Naruto was pleasantly surprised to find that this time, the maddening, destructive will to rampage within the Nine-Tails' chakra had lessened considerably.
Although the power was still terrifyingly immense, he could barely maintain his sanity, think clearly, and take action.
This change greatly boosted his confidence, stirring a newfound courage within him.
"Kakashi-sensei, here I come!" Naruto laughed out loud as he lightly pushed off the ground, launching himself like a cannonball straight toward Kakashi.
A cloud of dust rose behind him.
"Naruto is still conscious?" Kakashi's face was full of shock.
In his understanding, once Naruto tapped into the Nine-Tails' power, he would descend into madness and lose his self-awareness.
But the Naruto before him was not only moving freely but also clearly expressing his thoughts, which completely defied his expectations.
Jiraiya was equally astonished, but he quickly regained his composure.
He narrowed his eyes slightly, carefully observing Naruto's every move.
At that moment, he was ready to intervene at any time; should Naruto lose control, he would restrain him.
"Kakashi-sensei, take this!"
Naruto roared as he shot toward Kakashi, wrapped in the Nine-Tails' immense chakra.
Kakashi's expression was grave, his Sharingan locked onto Naruto, the three tomoe spinning rapidly within that crimson eye.
Kakashi lowered his stance slightly, his feet planted firmly on the ground as if rooted, his muscles taut.
Just as Naruto was about to reach him, Kakashi moved.
With a low cry of "Soru!" he vanished from the spot in an instant, leaving only a blurry afterimage in the air.
The next second, he reappeared at Naruto's side, his right fist coated in black Busoshoku Haki swinging with a whoosh, aiming a heavy blow at Naruto's waist.
The punch was so powerful it instantly compressed the air, letting out a muffled pop.
Naruto reacted quickly. Using the sensory boost from the Nine-Tails' chakra, he twisted his body at the last second to dodge.
"That was close!" Naruto thought with a start, his heart pounding fiercely in his chest.
Kakashi's fist grazed past his body, kicking up a sharp gust of wind.
But Naruto didn't just evade; he used the momentum to spin around, sweeping toward Kakashi with the immense force of the Nine-Tails' chakra.
"Take this!" Naruto roared as he spun. "I'm going to show you how much I've improved today!"
The kick was incredibly fast.
Seeing this, Kakashi calmly tapped the ground with his feet and executed "Geppo."
His feet alternated rapidly in the air as he bounded upward. Mid-leap, his hands swiftly wove signs, and he murmured, "Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!"
In an instant, a surging torrent of water shot from his mouth, quickly coalescing in the air into a massive water dragon that roared toward Naruto.
Facing the oncoming water dragon, Naruto showed no fear. "Come on! Watch me block this!"
Naruto's eyes widened as he shouted, crossing his arms in front of him to focus the Nine-Tails' chakra into a massive chakra shield.
The water dragon slammed into the shield with a deafening crash, the tremendous impact forcing Naruto back step by step.
"Naruto's gotten strong!" Sasuke, watching from the sidelines, stared intently at the two fighters, a flicker of surprise in his eyes.
Sasuke had never considered Naruto a rival, but seeing Naruto's strength augmented by the Nine-Tails' power instantly ignited his competitive spirit.
Sakura stood beside Sasuke, her hands over her mouth.
"Sasuke and Naruto… they're both amazing…" her voice trembled slightly. "If only I could be as strong as them."
The battle on the field grew fiercer, Naruto constantly unleashing powerful attacks fueled by the Nine-Tails' chakra.
But Kakashi, through his masterful application of the Six Powers and Busoshoku Haki, coupled with his vast combat experience, firmly maintained the upper hand.
"Naruto, you're not bad, but it's not enough!"
Kakashi launched another assault, repeatedly using "Rankyaku."
"You've still got a long way to go if you want to beat me!"
Kakashi spoke as he attacked.
His legs moved in a blur, and razor-sharp air blades flew from his feet, shooting rapidly toward Naruto.
These air blades were incredibly fast, leaving white trails in the air.
Naruto hurriedly conjured his chakra shield to block, but the air blades were too powerful; under the relentless assault, cracks began to appear on the shield.
"Damn it!" Naruto gritted his teeth, anxiety welling up within him. "I can't lose like this!"
He struggled to hold on, but the immense force drove him to one knee.
Breathing heavily, Naruto's eyes showed no sign of retreat. "I won't lose!"
He roared and rose again. "I'm the man who's going to become Hokage!"
Naruto clenched his fists, a powerful conviction surging within him. "I'll prove to everyone that I, Naruto, will never give up!"
However, Kakashi had already anticipated his move.
Just as Naruto was about to strike, Kakashi activated Chidori and held it to Naruto's neck.
Kakashi withdrew his chakra. "You did well, Naruto. But remember, there are countless strong shinobi in this world. You still have a long way to go."
Naruto looked up at Kakashi.
"I understand, Kakashi-sensei. I'll get stronger."
"This kid really has grown up."
Kakashi looked at Naruto, who, though subdued, still burned with fighting spirit, and a myriad of thoughts ran through his mind.
He felt both surprise and satisfaction at the progress Naruto had made in such a short time.
That once reckless, prank-loving boy could now wield the Nine-Tails' chakra so adeptly while maintaining clear awareness in battle, showcasing Naruto's immense potential and effort.
He knew the hardships Naruto had endured along the way, bearing the burden of being a Jinchuriki and suffering so much misunderstanding and loneliness, yet Naruto had never given up, always striving toward his goal of becoming Hokage.
Jiraiya looked at Naruto and Kakashi in the field and slowly began to applaud.
"Haha, Naruto, that was a splendid fight!" Jiraiya clapped and laughed heartily, his voice booming.
"But Naruto, you can actively use the Nine-Tails' chakra now?" He crouched slightly, his gaze fixed intently on Naruto.
Naruto nodded, remembering Sasuke's earlier warning not to reveal the existence of Roy and the others.
"I found a big fox with nine tails inside me, and it can talk."
Naruto sat up, wiping the sweat from his forehead as he spoke.
"It looked so bored, so now I go talk to it every day. I just borrowed some power from it."
Naruto blurted out a long string of words, speaking rapidly.
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