I founded the "Bragging Cult" in Naruto.

Chapter 123 People don't believe in repentance and reformation; they only believe that old habits die hard.

"Rustling sound~"

Just as Tatsuma finished shouting, suppressing his shame, several kunai broke through the barrier of flames and flew towards him. Tatsuma spun around and several kunai appeared in his hand, only one less than the ones that had been shot at him.

As for where the last kunai went...

"Tatsuma, your shoulder!"

Minato shouted anxiously, and stood in front of Tatsuma with a kunai in hand, to prevent the Iwa ninja from launching another attack.

"It's okay, I'm used to it."

Feeling the pain in his left shoulder, Tatsuma gave an ugly smile, put the shuriken back into his ninja tool pouch, and then pulled the kunai off his left shoulder.

Using the Palm Healing Technique to accelerate the healing of his shoulder wound, Tatsuma's eyes were fixed on the gradually disappearing blast radius before him.

These Iwa ninja in front of him are definitely an elite team. Facing his and Minato's combined ninjutsu, they can not only defend in time, but also find time to counterattack.

As the flames subsided, charred earthen walls appeared before everyone, bearing the marks left by shuriken. However, the shuriken shadow clones had vanished due to the heat and impact.

"Boom!"

At this moment, the earthen wall slowly sank down. Of the nearly one hundred Iwa ninjas who were hit by the Shadow Clone Technique and the Great Flame Bullet, only six or seven suffered burns or cuts.

There were only three Iwa ninja lying on the ground. The combined ninjutsu that drained nearly half of the two men's chakra had only taken away three Iwa ninja, which made the expressions of the two men and some Konoha ninjas around them turn serious.

However, the Iwa ninjas did not show any optimism. After all, they had used a lot of ninjutsu to besiege Jiraiya and his two companions, and now they had jointly used Earth Release to defend themselves. Their chakra levels were not much better.

"Close combat! Iwa ninjas are skilled in Earth Release; ninjutsu attacks won't be very effective!"

After speaking, an Inuzuka clan ninja rode his large dog and charged towards the Iwa ninja group. Minato then asked Tatsuma behind him, "Tatsuma, can you still fight?"

Tatsuma, whose shoulder had stopped bleeding heavily, nodded and said, "No problem, don't worry."

Minato nodded and followed the footsteps of the Konoha ninja around him, approaching the Iwa ninja. Tatsuma took out a sealing scroll from his backpack, and after forming hand seals to unseal it, a chakra dagger appeared in his hand.

He rushed towards an Iwa ninja who had been kicked away by a ninja dog. The Iwa ninja in mid-air saw Tatsuma charging towards him with a short sword, and a look of anxiety flashed across his face as he quickly formed hand seals.

"Earth Release! Hardening Technique!"

"Clang~"

The moment the chakra dagger sliced ​​across the Iwa ninja's neck, Tatsuma felt a violent squeezing force in his hand, almost causing him to drop the chakra dagger.

The Iwa ninja also landed on the ground, touching the traces of blood on his neck. A look of astonishment appeared on his face. He had actually been breached, and the one who breached his defenses was just a child.

Seeing that Iwa ninja was injured, Tatsuma charged towards Iwa ninja again. That ninjutsu could block one of his attacks, but it was hard to say what would happen if he landed a few more.

"Earth Release: Earth Split Palm!"

Seeing Tatsuma charging towards him, the Iwa ninja quickly formed hand seals and slammed his palm into the ground. The ground between the two instantly cracked open. Tatsuma clicked his tongue and looked at the Iwa ninja with a hint of envy in his eyes.

So what if it's chakra?!

Tatsuma formed the opposing hand seal with his left hand. It didn't really matter whether he used the left or right hand, but everyone tacitly used their right hand when forming the opposing hand seal. However, when assisting in gathering and manipulating chakra for combat, they could use their right hand at will.

With the Instantaneous Movement Technique activated, Tatsuma swiftly dashed across the swirling clods of earth without losing his balance. It might sound strange, but the injury actually made Tatsuma's control over his body even more refined.

Tatsuma instantly appeared in front of the Iwa ninja, thrusting his chakra dagger towards him. The Iwa ninja formed hand seals again, then reached out with his right hand to grab the blade of the chakra dagger. As he swung his hand, earth and rock condensed on his right hand as well.

"Earth Release: Rock Fist Technique!"

"Click~"

The chakra dagger that had been embedded in the clod of earth was stuck inside. Tatsuma only tried it once before decisively letting go. He wasn't some arrogant swordsman who didn't care whether his sword would be taken away.

The moment he let go, the balance of the struggle was broken. Iwa ninja staggered back a step, and his right hand inevitably rose a little bit, which blocked his vision.

Chenma seized the opportunity and thrust his palm towards the Iwa ninja's abdomen. Just as he was about to touch the Iwa ninja, the ninja finally reacted, contracting his stomach and taking a small step back to create some distance.

Seeing that Tatsuma's short arms couldn't hit him, the Iwa ninja even showed a hint of mockery on his face.

"Bagua! Empty palm!"

"Pfft~"

A small ball of chakra energy shot out from Tatsuma's palm. However, due to the slight adjustment in their positions and the fact that the Iwa ninja had not yet landed, the energy ball was not aimed at the Iwa ninja's lower abdomen, but at the shovel.

Seeing the Iwa ninja's eyes instantly turn into Byakugan, Tatsuma retrieved his short sword from the shattered Iwa-tsuchi right hand and beheaded the Iwa ninja with a single strike.

"Ryoma of Konoha?!"

At that moment, an Iwa ninja who witnessed this scene nearby exclaimed in shock. Another Iwa ninja turned around and saw two blobs of blood between the throat and legs of the man fighting Tatsuma, and also exclaimed in surprise, "The Jade-Striking Hand?!"

Tatsuma's face darkened completely. He never expected that the nickname circulating within Sunagakure would actually reach Iwagakure.

However, it was precisely this reputation that made Tatsuma feel even more that Jiraiya's teachings were correct: a ninja is someone who doesn't need fame or reputation!

He, Sakamoto Tatsuma, would rather remain unknown than be associated with the title of "Striking Hand"!

Besides, he didn't do it on purpose, and it wasn't intentional every time! His height and reach just happened to make it easy for him to strike that part of an adult ninja's body. How can you blame him?!

Like this one, if he hadn't jumped, wouldn't everything have been fine?

Tatsuma's face darkened, and his scarlet eyes glared at the talkative Iwa ninja. The Iwa ninja felt a chill run down his spine when Tatsuma glared at him, and he could clearly feel the sweat on his back flowing into his buttocks.

"Don't come any closer!!!"

The Iwa ninja shouted inwardly, but he was fighting a swarm of insects and had no way to escape. He could only watch helplessly as Tatsuma used his Body Flicker Technique to rush towards him.

"Earth Release! Earth Rising Spear!"

Within the small area, the Iwa ninja kept dodging and weaving. Tatsuma glanced at the insects around him and gave up the idea of ​​using Fire Release, since the insects were allies in a sense. Instead, he used Earth Release to restrict the Iwa ninja's movements.

"Pfft~"

But as the earthen spears rose up, the rock ninja happened to sit on one of them, his eyes also evolving into Byakugan, and his mouth silently opening.

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh~"

The insect seized the opportunity and flew into the Iwa ninja's mouth, devouring his body from within. Seeing this, Tatsuma stopped his Body Flicker and looked at the spot where the Iwa ninja had been impaled by the earth spear, speechless with emotion.

At this moment, the oil-woman ninja controlling the insects approached Tatsuma, patted him on the shoulder, and said, "Striking the jade pouch can indeed instantly incapacitate a man. It's a very good fighting style. Keep it up."

Do not use on your companions.

"I didn't want to either! He sat on it himself!"

Tatsuma looked like he was about to cry. He had attacked twice and defeated two jade pouches in a row. Not only did the Iwa ninjas' eyes change, but even the Konoha ninjas and their ninja dogs looked at him strangely.

On a distant mountain, under the protection of numerous ninjas, Orochimaru, who was resting and recovering his strength, glanced at Tsunade and asked, "Did you teach her?"

"You know me, and he never learned to fight from me."

After Tsunade finished speaking righteously, she looked at Jiraiya with disdain. At this moment, Jiraiya had recovered a little after Tsunade's treatment and taking some medicine brought by the support team. At least he could open his eyes.

His neck, which had been heavy and immobile, was now being violently swung around by Jiraiya with an unknown strength. He struggled to explain, "It wasn't me... it was Sakumo-senpai! It must be him! Don't forget Sakumo-senpai!"

Upon hearing this, Orochimaru and Tsunade recalled Sakumo Hatake's secret technique of Konoha taijutsu. Although they had never experienced it, they had been fortunate enough to witness it.

In an instant, both of them suddenly realized what was going on and nodded firmly. This style did indeed seem to be the result of guidance from Senior Sakumo.

"Achoo!"

At Konoha Hospital, Sakumo Hatake, who was undergoing a premarital checkup with his fiancée, suddenly sneezed, his whole body shuddered, and he sensed that something bad was about to happen!

"Sakumo-sama!"

At that moment, the door to the ward next to him opened, and a medical ninja walked out anxiously. Hatake Sakumo's heart tightened, and he jumped up from his chair, looking at the medical ninja nervously.

The ominous feeling in his heart grew stronger. Under his tense gaze, the medical ninja said, "Lord Sakumo, you're going to be a son! No, no, I mean, you're going to have a father! Uh..."

Enveloped by the murderous aura that Hatake Sakumo suddenly unleashed, the medical ninja stammered even more. Hatake Sakumo snatched the report from the medical ninja's hand and began to read it himself.

Seeing that his fiancée was pregnant, a smile couldn't help but appear on his face. Sure enough, his plan to have a baby while he had nothing to do in the village for the past six months was finally making some progress! Wait a minute! Why am I thinking like that brat Tatsuma?!

Just then, a roar came from deep within the hospital.

"This is youth! My youth, Might Guy's youth, will be inherited by my son!!!"

Hearing the sound from afar, Hatake Sakumo recalled the passionate genin he occasionally saw in front of the Hokage Building and at the training grounds, and murmured, "Did Dai-kun give birth to a boy?"

Just as Sakumo Hatake was thinking of going in to talk to his fiancée and then congratulate Might Guy, a figure suddenly climbed through the window at the end of the hospital corridor.

Upon seeing the newcomer dressed in ANBU uniform and wearing a mask, Hatake Sakumo's expression darkened. ANBU members should never appear in a hospital with so many people in this manner, unless something serious has happened!

The ANBU member approached Sakumo Hatake and whispered, "The Hokage urgently summoned him; Tsunade requested reinforcements; the Land of Lightning has dispatched troops."

Hatake Sakumo nodded, looked at the medical ninja examining his fiancée, and said, "Silence, and thank you."

After he finished speaking, the medical ninja nodded blankly, but Hatake Sakumo and the ANBU ninja had already disappeared, and the report was back in his hands.

Except for the one that has the imaging image printed on it.

(End of this chapter)