Not bad. This was the first time Izanami had been matched with Naruto Uzumaki. There seemed to be a certain karmic bond between Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke. In ten taijutsu duels, they would often be paired together almost half the time.
Izanami couldn't help but feel that he was destined to face Naruto at some point. Luckily, the Ōtsutsuki Bloodline (Red), like the Sage Body, possessed an enormous amount of chakra, or else Izanami might not have known how to bring out Naruto's Sage Body abilities.
Now that he was finally matched with Naruto, Izanami felt a surge of excitement. This was a rare opportunity—a sign that luck was on his side today. Perhaps, just perhaps, he would even be able to trigger a valuable entry.
Suppressing the excitement rising within him, Izanami stood up and walked toward Iruka Umino's side. Looking across at Naruto, who was gritting his teeth and trying to maintain his resolve, Izanami smiled and raised his right hand, holding up his index and middle fingers in a gesture of camaraderie.
"Naruto, please give me your guidance."
Naruto, initially stunned, felt a sudden wave of warmth wash over him. His tense mood relaxed, and for the first time, he truly saw the difference in Izanami's gaze. There was no disgust from the adults or rejection from his peers—just kindness, untainted and universal.
Aside from Iruka Umino, who had recognized him last semester, Izanami was the second person to treat him this way. The thought made Naruto's throat tighten, an urge to cry welling up within him. But he quickly suppressed it, nodding vigorously and flashing a wide grin.
"Yeah, please give me your guidance!"
He mirrored Izanami's gesture, raising his own index and middle fingers, his blue eyes locked with Izanami's, filled with newfound determination.
Seeing this, Iruka Umino couldn't help but smile in approval. He stepped back, clearing the area.
"Seventh round, start!"
As soon as Iruka's command rang out, Izanami and Naruto charged at each other.
Naruto's attack style was simple and predictable, relying on sheer force without much adaptation. Once within range, he threw a straightforward punch at Izanami.
Though Izanami didn't possess the Sharingan, his perception was far beyond the norm. The moment Naruto raised his shoulder, Izanami already knew what was coming. Before the punch even left Naruto's fist, Izanami was already in motion—his left hand struck Naruto's wrist, deflecting the punch with ease, and his right fist followed immediately, landing squarely on Naruto's left cheek.
With a powerful thud, Naruto was knocked to the ground, his face swelling and bruising instantly.
"It hurts... it hurts..." Naruto groaned, gasping for breath. But despite the pain, he wasn't defeated. He sprang back to his feet, launching himself at Izanami again.
However, his attacks were no match for Izanami. Every punch, every kick was anticipated and countered before it even landed—blocked, dodged, or deflected with precision. Even the high-speed attacks from Hinata, each strike carrying chakra-enhanced force, had nothing on Izanami's reactions.
Naruto's unorganized and desperate flailing lacked power or coordination, and it quickly became apparent that he was outclassed. His clothes became filthy, his face marked with cuts and bruises. Despite his efforts, the gap between him and Izanami grew ever wider.
And yet, despite being beaten, Naruto didn't give up. At first, he would gasp between blows, but now, he gritted his teeth in silence, his focus unwavering. His attacks were gradually becoming more calculated, though still far from perfect.
Izanami could see the progress—Naruto was growing, evolving in the heat of battle, and though his next fight might return him to his former unrefined state, there was no denying he was getting stronger.
Recognizing this, Izanami decided it was time to end the match. He squatted low, avoiding Naruto's next attack with ease, and used a sweeping leg to knock him off balance, sending him crashing to the ground. Without hesitation, Izanami lunged forward, fist raised.
But just as he was about to strike, Izanami paused, stopping his punch just inches from Naruto's face.
Iruka Umino, seeing the match had reached its conclusion, immediately called out, "Naruto Uzumaki has lost his ability to fight. The winner is Izanami."
At that moment, a small change happened. Around Naruto, bubbles only Izanami could see began to form. One of the purple bubbles suddenly burst, sending a beam of light into Izanami's body. His heart raced as he recognized what this meant.
It was the same scene he had witnessed before. The transparent bubble that appeared afterward signified a cooling period. Once it was over, it would transform back into a purple bubble, and the entries within would be available again. Izanami's excitement surged—entries could indeed be triggered multiple times, though he hadn't yet experienced the same entry on the same person.
He smiled inwardly but didn't rush to check his personal panel. Instead, he extended a hand to Naruto, a gesture of respect.
"Naruto, you're very strong. Let's fight again next time."
Naruto, still battered and bruised, looked up at Izanami, a mix of frustration and admiration in his eyes. Though he had given it his all, he hadn't been able to win. But Izanami's kindness, his respect, filled him with something he had rarely felt—hope.
Seeing Izanami look at him with genuine sincerity, without a hint of disdain, Naruto felt a sense of relief wash over him. It wasn't the first time he had faced a stronger opponent, but only in front of Uchiha Sasuke did he feel that sting of being looked down upon. With Izanami, though, there was none of that—just respect.
Naruto stretched out his hand to grasp Izanami's palm, using the support to pull himself up. He flashed a grin, determined.
"Izanami, you're definitely strong. But next time, this big Grandpa won't lose."
Izanami smiled, a hint of warmth in his eyes. "Your progress is obvious. I'm looking forward to our next fight."
With that, Izanami raised his index and middle fingers, a gesture that Naruto quickly mirrored, hooking their fingers together. The two shared the Seal of Reconciliation—a symbolic gesture that transcended the differences between them.
This seal wasn't just a form of respect; it was a way of acknowledging that, even when faced with insurmountable differences, there could be peace. In the original story, Naruto and Sasuke had used the same seal to end their ancient battle, a bond that united their fates as the reincarnations of Asura and Indra. Even if their conflict had been long and hard, the seal symbolized their reconciliation, their willingness to move beyond the past.
While Naruto could extend his hand and form the Seal of Reconciliation with Izanami, the same could never happen with Sasuke—not yet, at least. But that wasn't something Izanami needed to concern himself with.
After completing the Seal of Reconciliation, Izanami turned away and returned to his team, casually engaging with his classmates. At the same time, he summoned a light curtain that only he could see, the familiar prompt echoing in his mind as the beam of light from his victory pierced his body.
"Ding! You have obtained the talent entry [Naruto Uzumaki (Purple)]. Merge or decompose?"
"Merge."
In the next instant, a new talent entry appeared in his collection—[Naruto Uzumaki (Purple)].
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