If someone had told the captain of the Hidden Cloud Village infiltration squad—or any of its members, really—that miracles like resurrection actually existed in this world, they would have called it madness. A sick joke. Nothing more.
But now, standing right before them… was a man publicly declared dead by the Hidden Leaf Village. A man whose death had been confirmed through repeated investigations by nations far and wide in the wake of the Nine-Tails' rampage years ago. A man who had sacrificed his life to reseal the Tailed Beast.
The Yellow Flash of the Leaf.
Alive.
And breathing.
The sheer impossibility of that fact sent a chill down their spines.
The overwhelming aura, so suffocating it crushed resistance at the root. The poised dominance, the effortless confidence of a man who held life and death in the palm of his hand. And above all—that smile. Warm and radiant, like sunlight itself. There was no denying it anymore.
They weren't hallucinating.
There, before them, stood the Fourth Hokage.
Minato Namikaze himself.
And of all the people present, no one was more shaken than Number Three—the one who had just forcefully withdrawn his spirit and sensory link from the Leaf's squad leader the moment he felt that oppressive pressure crash over them.
'No way… I was gone for just a second. What the hell happened while I was out?! Am I the crazy one? Has the world lost its mind? Or did that secret technique I used just now fry my brain and cause hallucinations?'
As the haze lifted from his mind, Number Three slowly looked up, tracing the unbearable pressure to its source.
And then he saw him.
Truly saw him.
His mind went blank.
Lips twitching into a grin, he clutched his head with both hands and began to giggle madly.
"Hehe… yeah… yeah, that's it. A hallucination. Has to be! The Yellow Flash is dead. Been dead for years. There's no way he'd show up here, right? Hehe… still, this illusion is scarily good. Feels just like the real thing! Hehehe… damn, this is wild… HAHAHA!"
Was this the backlash from that secret technique?
Tch. Of all times for it to hit him…
The rest of the squad didn't mock him. Not one of them even smirked.
Because the truth was—they felt the same. If not for the Yellow Flash's earlier "offer" to spare their lives, the crushing pressure alone might've driven all of them to break like Number Three.
He'd appeared in a flash, instantly closing the gap between them—clearly the Flying Thunder God Technique. And that Rasengan, that innocuous little sphere that sent Number Two flying... it perfectly matched the intelligence reports on Minato Namikaze's signature move.
This man was the Yellow Flash. The monster who had fought like a god during the Third Great Ninja War.
The Hidden Cloud captain could feel his heartbeat pounding like a war drum. Sweat rolled down his forehead in thick beads. Locked in the gaze of a living legend, his spirit trembled. Not even the tiniest sliver of defiance remained in him.
He'd seen Minato in action once before—when he was part of a squad under the Fourth Raikage. He'd witnessed, with his own eyes, Minato solo counter Raikage A and Killer Bee's joint assault.
If it weren't for his duty as captain, or the strict orders from the Elders to complete the mission or die trying… he would've turned and run the moment Minato appeared.
That's how terrifying the Yellow Flash's legacy was. So blindingly brilliant, it silenced all doubt.
Even the nearby Leaf squad leader, visibly relieved to still be alive, and the Hidden Cloud team—still reeling from the miracle of a dead man walking—missed something crucial.
Minato's right arm—the one he'd used to strike—was trembling.
Unnaturally.
Barely visible, but definitely there.
It seemed that Number Two, who had remained in a perfect defensive stance out of respect, had not only survived Minato's attack but had managed to reflect lightning chakra back into him.
A delayed paralysis effect.
In other words—Minato had been injured.
And that raised questions.
Why didn't he finish Number Two instantly, like he had so many enemies during the war?
Was it mercy?
Or something else?
If Minato Namikaze really was back from the dead… was he weaker now?
Or—far more dangerously—was this not Minato at all?
Was it someone pretending to be him?
And his trembling hand… confirmed that suspicion.
'Still shaking, huh? Damn. Without any nature transformation, the Rasengan really isn't enough to break through defenses cleanly... At least not for me. Not yet.'
With a subtle sigh, the "Minato" lowered his arm, concealing it beneath his Hokage cloak. Faint orange chakra spread across the limb like a transparent film, numbing the spasms. Then, with practiced ease, he nudged the wounded Leaf captain with his heel, transferring some chakra to stabilize the man's injuries.
'Too careless. Of all times for something like this to happen—right when the original is taking his exam.'
He scowled inwardly. The sudden appearance of Orochimaru last night definitely wasn't just curiosity. Fortunately, his other shadow clones had already reported everything to Hiruzen. All he had to do now was stall for time.
And maybe—if he was lucky—scare the enemy into retreat.
Because that wasn't really Minato.
It was Naruto.
One of the many shadow clones he'd stationed at Training Ground Three for extra practice. This one, in particular, had used the Transformation Jutsu to copy his father's appearance. And with the borrowed pressure of Kurama, the Nine-Tails himself, he pulled off an unbelievably convincing bluff.
Ironically, it was that same over-the-top performance that had saved the Leaf captain's life. The clone had been nearby, working on Flying Thunder God practice, when he sensed the battle. If the man had given up just a moment earlier...
He would've died.
But even so, Naruto's clone had limits.
He'd burned through most of his chakra earlier, and using both the Flying Thunder God Technique and Rasengan had drained what little was left. The Rasengan hadn't been fatal only because it lacked sufficient chakra to push it over the edge.
Now, he was running on fumes.
Barely maintaining the Transformation Jutsu. Healing the Leaf ninja. Channeling Kurama's pressure.
One misstep, and he'd vanish.
And the bluff would be over.
'One wrong move—just a scratch from a shuriken, even—and I'm toast.'
He couldn't even move without risking collapse. The nearest backup clone was still a ways out. Carrying the wounded Leaf ninja with him was impossible.
He was stuck.
'Seriously… why does my real self always have to play the hero? This is the worst…'
Still, when he looked back and saw the desperate, trusting eyes of the man behind him…
He smiled.
'I promised I'd protect him. So I'll see this performance through, no matter what. I've already borrowed Dad's name—I can't disgrace it now.'
Meanwhile, the Cloud captain was panicking.
Retreating meant facing the Elders' wrath.
Staying meant death.
He scratched at his scalp, agonizing.
"Ahem. What's this? Cat got your tongues? Or… are you thinking of testing me? Betting your lives to challenge me?"
Minato's voice was calm. Dangerous.
Naruto shifted the borrowed pressure of Kurama, concentrating it on Number Three and the young noble—the weakest links. Slowly, like water wearing down stone, their minds cracked under the weight.
Then, with a faint frown, he lifted his left hand this time—his right still paralyzed—and formed another Rasengan. It looked the same, but it lacked any real power.
Still, to the enemy, it was terrifying.
"My patience has limits. That last attack… was just a warning. But if you really want to die for your village… I can oblige."
"Hell no! You think I'm stupid enough to fight someone who'll clearly destroy me?! You lunatics can die without me! I'm out!"
Before Minato even finished, the noble snapped. The pressure, the Rasengan, the name—it shattered what remained of his nerves. With a terrified scream, he scrambled backward, rolling away like a terrified animal.
The first to break.
And with him gone…
The rest followed.
Panic was contagious, after all.
Especially among cowards already trembling.
"The Yellow Flash… lives up to the name. Thank you for sparing us, Lord Minato. No need to waste your strength—I'll see myself out."
Number Two, who had borne the full brunt of the Rasengan, stood up with difficulty. Bowing stiffly in apology and gratitude, he backed away with shaky steps, not daring to turn his back until a safe distance.
"You… all of you—!"
The captain ground his teeth in frustration, then sighed. He bowed deeply.
"Please forgive the behavior of my subordinates, Lord Minato. We were out of line. I'll take my men and leave at once."
Before the words had even fully left his mouth, he clutched Number Three—still gibbering—and bolted after the others.
It took only seconds for the whole squad to vanish from sight.
And as they fled, "Minato" let out a long, shaking breath. His murderous expression melted into pure relief.
He'd won the gamble.
At least… for now.
'You saved me again, Dad…'
As his breathing steadied, the clone kept the disguise active. He looked down at the Rasengan still spinning weakly in his palm—then dispersed it into a swirl of blue sparks.
He smiled.
'Being your son… really is the best.'
Hiruzen (offscreen): "...Wait a second. Black sheep? Fall guy?! Naruto, you're my grandson, remember?!"
Naruto: "Well, technically, I'm not really your biological—" [sparkle sparkle hands-on-hips smug]
Hiruzen: "...Urgh—!" [spits blood, collapses]
Minato: "...Seriously, Naruto. Is this really how you see me? That scary?"
Naruto: "Eh… uhh… maybe a little…?" [guilty face]
Minato: "...Fine. I'll just be over here. In the corner. Drawing sad circles." [sulks.jpg]
Kushina: "NARUTO! Look what you did to your father! [Rage Mode: Activated]"
Hiruzen: "...Hey wait, what about me?!"
Kushina: "Oh, and he pissed off the old man, too!"
Hiruzen: "...I'm an afterthought now?!"