As the saying goes, pick the weaker one to deal with first...
Among the Konoha's group, Minato was a top-tier Kage-level powerhouse. Shibi and Choza were also experienced Elite Jonin, each capable of beating Mukade without the Dragon Vein like a drum.
And Naruto... although Naruto at this period wasn't as strong as later, in his normal state, he still had the level of an average Jonin.
If pushed too far, with his BGM playing, everyone would have to make way.
Only Kakashi was the weakest.
At just 10 years old, he was only a Chunin, and he was separated from his companions, making him the best weak point.
Naturally, Ryuji would use him as the opening move.
Against Ryuji wearing Armor, Kakashi couldn't react at all. He was directly slapped away.
The force was so great that it cracked his facial bones, knocking him unconscious as he fell from hundreds of meters in the air.
"Die!"
Ryuji raised his palm, aiming at the falling figure, gathering Chakra in his palm.
Whoosh!
A yellow figure flashed. Minato appeared beside Kakashi, grabbed him, and vanished again, returning to the ground.
—Flying Thunder God Technique.
By making Chakra into seal marks, the user can directly teleport to the mark's location.
After losing once, Minato had learned his lesson, leaving marks on his companions in advance to prevent a repeat of Shibi's situation last time.
Seeing the target rescued, Ryuji simply shifted his aim, pointing both palms toward the ground.
Chakra gathered in his palms, then erupted. Surging waves of flames descended from the sky, dyeing it red.
Shibi flung both hands up. Dense swarms of insects vibrated their wings, forming a black curtain in the air.
Whoosh!
Flames crashed into the insect swarm, creating ripples like a stone thrown into calm water.
The insect swarm scattered, burning embers falling like rain, the air filled with the smell of burning insects.
[Super Multi-Size Technique!]
Choza swallowed a black pill, his body expanding into a ten-meter-tall giant. Then he rushed to the center of the street, picked up a stone pillar, and hurled it toward the sky.
Ryuji showed no fear, thrusters at full power, diving downward.
Boom!
The stone pillar shattered in mid-air. Ryuji's momentum undiminished, he headed straight for the several people on the ground.
Target: Aburame Shibi.
Not because he disliked Shibi, but because among those present, Shibi posed the greatest threat to him, followed by Choza.
Minato, though strong, had too few attack methods to penetrate Armor's defense, posing almost no threat.
But Shibi and Choza were different.
The Aburame Clan's insects were tiny, capable of entering through Armor's gaps to attack.
And Choza's Multi-Size Technique was also extremely destructive.
As for Naruto... the Rasenshuriken was also a great threat, but without learning Sage Mode yet, he couldn't throw the Rasenshuriken.
Given Armor's nature, no, even Ryuji himself, it was impossible for him to be hit by it.
So, the best choice was to take out Shibi first, then Choza.
But Shibi wasn't the 10-year-old Kakashi. This attack by Ryuji wasn't a sneak attack either. Shibi reacted in time and fled outward.
Boom!
Like a meteor striking earth, the moment Ryuji made contact with the ground, the entire world seemed to halt for an instant.
The next second, violent shockwaves plowed the earth, sweeping outwards from the impact point, blowing away everything around.
Naruto reacted a bit slower. He was blown away, crashing into a tower wall. Choza was also blown back, tumbling awkwardly and rolling uncontrollably.
Shibi was more like a kite with a cut string, flying over a hundred meters away. Only Minato teleported away with Flying Thunder God in time, unharmed.
The entire earth shook as if in an earthquake, not calming down until who knew how long later.
The Konoha's group forced themselves up despite their injuries, spreading out, nervously staring at the spot where Ryuji had landed... that area was shrouded in dust, hiding the scene within.
But precisely because of that, it made people even more tense.
'Where was he?'
'What was his condition now?'
'Was he preparing a long-range Ninjutsu attack, or preparing for another close-quarters assault?'
Whoosh!
An explosive shell tore through the dust, flying toward Choza.
Everyone was on edge, reacting instantly.
Choza leaped high, dodging the explosive shell while swinging his enlarged naginata down toward the direction the shell came from.
The others also promptly charged toward that spot, ready to support at any moment.
The massive weapon and force stirred up a gale, first blowing away the dust... the crater dozens of meters in diameter was empty.
The enemy wasn't there.
Choza's eyes widened. His strike couldn't be recalled. The huge blade struck the crater, creating massive cracks.
Debris and shockwaves splattered.
But Ryuji appeared before Shibi, his right fist already striking toward him… this was a feint, a diversionary tactic.
Shibi's attention had been drawn by that explosive shell; even his alertness was focused on the shell's origin point.
Now, Ryuji charged right before him. He had just realized it; it was too late to dodge.
He could only raise both arms, blocking in front of the enemy's fist.
Crack!
A sound of impact mingled with bone cracking echoed. Shibi sprayed blood from his mouth, his entire body flying out like a cannonball.
Minato, arriving a step late via teleport, could only rescue his airborne companion to avoid him crashing into a building and suffering secondary injuries.
But even so, Shibi lost consciousness.
Minato teleported with Shibi to a distant tower, placing him beside Kakashi, then quickly examined his body.
His arms were fractured, several ribs broken, and his internal organs suffered severe impact and damage. He would die soon without treatment.
Minato hastily used the medical first-aid kit for emergency treatment, barely keeping him alive.
'This isn't working. Our strength simply can't stop him.'
Minato pondered for a moment, then teleported back to the battlefield.
Choza's giant form lay collapsed near the square's edge, while Naruto used shadow clones to entangle the enemy.
But with one punch from Ryuji, the shockwave alone could wipe out a bunch. Human wave tactics were useless.
"Stop!"
Minato shouted loudly.
Naruto stopped, turning to look.
But Ryuji didn't stop. One punch blasted several shadow clones, his momentum continuing as he knocked Naruto's real body flying.
"You said fight, so we fight; you said stop, so we stop?" Ryuji halted, turning to look at Minato with a cold sneer. "Now I have the advantage. Whether to stop or not is for me to decide."
After saying that, he began walking toward Naruto.
"I'm not afraid of you, bastard!"
Naruto also showed no fear. Wiping blood from his mouth, he pushed himself up from the ground. Orange Chakra erupted from his body, an invisible wind blowing outward.
Minato, about to rescue him, froze.
'If we borrowed the Nine-Tails' power, they might be able to win.'
'But if we let him run wild, who knew what the future would become?'
'It might even lead to the world's destruction.'
'Only this much Chakra? I'm being looked down upon too!' Ryuji complained in his heart.
While Minato was conflicted internally, the battle resumed.
Ryuji and Naruto both charged toward each other at inhuman speeds, raising their fists to strike the other.