Qingshui is Captured

Namikaze Minato, summoned by the Heavenly Dao and called upon by name, wore a complicated expression. He did not recognize the Uchiha Kō below, but he was all too familiar with the version of himself down there.

For his younger self to go so far for Uchiha Kō, it could only mean one thing: Uchiha Kō was a good man.

And he, Qingshui [Young Minato], was a good man too! It was a little too—

He wanted to tell the Heavenly Dao that he did not want to go, but its eyes were fixed tightly on him, leaving him no chance to refuse.

With no other choice, Qingshui said, "Yes!"

Then he stepped through the portal and arrived on the battlefield. Just as he was about to move, he brushed past his Nine-Tails-transformed self.

Both of them stopped at once. Namikaze Minato looked at Qingshui in silence for a while before speaking. "I didn't expect you to take part in this war."

Qingshui scratched his head. "Ahem, neither did I. But I had no choice—the people up there forced me. If you don't come, you're as good as dead."

He pointed toward the sky, his face full of bitter helplessness and embarrassment.

Honestly, he really did not want to come, but the Heavenly Dao had pressed him too hard, leaving him unable to refuse.

Namikaze Minato understood and nodded. "In that case... shall we fight?"

Qingshui shook his head. "Hurry up and capture me. I know I can't beat you, and I know myself well enough—I would never do anything that harms the shinobi world or the world itself."

Namikaze Minato smiled. "Sure. But... we still need to put on a show and fight a little."

Qingshui considered it, then nodded. "Fine. Then let's compete in Flying Thunder God."

Namikaze