The contrast-the astonishing Minato! A different kind of Hiroki, showing off and loving it! (5,000-word chapter, first update)

Konoha's Training Ground No. 7.

The rain had passed, and the air was filled with the earthy smell of freshly turned soil.

Hiroki wasn't training here, but Jiraiya's student, Namikaze Minato, was.

Tsunade wanted to see what Hiroki was capable of, but she couldn't bring herself to fight a child who'd only just turned ten. So she looked to Jiraiya and asked him to bring along his student, so they could compare the two.

Orochimaru naturally had no objections.

Orochimaru and Tsunade followed Jiraiya to the training ground. Besides the three of them, Tsunade's younger brother, Nawaki, walked in with his head bowed.

Nawaki hadn't really wanted to come. He would much rather have focused on his training.

But Tsunade had dragged him here, claiming it would be good for him to spend time with children his own age.

"Phew—Jiraiya-sensei, you're back from taking care of things?"

Minato stood in the middle of the training ground, gently steadying his slightly hurried breathing.

His bright blond hair seemed to glow in the sunlight, and his face wore his trademark gentle, humble smile.

He casually slipped the specially made kunai back into his weapons pouch, his movements smooth and fluid, without the slightest unnecessary tremor.

All around the training ground, dozens of wooden posts had been set up as targets. Every one of them had been cleanly sliced in half, the cuts as smooth as if they'd been made by the sharpest blade of wind.

"Yep, I'm back! This great sage has returned~! So, how was it? Fun? Did you have a good time~?"

"Yeah, it was fun." Minato smiled faintly, tilted his head, and nodded like an adult humoring a child.

Jiraiya didn't seem to mind. Instead, he asked, "How's your Chakra Nature Transformation practice coming along?"

"I've basically got it