Nine Corpse Crows zipped across the battlefield where Minato Namikaze and Kei Yamanaka clashed, constantly shifting their flight paths and angles.
Minato Namikaze, the space-shifting ninja, kept recycling and hurling his eight Flying Thunder God Kunai, weaving an impenetrable web.
Two figures in matching Konoha Jonin flak vests clashed and sprang apart over and over.
Standard-issue kunai laced with Water Release: Water Blade Slash clashed against Wind-infused Flying Thunder God Kunai, unending explosions of force.
Deadly jutsu that could fell a Jonin in one hit tore through the air from both sides, but neither could so much as scratch the other's cloak.
That perilous feeling—like dancing on razorblades—sent Minato's hackles rising.
In ordinary fights, relying on his superhuman reflexes, he could dodge and retaliate against any foe effortlessly.
But during this spar with his dear friend, even with full concentration, he still couldn't shake that ever-tightening noose of danger!
Thrilling! Deadly! Electrifying!
Under immense pressure, he had no choice but to sharpen his focus to the edge of a blade.
"Oh no! Why's this guy speeding up the longer we fight?!"
Kei Yamanaka felt that chilling sense of danger too.
Possessing the Red Skill Listing [Zero-Frames Start]—originally derived from the same source as Minato Namikaze's—but perfected further—
combined with his powerful sensory abilities boasting full-spectrum vision,
he should've steamrolled this fight without breaking a sweat—just like he'd imagined.
Yet instead, relentless barrages of razor-angled Flying Thunder God Kunai volleys followed immediately by Rasengan and Wind-infused kunai strikes
meant that at such breakneck speed, there was no time to perform any complex hand seals or prep jutsu.
This was bad!
When had he forgotten that Minato thrived under pressure—especially when outmatched?
Clang!
After an explosive exchange,
Kei blocked Minato's attack with his right-hand kunai while channeling chakra with his left, aiming to imprint the Flying Thunder God mark onto him.
On the other side, Minato clearly had the exact same idea, thrusting his left palm toward Kei's abdomen!
Whoosh~!
Their palms exploded together midair.
But in that instant, Kei's body and arm transformed entirely into flowing water, letting Minato's hand pass straight through his abdomen.
His Hydrification Technique made him impervious to harm.
And instead of scattering outward as Minato anticipated, the droplets surged inward, carrying chaotic chakra torrents directly into his body!
Minato's internal chakra flow faltered for a moment.
Alarms blared in his mind.
His normally instant spatial shift lagged due to chakra disruption, and in that very moment, his eyes met Kei Yamanaka's dead-on.
When had Kei's right hand silently released the kunai he originally held?
Even as a Flying Thunder God Kunai sliced through his water-formed hand, he executed flawless one-handed seals without missing a beat.
[Kei-ge! Don't do it!]
Honoka was supposed to come bring lunch today!
[Ninjutsu: Mind Body Disturbance Technique!]
Minato Namikaze's internal monologue changed nothing about the battle's outcome.
The Yamanaka Clan's secret jutsu, the "Mind-Body Disturbance Technique," seized full control of his body.
Their forms blurred as they passed one another.
Minato stood frozen atop the water's surface, straining again and again without breaking free of the jutsu's hold.
Against the Yamanaka Clan's techniques, any resistance was hopeless when the caster's mental strength far surpassed the target's.
And his dear friend's mental fortitude was several times stronger than his own!
With no choice left, Minato could only look up at his friend with a wry smile, silently hoping for mercy.
"Tsk! Minato, you've crossed the line—breaking through mid-battle? That's just plain cheating!"
Kei Yamanaka, playing the injured party, fired off accusations first, lambasting Minato for his "crimes."
...
Name: Minato Namikaze
Occupation: Ninja
Skill Listings: [Golden Flash] (Red), [Sealing Mastery] (Blue), [Strategic Brilliance] (Blue), [Overwhelming Luck] (Blue), [Chakra Reservoir] (Blue), [Rival and Dear Friend] (Blue), [Wind Release Proficiency] (Green), [Dashing Looks] (Green).
...
[Space-Time Insight] and [Hyper Reaction Speed] had both vanished, replaced by the blood-red, hair-raising new skill listing—[Golden Flash].
The already-absurd buffs had increased significantly. One round of skill-list fusion had given Minato an epic-level boost.
The remaining skill listings hadn't changed much, but where the hell did this random new one—[Rival and Dear Friend]—even come from?!
[Rival and Dear Friend (Blue)]: When your dear friend and rival's power exceeds or closely matches your own, increases training effectiveness, focus during cultivation, and willpower; when fighting side by side or sparring with your dear friend, slightly boosts overall power and chance of mid-battle breakthroughs. (Current dear friend/rival: Kei Yamanaka)
Tsk!
So this thing is picking on me specifically, huh?
Way to go, Minato Namikaze!
Kei Yamanaka felt both touched and exasperated as he looked at the skill listing.
He felt warm inside knowing Minato regarded him as a dear friend, and naturally, since Kei also considered Minato a close friend, he wanted him to grow stronger.
But seriously, how could he accept such blatant cheating out of nowhere?!
Where's the fairness? Where's the justice?
Do world travelers even have rights anymore?
Is the World Will just spoiling its favorite son?
Are we really not allowed to let his beloved son suffer a bit?
Tsk!
Kei angrily flipped the bird toward the heavens, silently resolving to speed up his own skill list acquisition.
Otherwise, he might actually lose to this group of cheaters!
"That's only because you're way too strong! Even after I broke through, I still lost—how is that cheating?!"
Minato recalled the feeling of breaking his limits moments ago, a faint smile returning to his face.
Inwardly, he smiled, thinking that sparring with dear friends really was the best way to grow stronger.
"Loss is loss, cheating is cheating. Two separate things. I need to think of a way to feel better about this."
Kei rolled his eyes irritably.
After all these years with Minato, how many times had he actually managed to win?
If he didn't savor this victory properly, he'd be letting down his skill-list system—which had kept working so hard the whole time.
How about we dispel the jutsu first and talk after that?
You expect me to believe you? Once you release it, you'll run off! Don't blame me for being unfair; choose either Xiao Pingguo or Kemuke San.
Huh? Xiao... Ke... Can I not choose at all? Honoka's going to get here any minute anyway.
As soon as Minato Namikaze started saying the word "Xiao," he saw his dear friend's lips curl upward, so he quickly switched his choice, but his friend's smile only widened further.
Teacher Kei! I want to see Xiao Pingguo!
Obito Uchiha's shout came from within the dense forest beside the training cave.
He didn't seem bothered at all by the idea of his teacher dancing, wearing an expression full of expectation and excitement.
...Kemuke San seems just slightly less embarrassing.
Rin Nohara tapped her fingertips together nervously, her cheeks blushing faintly. She felt both excited and a little guilty.
It wouldn't be so bad seeing a cool ninja like Sensei Minato dance.
What if he does both dances?
Kurenai Yuhi blinked her big eyes and offered her suggestion.
Upon hearing this, Maito Gai and Genma Shiranami quietly shuffled sideways a step.
Truthfully, since she started studying Teacher Kei's original genjutsu, Kurenai had gotten… unsettlingly intense.
Shouldn't we wait for Senpai Honoka and Kushina instead?
Rin didn't argue against Kurenai's words but delivered a killer question instead.
Under his mask, Kakashi's lips twitched violently as he quietly edged over to stand next to Maito Gai and Genma Shiranami.
Women... Tch.
<><><><><><><><>
Thank you for reading! Your support will keep me updating!
~ Every 50 Powerstones = **4 Bonus Chapters** this weekend!
<><><><><><><><>
~ 100+ Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon!
~ More *Free* Chapters and Books Available on Patreon!
patreon.com/Tansnovel
<><><><><><><><>