"Huh?"
Naruto's sudden escape from danger caught everyone (and the fox) off guard.
But Kakashi was the first to recognize the technique Naruto had just used.
It's the Tailed Beast Flash Bullet!
As the record-keeper who had documented the performances of players using Naruto's new forms yesterday, Kakashi had seen this move hundreds of times and couldn't possibly mistake it.
But the difference was staggering!
What difference?
The gap between how other players using Naruto's Nine-Tails Chakra Mode performed the technique and how Naruto himself used it!
Other players could only teleport one to three meters with this move, with the longest recorded distance not exceeding five meters.
But Naruto's teleportation... Kakashi estimated it was at least 20 meters!
How terrifying was that gap?
But what's even more absurd is that, according to the test players, this technique consumed a huge amount of Chakra! And it required a brief moment to gather Chakra before it could be activated.
In short... while it allowed for teleportation, it was Chakra-intensive and had a wind-up time, meaning it had a long start-up delay.
From this perspective, the technique seemed to have poor cost-effectiveness. It might catch an opponent off guard in specific situations, but using it in direct combat was nearly impossible.
But what about Naruto's speed?
He had almost instantly completed the activation process just as he was about to be hit!
Even with his Mangekyo Sharingan active, Kakashi couldn't detect any Chakra gathering from Naruto. The activation speed was... as fast as the Flying Thunder God Technique!
The Tailed Beast Flash Bullet, which had only received a 3/10 recommendation score in the record book, had completely stunned Kakashi with how Naruto used it.
Kakashi remembered writing this evaluation in the record:
A highly Chakra-intensive technique that requires preparation time. It can be effective in ambush situations, allowing the user to quickly close the distance to the opponent. Suitable for Taijutsu specialists or close-range Ninjutsu experts.
The reason it got a 3/10 was mainly because it could be useful in ambushes.
In comparison, the Wind Release: Rasenshuriken, which could be used for long-range attacks, had received a high score of 7/10 from Kakashi.
Because the fact that it required no hand seals made it incredibly useful.
But Kakashi never expected the same technique to have such a massive difference between how ordinary players used it and how Naruto himself used it!
If the test players had been able to perform the Tailed Beast Flash Bullet as effectively as Naruto just did...
Kakashi would have given it a 10/10, or at least a 9/10.
In Kakashi's eyes, when Naruto used this Jutsu, its effectiveness was comparable to his own Kamui!
'The only question was whether Naruto's version consumed even more Chakra.'
'If that were the case... would using it in direct combat drain too much Chakra and significantly impact the rest of the battle?'
This thought had just crossed Kakashi's mind when he immediately dismissed it.
Instead, he had an internal monologue...
'I'm such an idiot.'
'How could Naruto ever run out of Chakra? His surname is Uzumaki! And he's... the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki!'
Seeing Naruto escape danger, Kakashi couldn't help but facepalm and chuckle. As long as the enemy revealed themselves, leaving it to Naruto to handle was no problem at all.
Based on Kakashi's estimation, Naruto's current strength was easily on par with that of an average Jonin.
But if Naruto were to face a Jonin head-on, his chances of winning might not be high.
Because compared to the Jonin, what Naruto lacked most was... experience. And for any Ninja, that could be fatal.
Even Sasuke, standing nearby, muttered with mixed emotions, "Naruto... really is the king of unexpected moves."
Seeing Naruto safe, Sasuke's anxious heart finally settled.
But seeing Naruto gain yet another powerful technique left Sasuke feeling a complex mix of emotions, not entirely pleasant.
Kakashi fully agreed with Sasuke's assessment. Based on previous tests, there had never been such a massive gap… between how other players performed and how the original user performed.
In fact, compared to the Tailed Beast Flash Bullet, the Rasenshuriken's performance was relatively decent. At least other players could manage to create the technique without understanding the principles behind the Rasengan or the Rasenshuriken, and it still had some effect.
This is very similar to Raikiri.
Earlier, at the village's request, Kakashi had documented the abilities of players who used the in-game character [Hatake Kakashi].
Some players were naturally proficient in Lightning Nature Chakra Transformation, but because they didn't understand how the Raikiri worked, the Raikiri they released was as chaotic as the Rasenshuriken used by those players.
But some players were different, like Asuma.
Asuma also used the versatile character, [Hatake Kakashi].
As one of Kakashi's close friends, Asuma was also one of the few people in the world who truly understood Kakashi.
Asuma, who specialized in Wind and Fire Nature Chakra... when he first used Raikiri, the effect was so overwhelming that it left all the other Lightning Release experts dumbfounded.
But even such a Raikiri was full of flaws in Kakashi's eyes.
It was nothing compared Raikiri his own.
But this was because the Chidori was Kakashi's original creation, and he was the person most familiar with it in the world. No one understood the Raikiri better than him.
Naruto's situation, however, was even more unique.
While the Rasenshuriken was also Naruto's original creation, it was created by the future Naruto.
Yet, its power still gave Naruto a significant advantage over other players.
But if Naruto's Wind Release: Rasenshuriken only gave him an edge over others…
The Tailed Beast Flash Bullet was absolute domination! Complete and utter domination.
It is estimated that only Kamui could rival it, which was why Kakashi found it so shocking!
---
This sudden turn of events had saved Naruto from danger.
But there's always the possibility of unexpected twists...
For example... the moment Naruto activated the Tailed Beast Flash Bullet, that little square device the Nine-Tails couldn't understand slipped out of his Ninja Pouch and fell to the ground with a heavy thud.
Naruto, who had just narrowly escaped danger, didn't feel relief or joy at his quick thinking. Instead, he panicked as he watched his phone fall.
The moment he got up, Naruto stretched his hand toward the spot 20 meters away where his phone had landed.
"My phone! My precious phone!"
In his panic, Naruto used the Tailed Beast Flashbang again to teleport over. Seeing the phone's screen intact, he finally relaxed and reached out to grab it... only for a pure white foot to stomp down heavily on the screen.
And... it even ground the phone into the dirt a few times.
"No! Not like this!"
Naruto shouted in desperation, grabbing the ankle of the pure white foot.
But in a contest of strength against a White Zetsu, Naruto wasn't necessarily at an advantage.
He could only watch helplessly as his beloved phone was crushed under the White Zetsu's foot...
The crisp sound of glass shattering and the sizzle of electronic components breaking were deafening to Naruto's ears.
The large White Zetsu, being more intelligent than the average one, sneered at Naruto with a mocking grin.
It didn't notice, however, that Naruto, who had been shouting and struggling to pull its foot away, had suddenly fallen silent.