Chapter:42

Kakashi could only sigh inwardly.

This boss was really something else.

He possessed overwhelming strength, yet his sense of humor was… questionably awful.

For a moment, kakashi had actually worried that something serious had happened—only to realize it was all just for the sake of entertainment.

However, this experience also made him acutely aware of just how terrifyingly powerful Haruto was.

This man wasn't just strong—he was beyond Kage level.

Even when facing the Hokage, kakashi had never felt such overwhelming pressure before. The sheer weight of Haruto's presence alone made it impossible to even consider resisting.

The last time kakashi had felt anything remotely similar was when he witnessed Obito's death at Kannabi Bridge. That feeling of utter helplessness had nearly broken him, making him incapable of taking action.

On the other side, as the color drained from Shikamaru's face, the rest of the group gathered around in curiosity.

"Is it really that bad?" Naruto asked, unconvinced.

"Woof!" Akamaru sniffed the strange fruit, but there wasn't any noticeable scent.

"You guys can try it too if you want," Haruto offered, a sly grin on his face.

"Oh, really?!" Naruto's eyes lit up with excitement.

"Will I get the same kind of power if I eat it?" Kiba asked eagerly.

Haruto's expression remained indifferent. "Not exactly."

His goal was simple—he would trick as many of them as he could into taking a bite.

After all, Devil Fruits only granted abilities with the first bite. Any additional bites were utterly useless.

But watching their suffering expressions? That was the real entertainment.

"Then let me see just how amazing this so-called magical fruit is!" Without hesitation, Kiba snatched the fruit from Shikamaru's hand and took a large bite.

BANG!

The moment he swallowed, Kiba collapsed onto the ground, his body twitching as he foamed at the mouth, his face twisted in agony.

Since the Inuzuka clan had an enhanced sense of smell and taste, the already unbearable taste of the Devil Fruit was amplified several times over for Kiba. Unable to handle the overwhelming sensation, he passed out on the spot.

Gulp! Naruto swallowed hard and quickly retracted his outstretched hands.

Seeing Kiba's miserable state, he immediately lost all interest in trying the fruit—no matter how powerful it might be.

"Hahaha! Another one down!" Haruto laughed, wiping away a tear of amusement.

"Oh, I forgot to mention—Devil Fruits only grant power with the first bite. Any other bites are completely useless!"

Haruto burst into laughter once again, barely able to keep himself standing as he watched Kiba twitch on the ground.

"…"

The rest of the group stood in stunned silence, the sound of an imaginary crow cawing overhead.

Idiot…

Poor Kiba. He had the courage, but not the brains.

"Boss, that was so cruel!" Ino scolded, looking at Kiba in pity.

"Should we take him to the hospital?" Chōji asked, concerned.

"He'll be fine!" Haruto waved his hand dismissively. "He's just overwhelmed by the taste. The fruit itself isn't harmful. He just needs to lie there for a while."

"Kiba, you idiot! You actually fell for such an obvious trick!" Naruto stood beside Kiba, shaking his head in mock pity.

Haruto smirked. As if you weren't about to eat it yourself…

A little further away, Kakashi and Asuma exchanged glances, both sighing inwardly.

This boss was unbelievably powerful, yet his personality was so… childish.

But strangely, that immaturity was somewhat reassuring. A man who found joy in pranks and silly tricks didn't seem like the type to harbor world-ending ambitions.

"Shikamaru, how do you feel now?"

Compared to the others, Sasuke was more interested in the actual power of the Devil Fruit.

Haruto had spoken so highly of it—comparing it to the legendary Sharingan—so there had to be something extraordinary about it.

Yet, Shikamaru simply rubbed his chin, looking unimpressed.

"Hmm… To be honest, I don't really feel anything special."

"That's impossible!" Sasuke frowned.

If Haruto had spoken so highly of this fruit, then it must have had some kind of incredible ability. There was no way it was just a trick.

Sasuke turned to Haruto, hoping for an explanation.

"Shikamaru, since Sasuke is so eager to see it, why don't you demonstrate a little?" Haruto smirked.

"How about using the Shadow Horn Gun?"

Shikamaru shot him a look of pure irritation.

What a drag…

He had no intention of showing off his new power, especially with Sasuke being so worked up.

Besides, Sasuke was clearly agitated right now—Shikamaru preferred to avoid unnecessary trouble.

But now that Haruto had revealed the name of his ability, he had no choice but to comply.

Haruto ignored Shikamaru's grumbles and led everyone to the basement of his shop, where a humanoid training puppet had already been set up for demonstrations.

With a flick of his wrist, Shikamaru conjured a pitch-black spear in his hand.

The darkness of the spear was pure—like the deepest of shadows, completely devoid of light.

Casually, he threw it toward the training puppet.

SWOOSH—!

The spear sliced through the air with a sharp whistle before piercing straight through the puppet's chest.

The puppet—a construct designed to withstand even high-level ninjutsu—shattered as if it were nothing more than paper. The spear drove deep into the ground, nailing the puppet in place.

"Whoa!" The others gasped in amazement.

Even though the puppet had been pierced so easily, they all knew just how durable it was.

That only made the Shadow Horn Gun's power all the more terrifying.

"Right now, I don't think there's anything in the entire ninja world that could withstand this spear," Haruto said casually.

In the world of One Piece, Moriah's spear had even pierced through Oz's descendant—a being with monstrous durability.

If something in the Naruto world could withstand it, it would have to be on the level of the Truth-Seeking Balls.

By the time Shikamaru fully mastered his abilities, who knew if even the Truth-Seeking Balls could compare?

"So this is the power of a Devil Fruit?" Sasuke clenched his fists, his eyes burning with determination.

This was exactly the kind of strength he desired!

If he had a power like that…

Sasuke's heart was restless. He had wasted so much smashing golden eggs earlier, hoping for something powerful. But compared to this?

If he had the chance, he would trade everything he had just broken for a Devil Fruit like Shikamaru's.

But there were no do-overs.

"It looks like I'll have to visit this shop more often," Sasuke thought, determination hardening his gaze.

If there was even the slightest chance of obtaining such power, he wouldn't let it slip away.

Haruto clapped his hands, drawing everyone's attention back.

"This is just one application of the Devil Fruit's power," he said. "If Shikamaru trains hard and develops it properly, he'll definitely become a Kage in the future!"

"But I'm going to be Hokage!" Naruto declared proudly.

Haruto chuckled but said nothing more, leading everyone back upstairs.

"Alright, let's see what other surprises Shikamaru's fruit has in store!"

End of the Chapter.

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