The real Shinobi World...
With Konoha's Chunin Ninja Exams about to begin, representatives and examinees from the various ninja villages arrived in Konoha one after another. Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro from Sunagakure; Kurotsuchi and her two Jonin partners disguised as "Genin" from Iwagakure; Dosu, Kin, and Zaku from Otogakure; and ninjas from other smaller villages all waited for the exams to officially begin, each with their own goals and ambitions.
As they gathered information in Konoha about their opponents in the exams, a low rumble suddenly came from the sky. Everyone looked up at once to see the Heavenly Screen light up again, a massive countdown slowly ticking toward zero.
"The Heavenly Screen again!" someone exclaimed.
"What will it show this time?"
"Will it be a battle even more intense than the ones before?"
Everyone buzzed with discussion, their hearts full of curiosity and unease. Gaara looked up at the Heavenly Screen, his brow furrowing slightly. Temari and Kankuro also stopped in their tracks, their eyes fixed on the sky.
The instant the countdown reached zero, the Heavenly Screen flared brightly, and a new video began to play.
Several lines of enormous text slowly appeared, as though carved into the sky.
[TOP 7: AB Combo vs. Minato Namikaze]
[The rankings are in no particular order and only indicate sequence.]
[Yellow Flash Minato Namikaze: A ninja must overcome himself! There are things I would stake my life to protect!]
[Lightning Brothers A and Killer B: I carry a lot on my shoulders too, and I'll never fail! Fool, bastard, let's put on a concert.]
"AB Combo? Who are they?"
"Minato Namikaze... could that be Konoha's Yellow Flash?"
"No way! Is it going to show the Fourth Hokage fighting this time?"
Everyone broke into discussion, their voices full of shock and anticipation. The name Minato Namikaze was known throughout the Shinobi World. He was Konoha's Fourth Hokage, hailed as the "Yellow Flash" and a legend in the hearts of countless ninjas. The name "AB Combo," however, was unfamiliar to many.
"AB Combo... could that mean those two from Kumogakure?"
"If I remember correctly, Kumogakure's 'AB Combo' refers to the Fourth Raikage A and his brother, Killer B. They're the strongest team in Kumogakure, and their strength is unfathomable."
With the appearance of the name "Minato Namikaze" on the Heavenly Screen, it was as if an invisible force had enveloped all of Konoha, and time seemed to stop at that moment. Older ninjas, younger ninjas, and even ordinary villagers all stopped what they were doing and looked up at the sky. That name carried the memories and admiration of too many people.
Minato Namikaze, Konoha's Fourth Hokage, was the man hailed as the "Yellow Flash." He had once been the brightest light in Konoha, a reassuring presence on the battlefield and in the village alike. His speed was unmatched, and his wisdom and kindness had earned the admiration of countless people. He was Konoha's hero, a role model for countless ninjas, and the father Naruto had never truly known.
Konoha's ninjas were lost in memories. The older ones remembered the days they had fought alongside Minato, his unparalleled Flying Thunder God Technique, and the heroic figure who had turned the tide of battle single-handedly. The younger generation had grown up hearing stories about Minato, and his name had long since become legend. The villagers, especially those who had lived through the Nine-Tails' Attack, were filled with even more complicated feelings. They remembered the hero who had sacrificed himself to protect the village, and they also remembered the child they had misunderstood and shunned—Naruto.
Naruto stood in the crowd, looking up at his father's name on the Heavenly Screen, emotions beyond words churning inside him. Ever since he had first learned from a video on the Heavenly Screen that he was the Fourth Hokage's son, his life had changed completely. The child the villagers had once treated coldly and called a "demon fox" had now become the center of everyone's attention. The villagers' attitude toward him had changed drastically, their former indifference and rejection replaced by guilt and efforts to make amends. They had begun approaching Naruto of their own accord, trying in all sorts of ways to make up for how they had treated him over the years.
Naruto, however, had not lost himself because of it. He knew full well that the sudden attention and kindness were not because of who he was, but because of his father's glory. Rather than feeling proud or complacent, he became even more determined to pursue his goal. He wanted to become Hokage not to earn others' recognition, but to protect the village and the people he cherished. He wanted to prove that he was not just Minato Namikaze's son, but also Naruto Uzumaki, a ninja capable of standing on his own.
Naruto clenched his fists and looked resolutely at the Heavenly Screen. He knew that although his father's glory was dazzling, it was not all there was to him. He would walk his own path and pursue his dream in his own way. He believed that only through his own efforts could he truly earn the villagers' recognition, inherit his father's will, and become the Hokage who could protect Konoha.
The clamor around him gradually faded, leaving only one voice in Naruto's heart: I'll become Hokage, surpass my father, and protect this village!
At that moment, Naruto was no longer the child who had been shunned, nor was he merely the boy receiving attention because of his father's glory. He was a ninja with unwavering convictions, a dreamer who kept moving forward in pursuit of his dream. Minato Namikaze's light was dazzling, but Naruto believed that one day he would shine with a light of his own.
The child who had once been overlooked had now grown into a dependable ninja. Perhaps Minato Namikaze's will had already taken root in Naruto's heart and would one day blossom anew.
On the Heavenly Screen...
The images shifted through intense scenes from the great war of the Shinobi World. Flashes of steel and clashing Ninjutsu stretched out, as though time itself had slowed. Every frame was fraught with tension and pressure. Ninjas crossed paths amid smoke and dust, blood mingling with sweat, the brutality of war laid bare before everyone's eyes.
Suddenly, the scene shifted to a deep, shadowy forest. The trees were tall and densely packed, their interwoven branches and leaves blocking out almost all the light. The scent of damp earth filled the air, and the occasional caw of a crow broke the forest's silence from afar. Yet the silence was not peaceful, but suffocatingly oppressive, as though the entire forest were waiting for something.
Dark clouds hung low, almost brushing the treetops. Lightning periodically split their heavy depths, illuminating a corner of the forest before plunging it into even deeper darkness. Thunder rumbled, as though heaven and earth were roaring, heralding an unavoidable clash. The wind grew fierce, whipping up fallen leaves and dust until it was impossible to keep one's eyes open.
Konoha's ninjas stood in the forest, their figures looking especially resolute in the flashes of lightning, though their eyes betrayed deep apprehension. They gripped their Kunai and Shuriken tightly or held their hands in seals, every movement exceedingly cautious. They knew that the enemies before them were no ordinary ninjas, but an elite force from Kumogakure, especially the brothers whose names struck fear into all who heard them—A and Killer B.
A, the future Fourth Raikage, was powerfully built, his muscles bulging, powerful waves of chakra radiating from his body. He was incredibly fast and astonishingly strong, hailed as "the pinnacle of Lightning Release." His brother Killer B, meanwhile, was the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki, possessing nearly limitless chakra and the immense power of a Tailed Beast. Standing side by side, they were like two impassable mountains, their presence suffocating.
"This feeling... it's like death itself is closing in," a Konoha ninja murmured, his voice tinged with barely concealed fear. His hand trembled slightly, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead. His companions said nothing, but their expressions were just as grim, their eyes fixed ahead as though awaiting fate's judgment.
Tension filled the air, like a taut string ready to snap at any moment. Suddenly, A moved, so fast he was almost impossible to follow with the naked eye, leaving only an afterimage. A dazzling bolt of lightning tore through the air immediately afterward, bearing down on Konoha's forces.
"Here he comes!" a Konoha Jonin shouted, quickly forming hand seals in an attempt to block the deadly attack. But the Raikage's speed and strength were far beyond their expectations. The lightning pierced their defenses in an instant, sending several ninjas flying and crashing heavily to the ground.
The battle erupted in full. Konoha's ninjas quickly scattered, trying to use the forest terrain to maneuver against the enemy. But Kumogakure's ninjas were just as well trained, coordinating seamlessly and attacking fiercely, giving Konoha no chance to catch its breath.
Killer B joined the fight as well, his body enveloped in Tailed Beast chakra. The Eight-Tails' tentacles lashed through the air, each attack carrying devastating power. Konoha's ninjas resisted with all their might, but their defenses gradually crumbled before such overwhelming strength.
Konoha's ninjas knew they had been driven into a desperate situation. The brothers' immense strength and the seamless coordination of Kumogakure's elites left them almost no opening. Every attack was easily deflected, every defense mercilessly shattered. The air reeked of blood and scorched earth, and every inch of the forest floor seemed to wail as it bore witness to the brutal battle.
Even so, Konoha's ninjas still refused to give up. Determination continued to shine in their eyes, and their hands remained tightly clenched around their weapons, as though silently declaring that even in the face of the Shinigami, they would never retreat. This was their conviction, everything they fought for.
"Hold on! We can't fall here!" a Jonin shouted. Although his arm had been burned by Lightning Release and blood dripped from his fingertips, his voice remained firm. His companions nodded. Though their stamina was nearly exhausted and they had little chakra left, they gritted their teeth and prepared to face the next attack.
Just then, A flashed forward again, his fist wreathed in raging Lightning Release chakra as he closed in on a Konoha ninja who no longer had the strength to dodge. The ninja closed his eyes, seemingly resigned to his fate. But at that critical moment—
"Whoosh!"
A streak of golden light cut through the air, and with a sharp metallic clash, a Kunai appeared out of nowhere and precisely deflected A's fist. The Konoha ninja's eyes flew open to see a tall figure standing in front of him. Golden hair fluttered in the wind, and blue eyes shone with calm resolve. It was Konoha's "Yellow Flash"—Minato Namikaze.
"Sorry I'm late," Minato said, his voice calm and gentle, yet carrying a reassuring strength. His arrival was like a ray of dawn, instantly dispelling the despair in the Konoha ninjas' hearts.
"Lord Minato!" the rescued ninja cried, his voice brimming with barely concealed joy and respect. The other Konoha ninjas also rallied, as though they had found their anchor again.
Minato wasted no words. His gaze swept over the battlefield, and his hands quickly formed seals. The next moment, he darted across the battlefield like a phantom, moving too fast to follow. Each time he flashed into view, a Kumogakure ninja was driven back before he could even react. His Flying Thunder God Technique had reached a transcendent level, making him seem both everywhere and nowhere to be found.
A frowned deeply. He clearly had not expected Minato to appear at this moment. He clenched his fists as Lightning Release chakra gathered around them again, trying to lock onto Minato. But Minato was far faster than he had anticipated, and every attack missed.
"So this is the Yellow Flash's strength..." A murmured, a trace of gravity flashing in his eyes. He knew the man before him was no ordinary opponent, but someone capable of changing the course of the battle.
"Konoha ninjas, fall back!" Minato's voice rang out again, carrying unquestionable authority. Konoha's ninjas swiftly obeyed, retreating to a safe area. They knew the battle to come was no longer one they could intervene in.
Minato stood alone in the middle of the battlefield, facing the Raikage brothers and Kumogakure's elites. He looked especially solitary, yet utterly imposing. In his hand was a specially made Kunai engraved with the Flying Thunder God formula, glimmering faintly.
"From here on, I'll be your opponent," Minato said evenly, his voice carrying a trace of unquestionable confidence.