The rain-soaked battlefield was alive with tension as black, mysterious lines crisscrossed and spiraled on the ground, forming an intricate trap. Hanzo stood at the center, his sharp eyes narrowing as he tried to decipher Minato's strategy.
Despite the urgency, confusion clouded his thoughts. Why would Minato deliberately use the Shadow Clone Technique, a jutsu that would split his chakra and hinder his speed?
Before Hanzo could arrive at an answer, a chilling sensation surged up his spine, instinct warning him of danger.
Swish, swish, swish!
The three Minatos standing before him vanished, their images dissolving like mirages. In the same instant, a sphere of glowing blue chakra materialized right in front of him.
"Rasengan!"
Hanzo recognized the threat immediately. Having felt the power of the Rasengan earlier in their duel, he knew better than to face it head-on. With lightning reflexes, he raised his sickle, intercepting the attack. The Rasengan struck the weapon, sending a sharp vibration through the air.
But before he could counter, Minato disappeared again.
"What!?"
Hanzo's decades of experience screamed at him, the sharp intuition honed from surviving countless battles kicking in. He twisted sharply, sensing a new attack behind him. Without hesitation, he hurled the axe connected to his chain.
"Clang!"
The sound of metal colliding echoed in the rain, confirming that his reflex had deflected the assault. Yet, the sense of danger didn't fade.
From the perspective of the Konoha shinobi observing from a distance, Hanzo appeared to be trapped in a dazzling web of yellow light. Minato's movements were so fast and precise that his glowing figure seemed to multiply and surround Hanzo completely.
This wasn't ordinary speed—it was Minato's self-created jutsu: Flying Thunder God Dance Level 3
The previous close combat had been a calculated ploy. Minato had used it to subtly place his Flying Thunder God marks around Hanzo, weaving a lethal network.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
The repeated clashes of weapons echoed as Minato and his clones pressed their advantage. From afar, the Konoha shinobi were left awestruck. Minato's speed was legendary; for most enemies, the first attack alone would have been fatal. Yet, Hanzo was holding his ground against not one, but three Minatos.
Though two of them were shadow clones, the feat was extraordinary. Hanzo was truly living up to his title as a demigod.
Still, the relentless barrage took its toll. A golden streak sliced through the rain, followed by Hanzo stumbling out of the chaotic light. His breathing was labored, and a fresh gash adorned his back. The wound hadn't severed his spine, but it came dangerously close.
Hanzo's gaze flickered toward Minato, his expression a mix of respect and realization. He marked me during our exchange without me noticing.
As his eyes scanned the battlefield, the faint glimmers of the Flying Thunder God seals became evident. Each mark corresponded to positions where Minato had attacked or dodged earlier.
How is he this fast?
Hanzo's thoughts raced as he pieced together the horrifying truth. He wasn't just fighting me—he was setting up a battlefield under my nose.
Minato dispelled his clones with a simple hand seal, their forms vanishing with a puff of smoke. He remained calm, his bright blue eyes studying Hanzo with precision.
"As expected of a demigod," Minato murmured to himself. In all his battles since his rebirth, none had pushed him like this.
Still, a small smile tugged at his lips. I haven't even gone all out yet.
Across the battlefield, Hanzo's weary eyes betrayed a flicker of anger. For decades, he had been revered as the pinnacle of ninja prowess, a legend who towered above all challengers. Yet here was Minato, young enough to be his son, matching him at every turn.
Hanzo's grip tightened on his weapons. The idea that he couldn't defeat this "Yellow Flash" was an affront to his pride. His expression hardened as he forced the doubt from his mind.
Impossible! Hanzo growled internally. I refuse to believe this twenty-year-old surpasses me!
With a fierce roar, Hanzo charged. His sickle moved like extensions of his body, their chains whistling through the rain-soaked air.
But as he closed the distance, Minato's expression shifted. Orange markings began to spread across the corners of his eyes, and his once-brilliant azure irises darkened into horizontal pupils.
Hanzo halted mid-charge, an unfamiliar sensation creeping over him.
What is this power?
Minato raised a single fist, his movements precise yet unhurried. When he punched, it seemed like nothing extraordinary. But the air around his fist rippled, and an invisible force blasted forward.
"Clang!"
Hanzo barely had time to cross his weapons in defense. The impact sent him skidding backward, his boots carving deep grooves in the mud. When he looked down, his sickle bore a faint but unmistakable dent.
His heart raced. That weapon had withstood decades of combat without damage. But one punch from Minato had left it warped.
The demigod's instincts screamed at him to move, but before he could recover, Minato appeared a meter in front of him.
"When!?"
Hanzo's reflexes kicked in, and he raised his weapons once more.
"Senjutsu: Rasengan!"
Minato's sage enhanced Rasengan, infused with natural energy, collided with Hanzo's sickle. This time, the sickle didn't just warp—it deformed entirely, its once-lethal edge rendered useless.
The force of the attack hurled Hanzo backward. He managed to regain his footing, but the weapon in his hand was no longer recognizable.
His trembling eyes darted to Minato. The blonde shinobi's Sage Mode markings were unmistakable now, and his calm demeanor only heightened the fear creeping into Hanzo's chest.
This… this man…
Despite his decades of experience and countless victories, Hanzo finally understood a truth he had never considered.
Minato Namikaze, the Yellow Flash of Konoha, now possessed the power to kill him.
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