Minato didn't just inherit the powers of those figures; he inherited their very essence. Looking back, he felt a flicker of minor regret—had he known his transmigrations were tied to his cosplay choices, he would have definitely stuffed a Kakarot or a Superman figurine into that box before the truck hit him.
But as he reflected on it, he couldn't help but feel a wave of relief. It was a blessing he hadn't decided to cosplay as Ken Kaneki or Eren Yeager that day. If he had arrived in this world without his past memories, he likely would have followed the original script of the Naruto universe: a tragic hero who went "offline" at light speed before the main story even began, leaving behind the title of Fourth Hokage and a son destined to be bullied by the entire village.
Luckily, he had cheats.
The Kizaru figure had bestowed upon him the Glint-Glint Fruit (Pika Pika no Mi) from the world of One Piece. Its power was absolute: the ability to transform into photons at will. In this Ninja World, where concepts like Haki or Sea Prism Stone didn't exist, he couldn't quite claim to be invincible yet, but his ability to survive was unrivaled. His passive elementalization meant most physical attacks would simply pass through him like a breeze through light.
The Senju Hashirama figure had allowed him to awaken Wood Release, while the Uchiha Madara figure had unlocked his Sharingan. Over the past six months of secret training, Minato discovered that these statues had granted him far more than just techniques; they had rewritten his potential.
His Chakra reserves were expanding at an explosive rate every single day, and his ocular power grew more potent with every sunset. He had even tested his limits by suppressing his elementalization and cutting his own hand with a kunai. The wound had healed in the blink of an eye. Most shockingly, his eyes had evolved directly into the Mangekyo the moment they awakened. Even Indra, the biological son of the Sage of the Six Paths, hadn't manifested such power so effortlessly. The only explanation was that he had inherited the primal Chakra of both Ashura and Indra through the statues.
Though he didn't know a single Wood Release jutsu yet and the Mangekyo carried the looming threat of blindness, he already held the ticket to the peak of this world. Until he reached maturity, the speed of the Glint-Glint Fruit would be his ultimate shield. While he maintained the gentle, polite exterior of the original Minato, his core was pragmatic and cold. He would never be a sacrificial pawn for the "Will of Fire."
Minato pulled his thoughts back to the present, watching Tsuchiya Naoto run away in tears. His drive to grow stronger felt more urgent than ever.
The academy entrance exam consisted of four stages: Chakra Refinement, Shurikenjutsu, Physical Coordination, and Taijutsu Combat. Since most civilian children had never even touched their Chakra, the exam was less about scores and more about identifying raw Aptitude.
The physical coordination test was a complex obstacle course designed to weed out the clumsy. For Minato, it was trivial. He moved through the hurdles and walls like a Yellow Flash, his movements so fluid and fast they seemed blurred.
"That child's coordination is extraordinary," Hiruzen Sarutobi noted, his eyes narrowing as he watched from the sidelines.
"Heh heh heh... his speed is quite remarkable," Orochimaru rasped, his voice sounding like dry leaves skittering across stone. "Running, reaction time—it's all top-tier. And he shows no signs of prior training. He just broke the record Shinnosuke set, and he did it on pure talent alone. Tell me, Sarutobi-sensei, do you feel a hint of disappointment seeing your son surpassed so easily?"
"Hahaha! On the contrary, I hope to see many more 'disappointments' like this," Hiruzen laughed, puffing on his pipe. He knew his son was average, and as Hokage, he knew the village desperately needed a genius who could stand above the rest.
It had been over a decade since the First Great Ninja War, and the world was growing restless again. There was a visible talent gap in the new generation. The Hyuga brothers, Hiashi and Hizashi, were gifted but limited by their clan's rigid styles. Uchiha Fugaku was decent but too old to be part of this new crop. Even Tsunade's brother, Nawaki, lacked that certain spark of greatness.
As Hiruzen watched Minato, he felt a mix of pride and pity. He was glad a civilian genius had appeared, but he feared a child without a clan's backing would eventually hit a ceiling. Little did he know, Minato's ceiling was the sun itself.
"Hey, you're Minato Namikaze, right?"
During the final Taijutsu assessment, a boy approached Minato as he was warming up. It was Sarutobi Shinnosuke. He had his arms crossed and his chin tilted up with a bit of youthful arrogance, though he didn't seem malicious.
"I watched your tests. You're strong. Want to have a match with me?"
Minato looked at him, slightly surprised. He remembered that in the original timeline, Shinnosuke was the Third Hokage's eldest son and a future Anbu Captain, though he had died before the main story began.
"Me? I suppose I could..." Minato replied with a modest smile.
"Great! I'll tell the teacher!" Shinnosuke dashed off, his excitement infectious.
The news of a match between the two top prospects spread instantly. Even the Sannin stopped their bickering to watch.
"Oh, this might be interesting," Tsunade said, finally looking away from her thoughts of the casino. "I thought the boy was just a pretty face, but Shinnosuke actually wants to test him."
"Shinnosuke has been working hard under the Old Man's guidance," Jiraiya added, rubbing his chin. "But that kid, Minato... there's something about him."
"If hard work were enough, the world wouldn't need geniuses," Tsunade scoffed. "Want to make a bet?"
"Hmm?" Jiraiya's eyes lit up. "I'm in. I'll take Shinnosuke. The Old Man's training has to count for something."
"I'll bet on the blonde boy," Tsunade countered. "Orochimaru, what about you?"
Orochimaru watched Minato intently. "I'll stay out of this one. Your gambling luck is... legendary, Tsunade."
"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?" A vein popped on her forehead. She turned to Hiruzen. "Old Man, what about you?"
Hiruzen chuckled awkwardly. "I have to root for my son, don't I? He'd be heartbroken if his own father bet against him."
"Fine! Then I'm betting on the little blonde! Loser pays for a barbecue dinner!"
"It's a deal!" the three men chorused.
The teacher, eager to please the Hokage, quickly arranged the match. As the two boys stood in the center of the ring and formed the Seal of Confrontation, a hush fell over the crowd.
"Sorry for crashing your exam like this," Shinnosuke said, his eyes burning with determination.
"It's fine," Minato replied, his voice calm and polite. "I'm just not sure why the title of 'Top Student' matters so much to you."
"Because I want to prove something!" Shinnosuke declared. "My dad says there's always someone better, but I want to show him I can be the best. One day, I'm going to be a better Hokage than he ever was!"
Minato nodded. As long as there was no personal grudge, he didn't mind playing the part of the opponent. "I'm ready when you are."
"Begin!" the referee shouted.
Shinnosuke lunged, throwing a straightforward punch toward Minato's face. To the other students, it looked fast. To the teachers, it looked like a solid, disciplined strike.
But to Minato, the movement was agonizingly slow. He could see every flaw in Shinnosuke's stance, every bit of wasted energy in his swing.
Minato tilted his head just an inch to the left. The fist whistled past his ear, hitting nothing but air. Before Shinnosuke could even realize he had missed, Minato loosely clenched his own fist and struck out in a short, sharp motion.
Thwack!
The sound of the impact was crisp. Shinnosuke let out a sharp gasp and stumbled back, clutching his eye. He looked at Minato, his vision swimming and his mind racing.
Such a fast punch... I didn't even see him move!