The New Strength of Naruto and Sasuke: Post-Power Loss in Boruto

As of the latest developments in Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, Naruto and Sasuke have indeed experienced significant changes in their abilities, particularly after the events of the Naruto Uzumaki. This article dives into how their diminished powers affect their combat prowess and roles in the series.

The Post-Power Loss Changes

Naruto Uzumaki: After losing the powers granted by Kurama, Naruto's strength has diminished considerably. He no longer has access to the immense chakra reserves and transformations like the Nine-Tails Chakra Mode that made him one of the strongest characters in the series. However, Naruto remains a highly skilled ninja with exceptional combat abilities, tactical intelligence, and mastery of various jutsu. His experience and training still make him a formidable opponent, but he is not at the same level as during the Fourth Great Ninja War.

Sasuke Uchiha: Sasuke has also lost his Rinnegan abilities, which were a significant source of his power. Without the Rinnegan, he can no longer use techniques like space-time ninjutsu or the ability to see chakra. Nevertheless, Sasuke retains his Sharingan and is still a master of ninjutsu, taijutsu, and strategy. His combat skills are still elite, but like Naruto, he is now more vulnerable without his previous overpowered abilities.

Current Standing

In terms of raw power, both Naruto and Sasuke are significantly weaker than they were during their peak. They are still among the strongest shinobi in the world but now rely more on their skills, experience, and teamwork rather than overwhelming power. Their roles have shifted more towards guidance and mentorship in the face of new threats such as Code and the evolving situation with Kawaki.

Naruto's Physical Prowess and Chakra Modes

Naruto's physical prowess was derived from his chakra modes, a principle that has been observed in the original series. By opening the Eight Gates, Naruto significantly increased his strength and speed:

The first time was during the Chunin Exams when he was introduced to the Eight Gates. Opening four of them granted him a speed boost that impressed a jonin. His Raikage's Lightning Chakra Mode and Shunshin Chidori all operate on the same principle. Killer Bee and Yamato were surprised by Naruto's speed in the Nine-Tails Chakra Mode (KCM). Even Tsunade was impressed.

However, none of these chakra modes imbue Naruto with the same speed that Sasuke naturally has. Sasuke's ability to quickly improve, particularly in terms of speed, has always been emphasized. His first powerful feat involved sprinting down to Naruto in the blink of an eye:

After years of training, Sasuke's potential was greatly enhanced. He reached god-tier speed levels, allowing him to fight even the powerful Juubi Jins Otsutsuki and Rikudō Sennin (RSM) Naruto:

The manga emphasizes this difference at the beginning of the final valley fight. Sasuke and Naruto start on their respective statues, move at the same time, yet the speed difference is immediately clear. Sasuke reaches Naruto nearly instantly, while Naruto barely moves—an inch on the center of Hashirama's head:

Sasuke retains this god-tier speed even after the Rinnegan was destroyed by Momoshiki. The recent Boruto chapter also supports this conclusion: even with his powers nerfed, Sasuke was still able to battle full-powered Code, an enemy said to exceed Jigen and even landed a nasty blow. If he were reduced to his Base level (likely still Jonin-class), he would have been eviscerated.

Effect of Losing the Rinnegan

An interesting discussion point is whether losing the Rinnegan was a greater loss for Sasuke. While the Rinnegan doesn't make Sasuke faster, its precognition maximizes the potential of his speed. Minato is quite explicit that the Chidori makes the user faster. It works similarly to the Lightning Chakra Mode, where the user emits large amounts of lightning chakra for the duration of the jutsu.

Naruto, on the other hand, uses Rasengan without gaining similar speed benefits. To match Sasuke's velocity, he used a Kage Bunshin to build momentum. The conclusion is that godly speed (EMS) Chidori Still an extremely formidable shinobi, even without the same level of firepower.