"Those flames are terrifying!"
Naruto and Sakura both stared wide-eyed at the inferno blazing across the sky.
Absurd.
Completely absurd.
This was the first time Team 7 had ever seen someone unleash such a ridiculous, colossal Fire Release.
No wonder during their test, Ayato-sensei barely moved. If he casually used a Fire Jutsu like that, he could've burned all of them into ash.
Besides… was that really the power of a C-rank Fire Release?
The scorching heat reddened Sakura's cheeks as she gulped quietly and muttered,
"If I remember right, the Great Fireball is a C-rank jutsu… but Ayato-sensei, the power you just used… it was practically legendary S-rank."
She had never seen an S-rank jutsu before… but the blazing inferno hanging in the sky was obviously far beyond B-rank or even A-rank.
When the flames finally dissipated, Team 7 slowly lowered their gazes.
"Damn it, he showed off again! B-But… it was really so cool!"
Naruto flailed excitedly, "If Sasuke's Great Fireball is a pebble, then Ayato-sensei's is a meteor!"
Exaggerated?
No — it was simply the truth.
If Sasuke's fireball was a pebble…
Then Hyuga Ayato's fireball was a meteor capable of destroying everything.
The difference was that enormous.
"Ayato-sensei! Sensei! Teach me that Great Fireball! I wanna learn that super awesome Fire Jutsu too!"
Naruto's eyes sparkled as he imagined the scene:
Sasuke getting beaten by an enemy, Sakura in danger…
And he dramatically arrives, blasts the enemy away with one glorious fireball, and wins Sakura's heart.
Perfect.
Just thinking about it made him drool.
Great Fireball is basic?
Bullshit!
Great Fireball is amazing!
"...…"
Everyone was speechless.
Naruto had literally mocked the Great Fireball as low-tier trash a few minutes ago.
But after seeing Ayato use it, his attitude flipped instantly.
Look at that shameless face.
"Idiot." Sasuke scoffed. He could easily guess what Naruto was fantasizing about.
"Stupid brat, weren't you just calling the Great Fireball garbage?" Ayato said helplessly. Naruto's mood swings were faster than a woman's, completely like a little kid.
"Ayato-sensei," Sakura asked, genuinely confused, "you and Sasuke both used the Great Fireball. Why was yours so much stronger?"
She was a top student, but even she couldn't comprehend that insane power difference.
"Flat-chested brat, that's a good question."
Ayato praised Sakura before glancing lazily at Naruto and Sasuke. "You're much smarter than these two idiots."
"Tch." Sasuke clicked his tongue.
Sakura flushed and snapped, "W-Who are you calling flat-chested? I'm going to grow a lot later!"
"Is that so? I'll look forward to it."
Ayato examined Sakura's very flat chest for two seconds and sighed, "What a pity."
Sakura clenched her fists, face burning with shame and anger.
Just endure. Just endure it…!
Ayato began explaining,
"Anyway, jutsu don't have fixed power. Their strength depends entirely on the user — specifically, their chakra quantity and how precisely they use it."
"If you can control chakra with precision, you can reduce hand signs or even perform jutsu with no signs at all. Of course, using normal jutsu with no signs is extremely difficult. Among living shinobi, only I can do it."
He wasn't boasting — it was the truth.
Excluding Kekkei Genkai techniques, he was the only one who could use all normal ninjutsu without signs.
"Control chakra…" Sakura murmured. In the academy, they never taught anything like that — only how to use chakra.
"Any other questions?" Ayato asked.
Naruto sat up straight like a model student and raised his hand.
"Me me me! Can I learn Fire Release?"
"Nope."
Ayato waved dismissively. "Your chakra nature is wind. Learning Fire Release won't help you much."
"And there's no need to force yourself to learn flashy things. Just pick what matches your chakra nature and push it to the limit."
Sasuke then asked, "Ayato, what nature are you?"
"Good kids should respect their elders. Add the word 'teacher' — unless you want to get beaten?"
Ayato raised his hand threateningly.
Being a show-off was fine, but one should at least be polite.
He was a very polite ninja, after all.
Sasuke inhaled deeply, suppressing his anger, and asked through gritted teeth,
"Ayato-sensei… please tell me what nature your chakra is."
"My nature? Rather than possessing… it's more like fusing."
Ayato smiled confidently.
"I've fused all seven chakra natures and all nature transformations."
"Fusion" and "possession" were two different concepts.
Fusing all chakra nature transformations resulted in a mysterious power —
the so-called Bloodline Net (Kekkei Mōra).
After awakening the Tenseigan, this fusion happened automatically.
Sakura clasped her hands together admiringly.
"All nature types? Ayato-sensei is amazing!"
Yes, he was frivolous, arrogant, and loved messing around…
But he was handsome, well-built, and incredibly strong.
Basically the perfect boyfriend.
Sakura sneaked a glance at Sasuke.
But Sasuke was also handsome…
Ugh, so hard to choose…
"Is fusing all nature transformations really that amazing?" Naruto crossed his arms, totally lost. Chakra nature, transformations, fusion — he understood none of it.
"It's suuuuper amazing~."
Ayato stretched the word.
"For example, that old mutt — the Third Hokage. He also mastered all five chakra natures, but he cannot fuse them."
Ayato continued,
"In other words, something the Third couldn't do, I can easily accomplish. Understand now?"
"C-Ayato-sensei can do what even Gramps can't…?"
Naruto looked shocked. To him, the Third Hokage was the strongest, greatest ninja in the whole village.
Could Ayato-sensei really be stronger than the Third?
Impossible… right?
"Is the Third Hokage really that strong?" Sasuke asked coldly.
Internally, he was speechless.
Ayato had just lectured him on respecting elders.
And now he called the Third… an old dog.
Some respect.
"Well, yeah, he was incredibly strong. In his youth, he was the strongest ninja in the world — the pinnacle that a 'normal' shinobi without bloodline powers could reach."
"But now," Ayato shrugged, "he's old. His peak days are long gone. At best, he's barely at weak Kage level."
Sasuke didn't hesitate and asked bluntly,
"Who's stronger — you or the Third Hokage?"
He wanted to know exactly how strong Ayato was.
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