Rookies Pecking at Each Other

"Begin."

Teacher Takashima looked at Minato and Kushina standing on opposite sides and spoke softly, then stepped outside the ring.

Minato and Kushina both extended their right hands, pressing their index and middle fingers together in the Sign of Confrontation.

"Hah!"

The moment the salute ended, Kushina let out a cold shout and pounced like a ferocious tiger, her pink fist mercilessly aimed at Minato's handsome face.

"Jeez!"

Katsuki stood outside the field, clicking his tongue as he watched. Once his sister got fired up, she really did not care at all about the fact that she was a girl.

"Nice spirit, but you're a little slow."

Minato slid his feet and lowered his waist, as slippery as a loach. He tilted his head aside to evade Kushina's punch, then drove his right shoulder upward, slamming directly into her elbow. With a soft cry of pain from Kushina, her right arm immediately went numb and weak, temporarily useless.

However, Kushina was extremely competitive. Enduring the numbness in her right arm, she bent and raised her right knee, driving it straight at Minato's face.

"Ah... Going for the face? That's vicious!" Katsuki could barely stand to watch. Was his sister jealous because Minato was too handsome? Why did she keep aiming for his face?

Minato remained utterly calm. His reactions were incredibly fast. Crossing both arms in front of him, he took Kushina's knee strike head-on, then seized the chance to sweep her legs. Completely unprepared, Kushina landed on the ground flat on her butt.

The fight ended in an instant!

"You okay? Your arm might stay numb for a while, but it'll recover soon." Minato smiled and extended a hand toward Kushina, who sat on the ground with her eyes wide, staring blankly into space.

Looking at Minato's smiling face, Kushina's brows sank. She gave a cold snort, ignored his hand, and got to her feet on her own.

"All right, all right. Don't dwell on winning or losing. If you lost this time, work hard and win next time. Do the Sign of Reconciliation!" Teacher Takashima walked over with a broad smile. Minato was getting stronger and stronger, and as his teacher, he felt honored too.

Watching the two perform the Sign of Reconciliation in the middle of the field, Katsuki began loosening up his arms and legs. It was his turn next.

But Minato really was impressive. Katsuki and Kushina had sparred plenty of times, so he knew his sister's strength well. He had guessed she might lose, but he had never expected her to lose so quickly.

"His speed has gotten faster again." The black-haired boy stared solemnly at Minato, seemingly talking to himself. "That guy Minato has terrifyingly fast reflexes. In close combat, if he catches even the slightest opening, you'll face an assault like a raging storm—fast and ruthless."

"I see!"

Katsuki rubbed his chin, replaying that brief exchange in his mind. Kushina had charged too recklessly from the start, opening her stance too wide and exposing a gap. Then Minato had rammed her once and tripped her once, easily bringing her down. It really was just as the black-haired boy had said.

"Our turn." The black-haired boy strode onto the field. The smiling Minato and fuming Kushina had already stepped down.

Standing in the center of the field, Katsuki looked at the black-haired boy opposite him. The more he looked at him face-to-face, the more familiar he seemed...

"Ah! You're the guy from the corridor earlier. Thanks for showing me the way."

Katsuki slapped his forehead, finally remembering who this person was. No wonder he had seemed so familiar.

"..."

The black-haired boy's face darkened, every corner of his eyes and brows filled with "killing intent." He felt utterly depressed. What kind of person was this? It had taken him this long to recognize him. Was he really that forgettable?

"Uzumaki Katsuki. Please go easy on me." Katsuki smiled as he formed the Sign of Confrontation.

"Uchiha Otoha."

The black-haired boy replied coldly, his face sour and deeply displeased. He performed the salute impatiently, determined to teach this guy a proper lesson.

Clone Technique.

In the blink of an eye, Uchiha Otoha completed the hand seals. Two identical figures charged at Katsuki from the left and right, their expressions and movements exactly the same.

"That trick won't fool me."

Katsuki bent low, lowering his center of gravity. He clenched both hands into fists as though gripping great spears, the muscles beneath his clothes bulging sharply. He punched at the Uchiha Otoha on the left, completely ignoring the fist coming from the right. The instant that fist brushed Katsuki's hair, it dissolved like a phantom bubble.

Uchiha Otoha's reactions were equally excellent. He had never expected to take Katsuki down directly with such a trick.

Though he had caught him off guard, Katsuki had still pinned both his shoulders in the corridor. That was... humiliating. He had to win back his dignity with his fists.

Facing Katsuki's incoming double punch, he calmly halted his forward charge. His fists became palms, his five fingers held together like blades as he slashed diagonally toward Katsuki's wrists. The momentum truly resembled a long blade cutting down; if it struck his wrists, Katsuki definitely would not be able to move his hands for three to five days.

"Tch."

Katsuki clicked his tongue and sharply withdrew his still-uncommitted fists, avoiding Otoha's palm blades.

After that brief probing exchange, neither of them had touched so much as a hair on the other. Yet it had not been easy in the slightest. If either one had reacted even a little slower, the outcome would likely already have been decided.

He's a tough one, Katsuki thought.

As expected, he's not easy to handle, Otoha thought.

Outside the field, Minato watched the battle intently as well. Before Katsuki and Kushina had joined the class, Otoha had been the only one capable of trading moves with him during their usual sparring sessions. Now, Katsuki seemed not much weaker than Otoha. It looked like he would have someone else to spar with from now on.

Hokage's Office.

Hiruzen and a white-haired young man huddled together with their heads lowered, looking for all the world as if they were watching some kind of adult film. Well, it really was like one, except it was not an ordinary adult film. The crystal ball displayed the battle between Katsuki and Otoha.

"Jiraiya, what do you think of these little ones?" Hiruzen asked his disciple with a smile.

"Tch, just rookies pecking at each other. That's all." Jiraiya curled his lip disdainfully, but quickly added, "Only that blond brat is somewhat interesting. He moves with effortless precision, so he's at least worth watching."

"Haha, you idiot, you sure know how to talk. You weren't necessarily any better than these little ones back then." Hiruzen burst into laughter.

On the training field, Katsuki and Otoha were still fighting.

Compared to Minato's swiftly concluded match, their battle dragged on considerably. They kept probing each other, circling and striking before retreating again and again. Neither relied on raw strength to clash head-on; this was a contest of technique and speed.

"Your reactions are quick enough. Are you part rabbit?" Katsuki gritted his teeth. Otoha was noticeably slower than him, but his reflexes were outstanding. He always managed to block Katsuki's attacks and take the chance to attempt a counterattack.

"You flatter me. After fighting Minato so many times, I don't dare be slow! One step too slow and I'll lose. But you—your speed is terrifying. Even compared to Minato, you're no less impressive."

Otoha focused his mind. Even while speaking, his hands did not hesitate in the slightest.