Battle, Part Seven

Hell Stab, Three-Finger Nukite!

After regaining his sight, the Third Raikage identified Minato and charged forward like a raging bull once again.

With three fingers together, it resembles a large spear, gleaming with lightning, its sharpness boundless, possessing the power to pierce through metal and stone.

Unfortunately, without the support of a wise mind, he was ultimately just a reckless bull, toyed with by Minato and forced to run around, yet unable to harm a single hair on his head. His Four Fingers Thrust gradually diminished until One-Finger Nukite, the Strongest Spear, which could only tear the snow forest to shreds, leaving crisscrossing scars on the earth.

"Hey, seriously?! These things are way too naive!"

Kisame mingled among the Impure World Reincarnation Tensei, watching them rush around in vain, their shark-like faces filled with mockery.

The previous respect for these senior figures has vanished. What remains here are not those renowned predecessors, but merely empty shells.

Only--

"Yellow Flash, how scary!"

Kisame licked his lips, his sharp teeth gleaming with a bloodthirsty light.

However, after glancing at the dazzling light a few times, he mingled among a group of reincarnated individuals, avoiding the fortress created by Minato using the Flying Thunder God Technique, and proceeded in a different direction.

He dared not go up and fight that Yellow Flash. His intuition told him that he would die at that person's hands in one move. Even Samehada had sent him a warning message.

A true ninja is one who can endure and yield, who does not act rashly out of impulse, who is ruthless and cold-blooded, and who acts based on the most rational judgment.

This is the ninja in Kisame's heart, and the creed he adheres to.

Minato didn't notice Kisame, and even if he had, he wouldn't have had the time to deal with such a minor character, because he was entangled in the situation.

The Second Hokage, the creator of the Flying Thunder God Technique, was once the Ninja World's Number One Speed.

Two beams of light clashed, weapons collided, and Minato's trident Kunai tore through the Second Hokage's arm, while a gash was also cut in the sleeve of his right arm.

"Even without the power and mind of his former self, is he still so formidable relying on instinct and immortality? As expected of the Second Hokage!!" Minato raised his left hand like a blade, the azure wind light sharp and incomparably fierce, and swung it down towards his right arm.

A piece of skin marked with a black pattern fell into the mud.

Not a drop of blood flowed from the tender, red flesh; only the outermost layer of skin was peeled off. This Wind Release Technique fully demonstrated Minato's unparalleled mastery in this art.

In terms of duration, it was actually only a fleeting moment.

In the blink of an eye, two beams of light shot into the air again, like shooting stars chasing the moon, weaving through the snow forest. Every now and then, a short, sharp clang of metal could be heard, and the Second Hokage would simultaneously lose some severed limbs.

It happened very quickly, in just seven or eight seconds.

The Second Hokage fell under an old tree in the snowy forest, losing both arms, going blind, and having his right leg severed. He could no longer use the Flying Thunder God Technique and would be unable to move until his limbs recovered.

Furthermore, under Minato's deliberate luring, they deviated from the path of the Impure World Reincarnation beings. Even the Third Raikage abandoned his pursuit of Minato and turned back towards Konoha.

Lying helplessly under the tree, the Second Hokage became a lamb to the slaughter in Minato's hands.

"Ninja method, Golden Realm Magic Seal."

A series of incredibly complex hand seals were formed, and dense black runes in Minato's right palm writhed like living things. He raised his hand and pressed it down on the Second Hokage's heart.

Just then...

Water Release, Heavenly Weeping.

The Second Hokage suddenly opened his mouth, and countless transparent, colorless water needles shot out, like rain falling from a cloudless sky. It was a sudden, unexpected, and deadly move.

Dodo dodo!

The water needle was driven into the large tree directly opposite the Second Hokage, creating a series of tiny holes in the thick, vat-like trunk, penetrating it from one side to the other.

This deadly technique is Ninjutsu that has repeatedly saved the Second Hokage from the brink of death. Before he grew into a top ninja who could command the winds and rains of the Shinobi World, he relied on this move to save his life when fighting against enemies stronger than him. At least ten members of the Uchiha Clan fell victim to this move.

Therefore, using the Heavenly Weeping technique had long become second nature to him.

"... Whew! As expected of the Second, such a move is truly terrifying!"

Minato appeared on the large tree behind the Second Hokage, standing horizontally on the straight trunk, his hand, which was covered in incantations, firmly pressed down on the Second Hokage's head.

The writhing incantations rapidly multiplied, starting from the top of the Second Hokage's head and instantly enveloping him completely. Then, a series of rattling sounds of chains rang out from nowhere, and golden chains emerged from the incantations, binding the Second Hokage upon layer, making him invisible.

As early as when they learned that Senju Zen had mastered the Impure World Reincarnation Jutsu, the Konoha leadership prepared a series of countermeasures, such as calling on Jonin to learn Fuinjutsu and drawing personnel from clans such as the Uzumaki Clan to form Sealing Team for special training.

Minato, however, did not need to do so. With Kushina as his wife, who was the elder sister of the Uzumaki Clan's patriarch, he was already thoroughly familiar with the Uzumaki Clan's Fuinjutsu. Except for special Fuinjutsu like the Adamantine Sealing Chains that required bloodlines, he had mastered all of them.

The Golden Realm Magic Seal is one of the most powerful Fuinjutsu he has mastered.

Not only is it impossible for the sealed person to break free, but it is also nearly impossible for a third person to break the seal from the outside. Even among the Uzumaki Clan, very few members throughout the generations have been able to learn this Fuinjutsu. This is because the technique is too complex and requires too much talent and comprehension. Those with simple minds cannot learn it.

However, the Uzumaki Clan has many geniuses like Kushina who rely on intuition, but very few geniuses with brains like Minato.

"The Second Hokage is finally defeated... Whew!!"

Minato breathed a sigh of relief and began to catch his breath after confirming that the seal was intact.

This fierce battle was anything but easy. The high-speed confrontation relied on the speed of reflexes. The Second Hokage lived up to his reputation as the Ninja World's Number One Speed. Dozens of cuts were left on Minato's sleeve. Fortunately, except for the first cut which was marked, the rest of the cuts were dodged by Minato before he could leave a mark.

Taking advantage of the Second Hokage's mental instability and incomplete recovery of strength, his trident Kunai was always able to cut through the Second Hokage's weapon, nearly turning the Second Hokage into a human stump instead of shaving off the flesh from his own arm.

This gave them the opportunity to use Sealing Jutsu, but even so, they were almost overturned in the end. Just thinking about that Heavenly Weeping Technique is chilling.

Fortunately, he had witnessed Nawaki use this move before and learned from Nawaki that it was one of the Second Hokage's trump cards, so he was on guard early on. In addition, his reflexes were quick enough that he was not hit.

The victory was hard-won; the seemingly simple struggle was fraught with danger at every turn.

"... Next, who should we choose?"

A flash of golden light, and it vanished into the snowy forest, leaving only a large golden sphere lying beneath a large tree. (To be continued)