My Name Is Namikaze Naruto - Chapter 26
Iruka, is unable to assist.
Facing Mizuki, who quickly closed in on Naruto, his mouth twisted into a bloodthirsty, cruel smile, and his eyes filled with murderous intent.
This sight made Naruto, who had fallen to the ground, shiver deep inside.
Ignoring the excruciating pain in his abdomen.
Naruto rolled quickly, creating some distance, and in a reverse motion, he swiftly drew several shuriken and flung them toward Mizuki without even looking.
“Clang, clang, clang!”
The sound of cutting through the air.
The shuriken, slicing through the air, barely slowed Mizuki down, as he easily deflected them.
In the next second.
Mizuki’s figure appeared beside Naruto.
The intense killing intent in his eyes.
So clearly visible to Naruto.
In that moment, Naruto had no time to think, reacting purely on instinct. Just as Mizuki’s sharp blade closed in, Naruto made a quick sidestep.
In an extremely tight angle, Naruto narrowly avoided Mizuki’s thrust. On the other side, Mizuki seemed to anticipate Naruto’s dodge, twisting mid-air and quickly readjusting his stance.
During the turn.
With a flick of his left hand.
Another kunai fell into his hand, the sharp edge slashing towards Naruto’s neck without hesitation.
The fierce gleam, the bright light.
Before the kunai even reached, the cold glint and sharp edge already stimulated Naruto’s neck.
Naruto’s pupils contracted suddenly.
All he could see was a cold gleam.
Naruto quickly jerked his head, narrowly avoiding the strike once again.
Then, twisting his arm, Naruto thrust the kunai in his right hand towards Mizuki’s arm.
Mizuki sneered.
With a swift movement.
A sudden lift of his body.
Mizuki’s right foot forcefully kicked Naruto’s wrist.
Naruto, in pain, couldn’t hold onto the kunai, and it fell to the ground.
Then.
Another sharp gleam followed closely.
In the rush.
Naruto couldn’t make an effective response.
He could only barely avoid vital areas.
“Shk!”
Once again, the sound of metal piercing flesh.
Mizuki’s kunai tore open a horrifying wound on Naruto’s lower right chest.
Naruto cried out in pain.
“Ugh!!!”
As blood spurted out.
Naruto almost couldn’t bear the searing pain, biting his lower lip hard, the blood seeping out. He kicked the ground, quickly creating distance from Mizuki. However, the last strike wasn’t fatal.
However, the wound looked terrifying.
Beads of sweat continuously dripped from Naruto’s forehead.
And his trembling arm indicated that Naruto was starting to reach his limit. It wasn’t just a matter of being overpowered in strength.
It was also an overwhelming experience in combat.
Far beyond what Naruto had initially expected.
Most importantly, Mizuki’s relentless pursuit, a seemingly long battle, actually only lasted one or two seconds, with no pauses, leaving Naruto no time or chance to form seals. Even for the shortest Shadow Clone Jutsu, Naruto could be certain that if he attempted to form seals, Mizuki would seize the opportunity to rush in, and Naruto couldn’t perform seals as quickly as those elite ninjas in the original series. Despite how easy it looked when the protagonist used the Shadow Clone Jutsu, it actually involved precise chakra control and release.
In ninja battles.
Even a second can decide the outcome!
The key point was that Mizuki was far stronger than he appeared in the original series, which was the biggest deviation from the original plot.
If Mizuki’s speed was just a bit slower.
Naruto could form seals with ease.
At least he could overwhelm this guy with numbers.
He didn’t use Shadow Clone Jutsu earlier, when his position was undisclosed, due to his lack of experience and some carelessness. He intended to close the distance and strike quickly but didn’t anticipate Iruka’s life being threatened. This, combined with Mizuki’s reaction surpassing Naruto’s expectations, resulted in an unsuccessful sneak attack. Or rather, it was only partially successful, making Mizuki a bit disheveled. After Mizuki injected the serum, instantly enhancing his strength, Naruto lost any chance to form seals.
In other words, this dire situation was entirely Naruto’s own doing.
“Damn! I should have used the Shadow Clone Jutsu from the start!”
Naruto lightly wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, thinking with some regret.
Now it’s too late to use it.
Naruto knew clearly, despite Mizuki’s appearance of being relaxed and slow, it was only to further toy with him. Any attempt to form seals or other movements.
At this distance.
Mizuki could pounce in less than a second.
Just like before.
“It seems there’s only one option left…”
Naruto took a deep breath within less than a second, his mind racing through countless thoughts. Looking at Iruka, who had collapsed on the ground, Naruto’s eyes flashed with determination as he made up his mind.
There would be only one chance, he had to grasp it firmly.
When unable to form seals or when forming seals posed a life-threatening risk.
Naruto’s only option was close-quarters combat.
Lacking combat experience and awareness.
Close combat was Naruto’s best choice.
Relying on his exceptional sensory abilities, he could somewhat make up for the gap in speed and strength.
And the rest!
It depended on whether he was ruthless enough!
Whether he could seize that slim chance!
As for the option to flee?
That was never in Naruto’s choices.
In the brief one or two seconds of decision-making.
Seeing Mizuki approaching with a cruel smile.
Naruto’s face showed a cold expression, flipping his right hand, and a sharp kunai reappeared in his palm.
Gathering all his strength, his muscles tensed up at this moment, Naruto fixed his gaze on the approaching Mizuki.
Facing Naruto as if he were a great enemy.
Mizuki smiled wickedly, licking his lips.
That look, like a spitting image of Orochimaru.
“Die, brat!”
Mizuki lunged just as his words fell.
His figure suddenly flashed.
Once again, rushing towards Naruto.
The exploding airwaves.
The imposing momentum swept in.
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