When the flames dissipated, neither Namikaze Minato nor Uzumaki Kushina remained in sight.
"Attacking without warning?" Minato's voice came from behind Sarutobi Goku. Goku instantly activated Shunpo to create distance, then spun mid-air, his leg igniting with fire.
"Storm Leg: Flame Slash!"
A fiery arc shot toward Minato, who merely tilted his torso to let it whistle past. The slash cleaved through trees in a straight line, leaving behind a trail of burning foliage.
Kushina perched on a high branch, swinging her legs lazily as she watched. She had no intention of intervening—Minato didn't need her help.
Goku paused, drawing a kunai from his pouch.
"As expected of the famed Namikaze Minato."
To think this boy could match him blow for blow.
Unlike the original timeline where Minato was a nobody, here he was the prodigy everyone wanted to challenge—even shameless adult ninjas hoping to boost their reputations by crushing him.
So young. So seemingly fragile.
Minato stood motionless, calculating.
How to incapacitate without killing?
The Jonin Assessment's restrictions made combat far trickier than expected. Veterans of war were conditioned to fight lethally; holding back was an alien concept.
Goku didn't care for Minato's dilemma. He lunged.
Clang!
Kunai met kunai as Minato parried. Goku inhaled sharply, weaving one-handed seals.
"Fire Release: Blazing Flame Technique!"
A torrent of flames erupted—a secret Sarutobi clan jutsu capable of reducing targets to ash in seconds.
Poof!
The log substituting for Minato blackened instantly. The real Minato now hung upside-down from a branch, frowning.
"Were you trying to kill me?"
"If you can't dodge that, you deserve it," Goku sneered. Rules meant nothing to him; at worst, his clan's Hokage would scold him.
"Fine then."
Minato's eyes sharpened.
"I'll just dismantle you."
His body blurred with Shave, creating afterimages that swarmed Goku.
"Shadow Clone Technique!"
Goku's clones dispersed the illusions—only to find no real Minato among them. A kunai gleamed at his back.
Substitution?!
Before Goku could react, Minato teleported away.
Then—
"Storm Leg: Blazing Dance Slash!!"
Goku's clones launched a barrage of flaming kicks, bombarding Minato's last position. But unnoticed, a marked kunai had appeared at Goku's feet.
"This was meant for Kin..."
Minato's whisper came from behind. Goku's pupils shrank.
Flying Thunder God Technique!
A space-time jutsu personally requested by Jiraiya, one no Konoha shinobi had mastered—until this 13-year-old prodigy cracked it.
Slish!
Goku staggered back, clutching a severed arm.
"You—! I'm a Sarutobi!!"
Minato didn't dignify the outrage. Another flash-step, and Goku's remaining arm hit the dirt.
Meanwhile, Inuzuka Kizu crouched low, eyeing Kin.
"Ready?"
"Hold on."
Kin scratched his head, forming seals before slamming his palms on the ground.
Poof!
A white serpent and tiger materialized.
"Summoner-type?" Kizu mused, opting to observe first.
"You two." Kin pointed at Kizu and his hound. "Beat them, or it's Dragon-Tiger Stew for dinner."
Meow!
Woof!
All eyes snapped to the snake—Xiao Bai—who'd inexplicably barked. The hound erupted in furious yaps, clearly cursing.
Xiao Bai shrank back, on the verge of tears.
"Sss...?"
The hound nodded approvingly. Better.
Kizu shook his head. What even is this fight?
A barking snake was a first.
"Using summons? Underestimating me?" Kizu growled.
"Maybe a little." Kin averted his gaze.
"You admitted it!?"
A distant explosion cut the tension—Goku's flames lighting the sky.
"That Sarutobi brat's always throwing his weight around. Minato's in for hell," Kizu chuckled.
"Don't underestimate him," Kin smirked. "He's the only one who's kept pace with me."
Well, besides Kushina—secretly the strongest of their trio, though her demeanor and Kin's Sharingan counter made it irrelevant.
"Enough talk. Don't underestimate them either." Kin nodded to his pets.
"I'll show you my fangs!" Kizu bared his canines.
The battle erupted.
...
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(End of Chapter)