A Growing Affection

Chapter 58: Grass vs. Leaf

"Water Rupture  Jutsu," Jinji announced, without using any hand signs. A four-foot  diameter sphere of water formed between them, and exploded, knocking  Naruto backwards and down to his knees.

"Stone Spears Jutsu," the  apish warrior pointed his right hand at the floor beside Uzumaki, and  the granite tiles shot forth spikes. The blonde youth was forced to dive  to the side to avoid being impaled.

"Oh yeah?" Naruto roared nonsensically, "How about this? Rasengan!"

He surged forward, his right hand holding the spiraling sphere. But before he had covered half the distance, Jinji countered.

"Updraft  Wall Jutsu," again with no effort, the Grass Chunin activated the  technique, and strong gusts of wind lifted Naruto into the air and held  him.

'These are really strong jutsus,' Naruto thought, 'and he's  used four of the five elements. I can only use three, and my only decent  Earth technique is Stone Claws. Speaking of Mom's techniques.'

Yukihana's son dismissed the Rasengan, and quickly signed.

"Cyclone  Spikes Jutsu," Naruto announced, and eight spikes shot out. Instead of  aiming them all at the Grass Ninja, Naruto spread out the air darts,  making it hard for the tech user to dodge them all.

"Granite Wall  Jutsu," again the floor erupted, stopping all of the missiles. Even as  the wall receded, Jinji activated another technique, announcing,  "Lightning Clap Jutsu."

The electrical explosion forced Naruto  back out of the wind trap, shocking his system at the same time. The  blonde warrior was barely able to right himself before he landed. He  missed his opponent's next incantation, but dove forward to avoid the  lash of flame aimed at his chest.

"Darn it," Naruto grimaced, "You can't be just a Chunin! What are you?"

"I'm  the future of Ninjutsu," Jinji turned his wrists back to point his  bracers at Naruto, "No longer will Shinobi have to spend months or years  mastering esoteric techniques. With jutsu circuits like these, all it  takes is a little chakra control, and any ninja can use any jutsu. Once  the final test run is complete, there will be no difference between the  ranks, or even between villages. There will be no need to waste time  training apprentices. Even Genin will be able to use the strongest  killing moves without limits."

"BULLSHIT!" Naruto roared, enraged, "I'll never acknowledge someone like you as a true ninja."

"I won't need your acknowledgement, once I crush you," the shorter warrior scoffed.

"That'll  never happen," Naruto settled, and his voice grew mocking, "I'll show  you that someone who relies on crutches like that can never defeat a  real ninja."

"You haven't even come close to me so far," the Grass soldier snorted, "What makes you think you can beat me?"

"Now  that I know the source of your power," Uzumaki boasted, "I'll show you  its three fatal limitations. Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu."

The copies  charged forward, surrounding Jinji. Attacked from all corners, the tech  ninja rapidly spun, sending out attack after attack.

"Rolling Earth Jutsu. Spark Javelins Jutsu. Grand Fireball Jutsu. Lava Surge Jutsu. Frigid... ah... Frigid Wind Jutsu. Eh... Eh... Eh..."

The last two clones started to move in, and Jinji struggled to catch his breath.

"Iron Barr.... Barrage Jutsu," the bald Chunin panted out the technique, but was able to defeat the final duplicates.

"Number  one," Naruto raised his right pointer, "You haven't learned jutsu the  hard way. You haven't been forced to stretch your chakra reserves or  hone your chakra control. I don't know anyone else who claims to be  Chunin that would be so winded after using only twenty or so jutsu like  that. Even the two or three that would be running on empty, they'd have  enough restraint to not be physically worn out like that."