In the battle between Sasuke and Neji, Neji managed to win—though only by the slightest margin.
After all, Sasuke still couldn't use large-scale Ninjutsu.
Even so, Sasuke had already learned several A-rank techniques from Naruto, including the Rasengan. With Naruto's guidance, his growth in Ninjutsu had skyrocketed.
As for Neji, Naruto had given him many suggestions for Taijutsu as well. Naruto himself was constantly improving, and his insights—though limited by his young age—still offered tremendous help.
However, when it came to the Gentle Fist, Naruto couldn't offer true solutions. His suggestions were mostly based on fragments of knowledge from his previous life, but they still proved valuable to Neji.
Especially after receiving Naruto's Chakra control training method, Neji's precision reached an entirely new level. From just a few pointers Naruto gave him, he even managed to grasp the Main Family's secret Gentle Fist technique—Eight Trigrams Palm Rotation.
This technique, a pinnacle skill usually reserved for Main Family Jōnin, releases high-intensity Chakra from all of one's tenketsu, creating a rotating defense that blocks attacks from all directions. Though primarily defensive, it could also be used offensively at close range.
At Naruto's suggestion, Neji even began experimenting with shaping the released Chakra into a blade-like edge. This was a form manipulation similar to Naruto's Great Ball Rasengan, but far more difficult. Still, Neji was expected to master it before graduation.
When their spar finally ended, the battlefield was left in shambles. After some cleanup, it still resembled the aftermath of a Chūnin or strong Genin fight. Given their current level, it wouldn't have been surprising if the village mistook them for Chūnin. Both were considered geniuses—if they weren't showing such strength, it would've been stranger.
Still, the power they displayed was within the limits of what could be explained.
Once the clash ended, the two sat side by side, panting heavily, while watching Naruto practice the Wind Riding Technique—a flying Ninjutsu he had been developing.
Flying techniques were as rare as space–time Ninjutsu in the shinobi world.
To their knowledge, only the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, could truly fly. They didn't know that in the distant Star Village, shinobi had once used the Peacock Method—drawing immense Chakra from a meteorite to achieve flight.
Suddenly, their eyes widened.
Naruto was floating cross-legged in mid-air!
Both Sasuke and Neji stared in disbelief, their pupils shrinking.
Naruto had really done it?
If Naruto knew the two of them had secretly doubted his chances of developing flight so quickly, he would've probably given them each a solid punch to the head.
Bang!
A moment later, a dull thud rang out as Naruto lost balance and fell. Sasuke and Neji frowned. Could it be that the technique was still incomplete?
Naruto himself wore a frustrated look, brows tightly furrowed. Yet in his mind, a familiar voice echoed:
[Wind Riding Technique +4…
Wind Riding Technique +3…]
He kept replaying the process, with his Heaven Rewards Diligence ability constantly activating.
Where was the flaw?
He pondered relentlessly. Something was missing.
Then—like a flash of light—it came to him.
He had been too focused on brute-forcing lift against gravity. Instead, he needed to make use of wind flow and pressure, forming a vortex of moving air.
By shaping Chakra into external wind currents, he could adjust the force in response to outside pressure, keeping balance—just like an airplane from his past life.
Naruto immediately began another attempt, circulating Chakra throughout his body.
Thinking about it was easy. Doing it was far harder.
But action always brought results.
[Wind Riding Technique +11…]
With each try, his understanding deepened.
Without the Heaven Rewards Diligence ability, even with inspiration, it might have taken him years to develop this technique. The knowledge required was vast, and the ability provided him with flashes of insight, guiding him step by step.
"No… the Chakra output is still inefficient. I'm wasting too much," he muttered.
The progress bar in his mind kept advancing as he refined his control.
"Kurama! Lend me some Chakra!" Naruto called into his mental space.
The inner world had changed drastically—it no longer resembled a dark sewer. Now it was bright and sunlit, though the massive iron bars of the seal remained.
At least it was spacious now. The Nine-Tails could stretch and move freely within its confines.
No longer cramped or forced to crouch like before, the Nine-Tails now had space to stretch.
"Oi, Naruto," Kurama rumbled, opening its eyes with a serious expression. "If you use my Chakra, the people of Konoha will notice."
"Kurama, relax!"
In the outside world, Naruto suddenly slammed his hand onto the ground. Black sealing runes spread outward, forming a shimmering barrier around him.
"See? Nothing to worry about." He grinned, waving confidently.
"Tch… what an unbelievable brat."
The Nine-Tails muttered to itself, having witnessed everything. Once more, its mind drifted back to the image of the Sage of Six Paths.
That boy… the one who would call out the names of all nine Tailed Beasts and bring peace to the shinobi world…
"Take it and get lost. This old man's going back to sleep."
Kurama shut its eyes again.
Scarlet Chakra began to surge from Naruto's body. Sasuke and Neji exchanged a look. At first, they had wondered why Naruto set up a barrier, but now the truth was obvious—his training consumed so much energy that he needed the Nine-Tails' power.
Neither of them was surprised; Naruto had already told them about his burden.
At this moment, Naruto focused entirely on the inspiration burning in his mind. He would finish developing the Wind Riding Technique in one go!
With Kurama's cooperation, the torrent of Chakra coursing through him felt smoother, though a wild and dangerous aura still lingered within it. But with Naruto's current control, he could handle it.
A fierce gust erupted around him, and in the next instant Naruto shot skyward—straight to the top of the barrier.
"Whoa, that was close! If this barrier only blocked air, I would've blasted right out of it!" he muttered, quickly adjusting the output.
He tried flying forward. The lift was steady, but steering was another story. Controlling direction was far harder than expected.
Over the following days, Naruto practiced tirelessly. Once he solved the problem of control, another issue appeared—flying too fast created slicing wind currents that cut at his skin.
"It hurts like hell," he hissed, before layering his body in protective Chakra. With that, the problem was solved.
A few more days passed, and yet another flaw appeared—excessive Chakra consumption.
[Wind Riding Technique +6… Wind Riding Technique +7…]
Under the constant blessing of Heaven Rewards Diligence, Naruto revised and refined, step by step.
Five days later, he could move freely in the air as if it were second nature.
The Wind Riding Technique had reached true mastery.
...
TN:
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