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"Bang--"
White waves surged.
Using a Kunai to block in a hurry, Sawara Kiri only managed to stop the tip of the three-pronged Kunai, but the sudden burst of force sent him crashing into the surging water, disappearing in an instant.
Namikaze Minato, standing on the water's surface, still maintained a cautious demeanor, constantly sensing the movements beneath the water.
He knew very well that the opponent before him was not someone who could be easily dealt with.
However, the water surface beneath his feet presented an eerie silence.
"Splash."
Water surged, creating ripples beneath his feet.
Namikaze Minato seemed to suddenly discover something, abruptly turning his head to look elsewhere.
Then, Sawara Kiri's figure glided past like a giant shark lurking beneath the surface, moving at an astonishing speed.
"Boom!"
The explosive sound from under the water was deafening.
Amidst the churning water mist, Sawara Kiri's slender figure shot out like an arrow from a bowstring, moving at an almost blurred speed, directly piercing towards Namikaze Minato.
"Whoosh--"
In just a fleeting exchange, Namikaze Minato immediately realized that Sawara Kiri, aided by the water flow, unleashed a force far more terrifying than he had imagined.
His strength in hand weakened by just half a point, and a scratch immediately appeared on the vest at his waist.
Traces of blood were faintly visible.
"Plop."
Sawara Kiri's figure arced through the air, then re-submerged into the water below, continuing to dive.
Namikaze Minato instantly realized the danger of this fighting style.
The high concentration required in combat was already extremely draining on one's mind and stamina.
In this environment of light and shadow, the 'hunted' party was at a much greater disadvantage in a war of attrition than imagined, whereas Sawara Kiri, as the 'hunter,' only needed to wholeheartedly seek the right moment for a surprise attack.
This situation had to change.
It wasn't just Namikaze Minato who realized this.
Among the Konoha higher-ups observing from the second floor, complete silence had fallen, all of them intently focused on the battle.
Even for them, seasoned veterans of countless battles, observing this fight was extremely beneficial.
The tactical strengths, combat intelligence, and timing of the two young men all gave them a refreshing feeling.
Uchiha Motoya and Hyuga Soumin had, at some unknown point, activated their ocular Jutsu, quietly observing the reactions of both, completely absorbed.
"Boom! Boom!"
Another series of underwater surprise attacks.
Namikaze Minato already had three more wounds on his body, and even his breathing began to grow heavy and slow.
However, after three consecutive surprise attacks, Namikaze Minato now gradually had a grasp of the situation, and his fingers, hidden at his side, formed a hand seal.
Almost at the very moment this action was completed.
The figure like a dark current beneath the water suddenly surfaced, shooting out abruptly from Namikaze Minato's blind spot behind him.
However, this time, Namikaze Minato seemed to have lost too much stamina and finally failed to react, and his entire body was kicked into the air.
Just at the moment of impact, Sawara Kiri realized something was wrong.
Namikaze Minato didn't react?
What kind of joke was that?!
As expected.
The figure that Sawara Kiri kicked into the air only stayed for a moment before exploding into a shattered tree trunk in a puff of smoke.
Substitution Jutsu.
At the same time, the real Namikaze Minato had already stepped on the rising tree trunk and leaped directly towards the ceiling.
He spun and stood.
Namikaze Minato stood upside down on the ceiling, forming hand seals at an astonishing speed.
"Oil Release: Great Torrent."
Everyone present looked up, following his figure.
Then, they saw a column of oil with a pungent odor gushing downwards from above.
Sawara Kiri's eyes narrowed slightly, immediately understanding his intention, and his heart tightened, then he unhesitatingly sprinted towards the wall on the other side, charging towards the ceiling.
A large amount of fuel sprayed onto the water, floating on the surface due to its density, spreading at an astonishing speed, forming a faint brown layer on the water.
The next moment, Namikaze Minato completed the final Tiger seal in his hand, his gaze resolute.
He would ignite the torrent.
"Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique!"
"Boom!"
In just an instant, the water surface, which had originally been Sawara Kiri's home ground, became a floating sea of fire.
The massive amount of water rapidly evaporated under the high temperature, causing the air throughout the training ground to become distorted and blurry, like a giant steamer, rising from less than twenty degrees to nearly fifty degrees in just a dozen seconds.
In this extreme environment, the two who had rushed to the ceiling seemed completely unaffected, their series of intense Taijutsu exchanges even faster and more ruthless than at the beginning.
Sparks from the clashing Kunai rained down in large patches from the air.
In the fleeting moments of their sweeping movements, even among these higher-ups, many could only catch a momentary afterimage, sweat constantly beading on their foreheads.
Sarutobi Hiruzen glanced at his old comrades, who had been away from the battlefield for a long time, and sighed inwardly.
However, he still gave an order towards Hatake Sakumo:
"Sakumo."
Upon receiving the command, Hatake Sakumo began to form hand seals.
"Earth Release: Flow Valve."
The raging torrent and flames in the entire arena rapidly swirled into the ground under the guidance of this Earth Release, leaving only a little water and residual fire before sealing up again.
However, Namikaze Minato was completely oblivious to this at the moment.
He looked at the young man his age in front of him, his Wind Release: Body Flicker Technique already pushed to its limit, his figure circling Sawara Kiri, forming continuous broken lines on the ceiling.
"Clang, clang, clang, clang, clang--!!!"
Except for the target in the center of his vision, all surrounding scenes were stretched into fine, linear streaks of light.
However, even at such speed, no matter from what angle he launched his attack, it could only result in a crisp clanging sound in his ears.
By the end, even the sound became somewhat indistinct.
But in Namikaze Minato's mind, it was entirely the scene from that night when Sawara Kiri tore Kira apart with extremely violent means.
Violence to the extreme!
Speed to the extreme!
That strike even shook the long-standing pride deep within his heart.
It made him truly realize that there were always people stronger than oneself, and realms beyond one's own.
It seemed to have left a deep imprint in his mind.
No matter what, Namikaze Minato wanted to witness that strike head-on, and then—
Break through it!
Continue forward!
"Clang!"
Another heavy thrust.
Namikaze Minato's figure, carrying immense inertia, pushed Sawara Kiri, who was standing still, back several meters with friction.
However, under his solid defensive stance, his movements remained unchanged, steadily receiving the blow.
Both sides wrestled for dominance.
Sparks continuously burst from the Kunai as the two exerted immense force.
Namikaze Minato's expression was more serious than ever, his voice firm:
"Sawara-kun."
"Are you looking down on me?"
"..."
"Ha."
Sawara Kiri's expression first froze, then he suddenly laughed out loud.
So that's it.
No, it should be... as expected.
Minato, who was so gentle and considerate in front of everyone, was also a genius, proud to his very bones, standing at the pinnacle of Konoha.
"Minato."
Sawara Kiri maintained the stalemate posture, but suddenly changed his address, reminding him:
"Don't blink."
Almost at the same moment his voice fell.
In Namikaze Minato's vision, Sawara Kiri's eyes suddenly transformed into a clearer, more brilliant azure, and his aura abruptly changed.
A nearly instinctual sense of crisis suddenly erupted deep within his heart.
Like an antelope being stalked by a tiger.
In just an instant.
His eyes suddenly lost sight of Sawara Kiri, the force of their intertwined weapons disappearing extremely abruptly, and even his forward leaning motion from inertia seemed so slow.
However, in his perception, Sawara Kiri had already arrived at his side.
'Such extreme speed...!?'
Even the speed of his thoughts could not keep up with his movements, Namikaze Minato relied entirely on his extraordinarily talented reaction nerves, using his instinct for danger, to painstakingly move his Kunai and arm to his side.
He spun and swung his arm.
Sawara Kiri's figure swept through more than half a circle like a top, the Kunai reversed in his hand, transforming into a dark arc of light at an extreme high speed.
The chasing light deep within his azure pupils was as swift as a meteor.
"Clang--!"
The Kunai and the single small prong of the three-pronged Kunai shattered simultaneously.
Suddenly, a dark figure shot from the ceiling towards the still-damp ground.
In the spectator stands, the few most outstanding individuals, upon seeing this scene, all widened their eyes.
Hyuga Soumin's temples were covered in bulging veins, his Byakugan activated to its maximum, yet he still couldn't clearly see what had just happened, his face filled with astonishment.
"Is this... a Space-Time Ninjutsu?"
"No, it shouldn't be."
It wasn't just the Hyuga clan head who was astonished; Uchiha Motoya, standing beside him, also pushed his three-tomoe Sharingan to its limit, the three tomoe swirling like fish.
Even so, his tone still carried a hint of uncertainty.
"Although it was only for an instant, I could still see his movements."
"It's just..."
He didn't continue the rest of his sentence.
For the three-tomoe Sharingan, the Ninja World's top insight eye, this level of perception was no different from being unable to perceive at all.
Because even if they could see it, most Jonin's physical movements would be incredibly difficult to keep up with, making it no different from waiting for death with open eyes.
If it were to go a step further...
Uchiha Motoya thought for a moment, then looked at Lord Third on the other side, and decided against activating that dangerous ocular Ninjutsu in such a setting.
It could easily be misunderstood.
However, this young man...
He was practically like Konoha White Fang.
Hatake Sakumo, at the edge of the arena, seemed to have a similar thought.
He couldn't help but narrow his eyes when he looked at Sawara Kiri.
Sarutobi Hiruzen on the high platform furrowed his brow slightly. Although he had heard of Sawara Kiri's secret Ninjutsu in the Anbu reports, seeing it with his own eyes still left him feeling somewhat surprised.
Shimura Danzo's gaze was even deeper.
He couldn't block this move.
"Boom!"
Dust rose.
Namikaze Minato rolled over and got up from the Chakra-softened ground, gasping for air, his ribs numb.
However, an uncontrollable smile spread across his face as he looked at the broken half of the three-pronged Kunai in his hand.
He blocked it.
Though it was extremely close.
But if he could take it once, he could take it a second time!
Most importantly, that wasn't Sawara-kun's own speed just now, but a very special, hand-seal-less Ninjutsu.
To protect himself at such high speed, his movements would briefly pause for an instant.
Namikaze Minato's excellent combat intelligence allowed him to see through the essence of the Ninjutsu the second time he witnessed it.
As long as he could grasp that instant...
Almost at the same moment this thought surfaced.
A huge void was suddenly pierced through the dust.
Namikaze Minato had just managed to raise his arm when he felt his wrist seized by a tremendous force, pulling him forward, his upper body leaning with it.
"Bang!"
His abdomen was suddenly struck by a heavy knee blow.
His body flew.
However, even while still in mid-air, he quickly recovered, spinning and landing.
At the same time, he couldn't help but feel fortunate that this was just an exhibition match.
Sawara-kun still had more significant trump cards he hadn't revealed.
Otherwise, judging by the horrific state of Kira's death, those two blows just now would have been enough to kill him.
But how could he be content with being a supporting character?
"Wind Release: Extreme Swiftness Body Flicker!"
Suddenly, the golden-haired young man was enveloped by a surging hurricane, transforming into a flickering afterimage, his speed increasing, even emitting a piercing sound as he tore through the air.
However, the faster he moved, the clearer Namikaze Minato's mind became.
Not fast enough.
Still not fast enough!
To catch that momentary flaw in Sawara-kun's super-speed, he had to push their relative speeds to the limit.
The smaller the difference in relative speed, the more reaction time he would have during that instant of pause!
It seemed Sawara Kiri sensed Minato's intention.
He turned to look at him.
As expected of you, to think of a countermeasure in such a short time?
However...
Sawara Kiri slowly raised his hand.
In the center of his palm, a vibrant blue Chakra sphere rapidly rotated, quickly taking shape.
The swirling vortex continuously compressed inward, and the surrounding dust was swept away, clearing an open space.
He raised his head, looking at the figure enveloped in the center of the fierce wind.
"Sorry, Minato."
Suddenly, a wave of air surged and spread.
Sawara Kiri's figure once again rushed directly towards Namikaze Minato at a speed too fast for the naked eye to follow.
At that moment, in the golden-haired young man's eyes, the world seemed to stand still.
Wind.
In his ears, was the sound of wind.
From the Chakra perception spreading throughout his body, he could clearly feel the uncatchable figure rapidly approaching at a speed far exceeding Body Flicker.
The vibrant blue Chakra sphere formed a brilliant arc in mid-air.
But...
He could see it! His body could move!
He abandoned all other sensory abilities, his entire brain serving only the spreading Chakra perception.
In this Chakra-enhanced vision, his movements seemed as slow as a snail.
But even so, it was enough.
His forward-stepping ankle suddenly distorted.
His body, with the swing of his waist, distorted halfway across the ground, which was slicker than ice.
His upper body, under the inertia of the swirling hurricane, struggled to lower itself until he was almost prone on the ground.
His free left hand pressed to the ground, his fingertips and palm scraped raw and bleeding.
His long-prepared right hand held a Kunai, pointing directly at the man who had suddenly appeared before him.
Like a giant thorny bush waiting for a rabbit, he extended sharp thorns towards him in an almost absolute still posture.
This was a long-planned, desperate resistance.
However, in that instant, Namikaze Minato's vision suddenly reflected a subtle smile on Sawara Kiri's face.
Abruptly.
His figure vanished once more.
Namikaze Minato's mind went blank.
At that moment, he felt as if he heard Sawara Kiri's whisper in his ear.
Who said his Ninjutsu couldn't be used consecutively?
"Limitless Void: Second Stage!"
The figure that appeared abruptly behind Namikaze Minato spun and distorted his arm in mid-air, the Rasengan held in his hand erupting with dazzling light.
It suddenly descended.
At that moment, Namikaze Minato's eyes suddenly widened.
"Boom—!!!"
The violent explosion was deafening.
"Whoa."
A chorus of gasps immediately rose from the high platform.
In the battle just now, everyone had acknowledged the strength of these two young men, viewing them as pillars; losing either would be a critical matter.
Sarutobi Hiruzen instinctively leaned forward, hands gripping the railing.
Hatake Sakumo, as the referee, had already sprinted at full speed towards the two in the center of the battlefield the moment their figures crossed.
However, he quickly stopped.
He was slightly relieved.
On the ground in the center of the battlefield.
"Clatter, clatter—"
Tiny stones blasted into the sky fell like rain, making a continuous, fine sound.
Namikaze Minato lay on the ground, while Sawara Kiri straddled him.
Even at the brink of death, the golden-haired young man still maintained the posture of holding the three-pronged Kunai inverted in his right hand, poised to stab upwards.
However, his right wrist was firmly gripped by a large hand, pressed against his neck.
His other hand, attempting to resist, was pinned by Sawara Kiri's knee, unable to move.
At the same time, a huge spiral-shaped crater spread out from Namikaze Minato's golden sideburns, and flying debris and soil created tiny cuts on the young man's cheek.
Even at this moment, Namikaze Minato's facial expression remained tense.
He was barely three centimeters away from having his head explode like the ground beside him.
He had truly brushed with death.
However, everyone around who saw this scene let out a long sigh of relief.
Their gazes towards Sawara Kiri even carried a hint of admiration, or perhaps praise.
To be able to hold back in such an intense exchange...
Clearly, this young man still had something in reserve.
Sawara Kiri, however, paid no attention to the reactions of those around him, rising lightly from Namikaze Minato's body.
Then, he bent down, extending his hand towards the golden-haired young man, a gentle, warm smile on his face:
"You actually saw through the flaw in my Ninjutsu so quickly."
"That's truly amazing."
"Minato, you are a true genius."
Hearing this, Namikaze Minato first lay there stunned for a moment, then couldn't help but show a slight bitter smile, raising his hand with some effort to grasp his palm.
"Sawara-kun, may I call you by your given name?"
"Of course."
"Then—"
As he spoke, a bright smile appeared on Namikaze Minato's face, and he said cheerfully:
"Kiri-kun."
"This time, I lost."
"However..."
"From now on, I'll need your continued guidance."
Sawara Kiri's expression paused slightly, then his smile became even gentler:
"The pleasure is all mine."
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