Chapter 14: Summoning Jutsu, Gamakichi
Naruto stared anxiously at the sky screen, his heart pounding loudly in his chest. His gaze lingered on Gaara's monstrous form, and he clenched his fists tightly. I can't lose to him. No matter what.
[Onscreen]
Gaara's distorted voice taunted:
"Is this all you're capable of, Uzumaki Naruto?"
Naruto's expression shifted, showing unease.
"I don't care about emotions, family, or bonds," Gaara sneered. "Let them all die! Those things are meaningless!"
Naruto's eyes wavered as doubt began to creep in. Could he really defeat someone like Gaara?
"What's wrong? Come at me!" Gaara snarled, his tone mocking. "Do you even care about their lives?"
The words hit Naruto like a slap. Gaara's sneer grew colder. It was as if he were mocking Naruto's beliefs, belittling the very things he wanted to protect.
[Outside the screen]
"Man, the enemy is way too strong. Naruto has zero chance of winning!"
"Why doesn't Naruto just use the Nine-Tails' power? Gaara's using Shukaku like a pro!"
"Because of Konoha's sealing techniques," someone speculated. "The Uzumaki Clan's seals are the reason. They're the best in the world at containing tailed beasts."
"The Uzumaki Clan? What's that? Are they really that strong?"
"They weren't just strong—they were legendary! They were called the masters of sealing techniques, strong enough to seal even tailed beasts effortlessly."
"Then how come I've never heard of them before?"
"Because they were wiped out."
"Wait… isn't Naruto's last name Uzumaki? Does that mean he's one of them?"
"If that's true, maybe he really could use some sort of sealing technique to deal with Gaara!"
The discussion across the ninja world grew louder, with everyone speculating about the mysterious Uzumaki Clan and Naruto's connection to it.
In Konoha, the Twelve Ninja were visibly shaken.
"Naruto... is an orphan from a destroyed clan?" Sasuke muttered in disbelief.
The realization hit him hard. That loudmouth Naruto… was just like him.
A victim of loss. A survivor of tragedy.
[Back at the training grounds]
Naruto scratched his head in confusion. "The Uzumaki Clan? What's that? Am I really part of it?"
"That's right," Jiraiya confirmed. "Your mother was an Uzumaki. You inherited her bloodline."
"My mom's... bloodline?" Naruto's eyes widened. It was the first time he had heard this.
[Onscreen]
Naruto stared fearfully at Gaara, his legs trembling.
"Dammit… What should I do?" he murmured. The odds felt insurmountable.
But then, his resolve flickered to life. "If I can't win in a straight fight... then I'll summon Gamabunta!"
"Summoning Jutsu? Naruto knows how to summon?!"
"What's a Gamabunta? Is it some sort of giant toad?"
On the back of Gamabunta, the current Naruto grinned. "Haha, finally, it's my time to shine! I'll summon Gamabunta and squash that raccoon!"
Jiraiya glanced at Gamabunta and chuckled. "Looks like you two will get along pretty well in the future."
Gamabunta snorted. "Hmph. Don't get it twisted. I don't like that brat."
Back at the training grounds, Sasuke's eyes narrowed.
"Summoning Jutsu? Did Kakashi-sensei teach you that?"
Kakashi shook his head. "No. My summons are dogs, not toads. The toad summon is... a signature of a certain someone."
Kakashi's mind wandered to Jiraiya and the legendary Toad Sage's ties to the mystical Mount Myōboku.
[Onscreen]
Naruto bit his thumb, smeared blood across his palm, and formed hand seals. He slammed his hand onto the ground.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
A massive puff of smoke erupted. The entire ninja world leaned forward in anticipation.
When the smoke cleared…
A tiny toad the size of Naruto's palm stood there, staring up at him with an unimpressed look.
"Uh... What?" Naruto blinked, dumbfounded.
The little toad sighed. "Great, another brat."
The ninja world fell into stunned silence.
Then...
"Hahahahaha! Are you serious?! All that buildup for THIS?!"
"Man, I thought he was about to pull out something epic, and it's just... that?"
"Only Naruto could mess up this badly in a life-or-death fight!"
The Twelve Ninja in Konoha struggled to contain their laughter.
"That's classic Naruto!" Kiba howled.
Even Sasuke and Sakura shook their heads. "Unbelievable," Sasuke muttered.
"At least he's consistent," Sakura sighed.
"Well, he's certainly unpredictable," Kakashi said with a chuckle.