Unleash the Underdog!
Chapter 23: Unleash the Underdog!
As the names illuminate on the screen, the tension in the air dissolves into something far more amusing—especially for Naruto’s teammates. Naruto blinks. Then blinks again. He leans forward slightly, staring at the screen as if it somehow made a mistake. "Huh?"
Kiba, on the other hand, grins wide and lets out a barking laugh, slamming a fist into his palm. “Oh, hell yeah! This is gonna be easy.” Akamaru barks in agreement from his perch on Kiba’s head.
Naruto slowly turns to his team, his face blank. "Is… is he serious?"
Sakura crosses her arms, smirking. “Well, you are Naruto.”
Sasuke scoffs, shifting his weight slightly, but there’s a noticeable smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Try not to embarrass us, dobe.”
Harry tilts his head. “Isn’t he the guy who uses dog jutsu?”
Sakura nods. “More like a whole fighting style based on dogs and wolves.”
Naruto huffs. “Pfft, whatever. He’s got nothing on me.” Then, he pauses and squints. “Wait. Dog jutsu? What’s he gonna do, throw a stick and expect me to chase it?”
From the stands, Ino bursts out laughing. Kiba, overhearing that, visibly bristles. “You wanna say that again, dead last?!”
Shikamaru sighs dramatically. “This is gonna be a pain… but at least it’ll be entertaining.”
Kakashi hums, eyeing his blond student. "Don’t underestimate Kiba, Naruto. He fights with Akamaru, and they move as one. If you’re not careful, you’ll be overpowered before you can react.”
Naruto crosses his arms stubbornly. “Pfft, yeah, right. I’ve been through worse. I fought a giant snake a few days ago. One guy with a puppy? Please.”
Kakashi sighs. This kid…
Hayate clears his throat from below. “Naruto Uzumaki and Kiba Inuzuka, step forward.”
Naruto grins and stretches, bouncing on his feet. “Alright, alright, let’s get this over with.”
Kiba cracks his knuckles, his fangs gleaming in the light. “Hope you’re ready to lose, Naruto. Akamaru and I aren’t gonna go easy on you.”
Naruto steps toward the railing and turns to his team with a wide, confident grin. “Hey, Sakura! Sasuke! Harry! Watch closely, ‘cause I’m gonna kick his ass so bad, they’ll rename this place Uzumaki Arena!”
Sakura sighs. “He’s going to make a fool of himself, isn’t he?”
Sasuke smirks. “Most likely.”
Harry crosses his arms, watching Naruto hop over the railing to the arena below. “Well… at least we’ll be entertained.”
And with that, the first match of the Third Stage officially begins.
From above the arena, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, watched with a measured gaze as the first match of the Third Stage commenced. Beside him sat three individuals whose presence always turned the air suffocating: Danzo Shimura, Homura Mitokado, and Koharu Utatane.
Unlike the excited spectators in the stands, the three elder council members observed the battlefield with cold, calculating eyes. And it wasn’t long before they noticed something... peculiar.
Danzo’s single eye narrowed. “Hiruzen.” His voice was low, firm. “Why is the boy dressed in the Namikaze colors?”
Homura’s brows furrowed as well. “And what is that at his hip?” His keen gaze honed in on the unmistakable three-pronged kunai Naruto had sheathed at his side.
Koharu, ever the sharp one, exhaled quietly. “The Hiraishin kunai,” she murmured.
Hiruzen remained silent, watching as Naruto and Kiba squared off in the arena.
Danzo’s fingers curled around his cane. “The boy was not supposed to have access to his father’s belongings until he was of age. This was the agreement.” His words were edged with displeasure. “Did you go back on it, Hiruzen?”
The Third Hokage merely shrugged. “He found out the truth.”
Homura’s frown deepened. “So? That doesn’t mean he should be given such a dangerous tool.”
“If he has discovered his heritage, then he has the right to his father’s legacy,” Hiruzen replied evenly, keeping his eyes on the battlefield. “Naruto is a shinobi of Konohagakure. If he chooses to fight with his father’s weapon, then he is allowed to do so.”
Koharu clicked her tongue disapprovingly. “That boy is reckless. We are fortunate he doesn’t even know how to use the technique.”
Danzo’s expression was unreadable, but beneath the surface, his mind raced. The Hiraishin kunai in Naruto’s possession was a problem, but the greater concern was how much of Minato’s legacy the boy now had access to. He had to tread carefully.
The fight below began, shifting their focus back to the arena.
Kiba lunged first, dashing toward Naruto with enhanced speed, Akamaru right at his heels. “You’re too slow, Naruto!”
Naruto barely sidestepped, his footwork surprisingly fluid. With a flick of his wrist, he tossed a regular kunai behind Kiba’s path—nothing seemed out of the ordinary. But Kakashi, watching from the stands, immediately recognized the motion.
"Oh?" Kakashi's visible eye crinkled in interest. So he’s using fuinjutsu this early?
Kiba sneered, twisting midair. “That all you got?!” He made a single-hand sign, and Akamaru transformed into his clone.
“Fang Over Fang!”
The two tore through the air, spinning violently toward Naruto.
But Naruto didn’t run. Instead, he smirked.
“Seal—Activate!”
A sudden burst of chakra-infused ink lit up the ground beneath Kiba’s path, a pre-placed sealing array triggered the moment he entered its radius.
In a split second, Kiba’s spinning attack was abruptly disrupted, his momentum killed, and his body suddenly jerked to a stop. His arms felt sluggish, his legs weak. “W-What the hell?!”
Akamaru yelped, crashing into the ground as his jutsu faltered.
Up in the stands, murmurs spread like wildfire.
“Did Naruto just use fuinjutsu?”
“No way! Seals take time to draw, how did he—?”
Hiruzen exhaled slowly. “He’s been practicing fuinjutsu.”
Danzo’s eye flickered with rare interest. “His Uzumaki bloodline is showing.”
Back in the arena, Kiba growled as he pushed himself up. The paralysis effect had already begun wearing off, but the fact that Naruto even pulled off a sealing trap mid-battle made his skin crawl.
Naruto dusted off his sleeve lazily. “Oh, what’s wrong, Kiba? Thought this was gonna be easy?” His smirk widened, mischief sparking in his blue eyes.
Kiba scowled, his irritation rising. “I don’t know how you did that, but I’m not gonna lose to some stupid ink trap!”
Naruto’s eyes glinted with something sharp. “Oh, that?” He pointed to the kunai he had thrown earlier—the one that seemed unimportant.
"That was the trigger."
Kiba froze.
Sasuke narrowed his eyes from the stands. He planned it before the fight even started…?
Harry crossed his arms, smiling faintly. “Smart.”
Sakura blinked. “Wait, hold on—did Naruto just strategically use fuinjutsu?”
Kakashi chuckled under his breath. He did indeed.
Hiruzen hummed in thought, watching the match with renewed interest. “Naruto’s improvising well. His use of sealing techniques is rudimentary but effective.”
Danzo observed in silence. If Naruto truly started embracing his Uzumaki heritage, that meant his potential was far greater than they had initially accounted for.
Down in the arena, Naruto cracked his knuckles, his grin widening. “Ready for round two, dog-boy?”
Kiba snarled. “Oh, you are so dead.”
The battle was far from over. And Naruto was just getting started.
The sealing paralysis didn’t last long. As expected, Kiba shook off the lingering effects of Naruto’s fuinjutsu trap within seconds, his muscles tensed as he forced his body back into motion. His sharp canines flashed as he growled, eyes burning with pure, unfiltered aggression.
“Alright, no more tricks!” Kiba barked, cracking his knuckles as he dropped into a solid Inuzuka-style stance. His muscles coiled, and his feet adjusted for rapid movement.
Naruto, standing loose and relaxed, smirked. “Oh? You wanna go hand-to-hand now?”
Kiba scoffed. “Yeah, I do. You think you’re tough just ‘cause you pulled some seal trick? Let’s see how good you really are.”
From the stands, Kakashi let out a small hum of interest. “Naruto’s taking the bait.”
Sasuke crossed his arms. “It’s a pride thing.”
Sakura nodded. “Well, as long as he doesn’t get reckless...”
Harry watched closely, knowing that despite Naruto’s unpredictability, he wasn’t the type to rush in blindly anymore.
Naruto reached up, tightening the headband on his forehead, before settling into a strong, balanced stance. “Fine then, dog-boy. No jutsu. No weapons. Just hands.”
Kiba grinned, baring his fangs. “Don’t cry when you lose!”
Akamaru barked in agreement from the sidelines, knowing he’d jump in the second Kiba needed him.
And then—
They moved.
Kiba lunged first. His style was aggressive, explosive. The Inuzuka Clan specialized in beast-like close-quarters combat, their movements more akin to feral wolves than trained shinobi. Low to the ground, fluid but brutal, overwhelming their opponent with sheer force.
Naruto, however, was fast.
Kiba’s opening jab flew toward his jaw—only for Naruto to shift just enough for it to skim past his face. Instead of dodging wildly, he used minimal movement, staying well within Kiba’s range.
Then—A counterstrike.
Naruto’s fist smashed into Kiba’s ribs. The impact sent a sharp pain through Kiba’s side, forcing him back a step. But he recovered fast, slashing forward with his claws in retaliation.
Naruto blocked, raising his forearm at the last second, deflecting the swipe. But Kiba wasn’t done. Using the force of the block, Kiba pivoted, bringing up his knee toward Naruto’s gut. Naruto barely managed to twist out of the way, but Kiba followed up instantly with a vicious right hook, knuckles aiming straight for Naruto’s temple.
CRACK!
The hit connected. Naruto’s head snapped to the side, the impact sending him skidding a few feet back.
Sakura winced from the stands. “That one had to hurt...”
But Naruto didn’t fall. He spat to the side, rolling his shoulders.
“Not bad,” he admitted, before grinning. “My turn.”
Naruto surged forward faster than expected.
His footwork was different from Kiba’s. Where Kiba fought like a wild animal—relentless, instinct-driven, fast—Naruto had sharp, efficient movements. Boxing techniques. His fists moved in tight, controlled arcs, elbows tucked, guarding his center. But his footwork? That was pure unpredictability. He weaved through Kiba’s swipes, his body constantly shifting, adjusting, reading. Then—an opening. Kiba’s next punch overextended. Naruto ducked under it and slammed an uppercut into Kiba’s chin.
The sound of impact echoed through the arena.
Kiba’s head jerked back, but before he could recover—a brutal left hook crashed into his ribs again. Naruto didn’t let up, he followed up with a quick jab to the solar plexus, knocking the wind out of Kiba. The Inuzuka staggered, coughing, trying to regain his breath—Only for Naruto to sweep his legs.
Kiba hit the ground hard, rolling to recover. Naruto didn’t press forward, instead bouncing lightly on the balls of his feet. “C’mon, Kiba. You wanted a fair fight, right?”
Kiba wiped the blood from his lip, snarling. “You little—”
But before he could finish, Akamaru rushed in. Naruto barely had time to register Akamaru leaping at him before the small white dog chomped down on his arm.
"Tch—!"
Kiba, taking advantage, charged forward, aiming for Naruto’s blind spot.
Naruto reacted fast—he swung his captured arm, flinging Akamaru off, and immediately ducked just in time to avoid Kiba’s spinning kick.
But Kiba wasn’t done. The second his foot touched the ground, he pushed off with a feral burst of speed, lunging like a beast. Naruto met him midair. Their fists collided with raw force. Kiba’s sheer physical strength sent Naruto skidding back, but Naruto absorbed the impact well, rolling smoothly back onto his feet. The two stared at each other, both breathing heavily, bruises forming across their bodies.
“Not bad, Naruto...” Kiba panted, wiping his mouth.
Naruto grinned, cracking his knuckles. “You too, dog-boy. But I’m still gonna win.”
Kiba smirked. “Yeah? We’ll see about that.”
From the stands, Kakashi hummed thoughtfully. “Naruto’s fundamentals are solid, but he’s relying a lot on instinct.”
Sasuke nodded. “Kiba’s got the edge in pure strength, but Naruto’s fighting smarter.”
Harry smiled. “That’s Naruto for you.”
Sakura sighed. “It’s basically a brawl at this point.”
The match wasn’t over yet. And Naruto still had a few tricks up his sleeve.
Naruto and Kiba stood apart, breathing hard, eyes locked in a heated stare. The air between them crackled with raw energy—the pure, unspoken thrill of a real fight. Neither of them was backing down.
Kiba wiped a trail of blood from his mouth with the back of his hand. His knuckles were raw, his ribs throbbed from Naruto’s earlier strikes, but his pride burned hotter than any pain. He was an Inuzuka—he refused to be outdone in a brawl.
Akamaru let out a growl from Kiba’s side, the small ninken’s fur bristling as he crouched low.
Naruto, despite his bruises, still had that infuriating grin. He rolled his shoulders, shaking off the tension. “Still wanna keep going, dog-boy?”
Kiba scoffed. “Tch, you wish. I’m just getting started.”
Then, without warning—
Kiba charged. Naruto barely had time to react before Kiba was on him, movements wild but precise. His fists flew in rapid succession, a flurry of relentless strikes that Naruto had to block or risk getting pummeled into the ground.
Left hook. Right jab. Knee to the ribs.
Naruto twisted his body, dodging just enough to lessen the impact, but Kiba was faster now—more aggressive. Naruto had underestimated just how relentless an Inuzuka could be once they got serious. A fist crashed into his stomach, forcing Naruto back. Kiba didn’t stop. He lunged forward, this time spinning—
"Piercing Fang!"
A sudden, brutal tornado of slashes came roaring toward Naruto, too fast to dodge entirely.
Naruto’s eyes narrowed. Alright... gotta end this fast.
The fight below had captured everyone’s attention.
Among the gathered sensei, Kurenai Yuhi watched with growing astonishment. She had always prided herself on reading people, on recognizing potential. But seeing Naruto Uzumaki holding his own against Kiba like this? That was something she hadn’t expected. Kurenai crossed her arms, her crimson eyes never leaving the fight. “I have to admit... I didn’t think Naruto had this in him.”
Kakashi, standing nearby, didn’t even look surprised. Instead, he hummed lightly, his single visible eye curving in amusement. “Oh? You mean the fact that he’s not just some loudmouthed prankster?”
Kurenai shot him a look. “I’ve heard the rumors about your team. But seeing it firsthand... It’s different.”
Kakashi chuckled. “It usually is.”
Kurenai turned her focus back to the match, watching as Naruto—instead of retreating from Kiba’s feral onslaught—stepped into it, ducking under a clawed strike and countering with a brutal uppercut.
“His fighting style...” she murmured. “It’s unpredictable, but there’s a method to it.”
Kakashi nodded. “Naruto doesn’t fight conventionally. His strength lies in his adaptability—his ability to read an opponent and turn their own strengths against them.”
Kurenai glanced at him, intrigued. “You’re saying he’s a natural strategist?”
Kakashi smiled beneath his mask. “Oh, absolutely. He’s instinctual, but he learns fast. When he gets hit, he doesn’t just power through—he figures out how not to get hit again. It’s what makes him dangerous.”
Kurenai exhaled slowly. “And his fuinjutsu... I never expected that.”
Kakashi’s expression turned thoughtful. “That... is a bit of his heritage showing through.”
At this, Kurenai frowned. She had noticed something very specific about Naruto earlier.
“That kunai,” she said, eyes narrowing slightly. “That’s Minato’s Hiraishin kunai, isn’t it?”
Kakashi’s eye twitched upward. “Sharp as ever.”
Kurenai studied him for a moment. “I was under the impression that Naruto wasn’t supposed to have access to those things yet.”
Kakashi simply shrugged. “Well... once Naruto found out the truth about his lineage, it was only fair that he inherited what was rightfully his. If he wants to fight using his father’s tools, who am I to stop him?”
Kurenai looked back at the match, her lips pressing into a thin line. “Does he even know how to use it properly?”
Kakashi didn’t answer immediately. His gaze lingered on Naruto, watching the way the boy flowed between movements, dodging Kiba’s attacks with increasing precision.
He exhaled softly. “Not yet. But give him time.” There was something in Kakashi’s voice—something certain.
Naruto wasn’t just some kid playing shinobi. He was Minato’s son. And one day... everyone would know it.
Naruto, still grinning despite the exhaustion settling into his limbs, wiped the sweat from his brow.
“C’mon, Kiba.” He cracked his knuckles, rolling his neck. “One more round?”
Kiba, panting, gritted his teeth.
This wasn’t going the way he had expected. And worse... he was starting to realize something.
Naruto wasn’t just lucky. He was skilled.
And that, more than anything, pissed Kiba off.
The tension in the air thickened, a charged silence stretching over the arena. The fight had already exceeded everyone’s expectations, and now, both combatants were battered, breathing heavily, and running on pure grit. Kiba snarled, wiping blood from his lip, his frustration evident. His muscles burned from exertion, his limbs ached from Naruto’s relentless counters, and Akamaru was barely standing. This wasn’t supposed to happen.
Naruto, on the other hand, rolled his shoulders, shaking out his arms like this was just another training session. His knuckles were swollen, bruises forming under his jumpsuit, but his stance remained firm—solid, unshaken.
Kiba's eyes flickered between Naruto and Akamaru. His pride refused to let him accept defeat, but deep down, he could feel it—the creeping realization that Naruto had been in control of the fight for a while now. Still, an Inuzuka didn’t just back down.
Kiba’s fingers curled into fists. “Tch… I ain’t losing to you.”
Naruto tilted his head, grinning despite the blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. “You sure? ‘Cause it kinda looks like you’re running outta steam there, dog-boy.”
Kiba’s eye twitched. “Shut up.”
Naruto sighed dramatically. “Alright, if you insist.”
Then he moved. No hesitation, no wasted motion. Just a burst of raw, calculated aggression.
One moment, he was standing still—then the next, he was right in front of Kiba.
Kiba barely had time to react before Naruto’s fist slammed into his gut. Hard.
Kiba choked, body jolting forward as all the air was driven from his lungs in a brutal impact. His feet nearly left the ground from the sheer force of the punch. But Naruto wasn’t done. Before Kiba could recover, Naruto yanked him forward by his jacket and brought up his knee—
CRACK!
The sickening sound of cartilage giving way echoed through the arena as Naruto’s knee smashed into Kiba’s nose. Blood splattered, and Kiba’s head snapped back violently.
Gasps erupted from the stands.
Kurenai stiffened. That was brutal.
But Naruto still wasn’t finished. Kiba staggered back, dazed, barely staying on his feet. His mind was sluggish, the pain making a numbing white noise in his head.
Naruto twisted on his heel, pivoting his body with a sharp spin—And then a roundhouse kick crashed into the side of Kiba’s head with a thunderous impact.
Kiba’s body whipped sideways. He collapsed, face-first, onto the arena floor.
A heavy silence fell over the stadium.
Naruto exhaled slowly, standing over Kiba’s unconscious form.
He rolled his shoulders and looked down at the fallen Inuzuka, muttering, “Guess that’s game, huh?”
The entire arena collectively winced.
Even Kakashi used to seeing Naruto’s rougher fighting style, raised an eyebrow beneath his mask. That was… savage.
Hiruzen’s fingers steepled together, his eyes narrowing slightly as he observed Naruto’s calculated aggression.
Danzo, sitting beside him, merely grunted. “Hmph.”
Even the other genin in the stands couldn’t help but feel the shift. This wasn’t the same Naruto they had dismissed as a loudmouthed idiot. This was someone who fought to win. Someone dangerous.
Down in the arena, the proctor Hayate Gekko finally stepped forward, clearing his throat. “Winner—Naruto Uzumaki.”
A beat of silence.
Then thunderous applause.
The moment Hayate announced Naruto’s victory, medics rushed into the arena. Kiba remained motionless on the ground, groaning weakly as two nurses carefully lifted him onto a stretcher. Akamaru whined, trotting anxiously beside them as they carried his partner away. Naruto stretched his arms above his head, rolling his shoulders as if he hadn’t just beaten someone into unconsciousness. His knuckles throbbed slightly, the aftereffects of his brutal strikes settling in, but he ignored it. Instead, he tilted his head to watch the retreating medics.
“Man…” he muttered, rubbing the back of his head. “I hope he doesn’t take that too personally.”
He turned on his heel and leaped back up to the stands, landing smoothly near his team.
Sasuke, arms crossed, gave him a slow, assessing look. “…That was excessive.”
Naruto huffed. “What? He was still standing. It’s not my fault he wouldn’t stay down.”
Sakura rolled her eyes. “You nearly caved in his skull, Naruto.”
“Hey, he was the one who said he wouldn’t lose,” Naruto defended, throwing his arms up. “I was just helping him realize how wrong he was.”
Harry, standing beside Sasuke, snorted in amusement. He clapped Naruto on the shoulder. “Not bad. That roundhouse at the end was a good touch.” He raised an eyebrow. “Did you steal that from Sasuke?”
Naruto grinned, entirely unashamed. “Hell yeah, I did.”
Sasuke’s eye twitched. “You—”
“What?” Naruto grinned, shrugging. “You keep kicking me in the face with that move, figured I’d return the favor to someone else.”
Sakura pinched the bridge of her nose. “You two are the worst.”
Harry smirked. “No, they’re just terrible influences on each other.”
Sasuke muttered something under his breath about “idiots copying his style,” but the corner of his mouth twitched upward ever so slightly.
Naruto plopped down beside his team, stretching out his legs. “Man, now I just get to sit back and watch everyone else suffer.” He clasped his hands behind his head, grinning. “I love this part.”
Sakura shook her head fondly, while Harry merely chuckled. The tension from the fight slowly dissipated the atmosphere between them returning to its usual lighthearted chaos. The next match would begin soon, but for now, Team 7 enjoyed the small reprieve.