Uzumaki Naruto was once the symbol of unmatched power, breaking every limit to become the strongest ninja in the original series. Moving into Boruto, he still holds that status with his Baryon Mode. However, times have changed. A severe nerf to his strength combined with the rise of a new generation means Naruto has officially been left behind by these four ninjas.
Fans might be shocked, but this is the harsh reality in the current storyline. After losing Kurama, Naruto is no longer the unbeatable “wall.” Here are the four characters who have officially left Naruto in the dust.
1. Uchiha Sasuke
Sasuke has always been Naruto’s greatest rival and closest friend. Creator Kishimoto maintained a balance between them for a long time. But after Naruto lost Kurama and Sasuke lost his Rinnegan, many assumed they were still equals. That’s not the case.
While Naruto was sealed by Kawaki and unable to train, Sasuke endured harsh trials outside the ninja world. The Boruto guidebook confirms Sasuke not only mentors Boruto but also pushed himself to his limits. As a result, in Two Blue Vortex, Sasuke is strong enough to face Code, who is considered more powerful than Jigen. Sasuke taking one of Code’s eyes is the clearest proof of his current strength, something Naruto in his normal state (without Kurama) can’t match.
2. Kawaki
Kawaki is now one of the most terrifying figures in the ninja world. After Isshiki’s death, with Amado’s help, Kawaki restored his Karma mark. The difference is this Karma no longer contains Isshiki’s soul but exists purely as a source of power for Kawaki.
After the timeskip, Kawaki fully mastered the Kokugan eye and his Otsutsuki abilities have reached their peak. At this point, Kawaki’s power is considered nearly on par with Isshiki Otsutsuki. Naruto losing Kurama and being easily sealed by Kawaki only highlights the huge gap between them now.
3. Uzumaki Boruto
Perhaps the most painful truth for Naruto fans is that his son has truly surpassed him. Boruto is no longer a kid relying on technology but a ninja with skills far beyond expectations. Thanks to Sasuke’s training and especially Kashin Koji’s help with clairvoyance, Boruto has absorbed the best from multiple timelines.
Even without using Karma, Boruto easily defeats Code and holds his own against Shinju entities (God Tree beings). When activating Karma, his power rivals Jigen and high-level Otsutsuki. Boruto hasn’t yet reached the peak Naruto had in Baryon Mode, but he is definitely much stronger than Naruto’s current state. More frighteningly, Boruto still has unexplored Karma levels, promising to surpass the Baryon Mode milestone soon.
4. Uchiha Sarada
The biggest surprise on this list is Sarada. Sasuke’s daughter has undergone a dramatic transformation after two years of training. Not only has she mastered the Sharingan, but she recently awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan and gained a dojutsu called Ohirume.
Ohirume lets Sarada control infinite gravity by creating “black holes.” She can produce up to four black holes simultaneously, with such immense pull they can erase Shinju (beings stronger than Code) in an instant. This god-level power is something Naruto currently cannot counter without the tailed beast’s strength. With her ambition to become the next Hokage, Sarada surpassing her “idol” Naruto is a fitting step for the author to pass the torch to the next generation.