Ankumo Unzai decided not to dwell on Uchiha Kin any longer—she'd only end up infuriated.
Instead, she focused on Namikaze Minato, who stood before her.
In the next instant, all four figures vanished simultaneously.
Kin and Kushina reappeared at a distance, settling into the roles of spectators.
Meanwhile, two shadows clashed at the original spot.
Kunai met kunai with a metallic clang, sparks flying. Ankumo Sansai's long leg collided with Minato's shorter one, producing a dull thud. The recoil forced both combatants apart.
"You live up to your reputation as a prodigy."
Sansai's gaze sharpened as she assessed Minato. A single exchange had revealed his taijutsu prowess—impressive, though his underdeveloped physique limited his raw strength.
"I still have much to learn from you, senior."
Minato gripped his kunai, humility in his tone.
"Then let me teach you!"
Sansai materialized before him, her kunai darkening from polished steel to a matte finish—Armament Haki.
Minato's expression tensed. He knew better than to block head-on.
With Shave (Soru), he appeared behind her, launching a sweeping kick. Yet Sansai ducked as if eyes lined her back, her hands already weaving seals.
"Genjutsu: Triple Illusion!"
A transparent ripple surged outward.
Minato backflipped away—only for an iron spear to pierce his chest from behind. His face twisted in shock.
Poof!
A log replaced him.
Perched on a branch, Minato formed new seals. "Genjutsu Release!"
The world shattered like glass. Sansai's kunai lunged at his throat. He raised his weapon to parry—but met empty air. Her real strike came a full body-length lower, as if reality itself had deceived him.
As the blade neared his heart, Minato ignored defense and slammed his hands together.
"Genjutsu Release!"
Another layer of illusion fractured. Sansai's kunai slashed anew. He repeated the release.
This time, the phantom vanished. A shrill wind howled in his ears—Sansai's foot arced toward his temple.
Is this real?
A glance at his chakra-coated kunai confirmed it. He dropped into a crouch, evading the kick, and countered with a slash.
Sansai's Armament-hardened forearm blocked with a metallic clang. She pivoted, driving her heel into Minato's ribs and sending him flying.
Mid-air, Minato hurled kunai and formed seals. "Shadow Shuriken Technique!"
A handful of shuriken multiplied into hundreds, blotting out the sky.
Sansai remained unfazed. Her hands moved in sync.
"Genjutsu: Mirror Reflection!"
An identical storm of shuriken materialized before her, clashing with Minato's in a cacophony of steel.
"What kind of jutsu is this!?"
Minato skidded across the ground, barely dodging a stray shuriken that grazed his cheek. The Shadow Shuriken Technique was a signature move of the Third Hokage—rarely mastered.
The two vanished again, colliding mid-air in a blur of strikes.
Above the battlefield:
Kushina squinted. "Is that really genjutsu? It looks like actual ninjutsu."
"It is genjutsu," Kin confirmed. "The Ankumo clan boasts Konoha's strongest illusions. Their techniques blur the line between fantasy and reality."
Many Uchiha might scoff, but facts were facts.
The Ankumo's Kekkei Genkai manipulated the five senses. Sansai, a rare awakened bearer, had honed it further with the Three-Colored Haki, pushing her illusions into the realm of tangible force.
"That level of realism…" Kushina grimaced. Below, Minato was clearly struggling. "He's going to lose at this rate."
A Steel-Cutting Flash from Minato sliced through Sansai—only for her to dissolve into smoke, another substitution.
"Not necessarily." Kin shook his head. "The Ankumo's illusions come at a cost. If Minato notices…"
Victory would be within grasp.
On the ground:
Minato melded into a rock's shadow, analyzing his options.
Every move I make gets countered.
Sansai's taijutsu was formidable, and her illusions mimicked ninjutsu with terrifying accuracy. Without resorting to his trump card, he saw no path to victory.
But Kin was watching.
Should I risk it?
Even if he did, his Flying Thunder God was rudimentary—short-range at best.
As he deliberated, Sansai emerged silently behind the rock, outside his line of sight.
"Genjutsu: Stone Ambush!"
The boulder sprouted limbs, slithering into the shadow to seize Minato. Several hands brandished kunai, slashing downward—
Poof!
Another substitution.
Minato reappeared behind Sansai, a swirling blue sphere in his palm.
"Rasengan!!"
The jutsu cratered the rock as Sansai substituted with a log.
"How ruthless, little brother."
A hand shot from the earth, grasping Minato's ankle.
"Earth Release: Headhunter Jutsu!"
Poof! Another clone.
Sansai surfaced, scowling—just as Minato erupted from the ground, kunai flashing.
This time, she retreated.
Gripping the kunai between his teeth, Minato formed seals and mumbled around the blade:
"I think I've found your weakness."
...
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(End of Chapter)