A took this opportunity to flash back to Killer B's side and said to the slightly panting B:
"Sorry about that, B. You okay?"
"No problem."
Behind them, Akimichi Dōtō and the others had also witnessed B's earlier move, and their faces turned grim.
"That guy behind A… is he the Eight-Tails' jinchūriki? This just got complicated."
Yamanaka Inoichi added with concern,
"Yeah, Minato, should we retreat for now?"
But before they could decide, Killer B straightened up and declared in his usual rhythm,
"You got it wrong, fool! I'm the Eight-Tails, and the Eight-Tails is me, ya fool!"
Minato's eyes softened slightly — B's words reminded him of Kushina. He smiled and said,
"That's admirable. You don't see yourself as a jinchūriki, but as a true shinobi."
Hearing this, A cut in:
"He's certainly talented — but you're not the one who gets to judge him."
"I'm not talking about talent," Minato replied calmly. "A, you've got a great brother. But unfortunately, for the sake of my mission… I can't hold back today, even if I respect him."
In the original story, this encounter between Minato and Killer B ended rather peacefully. Minato, unable to truly threaten either the Eight-Tails or the future Fourth Raikage, had no choice but to disengage after their brief exchange of ideals.
After all, the Minato of that time had not yet mastered the Wind Release: Rasenshuriken. He could outmaneuver them endlessly with the Flying Thunder God, yes — but the damage from a normal Rasengan or kunai wasn't enough to take them down. Against opponents of their caliber, his attacks were little more than scratches.
But this Minato was different.
Now that he had mastered the Rasenshuriken, his power had undergone a qualitative leap. Against a massive opponent like the Eight-Tails, this technique wasn't just an upgrade — it was a complete game-changer. It was like comparing Ahri from Summoner's Rift to Ahri from Teamfight Tactics — the same name, but worlds apart.
With this new jutsu, Minato had every confidence he could continue the mission — and face A and B head-on.
A grinned when he heard Minato's declaration, lightning already crackling across his body.
"Perfect! Let's see just how far that teleporting trick of yours can really go. Come on — let's see who's faster!"
In an instant, A reignited his Lightning Release Chakra Mode, his whole body blazing with thunder as he lunged toward Minato. At the same time, he kept his senses locked on all the marked kunai scattered around him — if Minato appeared near any of them, A planned to react instantly and cut off his escape.
But his plan failed.
Minato didn't appear near any of the marked kunai. Instead, he reappeared right behind Killer B, thrusting a kunai straight toward the crown of B's head.
What—?!
A's eyes went wide. Only then did he notice something strange — a Flying Thunder God seal shimmered faintly on one of Killer B's tails.
When did he place that? During their earlier exchange?
Still, A didn't panic. He trusted his brother.
Sure enough, B's short blade was already pressed against Minato's abdomen.
"If this is for war, then you've made your choice too, right? Let's keep it clean — how about we stab each other and see which recovers faster: human or tailed beast, fool!"
Minato smiled faintly. His figure blurred — and vanished again.
He reappeared safely in the distance.
"You really are the natural enemy of speed-type shinobi… but too bad for you — my sensei prepared me for that."
A didn't bother to listen. With a shout, he charged forward once more.
"Enough talk! If you've got guts, keep up with me!"
Minato flickered away, and the two of them became twin streaks of lightning and gold, weaving across the battlefield faster than the eye could follow.
Meanwhile, Killer B decided to join in as well. His massive octopus tentacles lashed through the air, sweeping aside Minato's kunai one after another — closing off every possible escape route the Yellow Flash might use.
The two brothers exchanged a glance — no words were needed.
The unspoken understanding between them said everything: if this continued, Minato would inevitably lose.
No one knew how long the tense stalemate lasted. Then, all of a sudden, Minato spoke:
"If you can withstand the next move… then I'll admit defeat."
A smirked confidently. "Stop boasting. You've lost."
And his confidence wasn't without reason — Killer B had already knocked away nearly all of Minato's special kunai.
Only three were left within any usable distance.
A knew that as long as Minato tried to counterattack, it would have to be from one of those three points — and that meant A could intercept him directly.
All he needed was a single clean hit, and the fight would be over.
Come on then… let's see which one you'll choose.
But while A's sharp eyes were fixed on those three remaining kunai, Minato had already teleported far away —
back to the site where he'd earlier wiped out the eight-man Kumo squad.
That was the true strength of the Flying Thunder God Technique — his teleportation wasn't limited to a small radius.
He could warp to any marked kunai, no matter how far away it was.
"I hope you both survive this next move," Minato murmured softly, beginning to gather chakra. "You've earned my respect as worthy opponents."
As his hands moved, a massive Wind Release: Rasenshuriken began to form, roaring with violent energy.
The swirling storm of chakra pulsed in his grasp, shredding the air itself.
"Let this Rasenshuriken…" he whispered, eyes narrowing,
"…be the signal that ends this war."
With that, Minato activated the Flying Thunder God once again — his golden figure blinked out of existence and reappeared on the battlefield where he had faced A moments before.
Everything had been calculated.
All that chasing and dodging earlier wasn't meaningless — it had been a deliberate maneuver to separate A and Killer B.
Now they were far apart — so far that once the Rasenshuriken exploded, B wouldn't have time to save his brother.
Whoosh!
A flash of gold — and Minato's calm voice echoed from afar:
"Sorry… but you guessed wrong."
Then he hurled the Rasenshuriken with all his might.
Both A and B turned in shock — just in time to see the massive spinning storm screaming toward them, radiating annihilation.
Feeling the monstrous Wind Release chakra tearing through the air, A's pupils shrank in terror.
That power… I have to dodge it! If I don't— I'm finished!
B shouted desperately,
"Big guy! Save A, quick!"
But it was already too late.
Crimson chakra gushed violently from B's body as the Eight-Tails tried to manifest — but the distance between them was simply too great.
On the other side, although A was already aware and alert, there simply wasn't enough time. He had no other option. He could only condense his Lightning Release Chakra Mode to its utmost limits before being swallowed by the terrifying Rasenshuriken!
Author's Note:
That should explain it pretty clearly. I've always thought that, back in the original story, Minato's words during that encounter were mainly to preserve his dignity as he retreated.
Let's be honest — kunai and Rasengan alone couldn't really damage the Lightning Release Chakra Mode or the Eight-Tails' thick skin.
If Minato had truly fought both A and B to the death at that time, he wouldn't have won.
As for where exactly their encounter took place — Kumogakure or the battlefield — the original manga never specified clearly.
Logically, though, it should've been in Kumogakure, since the Third Raikage was already fighting on the front lines.
If both his son and the Eight-Tails were also there, Kumo's internal defenses would've been completely exposed —
and no capable leader would ever plan their forces like that.