The busiest street in Konoha was teeming with people. Vendors shouted to attract customers, children ran around laughing, and the smell of street food filled the air.
In the middle of all this, a little boy, about eight years old, wandered aimlessly. He wore goggles on his forehead and a long scarf around his neck.
"Konohamaru, where are you taking us? Class is starting soon!"
A slightly chubby boy following closely behind urged him, adjusting his thick black-rimmed glasses. A long string of snot dangled from his nose.
"Annoying! What's so good about those boring classes anyway? You don't learn anything real in there."
Konohamaru turned his head impatiently while continuing forward.
"If you're scared, Udon, Moegi, go back by yourselves. I'm too lazy to turn around."
Just as he spoke, Konohamaru suddenly bumped into something—someone.
"Oof!"
He stumbled back, looking up to see a tall man dressed in a one-piece black outfit. His face was painted with strange purple markings, and a forehead protector from the Hidden Sand Village rested on his head.
A long, wrapped object was strapped to his back, its contents hidden beneath white cloth.
"You stepped on my foot, brat! That hurts!"
The clown grabbed Konohamaru by the collar with one hand and lifted him into the air, his fierce gaze locking onto the boy.
"Let… go!"
Konohamaru flailed, his small hands clawing at the man's grip. His legs kicked wildly as he struggled for breath.
"Stop it, Kankuro! Otherwise, he'll teach you a lesson again later."
A female voice rang out.
Behind Kankuro stood a blonde girl dressed in a yellow outfit with slits running up the sides. Her long hair was tied into two high ponytails, and a Hidden Sand forehead protector was tied around her neck.
But the most eye-catching thing about her wasn't her beauty—it was the massive iron fan strapped to her back.
At that moment, a lazy voice cut through the crowd:
"Yo yo yo! Hidden Sand, huh? And the first thing you do when you get here is bully kids?"
Naruto strolled in with his hands behind his head, a grin of amusement plastered across his face.
Behind him, Sasuke and Sakura followed, looking just as unimpressed.
Naruto recognized the newcomers immediately.
'Kankuro… Temari… heh, I know exactly how this plays out.'
Sakura, however, was confused. "Naruto, how do you know they're from the Sand Village?"
She eyed the strangers, noting their ninja gear, but she had never seen a Hidden Sand forehead protector before.
[Kankuro's anger value +15]
"Oh? More little runts?"
Kankuro sneered, his lips curling into a smirk. "What, did Konoha send a bunch of brats to act tough?"
Naruto's grin twitched.
'This guy talks too much.'
Mocking their height? That was his thing!
"Put him down," Naruto said, rolling his shoulders. "Or I'll show you what cruelty looks like."
Kankuro chuckled, covering his stomach like he had just heard the funniest joke. "Oh yeah? And what exactly are you gonna do, shorty? Scare me with your ugly face?"
Temari sighed from the side, folding her arms. "These guys are really something… I'm too lazy to deal with this."
Naruto's grin widened.
"Alright. Since you're so curious… let me show you."
Without another word, he shot forward.
Kankuro's smirk remained as he moved his fingers slightly. Thin chakra threads—nearly invisible to the naked eye—extended from his fingertips, snaking toward Naruto's ankle.
"Naruto! Watch out!"
Sasuke, having activated his Sharingan, immediately spotted the energy disturbance and shouted a warning.
But Naruto was already prepared.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
With a puff of smoke, twenty Narutos appeared beside him, charging forward in unison.
"Dafuq?!"
Kankuro's smirk vanished.
He frowned as the twenty identical figures rushed at him. His chakra threads could only catch one target at a time—what now?
"Clones? But how are there so many? Is this an illusion?"
Temari's eyes widened in disbelief. She quickly scanned the Narutos, searching for the real one.
[Kankuro's anger value +26]
'Damn it! If I bring out my puppet now, they'll figure out my fighting style!'
Realizing he couldn't use his trump card yet, Kankuro gritted his teeth and released Konohamaru.
Then, he reached for the long package on his back but hesitated. Instead, he pulled out a kunai from his pouch, bracing for close combat.
But for a puppeteer like Kankuro, taijutsu wasn't exactly his strong suit.
And now, he was facing twenty Naruto clones.
The moment they closed in, they swarmed him without any semblance of order just pure, chaotic punches and kicks.
"Tch, just a bunch of newly graduated brats," Kankuro muttered.
Ducking and weaving, he avoided the uncoordinated attacks and countered with his kunai, slashing at any clone that got too close.
Poof!
One by one, the clones burst into white smoke.
"Ha! Is that all?" Kankuro smirked, easily dismantling the attack. "This isn't even a challenge."
But the moment he let his guard down—
"Kankuro!! Watch out!!"
Temari's urgent voice rang out.
"Huh?!"
Kankuro turned just in time to see the real Naruto standing behind him, his hands forming a… peculiar hand seal.
"huh?!"
Konoha Taijutsu Secret Technique—1000 Years of Death!!
A wicked grin spread across Naruto's face as he rammed both index and middle fingers right up Kankuro's rear end.
"Ugh—!!!"
Kankuro's body went stiff.
A sharp, indescribable pain shot through his spine, his face twisting from red to green.
Then—
With a strangled yelp, he collapsed onto the ground, both hands clutching his violated backside. He writhed in agony, his body convulsing in an awkward fetal position.
Temari, who had been rushing forward, stopped dead in her tracks.
The look of concern on her face melted away—
And she burst out laughing.
"Pfft—Hahahaha! What the hell was that?!"
Sakura sighed, rubbing her temples. "Why am I even surprised?"
Sasuke shook his head. "Naruto… really hasn't changed."
Meanwhile, Konohamaru's eyes sparkled with admiration.
"That… was… AMAZING!" He pumped his fists excitedly. "I have to learn that move! It'll be perfect for messing with the old man!"
(End of Chapter)