C143 My Big Brother Is Naruto

Yang Ming stood alone as the representative of the Grass Ninja, his solitary figure making him stand out from the rest.

Unfazed, Yang Ming was confident in his own abilities, and he knew he could count on the support of the Sound Ninja when the time came.

"Let me go, let me go!"

Suddenly, a frantic voice echoed from an alley. Yang Ming's instincts kicked in, and he spotted a child being hoisted by a man whose face was marked with intimidating tattoos.

The child writhed in a futile attempt to escape the man's grasp, his small strength no match for the man's firm hold.

He cried out in desperation!

"It's them."

A realization struck Yang Ming. The individuals before him were the trio from the Sand Ninja here for the Mid Level Ninja Test.

The Puppet Master Kankurō, the Wind Escape Ninja, and the beloved Calabash Brothers!

The child in peril was Konoha Maru, with his friends Udon and Moegi at his side.

Clearly, Konoha Maru had run afoul of Kankurō, and given Kankurō's temperament, a warm reception was out of the question.

Yet, true anger was unlikely—after all, this was Konoha, and the Sand Ninja were allies.

"Let you go? Does a Konoha brat really lack manners to this extent? Bumping into someone and still acting so entitled, without even an apology?"

Kankurō's voice was laced with venom, his tattooed face adding to his menacing appearance.

Despite his fear, Konoha Maru was defiant. His father was an elite Elite Ninja, and his grandfather, the current Third Generation Hokage of Konoha. Raised with little discipline, he had never known fear.

He bellowed with all the bravado he could muster.

"Let me go, or you'll regret it!"

"Release Konoha Maru, you villains!"

Udon and Moegi joined in, their voices filled with concern.

Seeing their friend in the clutches of an enemy, they rushed to his aid, but their small stature meant they could do little more than shout their support.

"Hmph, I was going to let you off easy, but it seems you need a proper lesson in manners. You won't learn otherwise!"

Kankurō snorted with disdain. He was unaccustomed to threats, and his volatile nature only grew with provocation. The more they challenged him, the less he cared.

In an instant, he intensified the force in his grip threefold. Konoha struggled, feeling his breath growing increasingly labored, yet he continued to hold on, defiantly retorting,

"My big brother is Naruto. You'd better release me, or he'll come after you!"

"Naruto, who's that?"

Kankurō was genuinely perplexed, loosening his grip slightly.

Seizing the opportunity to catch his breath, Konoha mistakenly thought Kankurō was intimidated and boasted smugly,

"Naruto is my big brother, a Junior Ninja!"

"Haha, just a Junior Ninja? I was expecting someone formidable. Go ahead, call him. I'll give him a lesson in manners!"

Kankurō burst into laughter, utterly dismissive.

A mere Junior Ninja was nothing to him; with his exceptional puppetry skills, he could take on a Journeyman Ninja with ease. A Junior Ninja hardly warranted his concern.

"Don't you dare insult my big brother!"

Konoha's anger flared at the sound of Kankurō's mocking laughter.

In his eyes, Naruto was a figure of reverence, beyond reproach.

"Creak!"

But Kankurō was unfazed, his grip tightening even more.

Konoha's complexion swiftly turned a shade of purple.

"This is bad, Konoha's in trouble!"

Wu Dong and Meng Huang shouted in alarm upon witnessing the scene. They dashed forward, determined to rescue Konoha at any cost.

"Advanced Shadow Clone Technique!"

Just then, a blur of yellow zipped in front of them. Moving at incredible speed, the figure leapt into the air, hands forming seals, and executed the Advanced Shadow Clone Technique.