Night Maple felt that he'd love to respect canon, but canon sure didn't respect him.
Now that Night Maple had grasped all of Hashirama Senju's techniques, that included the A-rank Summoning—Fivefold Rashōmon.
By comparison, Option One's reward—a C-rank Summoning of a little toad—who was that looking down on?
As for escorting Kushina to Kumogakure—that scummy plotline was something Night Maple definitely wouldn't do.
Isn't it nicer to keep such a cute little redheaded loli by his side?
By contrast, Night Maple was very pleased with the third option.
Whether Kushina's affection went up or not didn't matter; what mattered was the follow-up reward—the Supreme Starter Pack!
Last time he'd pulled an SSS-rank character card. What would he get this time?
Just as Night Maple was about to loosen the rope on Kushina's wrists, a yellow blur streaked in!
"Kushina!"
The newcomer had a head of blond hair, a stern, resolute face, and a razor-sharp killing aura—Namikaze Minato had finally arrived!
Seeing Kushina in someone's arms, his heart nearly leapt from his chest.
He thought this man had taken Kushina hostage!
Courting death!
"Body Flicker Technique!" Minato's figure blinked out.
Whoosh! Minato's silhouette flashed behind Night Maple, and the kunai in his hand sliced for the back of Night Maple's neck.
Night Maple narrowed his eyes, the corner of his mouth quirking up.
So the Yellow Flash—fast indeed.
But my reaction is faster!
Night Maple ducked and slipped past Minato's strike.
Kushina gasped, "Minato! Don't!"
Missing with his first blow, Minato's yellow blur flickered again and appeared before Night Maple. Only then did Minato see clearly—it was Night Maple.
His eyes went wide.
Night Maple?!
Crap, I can't stop this.
Minato's body moved faster than his brain; the kunai drove straight into Night Maple's chest.
"W—What! I didn't mean to…"
Guilt flooded Minato's heart. He'd lost his cool and done something outrageous.
He hadn't even checked—it was Night Maple?
But the very next second, Night Maple and Kushina in front of him turned into logs.
Substitution Technique!
Night Maple and Kushina reappeared ten meters away.
Even Kushina didn't know when she'd been swapped!
But seeing Night Maple unhurt, she exhaled in relief, then glared at Minato in anger. "Minato, what are you doing!"
Minato, face full of remorse, waved his hands. "I'm sorry, Night Maple, I didn't mean it. I didn't see clearly and thought it was a Cloud sleeper!"
"Are you okay? Why are you here…"
Night Maple smiled slightly, said nothing—and struck!
Not hitting back wasn't Night Maple's style.
He stamped a foot; the ground split with a crack.
Chakra flooded into his feet; with a powerful launch he was suddenly in front of Minato.
Minato's eyes flew open—shocked.
So fast!
He barely had time to guard with both arms before a kick sent him flying.
"That's for not checking who you're hitting!"
"And that's for striking at random!"
Suspended in midair, Minato took punch after kick from Night Maple, never touching the ground.
"Next time—look first!"
"Do it again and I'll smash your dog head!"
Minato smashed through three trees before he finally stopped and slid to the ground.
His clothes were torn, his face swollen—stunned senseless.
He, a prodigy of the village, a man destined to be Hokage—had been thrashed by a perennial dead-last genin?
Though guilt stayed his hand the moment Night Maple attacked, he'd never expected that after missing one move, he'd be unable to respond at all!
Once he was sent flying, he couldn't regain control.
That level of battle control was terrifying!
Could Night Maple be a once-in-a-generation combat genius?
Or had he been hiding his strength all along?
Kushina stood there dumbly, watching Minato getting pummeled, looking a bit miserable.
But she was angrier—if not for the Substitution Technique, Night Maple might already be dead.
Minato deserved a beating!
Just then, a pitch-black crow flew overhead.
Its eyes were jet black too, reflecting the face of a middle-aged man.
Konoha, Hokage's Office.
Sarutobi Hiruzen frowned slightly at the image reflected in his crystal ball.
As the Professor of Ninjutsu, Sarutobi Hiruzen could use every non–kekkei genkai technique.
A mere crow summoning was nothing.
Through the crow's eyes in the crystal ball, he'd seen that Night Maple had just used Wood Release Substitution.
What mattered wasn't the Wood Release Substitution itself, but the timing of Night Maple's use of it.
Though Substitution was only a C-rank technique, to employ it with such polish—he was no simple brat.
That didn't match Night Maple's long-standing dead-last profile at all.
Moreover, those punches and kicks just now were solid—every strike perfectly measured. It didn't feel like a kid's scuffle; it felt like a battle-hardened general bullying a grade-schooler.
Minato had been bullied too badly.
"This kid's suspicious… Has the White Fang arrived yet?"
Just then, Konoha's White Fang, Hatake Sakumo, arrived.
He looked at Minato slumped against a tree, then at Night Maple and Kushina, and frowned.
A genin showing up here—White Fang's first instinct screamed wrong.
Not far away, several Cloud-nin lay unconscious on the ground.
All Minato's handiwork?
Then why was Minato this battered?
Perplexed, Sakumo looked at Night Maple. "You're Night Maple? What happened here?"
Night Maple, however, ignored the White Fang and walked up to Kushina.
He undid the rope on her wrists and, with a princess carry, scooped the limp Kushina into his arms.
"Ah! Night Maple! W—wait…" Kushina squeaked softly. No boy had ever held her like this before!
She covered her face, feeling the heat bloom crimson across her cheeks.
In the soft, gentle moonlight, Night Maple's flowing black hair took on a silvery sheen, making him look somehow different.
Peeking through her fingers, Kushina stole a look at Night Maple, her heart thumping wildly.
[Ding, Option Three complete! Congratulations, host—Rewards: Kushina Affection +10! Supreme Starter Pack ×1!]