Utakata was now buried almost entirely in the dirt, with only his head remaining above ground. He made a visible effort to lift his chin slightly, raising his gaze to look at Naruto.
Although he had been caught completely off guard by Naruto and defeated in a single instant, Utakata had to admit that Naruto's strength far surpassed his own. Even if he hadn't been ambushed and had made full preparations in advance, Utakata knew he still would have stood no chance against the terrifying speed Naruto had unleashed.
Feeling the vast gap between them firsthand, Utakata kept his outward expression calm while secretly feeling a jolt of shock inside. *Hard to imagine—can such terrifying power and speed really belong to a boy his age?*
Chapter 53