Master Minato Arrived a Little Too Late

"Muteki!!!"

The Cloud Shinobi had been gone for barely ten seconds when a clear, ethereal voice rang out from the edge of the battlefield.

Uchiha Mai recognized it. He had recorded it for Master Minato himself.

"Shine like a meteor streaking across the sky—the Golden Lightning-Fast Body Flicker Technique!~

Hyper Muteki—Flying Thunder God Technique!~"

A specially made kunai flew onto the battlefield amid rousing music. The sound quality on this batch of miniature portable players from the Land of Snow really was excellent.

Deep bass, punchy mids, crisp highs. In a word, crystal clear.

Before the Konoha shinobi could react, a golden flash appeared beside the Flying Thunder God Kunai. Master Minato had finally arrived!

"I'm here to help, everyone!

Konoha Jonin Namikaze Minato is here! You no longer have to face Kumogakure alone.

Huh? Where are the Kumogakure shinobi? Why is everyone here from Konoha?"

Ready to cut loose, Master Minato looked around and discovered that everyone still standing wore a Konoha Forehead Protector. He had no one to attack.

Had Kumogakure stooped so low as to change into Konoha clothes and Forehead Protectors ahead of time?

No, that couldn't be right. Nearly everyone standing was familiar. Even if he couldn't name them, he had definitely seen them in Konoha.

Kagetora of the Hyuga Clan, Kakashi, several Uchiha... and Mai.

What was going on?

Completely baffled, Master Minato took another careful look at the battlefield and drew in a dozen sharp breaths.

The battered forest was scarred by all manner of ninjutsu. Sixty or seventy bodies lay strewn across it, the vast majority dressed in Kumogakure uniforms.

Blood had run into the stream and dyed it red. A fierce battle had clearly just taken place.

What was going on?

By his count, nearly twenty Konoha shinobi had died, compared