Minato Namikaze's Surprise

Hyuga Kazuya and Kakashi exchanged a glance and nodded lightly.

Kakashi immediately drew the short sword at his waist and used the Hatake Style Swordsmanship he was most proficient in.

"Hatake Style Swordsmanship—Iaido."

His entire aura changed, and crackling Purple Lightning wrapped around his short sword.

He charged toward Minato Namikaze in the distance like lightning.

Minato Namikaze watched Kakashi today and saw that he was completely different from when he had used the Hatake Style Swordsmanship yesterday.

If Kakashi's strength yesterday had only been around that of an average Chunin, then after getting sufficient rest, he now counted as one of the stronger Chunin.

Even Hyuga Kazuya, standing to the side, looked at Kakashi differently today.

"Sure enough, every genius is not to be underestimated when they are in good condition."

Kakashi was already about to reach Minato Namikaze, yet Minato's expression and posture had not shifted in the slightest.

Is he looking down on me? I'm the son of Konoha's White Fang.

Though Kakashi felt a surge of humiliation, it did not discourage him. It only made his attacks sharper.

Reaching Minato Namikaze, Kakashi immediately swung his sword at Minato's left arm.

The blade reflected the dazzling sunlight and carried bursts of Breaking Wind Sound. Just as it was about to strike Minato's left arm—

Minato Namikaze merely turned his body slightly and easily dodged the attack.

Seeing that his strike had missed and had been so easily avoided by Minato Namikaze—

Kakashi changed his downward slash into a sweep, swinging horizontally at Minato Namikaze's waist in an attempt to catch him off guard.

Minato Namikaze, whose body had already returned to its original position, merely shifted his waist backward.

Kakashi's blade passed only a few centimeters from Minato Namikaze's waist, yet Minato easily avoided it.

That gap of a few centimeters was like an uncrossable chasm, signifying the enormous difference in their strength.

Seeing his attack fail in the same manner once more—

Kakashi grew even more irritated. He stepped forward with his right foot, lunged ahead, and slashed again.

But Minato Namikaze merely exerted force through his legs, and his entire body instantly flew several meters away.

He widened the distance between himself and Kakashi.

Compared to Minato Namikaze, Kakashi's strength was worlds apart.

Or rather, for a ninja like Minato Namikaze who excelled in speed, any ninja slower than him would be utterly crushed. Being even slightly weaker meant they could not fight back before him at all.

After Minato Namikaze widened the distance between himself and Kakashi, he was just about to say something when he suddenly sensed someone rushing rapidly toward him from behind with a Breaking Wind Sound.

"Is that Kazuya?"

Minato Namikaze glanced out of the corner of his eye at Hyuga Kazuya in the distance, who had drawn a bow.

"No, either the one behind me or the one in the distance is a clone."

At this moment, Minato Namikaze had Kakashi in front of him, Hyuga Kazuya behind him, and a bow aimed at him from afar. In a sense, he had already been driven into a desperate situation.

But that only applied to ordinary ninja. It did not apply to Minato Namikaze.

Minato Namikaze formed a hand seal and instantly activated the Flying Thunder God Technique.

In a flash, he disappeared from before Kakashi and Kazuya.

He reappeared before a large tree twenty meters away from them.

"Not bad."

Minato Namikaze was about to praise their coordinated attack.

Just then, a warning from deep within his soul frantically sent signals to his mind: danger, danger, danger.

Though Minato Namikaze did not know what was happening, he still followed his instincts and immediately used the Flying Thunder God Technique to move away from that location once again.

Minato Namikaze appeared in another location and was just about to turn around to look at where he had used the Flying Thunder God Technique moments earlier.

Then he saw a Blue Light instantly pierce through the large tree behind the spot where he had just been standing.

Looking at the Blue Light that had pierced through two trees in succession, Minato Namikaze could not help but break out in a cold sweat.

If he had been hit by that attack just now, he would have lost at least half his life.

Seeing such a terrifying attack, Minato Namikaze immediately called a halt to the spar. He had only wanted to test their strength, not dance on the edge of a blade.

"Stop, stop." Just as Minato Namikaze called for them to stop, he suddenly saw the longbow in Hyuga Kazuya's hands aimed at him. Alarm bells blared in his mind, but he did not shift away again because he had already seen Hyuga Kazuya lowering his bowstring.

So the attack just now had been launched by Hyuga Kazuya.

What terrifying power.

And that Breaking Wind Sound from behind him earlier—had it been a Shadow Clone hidden in the forest beforehand?

With Minato Namikaze's experience, he had naturally kept his attention on Hyuga Kazuya from the moment he appeared.

Yet he had not seen Hyuga Kazuya form a single hand seal. He had only been trying to aim at him with his bow.

It seemed Kazuya had said too much yesterday, allowing him to know in advance what he would do today and make preparations ahead of time.

What a clever young man.

Seeing that Minato Namikaze had called a halt himself, Hyuga Kazuya slowly lowered the bow that he had already aimed at Minato Namikaze again.

"You two are very impressive. If an ordinary Jonin fell into your trap, they would probably die without a trace."

"But were you trying to kill me just now, Kazuya-kun?"

With lingering fear in his expression, Minato Namikaze questioned Hyuga Kazuya and pointed at the bow in his hands.

"How could I? I trusted that Teacher Minato would dodge it. Teacher Minato has mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique—what attack could you possibly fail to avoid?"

Hyuga Kazuya did not hide anything and instead asked sincerely.

Hearing Kazuya say that, Minato Namikaze was left speechless for a moment.

Could he say that he had indeed nearly failed to dodge it? He had only immediately used the Flying Thunder God Technique to leave that position because of his instincts.

Just as Minato Namikaze was trying to come up with an explanation, Hyuga Kazuya in the distance continued.

"Teacher Minato, my arrow only had piercing power just now. In other words, even if it hit you, it would only leave a hole in your body. You wouldn't die immediately. I deliberately avoided shooting at anything vital."

Hearing Hyuga Kazuya's explanation, Minato Namikaze was rendered speechless again.

What do you mean, only leave a hole?

Still, he had indeed been too overconfident just now.

Had he changed after learning the Flying Thunder God Technique? Perhaps he had. It seemed he would have to be more careful in the future.

Although today's result had not been particularly pleasant, the goal of the day had been achieved.

Hyuga Kazuya and Hatake Kakashi's strength greatly satisfied Minato Namikaze.

"The two of you are very strong."

"I have good news for you. In three days, I'll take you on a mission."

"One more thing. Tonight, our team will meet at Akimichi BBQ Restaurant. Your teacher is treating you to barbecue."

Hearing Minato Namikaze's words, Hyuga Kazuya nodded to show that he would be there.

He then looked at Kakashi beside him. Kakashi was still staring blankly at the spot where Hyuga Kazuya had attacked Minato Namikaze.

"That was incredible. A powerful person like Senior Kazuya was actually unknown before this, and he even stayed at the Ninja Academy for the full six years before taking the graduation exam."

Hyuga Kazuya walked up to Kakashi and waved both hands in front of his eyes.

"Stop staring blankly. Teacher Minato asked whether you're coming for barbecue tonight."

Seeing that it was Senior Kazuya, Kakashi immediately nodded subconsciously.

After seeing Kakashi agree, Minato Namikaze smiled gently at them from afar and said apologetically, "Then it's settled. I have something to do, so I'll be leaving first."

"Oh, right, Kazuya. You're older than Kakashi, so guide him more in his training when you have time."

Without even thinking about it, Hyuga Kazuya nodded in agreement. "Alright, Teacher Minato."

Minato Namikaze then left the Sixth Training Ground.

Hearing Minato Namikaze ask Hyuga Kazuya to guide him, Kakashi did not feel uncomfortable at all.

After all, he had just witnessed Hyuga Kazuya's strength with his own eyes.

"Senior Kazuya, when did you use the Clone Technique?" Kakashi did not yet have much combat experience, so he asked in confusion.

"I arranged it beforehand. After all, I learned yesterday that there was a high chance we would be tested today, and I also knew where today's test would take place. Of course I had to make some preparations in advance." As Hyuga Kazuya answered Kakashi, his hand unconsciously rested on Kakashi's white hair.

This was the head of the future Sixth Hokage.

"Intelligence is the most important thing for a ninja." Kakashi gained a deeper understanding of those words.

"Senior Kazuya, what do we do next?"

Hyuga Kazuya looked Kakashi over and said thoughtfully, "For Taijutsu-type ninja like us, Taijutsu is the foundation. Everything else is an extension built upon it."

The two then began exchanging insights on Taijutsu. Thanks to Hyuga Kazuya's memories from his previous life and his current life in the Hyuga Clan, a clan of Taijutsu practitioners, his understanding of Taijutsu greatly improved Kakashi.

Likewise, because Kakashi had received his father Hatake Sakumo's wholehearted instruction, he effectively possessed the Taijutsu insights of Konoha's White Fang, Hatake Sakumo, which also gave Hyuga Kazuya many gains.