Digital Emperor (Naruto X Digimon)

Chapter 73: Chapter 73



Naruto clung tightly to Son, his legs locked around his waist while his hands gripped the older fighter's head like a vice.

With no hesitation, he launched his next move.

Kempo Hands.

A devastating double palm heel strike slammed into both of Son's ears, a deafening blow that disoriented even his enhanced senses.

But Naruto wasn't done.

Using the momentum, he spun midair, dragging Son's head along with him, twisting his neck painfully.

Yet—he let go just in time.

Son had reached for his head, trying to snatch him mid-spin, but Naruto slipped away before he could be caught.

And then, the true beatdown began.

Before Son could recover, Naruto was already moving.

An elbow strike shot up into his abdomen, crushing his center of balance.

A palm heel strike slammed into his groin, forcing his body to bend forward.

A rising elbow crashed into his chin, jerking his head backward.

An arcing palm heel smashed into the bridge of his nose, distorting his vision.

Each attack flowed seamlessly into the next. There were no wasted movements, no pauses, only a relentless, fluid barrage of violence.

Naruto's body jerked and twisted, moving in perfect harmony with Kempo's principle—to strike in opposing directions, throwing off the enemy's equilibrium, forcing their body into the next hit before they could recover.

To any observer, it would appear as if Naruto had transcended speed itself.

A blurring storm of limbs, a tornado of destruction, too fast for the naked eye to track.

But how had the fight turned so one-sided?

The answer was simple.

Naruto was controlling the earth beneath them.

Subtle shifts in the terrain disrupted Son's footing, making his movements sluggish, forcing him to react a split second too late to every attack.

Naruto was in complete control.

Until Son finally adapted.

BAM!

Son's forehead crashed into Naruto's face with a sickening CRACK, the force knocking him backward—but before he could escape, a golden sphere of energy shot out from Son's foot, hitting Naruto's chest and launching him straight back into the older warrior.

Naruto barely had time to process what was happening before—

BAM!

A devastating uppercut from Son's right fist rocketed Naruto into the sky, his body spinning uncontrollably from the sheer force.

His brain was rattled, his vision swimming—

And then—

A flying kick slammed into his jaw with terrifying accuracy.

His neck twisted violently, nearly spinning like a Beyblade, as his entire body was whipped through the air at blinding speed—

—and then he crashed.

Straight into the barrier.

The impact shook the entire city, a thunderous shockwave spreading from the point of collision.

Naruto felt his bones fracture from the sheer force. His body throbbed with pain, the damage creeping deep into his muscles and nerves.

But even as he slumped against the barrier, blood trickling from his lips—

—he grinned.

 

Naruto's vision swam, his head still throbbing from Son's earlier attacks. His reactions were slower, his mind foggy—

But his will to fight never wavered.

Slamming a hand onto the ground, he willed the earth to rise.

Diamond walls erupted around him, forming an impenetrable dome, reinforced by blade-like wind that coiled around its surface.

A near-perfect defense.

Yet, Son laughed.

Not out of mockery—but pure excitement.

This was one of the best fights he had ever been in.

With a single push, his body flared with golden lightning, crackling with destructive power.

Like a divine Juggernaut, he crashed through the diamond walls, shattering them like glass, utterly unfazed by the slicing winds.

Naruto's eyes widened.

No time to dodge.

His body instantly became engulfed in golden chakra, activating Chakra Mode.

Chakra arms shot forward, intercepting Son's attack. The sheer impact sent him sliding backward, his feet tearing through the ground.

Another chakra arm lashed out, but—

Blocked!

Son's tail wrapped around it with unnatural strength, restraining it before his eyes gleamed ominously.

A moment later—

Twin beams of scorching energy shot from his eyes, slamming directly into Naruto's face.

Even through his chakra cloak, the attack burned his skin, making his nerves scream in agony.

Naruto gritted his teeth.

Fine. If that's how we're playing it—

His own eyes flashed.

A chakra beam shot out, clashing against Son's attack, countering the devastating assault.

But that wasn't all.

As Son prepared his next move, Naruto's mouth opened, revealing a rapidly forming Chakra Bomb.

And then—

He fired.

At point-blank range.

The explosion swallowed both of them, a blinding burst of golden and black energy shaking the battlefield.

When the dust cleared—

Both warriors stood tall, battle-worn and smoking, each marked by fresh wounds and burns.

Son's grin widened.

He lifted a finger.

And then—

Golden lightning crashed from the sky.

Tribulation Lightning.

Naruto's entire body froze, locked in place by the devastating energy.

This wasn't normal lightning.

It ate away at his energy, resisted his control, and weighed down on him like a mountain.

For the first time, Naruto felt a pressure he couldn't simply shrug off.

His golden chakra barrier flared, barely holding against the storm of divine power—

And then—

Son appeared at his side like a ghost.

No mystical techniques. No energy blasts.

Just pure, overwhelming physical force.

A single fist slammed into Naruto's back, aiming to shatter his spine.

The golden barrier collapsed instantly.

But Naruto wasn't there.

BOOM!

Son's fist triggered an explosion, blasting him backward—

—straight into an incoming Rasenshuriken.

WHIRR!

The attack sliced into him, the storm of microscopic blades tearing through his body, cutting at a cellular level, dragging him all the way into the barrier.

Naruto reappeared on the other side of the battlefield, panting heavily.

That had been a close call.

If not for his clone taking the hit, his body might not have endured that attack.

Even though he was drained, he could feel it—

His body was adjusting, breaking its limits, hungering for more power.

If he had started this fight with his original chakra levels, he would have reached full power within a month.

But his strength had been built from birth alongside Kurama. His chakra wasn't sealed or restricted back then.

Now, he had to rebuild it on his own.

And he would.

Because this fight wasn't over.

Son clapped, his body wreathed in golden lightning, his wounds mending with unnatural speed.

"Not bad, not bad."

His lightning barrier crackled and Immortal Body art shined, shielding him from the worst of the Rasenshuriken's effects.

 

 

Naruto's breath was ragged, his body bruised and battered from the brutal exchange. He could feel the burning pressure of Son's power, coursing through his every nerve, eating away at him like a wildfire. But there was no turning back now. His chakra flickered in a last-ditch effort to keep up, and his mind was already racing ahead, calculating his next move despite the overwhelming fatigue.

Son, standing at the center of the battlefield, grinned in excitement. The air crackled with energy as he raised his hands, lightning surging around his palms.

"Now, take this on for size," Son said with an amused smirk.

Super Lightning Monkey Barrage.

With a roar, Son unleashed the lightning, sending it roaring across the sky like a storm unleashed from the very heavens. The bolts of golden lightning shot forward, zigzagging through the air and obliterating the rest of Naruto's defenses. The sheer speed and power of the attack were too much for Naruto to block, and he felt a sharp, primal instinct scream in his mind—death was approaching fast.

Instinct took over.

In the blink of an eye, Naruto canceled the chakra cloak surrounding him, feeling the immense energy flicker as it dispersed. Then, in a desperate attempt to keep pace with Son's power, Naruto's body surged with a terrible pressure. He opened the gates.

It was the Third Gate—the Gate of Life—one step beyond where he had dared to tread in ages. The strain on his body was immense, but his unmatched control over his own chakra gave him the necessary edge. Unlike Gai and Lee, who had trained for years to handle the gates, Naruto had an enormous chakra pool that made this a dangerous endeavor. His body, in this moment, was more powerful than most could imagine, but the energy rushed through him uncontrollably, threatening to tear him apart.

Naruto could feel the wild surge of his chakra as it coursed through his veins, ready to break free from his control. He had only a few moments to act before his body became a vessel for destruction. His physical strength surged in unison with the gates, and he became a blaze of motion—a lightning bolt of raw energy.

Without hesitation, he launched himself toward Son, a blur of golden chakra streaking across the battlefield. In an instant, he collided with Son's form, crashing into him with enough force to send shockwaves through the air.

BOOM!

The ground shuddered, the air exploded with the intense heat, and flames billowed up as the explosion consumed the battlefield. A fiery storm ignited in their wake, and for a moment, everything was chaos.

Son saw it coming. It wasn't because of his stats or strength—though they were immense—but because of his Eyes of the Immortal Sage, a skill that sharpened his perception to impossible levels. He knew exactly when to brace himself, and he lifted his arm, using his Immortal Body Art to bolster his defenses. The sheer power of Naruto's charge still shook him, but he resisted the full brunt of the attack.

Before Naruto could land another blow, Son's tail lashed out, coiling around his neck in a lightning-fast movement. The pressure was incredible, choking the air out of Naruto's lungs, and he had barely a moment to react.

Son's other hand shot forward, and in a flash, his palm struck Naruto's heart with devastating force.

Monkey Palm.

Naruto's entire world seemed to implode with that single blow. His vision blurred, his body crashing backward, propelled by the immense force. Every fiber of his being screamed in agony. The pain from the strike reverberated throughout his body, making it feel like his heart was about to burst from the sheer pressure.

His body flew across the battlefield, slamming into the earth with tremendous force. His chest burned with excruciating pain, and he vomited blood, his energy all but drained.

He couldn't continue.

His limbs felt heavy, and his body was on the edge of collapse. His chakra, once a flood of power, now felt like a distant memory, its intensity fading quickly. He had pushed too far, and the gates had taken their toll. He couldn't even react fast enough to stop Son's swift moves.

Son's attack had been a calculated masterpiece. His body, enhanced by his Immortal Body Art, and his heightened senses had given him an edge over Naruto. Every move Naruto made had been met with precision, his counters and strikes blocked with ease, while Son's lightning-fast reflexes kept him one step ahead.

Naruto's lack of powerful support skills had come back to bite him. He couldn't rely on the same tricks that made him formidable in his past life. He was alone in this fight, and his power, while immense, wasn't enough to overwhelm Son's vast array of abilities.

But even so, it had been a close call. If not for Son's incredibly quick reactions, Naruto would have taken him down. It was only by the skin of his teeth that Son had managed to avoid Naruto's devastating charge and countered with such ruthless efficiency.

Naruto's body ached, every muscle protesting the sheer exhaustion of the battle. But despite it all, he couldn't help but grin.

For a moment, just a fleeting moment, he had believed he could win. And that, in itself, was worth something.

 

Son's laughter echoed through the wreckage of the battlefield, his voice full of genuine respect for the young fighter before him. Though Naruto was clearly exhausted, his spirit remained unbroken.

"That was one of the best battles ever! I can't wait to see you grow up," Son declared, wiping away some sweat from his brow. Despite his own injuries, his admiration for Naruto was apparent in every word he spoke. Son had fought countless opponents in his life, but there was something about Naruto—his resilience, his drive, and his unpredictability that set him apart.

Naruto's body was battered, his breathing labored, and yet Son had to admit that Naruto had impressed him more than he expected. The way Naruto fought, though almost cruel at times, was a reflection of his inner strength. Son had experienced the pain of those attacks, both physically and mentally, but he knew that most Digimon would have perished under such a powerful assault. To stand at the end of it all, though barely alive, was a testament to Naruto's sheer willpower and battle instinct.

As Son glanced down at his opponent, he couldn't help but feel a sense of kinship with him. The truth was, Son had underestimated Naruto—both his strength and his ability to take damage and still keep going. He had been tricked, in a way. What he had first assumed to be a kind soul had proven to be an untamed beast in battle, and it left Son wondering just how far Naruto could go.

"He is right, you know. That was awesome."

A voice broke through Son's thoughts. Cho, the ever-energetic ally, approached with a grin, patting Naruto on the back.

"I didn't think you would last this long. I bet 10 seconds but you lasted over 5 minutes. That was even better than my record."

Cho handed Naruto some bread, a small token of kindness, but it wasn't just ordinary bread. Sanzo had prepared it, and the bread had healing properties, perfect for helping the injured warrior. Naruto took it gratefully, feeling a little of his strength returning with each bite.

"You did well, Naruto," Sagomon added with a respectful nod. "Son is one of the best fighters in the world, so this was a great achievement. I expect that you will do much better after a year."

Naruto nodded, trying to keep his humble demeanor despite the burning pain in his chest. "First time hearing such compliments, nonetheless I am thankful. I don't mind the loss and I learned from it. Next time, it will be one-sided."

Son chuckled, clearly entertained. "Hahaha, I look forward to that. Let's see if that's a dream or reality." He gave Naruto a hearty pat on the back, causing Naruto to wince. He had expected to feel sore, but Son's strength still lingered, and Naruto felt a small rush of blood to his lips as he bit down, trying to suppress the pain. The internal damage from the battle was catching up with him, and his body was struggling to stay upright.

"Bloody shit," Naruto muttered under his breath, fighting the dizziness and fatigue that overwhelmed him. He bit his lip harder, causing fresh blood to spill.

"Son," Sanzo called, her voice carrying an air of authority. She looked at the massive fighter with a disapproving glare. Son took a small step back, a smirk still on his face but with an understanding that the situation needed to be handled delicately.

"Sorry, sorry, my mistake," Son said with a sheepish grin, though he was still clearly in high spirits from the battle.

Before Naruto could speak further, a new figure descended from the sky, a flash of movement cutting through the air.

It was Kara.

Her combat dress shimmered in the sunlight, not armor in the traditional sense but made from the strongest materials known to the highest-ranked Tamers and Digimon. The fabric, layered and intricately woven, absorbed the shock of attacks, canceling 80% of incoming force and easily blocking any low-level strikes. She had arrived, as expected, a woman of luxury and power.

Kara's presence was intimidating, her air of quiet authority enough to make everyone pause. Her calm demeanor was a stark contrast to the intensity of the recent battle, and her eyes scanned the surroundings before landing on Naruto. She could sense the tension, the heavy air still thick with the echoes of the battle's violent crescendo.

"Greetings, Uzumaki Naruto," she said, her voice steady and filled with respect. "I am impressed. I would love to have a spar with you."

The way she looked at him—her interest palpable—sent a thrill down Naruto's spine, but he was still too exhausted to do more than offer a tired smile. He had barely survived the encounter with Son, let alone the possibility of facing someone as powerful as Kara. But her words carried the weight of genuine admiration.

"We'll see," Naruto replied with a dry laugh, "But I'm going to need a nap first."


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