked toward the source of the explosion and the ensuing storm.

Sasuke smirked. "Looks like Naruto's already started."

Meanwhile, Nadare Rouga's expression darkened. From the immense power, he sensed the ability to destroy Chakra armor.

He turned to Sasuke, his voice heavy. "What Ninjutsu is that?"

"With your limited knowledge, even if I told you, you wouldn't understand," Sasuke replied with a teasing grin. "Can you feel it from the released Chakra? You're not wrong—he has the power to completely destroy that turtle shell of yours."

"The power of the Tailed Beast Ball."

Nadare Rouga's face turned grim. As much as he didn't want to admit it, he had no idea what a Tailed Beast Bomb was. From the chakra it released, it was clear this Ninjutsu could destroy his chakra armor. 

"Are those ninjas over there your village's Kage?" Nadare Rouga asked in disbelief. To him, only a Kage could wield such incredible power. 

That made Sasuke laugh. 

"Kage? Are you looking down on Konohagakure or overestimating your Land of Snow? From our graduating class, aside from Sakura, Ino, and Shikamaru, everyone else has the power to destroy your armor." 

In fairness, Sasuke wasn't wrong. Of the three, Sakura was a civilian with no high-damage Ninjutsu, and Ino and Shikamaru were primarily support ninjas. 

Shikamaru was brilliant, but his offensive abilities were weak. However, if Ino-Shika-Cho worked together, Shikamaru's strategy would give them a decent chance even against someone like Kazahana Doto. 

"Genin?" Nadare Rouga was completely stunned. 

"Are you trying to tell me that you and that guy over there are both Genin?" 

"Is there a problem with that?" Sasuke asked, confused. After all, he and Naruto were indeed Genin. 

During the last Chunin Exams, Shikamaru was the only one promoted. Naruto had the strength, but his written exam score was too low. Jiraiya initially wanted Naruto promoted but changed his mind after seeing Naruto turn in a blank paper during the first test. 

As for Shino and Sasuke, one didn't fight at all, and the other had his fight interrupted midway. Neither qualified for promotion, so Shikamaru became the only one to advance. 

This statement truly messed with Nadare Rouga's mindset. For once, it wasn't an act—it genuinely threw him off. 

Sasuke noticed the shift in Nadare Rouga's demeanor. In his second cursed state, his eerie face showed a knowing smirk. 

"You asked earlier about my relationship with Kakashi? I can tell you now—Kakashi is the leader of my and Naruto's squad." 

"But since this mission was so simple, the Hokage sent another ninja with us instead. One of our team members is currently training back in the village." 

Sasuke raised his head proudly and glanced at Nadare Rouga with a faint smile. 

"Perhaps our Hokage figured dealing with the Land of Snow didn't require a ninja of Kakashi's level, so Kakashi is handling another mission." 

Sasuke had mastered the art of half-truths. 

He'd changed. The Sasuke of the past wouldn't have been this cunning. 

Everything he said was true, but he deliberately left out key details. Kakashi wasn't there because someone even stronger, Jiraiya, had come instead. 

Naruto and Sasuke hadn't been promoted to Chunin, but their actual combat strength far exceeded that of an ordinary Chunin. If Naruto passed his written tests, he could even be promoted to Special Jonin. 

But Sasuke only shared parts of the story, implying that Konohagakure didn't think much of the Land of Snow. Not only did they replace Kakashi, but they also sent an incomplete three-man team, and both members were just Genin. 

For someone as proud as Nadare Rouga, this really messed with his head. 

He really wanted to kill Sasuke right away, but he couldn't do it. With the Three-Tomoe Sharingan and the second stage of the curse mark, Sasuke's strength had reached its peak for now. At just twelve years old, he already had the power to stand against a Jonin. 

Thanks to Jiraiya's battle training, Sasuke had learned to use this power perfectly, no longer relying on bursts of chakra to strengthen himself. Now, he could easily defeat the version of himself from the Chunin Exams. 

On the other hand, Nadare Rouga relied too much on his chakra armor, which made his Taijutsu, Ninjutsu, and Genjutsu weaker than even an average Jonin from Konohagakure. Because of this, Sasuke could hold his own against him. The two were evenly matched, stuck in a stalemate—neither could defeat the other. 

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