Draining Naruto

An unrivaled force coursed through the slender finger, transmitting into the ground and unleashing a terrifying power.

Under the girl's fingertip, the earth split open into a chasm that stretched toward Naruto before him.

The impact caused Naruto to lose his footing, landing squarely on his backside.

"Naruto, are you not going to fight back?"

"I've already made myself clear."

The girl's voice echoed in Naruto's ears, igniting a sudden resolve in his eyes.

"So, this is Sakura's true intent?"

"She actually wants to compete for my Hokage title."

"Even so, Sakura or not, I won't give up my position as Hokage!"

Naruto sprang to his feet, forming seals with his hands, his gaze firm as he looked at the girl he'd cherished for so long.

"If it's Sakura... then in the future, she can obediently stand behind me!"

"I will gain enough power to protect Sakura, Sasuke, Kakashi-sensei, and everyone else!"

"I'll never let... Sakura get hurt again!"

The blond boy's determined gaze fell on the chest Sakura had just pointed to, his expression resolute.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

A massive surge of chakra erupted as Naruto unleashed his unyielding will.

Hundreds, then thousands of clones surrounded the girl.

Wait, did this guy even listen to what she said?

She wanted him to hit her with everything he had, not to protect her!

Sakura raised an eyebrow at Naruto, beckoning with a single finger toward one of his clones, signaling him to attack.

The chosen clone, provoked by Sakura's gesture, wasted no time clenching its fist and charging toward her.

Sakura casually sidestepped, grabbing the clone's wrist mid-attack. With a fluid spin, she hurled the clone with such force that it tore through the rows of other clones, clearing a path before dissipating.

The thrown clone felt something unusual—it was as if a trace of Sakura's chakra had entered it, fortifying its structure before it collided.

"Ah, I see. By infusing her chakra into the clone, she reinforces it, turning it into a weapon to take out others," Jiraiya mused from the sidelines. "This kind of technique demands extremely precise chakra control, especially combined with her monstrous strength."

He couldn't help but admire the pink-haired girl's talent. To use chakra with such finesse while displaying incredible physical power was no small feat.

As the clone smashed through its targets and finally dissipated against a tree, Naruto gulped nervously.

"So strong..."

Hidden among his clones, he couldn't help but acknowledge the vast gap in strength between himself and Sakura.

But even so...

He had to win!

He couldn't let the past repeat itself.

He remembered Sakura telling him to leave, standing alone to face a powerful enemy while he could only cower behind her slender back like a helpless kitten.

No, this time he would gain the power he needed.

Right now, though, the person he wanted to protect stood before him.

Naruto had entirely forgotten the real purpose of this exercise—to exhaust his chakra, not to defeat Sakura.

Jiraiya hadn't expected him to beat Sakura anyway.

After all, ninja battles weren't decided by the sheer amount of chakra.

If Sakura wanted, her monstrous strength paired with her massive shuriken and Shadow Shuriken Jutsu could clear Naruto's clones in an instant.

But that wasn't the point.

"Ahhhh!" Naruto shouted. "Sakura!"

Countless clones charged toward her from all directions, their expressions resolute.

Sakura remained unfazed, watching as the clones surrounded her.

Naruto's tactic might work against opponents on his level or slightly stronger, but against Sakura...

One by one, the clones were tossed aside, shattering the formations they collided with. In mere moments, only a handful of clones remained.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Once again, the space filled with Naruto clones.

Sakura remained calm. His chakra reserves were immense, but wearing him out was turning into an endurance test for her as well.

"Naruto, you can use the Rasengan," she suggested.

"No way," one of the nearest clones responded, shaking its head. "I'll never use the Rasengan on Sakura, no matter what."

Sakura sighed, understanding Naruto's hesitation.

But if things continued this way, it wasn't clear who would outlast whom without going all out.

Realizing this, Sakura pulled out two kunai from her tool pouch, holding one in a forward grip and the other in a reverse grip.

"A kunai for conserving chakra now, huh?" Jiraiya commented from his perch on a nearby rock, propping his face on one hand as he watched the scene.

He recalled when Hiruzen Sarutobi took Sakura under his wing as a student. At the time, Jiraiya hadn't understood the decision, aligning with Koharu and Homura in thinking the old man was wasting his energy.

But now, seeing the determination and potential in this pink-haired girl, he realized that not mentoring her would have been a loss not just for her, but for Hiruzen as well.

The sun dipped lower, casting the orange hues of sunset over the battlefield.

Sakura, panting slightly, rested her hands on her knees as she looked at Naruto, who had finally collapsed, completely drained of chakra.

Even with her superior skills, Naruto's sheer chakra volume had pushed her to the limit.

Finally, she'd worn him out.

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