Chapter 390: Sage Art Clash
"Naruto!"
"Naruto?!"
At that moment, the Konoha shinobi who had noticed the commotion rushed over. Seeing Naruto in Sage Mode facing off against an unfamiliar man, they immediately sensed something was wrong and began surrounding Li Yao cautiously.
"Everyone, back off. Leave this to me."
Naruto quickly called out to Sakura and the others, urging them to move away from the area.
Naruto knew firsthand from the battle in Loran how terrifying Li Yao's strength was. Numbers were useless against an enemy of that caliber—they'd only end up dying in vain.
"Naruto…"
"We…"
Sakura and the others stopped. They couldn't sense how powerful Li Yao was, but they could clearly see the alarm in Naruto's expression.
Any opponent capable of making Naruto react like that was clearly beyond them.
But letting Naruto face him alone still left them uneasy.
Boom! Boom!
Seeing their hesitation, Naruto didn't waste words. He immediately split into two shadow clones and, without hesitation, began forming Sage Art: Wind Style – Rasen Shuriken.
As he did, memories of yesterday's battle surfaced in everyone's minds.
"Sigh, let's go. We don't know who that enemy is, but it's clear this isn't a fight we can interfere with."
Those who had seen Naruto battle the Six Paths of Pain knew—this was not a situation for them to get involved in.
Though heavy-hearted, they began retreating, staying close enough to rush in if Naruto needed backup, but giving him space.
"Sage Art: Rasen Shuriken!"
From fifty meters away, Naruto hurled the glowing shuriken toward Li Yao.
"Sage Art: Rasen Shuriken!"
Li Yao smiled faintly and, with a thought, instantly entered Perfect Sage Mode. Then, using his flawless chakra control, he formed an identical Rasen Shuriken and hurled it to collide with Naruto's.
"What?!"
Naruto's eyes went wide as he watched the two Rasen Shuriken collide and explode mid-air.
"Sage Art?!"
Naruto wasn't shocked that Li Yao could use the Rasen Shuriken—someone who could cross worlds likely had access to similar techniques, maybe even more advanced ones.
What stunned him was that Li Yao was also using Sage Chakra.
In Naruto's mind, Sage Mode was unique to Mount Myōboku.
Could Li Yao have also made a contract with them in his own world? That didn't make sense.
Naruto instinctively rejected the idea. There was no way Mount Myōboku would form a contract with someone like Li Yao.
"How can he do that?!"
Not only Naruto, but even Lady Shima, perched on his shoulder, was in utter disbelief.
Having Sage Mode wasn't too shocking—other realms had Sage arts, too.
But Li Yao's form was Perfect Sage Mode, without any trace of physical distortion—indicating complete mastery of Sage Chakra, something only the Sage of Six Paths was ever said to have achieved.
And now, some kid from another world had done it.
"Naruto, he's too strong. You can't defeat him alone. You'll need help from everyone," Shima warned quickly before Li Yao made another move.
"But…" Naruto hesitated. He didn't want to drag Sakura and the others into this.
"This isn't a choice, kid!" Shima shouted. "If we don't stop this man from another world, everyone in Konoha will die. The entire shinobi world is in danger!"
According to Tsunade's intel, Li Yao already had space-time ninjutsu and powerful genjutsu. Now he also had Perfect Sage Mode.
Shima couldn't see even the faintest hope of Naruto beating him one-on-one.
Only by attacking together and creating an opening for a finishing blow was there a chance to win.
"Let me try first, Ma'am Shima!"
"If I really am the Child of Prophecy, then I'll be the one to defeat him!"
Naruto's voice was resolute. Konoha had already sacrificed enough for his sake. He wouldn't let Sakura or the others get hurt.
If he was truly the chosen one—then he would be the one to win.
"Kid…"
Shima wanted to scold him, but seeing his determined profile, she went quiet. Then she said, "Then stall him. Learn his powers. I'll find someone who can help."
"I will," Naruto replied confidently. "I'll find out that bastard's abilities."
"Be careful." Shima gave him one last look before leaping away.
To find someone who could support Naruto, they'd need someone with taijutsu skills and reflexes on par with Sage Mode.
Did such a person exist in Konoha?
Shima's face darkened. If not, it might take lives just to hold Li Yao off.
"Let's go, everyone!"
As the smoke from the earlier explosion faded, Naruto and his two clones charged at Li Yao.
Boom! Boom!
Li Yao also summoned two clones to meet the attack.
Crash! Crash! Crash!
The moment they clashed, Li Yao deliberately matched Naruto's strength, keeping the fight even.
Naruto's taijutsu wasn't weak, but it wasn't top-tier either.
Boom!
Suddenly, Naruto tossed a pink smoke bomb, using the explosion's sound as cover to create two more shadow clones—now totaling four.
Rasengan!
Two clones surged in from the left and right with Rasengan. One jumped off the other's back into the sky, and another transformed into a Rasen Shuriken, which Naruto threw from the front.
It was a four-point assault: left, right, above, and ahead—all meant to distract.
Meanwhile, Naruto's real body hid in Li Yao's blind spot, drawing blood from his thumbs to prep a summoning.
Buzz!
Just as Naruto had expected, Li Yao's clones intercepted the flanking Rasengan-wielding clones.
Li Yao himself flung a Rasen Shuriken to blow up the disguised clone.
Then, raising his hand, he hurled a giant Rasengan upward to stop the clone dropping from above.
Using that opening, Naruto darted within ten meters of Li Yao.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
Naruto pressed his hands to the ground, summoning the Toad Guts Barrier—instantly transforming the area into the fleshy, constricting environment of the Great Toad's stomach.
(END CHAPTER)
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