Chapter 44

Naruto gave a slight nod, his expression calm yet determined. "Alright, if you want me to take this seriously, here I come," he said, vanishing in an instant. His pure speed surpassed the realm of light itself, making him a blur even to Makoto's enhanced vision.

Makoto barely registered the movement before Naruto appeared right in front of him. The blond's hand shot forward as he unleashed a wind bullet at point-blank range, striking Makoto directly in the abdomen.

The attack was devastating, the sheer force threatening to knock Makoto unconscious on the spot. If not for the protective barrier of his Flame Domain—an automatic defense triggered by his seals—Makoto knew it would have been an embarrassing defeat. The defense teleported him to the far side of the arena, sparing him from taking further damage.

Dazed but unwilling to concede, Makoto retaliated immediately. He punched the air in front of him in quick succession, sending out massive flame fists that burned with intense heat. Using the same booster circles from earlier, Makoto amplified their power as they tore through the air.

Naruto's sharp eyes caught the movements. He could already predict the outcome before the attacks even fully materialized. The flame fists teleported mid-air, covering all angles and converging on him.

Makoto wasn't done yet. To completely overwhelm Naruto, he summoned burning chains from the ground, their glowing links radiating such intense heat that they could turn anything to ash upon contact. Alongside the chains came flame warriors, humanoid constructs of fire covered in fuinjutsu seals that made them unkillable.

The warriors swarmed Naruto while the chains ensnared him. Seals from the chains infiltrated Naruto's body, spreading like an invasive force meant to disable him from the inside out. Makoto smirked in satisfaction. If it weren't for Naruto's special physique, this combination would have ended the fight right then and there.

"Energy Resistance," Makoto muttered, activating seals on his own body. These seals granted him an immunity to chakra-based attacks, further increasing his durability. With quick hand movements, he formed flame seals in the air. One after another, they appeared until their number reached a staggering hundred.

With a final hand sign, Makoto combined all the seals into one. "Summon: Flame King!" he roared.

From the combined seals emerged a towering fire elemental, its presence dominating the arena. The heat it radiated was like nothing Naruto had felt before, far surpassing even the intensity of the flames Makoto had used earlier. For the first time in the battle, Naruto felt his skin begin to burn.

"Let's finish this, Naruto," Makoto said with resolve. He commanded the Flame King to attack, its massive form lumbering toward Naruto with destructive intent. The flame warriors flanked it, closing in from all sides.

Naruto responded by erecting a barrier of chakra to block the unbearable heat. Yet, he couldn't ignore the look in Makoto's eyes—it was calculating, waiting for the perfect moment.

Makoto seized the chance. In a blaze of fire, he appeared behind Naruto and launched into a relentless combo of punches and kicks, each strike augmented by flames and enhanced further by his domain and booster circles. The attacks came with devastating force, every contact burning Naruto on an atomic level.

Despite the overwhelming assault, Naruto remained standing. His immunity to most forms of damage saved him from being obliterated. Only the natural heat and physical impact of Makoto's attacks had any effect on him.

As Makoto's combo reached its climax, ending in a fiery explosion, Naruto finally retaliated. Channeling his power into his strikes, he used the Gentle Fist, blocking Makoto's chakra and sealing off his attacks temporarily. However, the flames generated by Makoto's seals couldn't be extinguished so easily.

Deciding it was time to turn the tide, Naruto summoned his Amaterasu, the black flames of the Mangekyō Sharingan. The flames had grown exponentially stronger under his mastery, now burning at a heat so intense that it made even the Flame King's presence feel mild in comparison.

The black flames spread rapidly, consuming the flame warriors and the Flame King itself. Their heat was so overwhelming that it threatened to reduce the entire arena to ash if Naruto didn't keep it under control.

When the battle finally subsided, the arena was left scorched but intact, thanks to the layered barriers surrounding it. Naruto turned toward Makoto, his expression relaxed yet full of respect.

"Thank you for the spar, Mister Makoto," Naruto said sincerely. With a wave of his hand, he undid the bindings on his opponent. "You're really strong, and your moves are awesome. I've learned a lot from this."

Makoto straightened up, brushing the dust off his shoulders with a smirk that barely concealed his frustration. "If you think so, then I'd be cool if you could give me a proper fight," he said, his pride refusing to let the spar end so one-sidedly.

Naruto raised an eyebrow, his tone calm but curious. "You won't mind getting hurt?"

Makoto shrugged, the defiance in his voice evident. "I'm not afraid of some pain or even losing a limb. This barrier will keep it clean, so don't hold back."

From the sidelines, Toshiro crossed his arms, his expression as neutral as ever. "Naruto, don't worry about him. Do your best," he said in his usual commanding tone, giving Naruto the approval Makoto seemed to be fishing for.

Naruto hesitated for a moment, his gaze flickering between Makoto and Toshiro. What they didn't realize, however, was the magnitude of his true power—specifically, the existence erasure ability tied to his Rinnegan. He had no intention of using something so extreme, but he knew he had to tread carefully.

"Alright," Naruto said, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Let's do this again."

This time, he turned off his Six Paths Sage Mode, allowing his power level to drop significantly—though still at a level that would be considered godly to most. While the Rinnegan couldn't be deactivated, disabling Six Paths Sage Mode removed the invulnerability to normal chakra attacks. For the first time in this fight, Makoto had a legitimate chance of landing a hit.

Despite the handicap, the gap in raw power was still monumental. Naruto moved with effortless precision, his movements so fast and fluid that even Makoto's enhanced vision struggled to keep up.

Makoto charged forward, his booster circles and flame domain still active. He launched a relentless barrage of attacks: flame fists amplified with seals, chains that radiated scorching heat, and waves of fire enhanced with chakra-suppression seals.

But Naruto was no longer standing still to observe. He weaved through the attacks with unparalleled grace, his eyes always two steps ahead. Every punch, every chain, and every fire wave missed by a hair's breadth as Naruto danced through the onslaught.

"Is that all you've got?" Naruto's voice was calm, almost teasing.

Makoto gritted his teeth, pouring more power into his strikes. His pride as the Red King of the Uzumaki clan demanded that he land at least one solid hit. Yet, no matter how much effort he put into the attacks, Naruto remained untouchable.

In a single fluid motion, Naruto closed the distance between them. He formed a Rasengan, its spiral energy humming with immense power, and launched it directly at Makoto.

The timing was impeccable. Makoto's defensive seals activated, attempting to teleport him away, but Naruto's Rinnegan glowed ominously as he blocked the space manipulation entirely. Makoto's failsafe failed.

The Rasengan slammed into Makoto with devastating force, driving him into the barrier. The energy spiraled against his body, pinning him in place and grinding against the layers of protection provided by his flame domain.

Makoto struggled against the attack, but the sheer power was overwhelming. To make matters worse, Naruto blocked all attempts at chakra absorption, rendering Makoto's seals useless.

"Enough," Naruto said calmly, dispersing the Rasengan just before it could tear through Makoto's body. He stepped back, his eyes softening.

Makoto slumped against the barrier, breathing heavily. His pride was bruised, but deep down, he couldn't help but respect Naruto's control and restraint.

"Thank you for the fight, Makoto," Naruto said, offering him a hand. "You're skilled, and your techniques are incredible. But sometimes, strength isn't everything."

Makoto hesitated before taking Naruto's hand. Despite his defeat, he couldn't deny the genuine respect in Naruto's tone. "You're something else, Naruto. Guess I've got a lot to learn."

Naruto smiled faintly. "We all do."

Toshiro's eyes narrowed as he analyzed the battle, his usually stoic face betraying a flicker of curiosity. His team, equipped with advanced sensors and keen intuition, worked tirelessly in the background, deciphering every aspect of Naruto's abilities. Though the young Uzumaki wasn't using his full power, the readings they gathered painted a sobering picture.

"Planet level, at least," one of Toshiro's aides murmured, staring at the holographic data. "Even without attacking, the sheer density of his chakra is overwhelming. His reserves, control, and soul power are on a scale we can't replicate."

Another analyst nodded, their voice tinged with both awe and frustration. "The Six Paths chakra is the real issue. It's a natural counter to everything we have. Nothing chakra-based can affect him unless it mirrors the laws of nature itself. Heat seems to bypass his immunity, which means pure natural forces might be the key... but even that has its limits."

Toshiro folded his arms, his sharp gaze fixed on Naruto as the spar concluded. "So, is it all chakra that doesn't work on him, or is there a level where we can reach him?" He posed the question aloud, knowing full well it wasn't rhetorical. "If we can find the answer, we'll have a way to neutralize him—stat gap or not."

The analysts murmured in agreement, but Toshiro remained silent, his thoughts racing. He knew this was more than just a spar—it was a test, not only for Naruto but for their clan's future.

Elsewhere, high above the training grounds, Genryu, the patriarch of the Uzumaki clan, watched the battle unfold from his office. The room was dimly lit, save for the glow of a large monitor displaying the ongoing fight. By his side stood Hotaru, a strikingly beautiful and poised woman, her demeanor calm but her eyes burning with a warrior's intensity. She sipped her tea slowly, her gaze never leaving the screen.

Genryu chuckled, his tone light but his words weighted with purpose. "Do you think you can win?" he asked, as if her answer was already written in the stars.

Hotaru set her tea down gracefully, her voice steady. "I don't know, not yet. But it's only a matter of time. After all, the Phoenix cannot be defeated by mere mortals." There was no arrogance in her statement—only certainty.

Her sharp eyes flickered with annoyance as she watched Naruto dominate Makoto. It wasn't the loss that irritated her, but the sense that her protector was being used as little more than a tool in this demonstration. "Makoto isn't a plaything," she muttered under her breath.

Genryu caught the edge in her voice and laughed softly. "Don't look at me like that, Hotaru. This is necessary. If we hadn't tested him properly, we might have underestimated his power and made a fatal mistake."

Hotaru exhaled deeply, reigning in her irritation. "It's not unknown power. It's Otsutsuki energy—a variant, perhaps, but familiar nonetheless."

"Oh?" Genryu arched an eyebrow, intrigued. "That does explain a lot. So, you'll let your protectors challenge him further?"

"I could," Hotaru admitted, her tone thoughtful. "But it's better if I handle this personally. He's not an enemy to be toyed with."

Genryu smiled knowingly. "It's your choice, of course. Just remember, our victory is inevitable. All we need is time."

Hotaru stood, the fluidity of her movements a testament to her discipline and strength. She walked over to Genryu and embraced him briefly, her voice soft but resolute. "Father, you won't have to wait long to see your dream realized. A few more years, and this will all be over. Bloodlessly."

Genryu's expression softened as he watched his daughter leave the room. "Where are you going?"

Hotaru glanced back, a faint smile gracing her lips. "To meet him. I want to know if he's sensed it."

"Sensed what?" Genryu asked, intrigued.

"The presence," she replied cryptically, stepping out of the room and leaving her father deep in thought.