章節 147: Unbecoming Of A Fighter
Naruto sprung into action, launching a barrage of punches and kicks. But to his surprise, Lars seemed to evade them all, blocking and sidestepping each attack with an ease that felt infuriating.
"Is that all you've got?" he taunted, smirking as he watched his opponent's determination slightly dim. It was clear that he was testing Naruto, gauging the boy's limits and capabilities.
When Naruto finally managed to land a hit, he felt the repercussion reverberate through his arm. "Ugh!" He recoiled slightly, shaking his hand to alleviate the sting. "You're really strong!"
"If you don't start trying," Lars replied with a dismissive tone, "you'll never hope to win."
"I'm just getting started!" Naruto shouted back, rallying himself with vigour. "Multi-shadow clone jutsu!"
In an instant, he created ten duplicates of himself that spread across the arena.
Arthur, watching under his blindfold, knew exactly what was coming. After all, the two had fought before, and the main character truly abuses that technique.
But there was something more structured about Naruto's approach this time. Instead of launching a disorganized assault, all the clones aimed to unleash a synchronized ninjutsu attack.
"Wind style: air bullet!" they called in unison, unleashing blasts of wind that shot toward Lars from multiple angles.
The audience gasped as the air filled with swirling gusts, sending winds and debris in every direction. Lars dodged and blocked the initial waves with an impressive display of speed, but the frequency and number of attacks were overwhelming.
As the dust began to settle, Lars' armour bore cracks and marks from the onslaught, much to the crowd's disbelief.
Arthur himself saw something crucial about this iteration of Naruto: despite the high strength level of that wind style technique, his chakra control was well-balanced. It appeared Naruto had been training, cultivating his strength meticulously since the last time they fought.
However, as impressive as his feats appeared, Lars wasn't enthralled.
With a sudden intensity, he dashed towards one of the clones, all ten Narutos becoming defensive, calculating how best to respond.
While that clone was being attacked, two others lunged in from opposite sides, aiming to catch Lars off guard. But Lars was ready.
With a smooth pivot on his heel, he dove under the first punch, his left arm shooting out to intercept the second blow, grabbing the clone's wrist before spinning his body. He then flung the clone into the other, sending them both crashing to the ground.
"Next?" he taunted, planting his feet firmly as he squared off against the remaining clones.
Three clones approached, each performing hand signs. They shouted, "Shadow clone jutsu!" and suddenly the clearing was filled with a mass of identical figures.
Lars narrowed his eyes, assessing his surroundings as the clones swarmed towards him. Fists came from all directions, but Lars' fighting instincts kicked in.
Using his agility, he sidestepped the first punch and retaliated with a backfist that connected with the nose of the next clone, causing it to tumble backward into others. The third clone aimed a kick at his side, but he blocked it effortlessly, catching the attacking leg under his arm. In a fluid motion, he twisted his body, sending the clone crashing into several more that had rushed in to help.
Numerous down. Tons more to go.
The remaining clones circled him with synchronized movements. They feigned attacks, trying to bait him into a mistake, but he remained calm. Then, with a sudden burst of courage, they charged at him once more as a single unit.
Lars leaped into the fray, unleashing a combination of rapid punches and kicks. He struck out at the nearest clone, catching it solidly in the ribs, then following it with an uppercut that sent it soaring through the air.
In that same motion, he spun on his heel and delivered a powerful roundhouse kick to several clones trying to ambush him. Hardly any of them had a chance to react.
"This is child's play," Lars taunted with a confident grin. Clearly, he was enjoying himself, fighting so many Narutos at once.
The clones, momentarily taken aback, regrouped for one final assault. They charged at him in unison like green wave intent on overwhelming him this time.
But Lars was rigid. He crouched low, timing his movements correctly. As the next set of clones aimed wild punches, he ducked, and with a swift motion, he delivered a devastating sweep to all their legs.
They became overbalanced, unable to regain their footing before colliding into others.
With that, he took down the next batch with spinning kicks that caught several squares in their chests. Many of them were sent tumbling over the remnants of their brethren. The final set of clones tried to flank him but were met with lightning-fast punches, dropping them in a heartbeat.
In just that span of time, all of the clones had dispersed, leaving only the original Naruto standing in the arena.
"I counted forty-nine," Lars clarified. "Looks like I'll have to start thinking about my next match already…"
Naruto, however, remained undeterred. He loudly proclaimed, "I'm not done yet!"
"Good," Lars replied, eyebrows arched. He would have expected nothing less from an adversary who showed so much spirit.
Taking a deep breath, Naruto bit his thumb and smacked his palm on the floor.
"Summoning jutsu!"
Many gasped from the stands as the arena filled with smoke, revealing not just one but four combat toads—three creatures twice the size of an average man.
"Naruto?" the smallest toad asked after looking at his surroundings. "What sort of mess are you in now, and what's with that silly outfit?"
"Glad to see you, too, Gama," he responded with a smile.
"When'd he learn to do that?" Jada wondered aloud, glancing at William for clarification.
A broad grin spread across William's face as he proudly said, "What? It's not against the rules to use summons. Besides, that's what happens when you make me Naruto's cousin."
Before they could express their awe, the scene shifted dramatically; purple lightning sliced through the air, striking towards Naruto!
The toads disintegrated into puff clouds of smoke beneath the power of Lars' technique, leaving Naruto wide-eyed.
"Fighting should always be one-on-one," Lars remarked with a condescending tone. "I let your clones slide since they're you, but relying on help like that puts this match to shame… Unbecoming of a fighter."
Taken aback for a moment, Naruto blinked, processing the unexpected criticism.
Why wouldn't this Tekken fighter be so passionate about this match? This was Lars Alexandersson, someone who regularly went toe-to-toe with some of the best of the best—all his matches were one-on-ones.
Naruto quickly turned this realization into acceptance and suddenly replied, "You're right, Lars." He then took an earnest breath and added, "I'm sorry!"
That was new. Or rather, that was quite mature of the main character to due in the midst of a heated battle.
Lars smiled, a genuine gesture that reflected the fighter in him, appreciating the tribute to his code of honour.
"Glad you understand," he said. "Let's see what you can really do now."
Emboldened, Naruto reentered a fighting position, channeling his chakra for a direct confrontation.
"Believe it!"
The match escalated as darts of punches and kicks spiraled between them, but it became immediately clear that Lars was in a league of his own.
Each strike from him seemed to send shockwaves through Naruto's body. In mere moments, Naruto found himself bearing the brunt of a relentless assault.
Lars swiftly delivered two devastating blows—a punch that sent the boy crashing to the ground, followed by a stomp that slammed him further into the floor!
The crowd gasped due to how loud the impact was.
Dazed, bruised, and now sporting a swollen eye, Naruto struggled to rise. His bloody lip was the clear sign of the punishment he'd just received.
Eyes closed, Lars slowly turned away and declared, "I've beaten you; it's over." But just as he began walking away, a faint, defiant laughter rang out. Startled, he spun around, eyes wide; it was Naruto, somehow getting back to his feet!
"I've fought stronger guys than you," Naruto laughed, surprising even himself. "You think you can knock me out that easy?"
Lars' incredulity was written all over his face. He questioned, "Where does your resolve come from?"
"Simple!" Naruto exclaimed with enthusiasm. Then something dawned on him as he stared into Lars' eyes. "You never had any friends, huh? I can tell by the look on your face."
Lars blinked, taken aback by that response. The comfortable facade he wore cracked just slightly at the corners.
"I used to be like you," Naruto continued in a softer yet determined tone. "Before I met my cousin and made tons of friends, I felt alone too. But these bonds are what made me stronger than I could ever dream of!"
At that, Lee, standing in the crowd, wiped away comical tears of inspiration—a wonderful reminder that strength stemmed not just from physical prowess but emotional resilience. William was perhaps the most moved.
Lars remained impassive, his expression shifting as he contemplated the implications of Naruto's words. Who was this boy who wore his heart on his sleeve?
Suddenly, Arthur felt something amidst that same boy—something he hadn't expected to happen.
An empowering surge coursed through Naruto's body, a transformation that was undeniable. His figure changed; the very air around him shimmered with what looked to be flames. The shock registered across the crowd as Naruto's entire form started emanating the Nine-Tails' Chakra Mode!
Though it was not the full cloak, the partial transformation was breathtaking nonetheless.
Gasps filled the arena. Arthur himself remained poised, yet even he couldn't deny the immense flow of chakra drifting through the boy.
Naruto had an expression of shock, almost as if this was his first time seeing this transformation.
Lars, who was standing opposite him, had never witnessed such a sight. The powerful chakra scorching from Naruto was unlike what he had encountered before.
But just as quickly as the admiration arose, the referee's whistle cut through the scene: "Naruto Uzumaki, you are hereby disqualified!"
Naruto looked at the arena judge, then back at Lars. Instead of anger or confusion, he had a smile of appreciation on his face. Whatever had happened during his speech, it seemed as though he had been communicating with the Nine-Tails inside of him.
But using the Nine-Tails Chakra Mode was beyond the agreed-upon rules, a rule not meant to be broken lightly.
"It's fine," he said with gratitude. His transformation then ceased as he clinched his hands. "I enjoyed the fight, Lars."
In a show of sportsmanship, Naruto approached him and extended his arm for a fist bump.
Now Arthur was certain. That fist bump, while common to perform on earth, was special in this world.
Naruto hadn't learned its meaning until three years later, when he met Killer Bee. Which also meant that it was William who had taught it to him this early. And if this was true, Naruto had already met his mother, Kushina Uzumaki.
Lars looked at Naruto's outstretched fist, hesitating only briefly before he reciprocated the gesture. It was a surprising moment—two fighters finding common ground even amidst what had happened.
"I hope we meet again, Naruto," Lars replied with a steady voice.
"Same here!" Naruto grinned widely.
Many may have taken offense to the disqualification, feeling robbed of the spectacle of Naruto harnessing such power, but there was an undeniable truth—the lesson was never meant to be in victory or defeat. Instead, it had come from discovery, friendship, and resilience.
As Naruto fist bumped Lars, something was clear to Arthur: While everyone else may have felt excitement or confusion, he sensed what was really going on—talk-no-jutsu!
Why he wasn't disturbed was because of the underlying stillness in Lars' character. The challenge had not begun to crack the emotional defenses the fighter had built so high over the years.
For Naruto, this moment was transformational, an initiation into the next chapter of his journey. But for Arthur, it was an understanding that Lars was the perfect candidate to serve him and him alone.
每周推薦票狀態
-- 推薦票
榜單 
-- 推薦票