Boruto: 9 Strongest Rivals of Adult Naruto, Ranked

Gone is the young and mischievous Naruto Uzumaki in Boruto. The Seventh Hokage has matured into a responsible adult, carrying the immense burden of maintaining peace and order throughout the shinobi world. With so many duties demanding his attention, he barely has time for fun and games anymore, let alone training sessions.

That doesn’t mean adult Naruto has grown soft, as the Seventh Hokage remains a formidable shinobi in Boruto. Although several members of the next generation have surpassed his current power level, adult Naruto still packs a serious punch and can give even the strongest rivals a hard time in one-on-one combat.

9

Himawari Is Becoming What Adult Naruto Can No Longer Be

Losing Kurama has become a significant disadvantage for Naruto, as he can no longer rely on the Tailed Beast’s immense chakra reserves or the powerful forms they once shared on the battlefield. Instead, Naruto is left with Sage Mode and his remaining abilities, making him considerably more vulnerable against powerful opponents.

By contrast, Naruto’s once-vulnerable daughter, Himawari, who previously relied on her Byakugan for self-defense, has now bonded with Kurama. This newfound bond has significantly enhanced her abilities, allowing her to fight alongside the strongest shinobi on the frontlines. Thanks to her natural compatibility with the young Kurama, Himawari can even unleash powers that Naruto himself once wielded.

8

Sakura Has the Strength to Become Naruto’s Hokage Successor

Sakura Haruno has long accepted her position as the weakest member of the original Team 7, but that doesn’t make her a weak fighter overall. Although Naruto and Sasuke are far beyond her in terms of strength, Sakura is still a formidable kunoichi capable of holding her own against powerful opponents. In fact, she is arguably a more suitable candidate to replace Naruto as Hokage than Konohamaru.

However, Boruto still needs to showcase Sakura’s full potential on the battlefield. Rather than joining the front lines, she has mostly remained behind the scenes, taking responsibility for medical care and support. Despite surpassing Tsunade in strength, Sakura has yet to reveal what she can accomplish against the sequel’s strongest enemies. Hopefully, when the Leaf Village faces its most desperate moments, she will finally have the opportunity to prove herself as one of Naruto’s strongest eternal rivals.

7

Adult Naruto and Adult Sasuke’s Strength Is Still Too Close to Call

Sasuke Uchiha continues to rival Naruto even in adulthood, with both shinobi remaining relatively close in strength. Neither has a clear advantage over the other in their current state, although their power losses in Boruto have left them considerably weaker than they were in their prime. Their reduced abilities have also allowed the next generation of shinobi to surpass them in certain respects.

Perhaps the biggest factor that could separate the two now is who receives a new power-up first. An additional ability could give either Naruto or Sasuke a significant advantage and potentially shift the balance of their rivalry. Regardless, their relationship in Boruto remains one of the healthiest rivalries in the series. They still push each other to improve, but their competition is no longer driven by hostility or resentment.

6

Code Could Kill Naruto on Behalf of Isshiki

Code is currently hunting down Naruto, seeking revenge for Isshiki Otsutsuki, whose existence ultimately came to an end through the combined efforts of Naruto and his allies. With his limiters intact, Code might still be an opponent Naruto could defeat. However, removing those limiters would put the Seventh Hokage at a considerable disadvantage.

After all, Code is stated to surpass Jigen in power, the same Jigen who once overwhelmed Naruto and Sasuke with little difficulty. Now that Naruto has lost Kurama and can no longer access Baryon Mode, Code holds a significant advantage over him. His Claw Marks shinjutsu also makes him an exceptionally dangerous assassin, giving him a considerable chance of defeating Naruto if they ever cross paths.

5

Kawaki’s New Powers Have Put Him Above Naruto’s Level

Kawaki Uzumaki is willing to do whatever it takes to keep his father figure safe from harm. He wants to eliminate every powerful villain who threatens Naruto’s life, even if it means becoming the villain in everyone’s eyes. With new abilities at his disposal, Kawaki manages to seal Naruto away in another dimension without giving him a chance to fight back.

At this point, Kawaki is progressively surpassing Naruto through his body modifications, Karma powers, and Kokugan abilities. These upgrades have made him a formidable shinobi who can rival not only Naruto but also Boruto, who has already surpassed the Seventh Hokage. However, if Kawaki and Naruto ever faced each other in battle, Kawaki would likely refuse to fight seriously, not because he lacks the strength to win, but because he simply cannot bring himself to hurt the man he considers his father.

4

Boruto Has Surpassed Adult Naruto and Their Roles Have Been Completely Reversed

The early arcs of Boruto portrayed Naruto as significantly more powerful than his son. He was always there to protect Boruto from powerful alien threats, even putting his own life on the line, because the young Uzumaki couldn’t handle such formidable enemies by himself. However, following Momoshiki’s defeat, Boruto received several incredibly powerful upgrades that dramatically boosted his abilities.

Now, Boruto has surpassed Naruto in raw power, effectively switching their roles as protector and the one in need of protection. This is especially evident with Jura and the other Shinju Clones posing a threat to Naruto’s life. Unfortunately, Naruto has few opportunities to grow stronger, unlike Boruto, who continues to develop his abilities and unlock new powers. As such, Boruto remains one of the most exciting shinobi to watch in the sequel.

3

Momoshiki Could Force Naruto Into Another Battle He Cannot Avoid

Momoshiki Otsutsuki came to Earth to accomplish what Kaguya Otsutsuki had failed to achieve. His goal was to harvest the planet’s vast chakra resources, including the power of Naruto’s Kurama, making a confrontation between the two inevitable. As expected, the pair eventually crossed paths on the battlefield, putting their incredible abilities to the test.

In a one-on-one fight, Momoshiki proves to be the superior fighter, capable of overwhelming Naruto even in his Six Paths Sage Mode. Even without consuming chakra pills or absorbing Kinshiki Otsutsuki, Momoshiki possesses enough power to restrain the Seventh Hokage and extract half of Kurama’s chakra from him. Among all the Otsutsuki introduced in Boruto, Momoshiki is arguably the one Naruto has the most unfinished business with.

2

Isshiki Could Have Killed Naruto Without Baryon Mode

Isshiki Otsutsuki experienced firsthand what Naruto could accomplish with one of his most powerful transformations in Boruto. Baryon Mode Naruto operated on an entirely different level, overwhelming Isshiki with his incredible speed and strength. If it weren’t for the transformation’s strict time limit and immense physical strain, Naruto might have defeated the Otsutsuki in a matter of minutes.

That said, Isshiki could easily overpower Naruto without Baryon Mode. His unpredictable combination of attacks and devastating abilities pushed both Naruto and Sasuke to their limits, even allowing him to seal Naruto in another dimension. Although Isshiki has since left the series, his battle against Naruto remains a clear showing of just how dangerous the Otsutsuki clan’s strongest members can be.

1

Jura Has the Power to Destroy Everything Naruto Protected

As of this writing, Jura stands as the greatest threat to Naruto’s life in Boruto. He is determined to track down Naruto, claim his head, and ultimately destroy the shinobi world that the Seventh Hokage spent his adult life protecting. If Kawaki fails to keep Naruto safe in another dimension and Jura manages to locate him, there is a strong possibility that Naruto could be killed unless someone intervenes.

As the strongest of the Shinju Clones, Jura is arguably the most dangerous villain in the sequel who needs to be stopped immediately. He possesses extraordinary Wood Release that rivals Hashirama Senju’s, alongside the immense power of the Ten-Tails and the Rinnegan. Fortunately, Jura has yet to act as aggressively as he could. Otherwise, the shinobi world might have already fallen before Naruto gets the chance to return from his dimensional prison.