Bab 82: Catching Up
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Naruto, his body battered and bruised, struggled to maintain his Wind Chakra Cloak. He knew that he couldn't keep this up much longer, but his stubborn pride refused to let him concede defeat.
Koushin, noticing Naruto's faltering chakra, hesitated for a moment. His eyes softened, and he slowed his attacks, his concern for his surrogate brother outweighing his competitive spirit.
"Naruto," Koushin said, his voice surprisingly gentle. "We can stop now if you want. There's no need to push yourself too far."
Naruto, panting and covered in sweat, met Koushin's gaze. Despite his exhaustion, his eyes still burned with determination. "No... I can keep going. I won't back down."
Koushin sighed, knowing that arguing with Naruto would be futile. Instead, he decided to test Naruto's resolve. "Alright, then. But remember, Naruto, sometimes it's better to admit when you've reached your limit."
With that, Koushin resumed his assault, though he held back slightly, not wanting to cause any serious harm. Naruto, despite his exhaustion, continued to fight back with everything he had, his Wind Chakra Cloak flickering like a dying flame.
Their friends watched anxiously, their hearts pounding with each exchange of blows. Hinata, unable to bear the sight of Naruto's pain any longer, stepped forward. "Please, stop! You're both hurting each other!"
Ino nodded in agreement. "Yeah, this has gone on long enough. You've both proven your skills; there's no need to keep fighting."
Koushin, hearing the concern in their voices, finally relented. He pulled back his fists, allowing Naruto to catch his breath. "Alright, Naruto. I'll call it a draw. You fought well."
Naruto, gasping for air, nodded gratefully. "Thanks, Koushin. You were... amazing as always."
The two surrogate brothers, battered and exhausted, shared a tired smile. They knew that they had both grown stronger through their intense battle, and their bond had only deepened as a result.
As the onlookers rushed forward to check on Naruto and Koushin, both fighters knew that this was just one of many challenges they would face together. Their journey to becoming the strongest shinobi in the world had only just begun, and they would continue to push each other to new heights.
As Naruto leaned on Hinata for support, his body aching but his spirit unbroken, he vowed to himself that he would never stop fighting, no matter the odds. For his friends, for his village, and for the brother who stood beside him, he would continue to strive for greatness. And together, they would conquer any obstacle that stood in their way.
Tsunade approached the duo, her eyes filled with pride and admiration. "You two put on quite a show. I'm impressed by how much you've both grown."
Kakashi stepped forward with a grin hidden beneath his mask. "You might even give me a run for my money one of these days." His eyes twinkled with amusement. "But I couldn't help but notice that neither of you used any ninjutsu during the fight. Did you two decide to focus solely on taijutsu?" He chuckled, teasing them about their impressive display of hand-to-hand combat and swordsmanship.
Naruto's eyes shone with excitement, eager to share his progress. "Actually, Kakashi-sensei, I've been working really hard on my ninjutsu too! Tsunade-sama asked us not to use it during the fight, but I've got some new tricks up my sleeve!" His enthusiasm was contagious, and the others couldn't help but smile at his determination.
Koushin, on the other hand, simply smiled mysteriously, opting not to reveal his own ninjutsu progress just yet.
Their friends and fellow shinobi joined in the conversation, discussing the incredible battle they had just witnessed. As they walked back towards the village, more and more villagers who had heard of Naruto's return came out to greet him. Each of them expressed their happiness at seeing him back home, and Naruto gratefully acknowledged each of them with a warm smile and a heartfelt "thank you."
Eventually, Sakura appeared, her eyes wide with excitement as she approached the group. Kiba trailed closely behind her, his tail wagging energetically. "Naruto!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with joy. "It's so good to have you back!"
Naruto looked at her, his expression softening as he addressed her formally. "Thank you, Sakura-san." He then continued on his way, leaving her behind without any further interaction.
Sakura's smile faltered, and she let out a heavy sigh. The formality of his response had hurt, but she didn't say anything. Instead, she tried to focus on the positive, knowing that Naruto's return was something to celebrate.
As they continued their walk through the village, the group engaged in lighthearted banter. Shikamaru and Ino teased Choji about his ever-growing appetite, while Hinata listened intently to Naruto's stories about his time away.
After a while, Hinata and Ino pulled Naruto and Koushin away from the group. The four of them climbed over the Hokage Mountain and found a quiet spot overlooking the village. As the stars twinkled above, the boys hugged their girls from behind, talking softly, each sharing stories of their own adventures.
Ino began, excitement in her voice. "You guys won't believe the jutsu Koushin gave me before you left. It took most of the three years to master, but I've finally got the hang of it!" Her eyes sparkled with pride.
Koushin smiled, his arms wrapped around Ino. "I knew you could do it, Pumpkin. You've always had the determination and the talent."
Ino's declaration piqued everyone's curiosity, but she didn't go into the specifics of the jutsu. Instead, she left them wanting more, eager to see her newfound skill in action. "You guys will just have to wait until I get a chance to show it off," she teased, her eyes twinkling with mischief.
Naruto's eyes widened in anticipation, a grin spreading across his face. "You've got me all fired up now, Ino! I can't wait to see what you've been working on."
Hinata chimed in, "You should see her go. It is amazing."
Koushin, leaning against a nearby rock, finally began sharing his own adventures from the past three years. "Well, I spent a lot of time traveling between different parts of my summon realm. There was some internal strife among the factions, but I managed to help them 'come to an understanding' and unite under a single banner."
He continued, "It wasn't too difficult, but it was time-consuming. I also had the chance to hone my own skills and learn from some of the best fighters in the realm."
Naruto, his arms wrapped around Hinata, listened intently as Koushin spoke. "That sounds awesome, Kou! No wonder you've gotten so strong!"
It was then Naruto's turn to share his experiences. "Well, you see, I trained with the Tengu Elder, Konoha-Tengu, on seals. He's really strict, but he knows his stuff. And my summon, Jutengu, taught me a lot about Wind Art and Sword Art."
His eyes twinkled with mischief as he continued, "But most of the time, I was either trying to escape from the Tengu's pranks or pulling pranks on them myself. I remember this one time when I swapped their favorite drink with something really spicy. You should've seen their faces!"
Ino and Hinata laughed, imagining the scene. Naruto, encouraged by their laughter, went on to describe more of his mischievous exploits.
"Another time, I covered the floor of their training hall with a thin layer of oil. When they started practicing, they all slipped and fell on their backs. It was hilarious!"
Koushin shook his head, chuckling. "You never change, do you, Naruto? Always the prankster."
Finally, it was Hinata's turn to share her story. "I decided to try reverse summoning, and I ended up in the White Fox realm. They're a reclusive, mystical race of foxes, and they have incredible powers."
She paused, a hint of shyness returning to her voice. "At first, they asked me to take on a trial, but I managed to prove myself in a trial they set for me. After that, they accepted me as one of their own and began teaching me their unique style of taijutsu, which incorporates Water Release techniques and Ice Release."
Naruto, his interest piqued, asked excitedly, "Wow, Hinata! That sounds amazing! So you can use Ice Release now too?"
Hinata blushed, pleased by Naruto's enthusiasm. "Yes, I've been practicing a lot. I still have a lot to learn, but I've made progress."
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