Starts In Konoha: Unlocking Shadow Clone

Naruto was genuinely stunned, as he never expected Boruto to display such impressive combat skills.

Originally, he thought Sasuke would easily knock Boruto out. But, surprisingly, the opposite was true. Despite using only a few basic Ninjutsu, Boruto combined them skillfully, each move chaining into the next, forcing Sasuke into a perilous situation.

'How should I put it… As expected of my son.'

'His talent is really good!'

The battle continued, and the shuriken Boruto had thrown was now only five centimeters away from Sasuke's chest. Dodging was impossible, there simply wasn't enough time.

Counterattacking? Out of the question.

At this moment, even a blink of an eye would allow the shuriken to hit.

There was no choice but to take the hit.

Ding!

To Boruto's surprise, the shuriken struck Sasuke's chest with a metallic clang.

'What's going on?'

Boruto wasn't the only one confused, as even Naruto was baffled.

Naruto couldn't help but say, "Pause the fight. Sasuke, take off your shirt and show us what you're hiding."

"It's nothing." Sasuke replied, "Just my weighted training gear."

Sasuke removed his outer clothing, revealing a thick, steel vest underneath.

The powerful shuriken attack had only left a faint white mark on it.

Clearly, this steel vest had been forged to an exceptional level, with density and durability far beyond regular iron. Of course, it was also extremely heavy. Sasuke's intention was to condense the metal to avoid hampering his movement, and this vest suited him perfectly.

But he never expected that the steel vest was not only heavy, but also had defensive effects, which was indeed an unexpected bonus.

"You're actually wearing protective gear? That's not fair," Boruto protested indignantly.

"Sasuke, take off the steel vest." Naruto said with a playful grin.

Boruto hadn't expected it to be so easily resolved, but when Sasuke unscrewed the bolts holding the steel vest and tossed it to the ground, Boruto was dumbfounded.

Bang!

As the steel vest hit the ground, it made a thunderous crash, creating a large dent in the ground.

"What…?"

Boruto was utterly shocked.

'So, Master was wearing this thing when he fought me? How could he move so swiftly and smoothly?'

'And earlier, he had even walked on water! Standing on water wearing that heavy vest… how much Chakra would that have taken?'

'He is a monster!'

"Continue the fight!"

As soon as Naruto finished speaking, Sasuke appeared behind Boruto instantly, pressing two fingers against the back of his neck.

"You lost."

With those three calm words, Sasuke flickered back to his original position.

It all happened in the blink of an eye, as if nothing had happened at all.

But Boruto was already drenched in a cold sweat, completely rattled. It was so fast… so fast that he couldn't even react.

However, Boruto could understand this. After all, without the weighted gear, Sasuke's speed and agility were bound to increase.

If there hadn't been any change, that would have been strange.

Only by putting in enough effort can you achieve significant results. Boruto finally has a deeper understanding of this truth.

"Now it's my turn."

Without giving Boruto a chance to take a breath, Neji rushed towards Boruto.

Although the three Ninjutsu Boruto used just now were low-level, they still consumed a lot of Chakra. Neji recognized this point and launched the attack.

Of course, he was not taking advantage of Boruto's weakness. Rather, he wanted to observe Boruto's reflexes and physique when his Chakra was low, to determine if he had the potential for Taijutsu.

Just as he expected, Boruto's Chakra was depleted from consecutive use of Ninjutsu, making it harder for him to maneuver. But to Neji's surprise, Boruto assumed the Gentle Fist stance.

'Impossible! Only the members of the Hyuga Clan could use the Gentle Fist.'

"Just for show!"

Neji snorted coldly, thinking that Boruto was only imitating what he saw during their battle by the lake.

Without knowing the underlying principles, Gentle Fist's stance was merely superficial.

Plak!

Boruto blocked Neji's hand with a quick palm strike.

"This is impossible!"

Seeing the faintly glowing Chakra on Boruto's palm, Neji was stunned. Although Boruto's Chakra Flow was rough, it was unmistakably the fundamental technique of the Gentle Fist.

'To pick up on this after watching it once… could Boruto be a Taijutsu prodigy?'

"There's no such thing as impossible… Make your move!"

Boruto continued with his improvised Gentle Fist.

What Neji didn't realize was that this wasn't Boruto's first attempt. He had understood the basics long ago. But without the Byakugan, he couldn't fully unleash the power of the Gentle Fist. And with his Chakra running low, his moves lacked precision.

Plak, plak, plak!

After watching Boruto's clumsy attack for a while, Naruto waved his hand helplessly and said, "Alright, that's enough."

"But the winner hasn't been decided yet." Boruto protested.

Hearing this, Naruto said speechlessly: "Don't you notice Neji was holding back? If he went all out, like against Sasuke, you'd be down in an instant."

Boruto wanted to argue, but he stayed silent. It was clear Neji wasn't serious, as even his Byakugan hadn't been activated.

"So, what do you think?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke spoke up first, "As you said, he has good comprehension and potential."

Neji nodded in agreement, "He's also very talented in Taijutsu."

Hearing this, Naruto nodded in satisfaction, feeling his son had done him proud.

"But…"

Sasuke changed the subject, "Anyone can see that Boruto is not a performer. Mastering Wind, Water, and Lightning Ninjutsu at his age is rare, even for genin just out of the Academy. And his combat experience suggests he's trained. Naruto, are you sure about training him? As Guy-sensei warned, if he turns out to be a spy, you'll be responsible."

"This…"

Boruto didn't know what to say and looked at Naruto nervously.

Naruto put his hands in his pockets and said casually, "I have a good feeling about Boruto. Besides, I can't stand seeing talent go to waste. So go ahead and train him, I'll take responsibility!"

Hearing him say that, Sasuke and Neji didn't say anything more.

"You…"

Boruto's eyes flickered and his expression was extremely complicated.

To him, his father didn't even know his real identity yet was willing to trust him and help him without question. Such a gesture might seem foolish, but it moved him deeply.

Pat, pat!

Naruto patted Boruto's shoulder and said, "If you are a man, don't cry. I believe in you, so prove me right with your results."

"Yes!"

Boruto held back his tears and nodded firmly, "Don't worry, I'll give it my best!"

"Enough talk, go start training already," Naruto nudged him forward.

Boruto stumbled but quickly found his footing, rushing over to Sasuke and Neji. He bowed respectfully and said, "Both of you, please give me your guidance..."