Summoning Pokémon in Naruto

"Ruri, are you really not going to talk to Hayato?"

Nonō looked at her friend, concerned for her future.

She had heard that the Hyūga clan had a long tradition of intermarrying within the clan. Ruri's interest in someone from another clan was unusual, and Nonō wasn't sure if it was good or bad. Still, she stood by her friend without question.

"I saw him and Kushina together over the weekend," Nonō added.

"What does that have to do with me?" Hyūga Ruri said sourly. "Under my mother's training, I've grown stronger. I'll defeat him soon enough."

Ruri's words were a half-truth.

That day, when Hayato's Sharingan and killing intent bore down on her, she hadn't wanted to admit it. But the heat in her abdomen had told her that if she didn't resolve the situation quickly, she might embarrass herself.

The mix of fear and shame left her unable to face Hayato afterward. When she told her mother about the incident, her mother didn't console her. Instead, she praised Uchiha Hayato, which only fueled Ruri's rebellious determination.

Still, her desire to surpass Hayato was genuine. So what if he's even stronger for now? Once I master the Gentle Fist, I'll be stronger than him.

Ruri envisioned Hayato kneeling at her feet, utterly defeated. The Hyūga clan is the strongest in Konoha!

"But I could take a peek at his training. I don't want him lagging behind while I'm improving—that would make beating him meaningless," Ruri said nonchalantly.

Nonō nodded, though it was unclear if she believed her friend's words.

"Are they not here?"

The two arrived at the training ground where Hayato often trained, but he was nowhere to be seen.

Nonō climbed a tree and scanned the area before pointing toward a deeper part of the forest.

"Ruri, they might be in that direction. I see movement over there."

Ruri kicked a pebble, annoyed. What? He changed locations?

When they reached the new clearing, the scene before them left them stunned.

The forest clearing was four times the size of the old training ground. Kushina stood before a strange orange-and-black-striped dog, tossing a ball that landed near Ruri's feet.

"Good doggy, fetch it for me!" Kushina laughed.

The orange pup, with its black stripes, approached Ruri. Growling, it stared at the unfamiliar faces, its presence intimidating.

"Groooowl…"

A palpable aura emanated from it, making their hearts skip a beat.

Intimidate!

"Alright, Growlithe, they're friends of mine. No need to act like that," Kushina said, snapping out of her surprise as she picked up the Poké Ball.

"It's you two. Are you here to train with us again?" Kushina's tone carried an air of ownership, which made Ruri grit her teeth.

"I'm here to fight Uchiha Hayato. Is that a problem?" Ruri replied haughtily, her pride as a Hyūga not allowing her to show weakness.

"Pfft, hahaha!" Kushina clutched her stomach, laughing. "Hayato, come here! The Hyūga princess says she's here to beat you!"

"Like that's possible," Kushina said cheerfully. "I don't want to burst your bubble, but you're no match for him."

From a distance, Hayato glanced apologetically at Minato.

"Sorry, Minato. Let's continue our spar later."

Minato sighed, his eyes still blazing with determination. "Fine, but you'd better promise me we'll spar again soon."

Did I turn Minato into a battle junkie? Hayato wondered.

These days, Minato was practically a fighting machine, balancing his occasional gentle demeanor with constant training and battles.

Hayato admitted it made sense. A person's personality was shaped by both nature and environment. In this world, with Hayato as a rival, it was natural for Minato to develop a stronger competitive drive.

Hayato turned to the clearing's entrance, where Ruri and Nonō stood. Though he wasn't close to them, he had little interest in playing games with kids.

Meanwhile, Kushina's Pokémon egg had finally hatched.

Name: Growlithe

Gender: Female

Ability: Intimidate (Lowers the opponent's courage when entering battle)

Type: Fire

Held Item: None

Moves: Leer, Ember, Howl, Outrage

Hayato had a Fire Stone in his bag, ready to give Kushina when the time was right. Growlithe's loyalty and courage made it an excellent guardian Pokémon. Once it evolved into Arcanine, it would have formidable strength—perfect for protecting Kushina.

"Nonō, Ruri, is there something you need?" Hayato asked as he approached.

Ruri had planned to issue a challenge but chickened out at the last second. "We're just here to check on your training. Don't overthink it," she mumbled.

Hayato shrugged, walking past them. He noticed Dekai practicing taijutsu nearby and gave him an approving nod.

Dekai was wearing red Power Bracers that glowed faintly as he trained.

"Dekai, it looks like you're getting the hang of it," Hayato said.

"Thanks to you, Hayato. Without your help, I wouldn't have known I could achieve this," Dekai replied, grateful for the special item Hayato had lent him.

[Power Bracer: Slows the user's speed while significantly boosting strength training gains.]

Originally designed to enhance a Pokémon's attack stats, the item worked wonders for ninja training as well.

"Just keep at it," Hayato said before returning to Minato.

"Minato, are you sure you want to fight again? You'll need significant improvements to stand a chance against me," Hayato teased.

"I'm looking forward to it," Minato said, his eyes gleaming. "If I don't test myself through battle, neither Pikachu nor I will feel satisfied."

"Right, Pikachu?"

"Pika!" Pikachu crouched on all fours, sparks flying from its cheeks as it prepared for battle.

"So, it's like that? Blaze, we wont lose either," Hayato said, glancing at his Chimchar.

"Minato, I have a suggestion," Hayato said with a smile. "Let's start by battling like trainers, focusing on coordination with our Pokémon. Pikachu and Chimchar are just as eager to prove who's stronger, aren't they?"

Pikachu, facing Chimchar, sparked with determination.

"I see Pikachu's intent. I can't ignore that," Minato said.

"After they battle, both Pokémon will understand each other better. Then, at the right moment, we'll join the fight ourselves," Hayato explained. "As ninjas, relying solely on Pokémon isn't enough. This way, it's like four people fighting, and it'll test our timing too."

"Sounds perfect to me," Minato said, his excitement evident.

"Kushina, you'll be the referee," Hayato added.

Kushina glanced at Minato with a sharp look, silently warning him not to hurt Hayato.

"Alright. First up, it's Chimchar versus Pikachu!"