The Powerful Hyuga Kazuya

The two men in the Training Ground were both among the very best of the shinobi.

Before Hyuga Kazuya even drew near, they had already sensed someone approaching.

Their gazes simultaneously fell upon the spot where Hyuga Kazuya appeared.

Seeing that it was Hyuga Kazuya, Minato Namikaze smiled and introduced him to Jiraiya.

"Jiraiya-sama, this is Hyuga Kazuya, my disciple."

"Oh, so you're Kazuya. Hello, I'm Jiraiya. Just call me Jiraiya."

Jiraiya was naturally forthright. Even so, he still paid some attention to his image in front of the younger generation.

Hyuga Kazuya walked up to the two of them, but before he could speak—

Minato Namikaze asked first, "Kazuya, what is it?"

Jiraiya also looked over curiously.

"Teacher Minato, Jiraiya-sama."

"It's like this, Teacher Minato. I want to take missions on my own."

Without even thinking, Minato Namikaze refused.

"Kazuya, village rules state that Genin cannot accept missions alone."

"But my current growth in strength requires combat. My combat experience is far too lacking, and Teacher Minato, you know my strength as well."

Considering Hyuga Kazuya's words and recalling his strength, Minato Namikaze did not know what to say for a moment. The village rules were set that way, and there was nothing he could do.

Clearly, both Minato Namikaze and Hyuga Kazuya knew that the missions they were discussing were not the simple C-rank or D-rank missions ordinarily carried out by Genin.

They meant B-rank missions or higher, missions that truly required killing.

"Oh? Kazuya is that strong? Has he reached the level of a Chunin?"

Hearing the conversation between master and disciple, Jiraiya was greatly intrigued.

"Jiraiya-sama, Kazuya's strength should be no weaker than that of an ordinary Jonin."

There was an unmistakable trace of pride in Minato Namikaze's voice as he said this.

"Oh? Is that so?"

After hearing Minato Namikaze's introduction, Jiraiya became even more curious about Hyuga Kazuya. Rolling up his sleeves, he said, "Kazuya, how about we spar?"

Hyuga Kazuya hesitated slightly. After all, the man before him was Jiraiya, one of the Konoha Sannin.

However, Hyuga Kazuya was not hesitating over whether he should accept the invitation. He was hesitating over how much strength he should reveal.

Although Hyuga Kazuya did not believe he could defeat Jiraiya, neither did he think he would lose quickly. Besides, this was only a spar.

As Hyuga Kazuya hesitated, Jiraiya spoke.

"If you perform well, I'll find a way to let you take missions on your own."

Jiraiya patted his chest, wearing an expression that said, Leave this to me. Don't worry.

"Then all right. But I hope Jiraiya-sama will go easy on me. Also, I'm a Taijutsu shinobi."

"I know, I know. Aren't all members of the Hyuga Clan Taijutsu shinobi?"

Jiraiya said this indifferently.

"Minato, you oversee this."

"Of course, Jiraiya-sama." Minato Namikaze agreed to Jiraiya's request, then said to Hyuga Kazuya, "Kazuya, do you still have the kunai I gave you last time?"

Hyuga Kazuya took out the kunai from his ninja tool pouch, its surface engraved with the words "Sword of Shinobi's Love."

"I have it, Teacher Minato."

Minato Namikaze nodded. "Good. If there's any danger, I'll get you out in time."

"Don't worry, Minato. I'll hold back. It'll be fine."

Minato Namikaze merely smiled at Jiraiya without explaining anything.

Leaving the Flying Thunder God Technique formula on Hyuga Kazuya was simply a precaution.

Besides, Minato Namikaze knew Hyuga Kazuya's strength. During the Land of Artisans mission, he had already been no weaker than an ordinary Jonin. How much stronger was he now?

After obtaining the jutsu from the Scroll of Seals that Hokage-sama had rewarded him with, along with the Bloodline Reversion Hyuga Kazuya himself had mentioned—

Minato Namikaze had tremendous confidence in Hyuga Kazuya's strength.

He was only worried that if Teacher Jiraiya underestimated him and grew careless, he might suffer badly.

However, Minato Namikaze did not warn Jiraiya. He did not believe Hyuga Kazuya could defeat Jiraiya either. At most, he could gain a certain advantage early on while Jiraiya was being careless.

"Then, Jiraiya-sama, let's begin."

After speaking, Hyuga Kazuya turned and retreated.

Once the two had backed away several meters, they both formed the Seal of Confrontation.

"Kazuya, here we go."

At the start, Jiraiya even kindly reminded Hyuga Kazuya.

As for Hyuga Kazuya, after forming the Seal of Confrontation—

"Lightning Style Chakra Mode, activate!"

"First Gate of the Eight Gates, open!"

"Second Gate, open!"

The three shouts were soft, yet the chakra fluctuations around Hyuga Kazuya grew increasingly violent.

With each soft shout, azure chakra burned around Hyuga Kazuya like flames.

With every shout, the burning chakra flames surged higher.

Strands of lightning coiled around Hyuga Kazuya, colliding, bursting apart, regenerating, and splitting again.

An invisible pressure spread through the nearby Training Grounds as Hyuga Kazuya activated Lightning Style Chakra Mode and the Eight Gates.

It was so oppressive that it made people unable to breathe, as though they were being suppressed on the level of Life Level.

Feeling this pressure, unlike anything he had ever felt from anyone before, Minato Namikaze muttered.

"Is this the suppressive force of Bloodline Reversion?"

Apparently, Minato Namikaze did not know why, and attributed the pressure to the effects of Bloodline Reversion.

But perhaps he was right.

"What is this? Such an intense presence?"

Jiraiya also froze slightly as he felt a pressure that seemed to rise from the depths of his soul.

He had originally thought this was just an ordinary teenager and merely wanted to test the boy's strength.

Who would have thought this boy was actually so powerful?

And this inexplicable pressure was truly unexpected.

Jiraiya had experienced countless great battles and life-or-death fights over the decades, but someone who could bring him this kind of "strange" pressure—

This was the first.

"Is it some kind of ninjutsu?" Jiraiya speculated.

But the current situation gave Jiraiya no time to think about such irrelevant matters.

"Jiraiya-sama, be careful. This is also my first time fighting in this mode, so please be careful."

After saying that, Hyuga Kazuya clasped his hands in salute, then threw a straight punch!

It shot directly toward Jiraiya.

It was a simple straight punch, without any additional effects.

A tremendous wind pressure and a violent impact.

Rumble!

A shockwave faster than sound plowed a deep trench through the ground.

It charged straight toward Jiraiya.

"What?"

Jiraiya was greatly startled.

"Such terrifying Taijutsu power!"

Years of combat experience made him instinctively unleash a ninjutsu to block it. He quickly formed hand seals and pressed both hands against the hard ground.

"Earth Release: Earth Style Wall!"

Jiraiya's immense chakra instantly coursed through the pathways in his body and released the jutsu.

A massive slab of earth roughly ten meters long and five meters thick rose from the ground, standing firmly before Jiraiya.

It blocked Hyuga Kazuya's attack.

An Earth Style Wall released by someone as powerful as Jiraiya was naturally far sturdier than one used by an ordinary shinobi.

BOOM!!!!

The enormous impact instantly resounded throughout the entire Back Mountain Training Ground.

Everyone currently in the Back Mountain Training Ground involuntarily turned their eyes toward the source of the sound.

They were all surprised, wondering what had happened.

Watching the two exchange only a single move and already create such terrifying force, Minato Namikaze could not help clicking his tongue.

With his keen mind, he suddenly realized that such an intense clash would surely create further loud noises and draw unnecessary attention.

Thus, Minato Namikaze immediately used the Flying Thunder God Technique. With several flashes, he appeared successively at the four corners of the Training Ground.

With every flash, a complex Sealing Jutsu pattern appeared on the ground.

After flashing several times in succession, Minato Namikaze steadied himself and rapidly formed hand seals.

"Barrier Seal, rise!"

An invisible barrier enveloped the Training Ground at that very moment.