510 Naruto the Flame-Flame Fruit

"Dad, the elimination round is starting soon. Aren't you going to give me any special training?"

Shinichi asked after seeing all his teammates begin their own training.

Kiyosuke put down the magazine in his hands and said with confusion:

"You? Training? Other than keeping an eye on Shinki, the rest aren't much of a threat. Mitsuki isn't your opponent."

Unless Mitsuki entered Sage Mode—but if he did, Orochimaru probably wouldn't let him stay in Konoha. It was for Mitsuki's own safety.

"That Shinki is seriously strong. Iwabe, Metal… none of them were his match. As for Iron Sand… I really can't think of any way to deal with it." Shinichi frowned.

Kiyosuke gave him one sentence.

"High heat to demagnetize."

"You can do that?"

"Of course."

Kiyosuke took two magnets, heated them with fire until they lost their magnetism, and said:

"Just like that. So I'm not worried about you losing. Oh, and be careful of Boruto."

Even if Shinichi was strong, he still couldn't escape the fact that Boruto liked to "cheat."

"Boruto? Why?" Shinichi scratched his head. Boruto's strength wasn't anything amazing—neither too strong nor too weak, just above average.

"Just stay alert when the time comes."

Kiyosuke picked up his magazine again, looking completely relaxed.

"Isn't your sister free right now? Let her train you."

"Fine…" Shinichi turned to leave. Mei Terumī walked over.

"Why aren't you training Shinichi yourself?"

"It's still too early," Kiyosuke said. "Orochimaru-sensei's training is enough for him to win the Chūnin Exams. My training would only put extra burden on his body. Yuka cares about her little brother, and she'll train him specifically around his weaknesses so he won't get exhausted. Besides, it strengthens sibling bonds."

Better to beat up your little brother while he's still young—otherwise he'll be too strong to hit later.

"You're just being lazy." Mei sat beside him.

"I don't dare be lazy at night."

He wrapped an arm around her waist, whispering into her ear with a teasing laugh:

"My dear Mizukage-sama~ Water Release really is something special."

Mei's face instantly turned red. She twisted his waist with her fingers and whispered back, flustered:

"Are you trying to die?!"

"I want you~"

The married couple flirted openly while the siblings went off to train.

Time passed, and the elimination round arrived.

…

The arena was packed with spectators, many of them the parents of the participants.

Kiyosuke and his family sat among them, cheering for Shinichi.

The first match was Boruto versus Yurui from Kumogakure.

Yurui was constantly chewing bubblegum. A necklace themed around the Eight-Tails hung around his neck, and he carried a short blade similar to Killer Bee's.

The two started with taijutsu, but Yurui soon blew a huge bubble from the gum in his mouth.

Boruto cut it with a kunai.

The bubble exploded, releasing a strong blast of wind that sent him flying.

"Oh? Something newly developed by Kumogakure? Injecting chakra into bubblegum—quite interesting." Kiyosuke watched the bubbles multiply below, surrounding Boruto.

He asked with a smile:

"Yuka, what would you do in this situation?"

"Use Wind Release to blow them away, or Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique. Or Lightning Release. As long as the bubbles get away from me and my teammates, how they burst doesn't matter." Yuka answered instantly. "Doesn't Boruto know both Wind and Lightning Release? And I taught him the Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique."

"He's just too nervous and forgot," Kiyosuke said with a laugh. "He has the advantage but doesn't use it. He doesn't trust his own strength enough."

Facing the growing number of bubbles, Boruto wanted to use Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique but lacked confidence. In the end, he secretly used a Scientific Ninja Tool and threw a Wind Release shuriken that cut the bubble still in Yurui's mouth.

It exploded, causing Yurui to lose qualification.

Boruto's movements were subtle—almost no one noticed except Kiyosuke.

"Dad, Boruto's shuriken can fly at that kind of angle?"

"The Uchiha clan's shurikenjutsu can do that. They collide mid-air to change trajectory. Easy to explain, extremely hard to do. Even the Uchiha have to train for years. Did Obito never tell you?"

"No. Obito-sensei rarely uses shuriken. He usually just uses Fire Release or ends the fight with Kamui." Yuka complained. "Sora probably knows how, but he prefers Fire Release too."

"Haha, father and son really are alike."

The matches continued.

Shikadai used his brain to defeat his opponent—a girl from Sunagakure. Just like his father.

Then it was Sarada's turn.

The moment she stepped onto the field, every Uchiha in the audience focused. Uchiha Fugaku and Mikoto were visibly nervous.

This was the little princess of the Uchiha clan.

"Begin!"

Referee Rock Lee announced the start. Sarada's opponent threw a punch. Sarada activated her Sharingan, dodged, turned, and struck with a single punch.

Boom.

Her opponent shot across the field, slamming into the wall, leaving a crater.

The fight ended in three seconds.

"Hahahahaha! That's my granddaughter!!!"

Fugaku's grin reached his ears. The Uchiha clan erupted into cheers. Though the little princess had been nearsighted before awakening her Sharingan, she was undeniably a genius.

Though one had to wonder—could monstrous strength really be inherited from mother to daughter?

Amazing!

Some from Konoha were eliminated; others advanced.

The final match was Shinichi versus Reduchi, the son of Deidara and Kurotsuchi.

Like his dad, Reduchi specialized in clay bombs.

He grinned.

"So you're Asakawa Kiyosuke's kid? Watch how I make you quit."

"That's right! Just like that! Reduchi, go get him! Win, and Dad will buy you the game console you want most!"

Deidara shouted loudly, not caring that the Five Kage were sitting nearby.

Kurotsuchi sighed helplessly.

Then Kiyosuke stood up and yelled:

"Shinichi! If you win, Dad will grant you one wish!"

"...Asakawa! Are you picking a fight?!"

Deidara barked.

"YOU'RE the one picking a fight!!!"

The two started arguing across the stands. Everyone broke into a cold sweat before Kurotsuchi and Mei each pulled their husbands back.

"Looks like I have even more reason to fight now."

Shinichi shrugged helplessly and focused completely.

"Take my insect bombs!"

Reduchi's aesthetic and craftsmanship were far better than his father's—the insects actually looked like insects, not weird abstract creatures.

Shinichi used his fire musket technique to test the field. Sparks ignited the insect bombs.

"Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!"

"Serpent Bombs!"

The snakes from Hidden Shadow Snake Hands were blown to pieces, but Shinichi didn't stop or fear the explosions. He charged straight toward Reduchi and threw a punch.

"Fire Punch!!"