Tsunade's eyes widened slightly as Minato vanished and reappeared in a golden flash.
"There's no mistaking it… that's Granduncle Tobirama's Flying Thunder God Technique."
She'd seen the technique as a child, watching the Second Hokage move through the battlefield like blue lightning.
Minato was far less polished but he'd undeniably mastered it.
Jiraiya puffed up with pride.
"Hahaha! You see, Tsunade? With the Flying Thunder God, even Shiki without his blade can't keep up!"
WHACK.
Tsunade smacked the back of Jiraiya's head without looking at him.
"You have no idea how terrifying that monster's strength really is. Don't talk nonsense."
Jiraiya rubbed his head, pouting, but didn't argue further.
Everyone's attention was back on the training field.
Minato himself was stunned.
How did he block Rasengan like it was nothing…?
Rasengan was A-rank.
A technique he created himself.
Yet Shiki crushed it with one hand like it was a soap bubble.
"What was that…?" Minato murmured.
Shiki turned his right hand, still coated in the glossy black sheen of Armament Haki.
Under the light, the surface gleamed with a metallic luster.
"This?" Shiki shrugged casually. "Something I developed a while back."
Minato looked amazed.
"A self-created defensive technique…? Incredible…"
Shiki didn't bother hiding anything.
"This coating can appear anywhere on my body. Defense, attack—it boosts both."
Minato stiffened.
Shiki was explaining this so casually…
was he underestimating him?
He clenched his jaw and pulled out several Flying Thunder God kunai.
"Lord Shiki… please fight me seriously!"
He didn't care if he lost...but he refused to be dismissed.
"Ninjutsu — Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique!"
WHSSSH!
A barrage of Flying Thunder God kunai shot across the field toward Shiki.
Shiki tapped the ground with one foot.
BOOM!
An earth wall surged upward instantly, blocking the entire swarm with ease.
SWISH!
In the next instant, Minato flickered behind him again—Rasengan roaring in his hand.
BANG!
Another chunk of rock burst upward, erupting beneath Minato mid-air and forcing him away.
Minato reappeared several meters back, breathing lightly, reassessing.
Shiki didn't chase.
He simply formed more handless techniques, the ground rippling like a living creature.
Then...
ROOOAR!!
The earth erupted as multiple massive stone dragons spiraled upward around Shiki, their jaws splitting open in a rock-shattering roar.
"Earth Release — Soaring Earth Dragon!"
The entire field trembled.
Dirt, debris, and splintered stone flew everywhere.
Tsunade folded her arms smugly.
"See? THAT is the man I chose."
Jiraiya's jaw dropped.
Orochimaru raised an eyebrow.
Even Kushina went silent.
Meanwhile, inside the Hokage's office, Sarutobi Hiruzen watched via his crystal ball.
"What is that ability…? A kekkei genkai?"
He'd planned only to observe the party from afar.
He hadn't expected to witness Minato battling Shiki.
...or Shiki unleashing unknown techniques with no hand signs at all.
"This is troubling…" Hiruzen muttered.
"If even Flying Thunder God doesn't work…"
But he shook his head quickly.
"No… Minato will be fine. Flying Thunder God is space-time ninjutsu. It can't be countered so easily."
He sounded confident.
He was very clearly trying to convince himself.
Back on the training field—
Shiki raised his hand slightly.
The stone dragons surged forward like rampaging beasts.
ROAR! ROAR! ROAR!!
They tore deep gouges through the field, each strike leaving destruction in its wake.
The once-flat ground was now a scarred battlefield.
Minato blurred through the chaos, golden flashes sparking with every dodge.
His movements were fast—
too fast for anyone but Shiki to track.
"It's no use…" Minato muttered, chest rising and falling.
"Flying this much… my chakra's running low…"
He gritted his teeth.
He had to end this.
He eyed Shiki through the storm of stone.
If I take down the caster, everything stops.
Once more, Minato drew several Flying Thunder God kunai and flung them.
"Ninjutsu — Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique!"
CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!
The stone dragons smashed the kunai effortlessly.
"That's enough," Minato whispered.
Because scattering the kunai wasn't the goal—
—the goal was to cover the field with teleportation points.
Golden light burst beneath his feet.
FLASH—FLASH—FLASH—FLASH—FLASH!
He vanished, reappearing around Shiki faster than anyone could blink.
To Tsunade and Jiraiya, Minato was just streaks of yellow light flickering across the battlefield.
Orochimaru smirked.
"Space-time ninjutsu. The flexibility is impressive."
"It's over!" Minato whispered behind Shiki, Rasengan forming again, ready to finish it...
Shiki smiled.
He turned—faster than Minato could comprehend...
...and grabbed Minato's collar mid-attack.
"NANI?!"
Minato's eyes went wide.
His teleportation was flawless.
His speed was absolute.
So how...
HOW had Shiki kept up with him?
Before he could process it...
WHAM!!
Shiki slammed him into the ground with overwhelming force.
Minato coughed out blood, unable to teleport again...his chakra was spent.
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