Naruto: Wooing Tsunade from Day One!

The three and Shishi looked at Nawaki, who hovered effortlessly in the air, holding their weapons tightly as they exchanged glances. None of them could fly, nor did they possess any abilities that could support them in jumping to such heights.

If they couldn't even touch Nawaki, how were they supposed to fight?

"Hm, you can't reach me, can you?" Nawaki's calm voice came from above.

"That was my carelessness," he added leisurely.

He slowly began to descend until his feet touched the ground. This forced many of the onlookers to quiet their earlier mocking remarks.

Avoid the battle? That was unthinkable. If it weren't for the constraints of the environment, preventing the use of large-scale Ninjutsu, Nawaki could have easily used them as practice targets. But such an approach wouldn't align with his intentions.

"That way, it'll be fair."

Nawaki drew the sword strapped to his back. It wasn't his own weapon, but he didn't mind.

The three had conflicted expressions. From the moment Nawaki had flown into the sky, they'd known they had already lost. Yet, with so many eyes on them, it would be unreasonable not to fight. Regardless of the outcome, Shishi resolved to follow through with the battle.

He bent his knees slightly, his muscles tensing as he prepared to attack.

Bang!

The ground beneath Shishi's feet exploded as an immense force launched him forward. His body shot towards Nawaki like a cannonball, propelled by raw strength and speed. There was no finesse, only brute power.

The crowd murmured in amazement.

"Shishi is still so fast."

The two other split off, flanking Nawaki from different directions.

Nawaki casually spun the unfamiliar sword in his hand, testing its balance. The corner of his mouth curled into a slight smile beneath his mask as he stepped forward to meet the attack.

Clang!

The sharp, resonant sound of clashing swords filled the air. Shishi's blade met Nawaki's, but it felt as though he had struck solid steel. A wave of force traveled along the blade, sending him flying backward.

"What a powerful attack," Shishi muttered, steadying himself with his back leg. Twin grooves were carved into the ground where he had skidded.

"Is his weapon specially made?"

"Is that the strength of the Senju Clan?"

...

The audience was stunned. If it hadn't been for his teammates, Shishi would have suffered greatly from Nawaki's attack.

As expected, Nawaki's reputation was well-deserved, and his strength was now recognized by everyone present.

Following the blow that sent Shishi flying, the attacks from the other two reached Nawaki. Seeing their comrade knocked back, they immediately understood Nawaki's power. Changing their attack strategies mid-action was unwise, but they adjusted anyway.

One shifted from slashing to parrying with his sword, while the other switched from hacking to thrusting. Their improvised changes were obvious to Nawaki. He sidestepped one attack and delivered a swift kick to the man's rear, sending him flying several meters and landing flat on his back in front of the crowd. The footprint on his backside remained clearly visible.

The final attacker's strike came too quickly for Nawaki to fully evade, so he blocked with his sword. Using the force from the clash, he countered by slashing at the man's wrist.

In terms of Kenjutsu, Nawaki was not to be underestimated.

"That was a quick change of attack," the Ninja muttered to himself, retreating cautiously, clearly shaken.

"Come again," Nawaki challenged.

In the blink of an eye, the three members led by Shishi regrouped. It was clear they had completely lost the first round. Facing Nawaki's taunting provocation, they said nothing, exchanging only glances before scattering to reform their strategy.

Shishi charged head-on while the other two circled around. Their teamwork began to show as they moved in perfect sync.

"You guys are working together better," Nawaki said casually, though his heart was pounding. After all, these were three Anbu members, not mere amateurs.

This time, Shishi had learned his lesson, avoiding Nawaki's sharper maneuvers and keeping him occupied just enough. His Kenjutsu skills showed the results of considerable effort and practice.

"Shadow Binding Technique."

As Nawaki became entangled, a black shadow spread across the ground, originating from a distance.

"Nara Clan?" Nawaki muttered, frowning. He increased his strength, slashing fiercely to knock Shishi back. With a forceful push off his feet, he soared into the air, narrowly avoiding the shadow creeping toward him.

"Damn, I failed," the Nara Clan's Anbu cursed, pounding his thigh in frustration.

The moment Nawaki landed, dizziness overcame him. The scene in front of him shifted abruptly, and he saw Kawakaze's sword charging at him. The vision struck a chord of fear, recalling one of the few terrifying moments etched into his heart.

"Nawaki's team members are very strong," Minato observed, noticing Nawaki freeze. He immediately recognized that Nawaki had fallen under a Genjutsu.

It was no exaggeration to say that a team combining control and attack was formidable.

"Is Brother Nawaki going to lose?" Konan's eyes were full of worry as he watched Shishi and the others charge at Nawaki.

"It's hard to say." Minato frowned. He didn't know what kind of Genjutsu Nawaki was under, but fortunately, even if Nawaki lost, it wouldn't be a big deal. Nawaki had already demonstrated his formidable strength, and this was merely a sparring match in which leniency was expected.

At this moment, the entire audience's attention was focused on Nawaki. The outcome would be decided in an instant.

"You are my dearest brother-in-law…"

Nawaki suddenly snapped back to his senses.

Right—how could my brother-in-law kill me?

When he regained clarity, he saw three sharp blades poised inches from his face.

"Earth Body Flicker Technique."

This was a new Ninjutsu Nawaki had developed with Orochimaru's help, inspired by Hanzō's Water Body Flicker Technique. His body dissolved into mud as the blades pierced through it harmlessly.

"Earth Release: Double Suicide Decapitation Technique."

Nawaki's voice came from behind the three attackers. Shishi immediately realized something was wrong. A powerful force pulled at his feet, and both he and the Nara clan's Anbu were dragged into the ground, leaving only their heads exposed with no way to resist.

Nawaki appeared next to the Anbu who had cast the Genjutsu, his sword at the ready, though he didn't strike.

"Do you want to continue?" His voice was calm, devoid of emotion.

"We admit defeat."

Shishi didn't wait for his teammates to respond, decisively acknowledging their loss.

"Then am I qualified?" Nawaki asked again.

"From now on, we'll follow your orders without question," Shishi answered firmly. It was clear Nawaki had overwhelmed them completely.

"You're all very skilled."

Nawaki's tone wasn't mocking. The training ground wasn't a battlefield, and the three opponents still had many techniques they hadn't revealed. He acknowledged their strength with sincerity. Walking over, he pulled the two from the ground.

Thunderous applause erupted from the sidelines as the match concluded. A spectacular battle had come to an end, and the Anbu Fire Squad was officially formed that day.

In the Anbu, strength spoke loudest, and Nawaki's capabilities were undeniable. It was likely that he would be sought out for future large-scale missions, which was one of his goals.

Soon, everyone began chatting among themselves. Nawaki and his team had successfully taken their first steps into the Anbu.

...

"You can rest assured now."

Sakumo stood in the distance, Kawakaze by his side. He seemed to have more confidence in Nawaki and the others than Kawakaze, who had even come to secretly check on them.

"Haha, I was just bored and came to check up on them," Kawakaze said, attempting to sound casual, though it was clear he didn't want to admit the real reason.

"Why are you pretending in front of me?" Sakumo shot him a glance, not bothering to give him any leeway. After all, they knew each other too well.