Chapter 77
"Where did you pick this thing up?"
Naruto leaned in close to look at the trembling brown furball.
Inuzuka Kiba, however, wore an expression of pure misfortune. He reached both hands behind his back, trying to pry the clinging thing off.
But the furball gripped tightly and refused to let go no matter how he pulled.
Akamaru clearly harbored deep hostility toward this uninvited guest occupying his master's back.
"Don't even ask! Just thinking about it pisses me off."
Kiba began recounting how he acquired the furball.
It turned out that after he had pranked Sakura and Ino and fled, while wandering through the forest, he suddenly caught a whiff of something foul-smelling.
Following the odor to investigate, he discovered a deep pit trap that had already been triggered.
It must have been one of the traps set by the teachers for this exercise.
"This guy was at the bottom of the pit?" Sasuke asked, circling halfway around Kiba's back.
It was just a ball of fur—completely dissimilar to the Ōmba over there except for both being covered in hair.
"Yeah, it was curled up at the bottom looking miserable." Kiba sighed.
"I felt sorry for it, so I just hauled it up. Who knew it would repay kindness with enmity? The moment it got out, it latched onto my back and refused to leave no matter how I shook it. And it stinks too."
Akamaru kept barking "woof woof," protesting that this weird thing had stolen his spot on his master.
Xuanming floated in mid-air, his gaze sweeping over the brown furball.
Though the little thing was shaking, its round, clever eyes occasionally peeked out from the fur—definitely an Ōmba cub without question.
"That's right—this is exactly what we're looking for."
After receiving confirmation from the Fox Sage, a huge weight lifted from Naruto's heart: "Kiba, you've done a huge favor this time! This little guy's parent is desperately searching for its child right now."
"Parent?" Kiba froze for a second: "Does this have something to do with why the exercise got canceled?"
"No time to explain—come with me quick!"
Naruto grabbed Kiba's arm and immediately turned to run back the way they came.
Shikamaru exchanged a glance with Chōji. Though he found it troublesome, given the situation, he figured he might as well tag along for the spectacle and started walking after Naruto.
The group rushed through the forest. Before long, the scene ahead opened up.
The sight that greeted the newly arrived members made them suck in a cold breath.
A gigantic white monster—the Ōmba!
Still trapped within the [One Thread Lamp Formation].
It seemed to have sensed the cub's presence and began struggling violently again. The barrier's rune patterns started to tremble and crack.
"What… what the hell is that monster?!"
Kiba's eyes widened as he stared at the creature that stood two stories tall.
On the ground, Akamaru caught the Ōmba's scent and whined, burrowing inside Kiba's shirt from the collar.
Ninken could discern an enemy's danger level through scent—clearly the Ōmba's odor had terrified the dog.
Even Shikamaru's dead-fish eyes widened. His mind instantly calculated the power gap between himself and the Ōmba.
Conclusion: no chance of winning, instant death if he engaged, at best he could maybe land one tiny hit!
"Iruka-sensei! We found it!"
Naruto's voice reached the teachers.
"Don't come any closer! It's dangerous!" Iruka didn't dare lose focus and concentrated on controlling the formation to suppress the Ōmba.
"Kiba—quick, give the cub to it!"
Naruto ignored Iruka's warning and shouted back at Kiba.
Kiba steeled himself, turned around, and exposed his back to Naruto: "Hurry, hurry! Get it off—this monster keeps staring at me!"
Naruto took a deep breath and reached toward the Ōmba cub clinging to Kiba's back.
The moment his hand began pulling at the cub,
the little one seemed to sense it was about to be forcibly separated from this warm back. Fear began to well up.
"Ombu Ombu"
The cub let out a high-pitched wail of distress, clinging desperately to Kiba's clothes and curling into a ball to resist Naruto's pull.
Though the sound was small, to the Ōmba on the other side it struck like thunder.
Already somewhat anxious, the instant it heard its cub's "scream," it mistakenly believed Naruto was hurting its child.
Murderous intent erupted in its blood-red eyes.
"Ombu—!!!"
An earth-shaking roar exploded.
Crack!
The originally sturdy barrier runes instantly developed dense fractures.
The formation was about to collapse!
Faced with this nearly out-of-control situation, Naruto did not retreat.
"Don't get excited! I'm not hurting it—I'm just returning it to you!"
Naruto's voice rang out calm and firm across the chaotic scene.
He stopped pulling forcefully and slowed his movements.
Gently patting the cub's back, he made soothing sounds with his mouth.
"Ombu~~"
Hearing the familiar roar, the cub immediately let out a tiny response.
It cautiously poked half its head out from behind Kiba's shoulder. Those big eyes blinked, quickly recognizing the distant white giant.
Though the sound was small, it acted like a bucket of ice water, instantly extinguishing the killing intent in the Ōmba's eyes.
The cub's hands finally released Kiba's clothes. Its entire body relaxed.
Seizing the moment, Naruto gently lifted the cub.
This time, the little one didn't resist and allowed Naruto to pick it up.
"Iruka-sensei—drop the barrier."
Naruto held the cub and turned to look at the sweating teachers, his gaze calm: "It won't attack us."
The three chūnin teachers looked at each other.
Drop the barrier in this situation?
Facing a dangerous monster that had just gone berserk and nearly broken free?
This was practically gambling with their lives.
"No way! That's too dangerous!" The sunglasses teacher immediately objected: "What if it attacks you the moment it's free?"
The scene hung in tense silence for a moment.
"I trust Naruto."
Iruka's gaze settled on the blond boy.
There was something about Naruto that made everyone who knew him instinctively want to believe in him.
And he also believed his student wouldn't do anything reckless.
"Release it! If anything goes wrong, we can suppress it again." Iruka's tone was decisive.
Though the other two teachers still had doubts, they understood deep down that Iruka knew his students better and must have confidence.
In the worst case, they could always restrain it again.
Realizing this was true, the three simultaneously withdrew the barrier ninjutsu.
The black runes on the ground dissipated.
The invisible force restraining the Ōmba vanished completely.
Every heart in the clearing leapt into every throat.
Naruto's teammates behind him also raised their guard, ready for anything.
The Ōmba sensed its freedom restored. It didn't immediately attack anyone else, nor did it issue a threatening roar.
It simply took heavy steps, one after another, walking straight toward Naruto.
The Ōmba lowered its head and extended its massive palm toward him, casting a huge shadow.
"Ombu!"
In front of it, Naruto looked like a toy doll.
The three teachers and everyone behind them swallowed hard.
If it suddenly attacked, Naruto definitely wouldn't be able to dodge.
But its movement was surprisingly gentle. Palm upward, it flattened its hand right in front of Naruto.
Naruto grinned widely—without the slightest hesitation or fear.
He gently placed the cub in his arms onto the enormous palm.
"Little guy—your mom's here to take you home!"
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