The Battle with Minato

"Mm, his name is Minato Namikaze. He's one of the strongest students at the Ninja Academy," the principal said.

"Minato Namikaze? It's him." Qingyun was startled, then grew excited. He was about to fight the young Minato, the future Fourth Hokage. He couldn't have been happier.

"By the way, I haven't asked your name yet, young man," the principal said.

"My name is Qingyun. Principal, may I ask your name?"

"Just call me Teacher Ikkaku." The principal smiled.

Ring, ring, ring! The Ninja Academy bell rang, but none of the students left. Everyone gathered around the training field. While they were in class, they'd been told that a three-and-a-half-year-old child was challenging the Ninja Academy's soon-to-graduate prodigy, Minato Namikaze!

The students, teachers, and even some parents had all come to watch the spectacle.

A blond boy stood on the field. There was no contempt in his eyes, only caution.

"Hello!" Minato was very polite and showed no sign of looking down on Qingyun. He bowed courteously, observing proper etiquette before preparing to fight.

Seeing how polite the other boy was, Qingyun couldn't just rush in either. He returned the bow, then got ready to battle.

"Begin!" Teacher Ikkaku didn't waste time with any more words. Seeing that both of them were ready, he directly announced the start of the match.

As soon as Teacher Ikkaku called the start, Minato moved.

Although Minato hadn't yet mastered the incredible Flying Thunder God Technique, his ninjutsu and fighting style were still astonishingly fast.

Qingyun charged toward Minato, but Minato's kunai had already come flying at him.

With no other choice, Qingyun raised the kunai in his hand and knocked Minato's aside.

Minato took control of the fight, using the kunai as cover as he swung a punch at Qingyun.

But Minato was fast, and Qingyun wasn't slow either.

Qingyun had already formed the Hand Seals. "Ninja Art: Shadow Clone Technique!"

Two more Qingyuns suddenly appeared around him. The children and teachers watching were stunned.

"No way! Is this really a fight between children? He can use such a high-level technique!"

"This child really is gifted. No wonder the Third Hokage allowed him to fight Minato Namikaze!"

"Terrifying. He looks like he's not even four years old, yet he can use the Shadow Clone Technique so skillfully?"

"What?! Won't he run out of chakra?" Minato was starting to panic.

He was the strongest student at the Ninja Academy, but no one there had ever been able to use Shadow Clones before.

"Haha! This is interesting!" Minato quickly overcame his nerves, then grew excited. At last, he'd found an opponent worth fighting.

"Here he comes!" Seeing Minato distracted, Qingyun called out a warning, then charged at him alongside his Shadow Clones.

"Not so fast! Watch out!" Minato threw several kunai at Qingyun again, but this time, things weren't so simple.

Minato formed a Hand Seal and called out, "Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique!"

This technique was similar to a Kunai Shadow Clone. It used chakra to create tangible kunai that could injure an enemy. It was quite difficult, and Qingyun hadn't expected Minato to have mastered it.

Minato's talent was beyond question. Even Qingyun hadn't expected that Minato, who hadn't yet graduated from the Ninja Academy, could use such a powerful technique so skillfully.

Countless Shadow Clone kunai shot toward Qingyun. By now, nearly everyone was convinced they knew how the match would end.

"Terrifying! Minato Namikaze really is the strongest at the Ninja Academy! A genius shinobi whose talent is no less than Lord Orochimaru's!"

"He's mastered such a difficult technique at such a young age! It looks like this boy named Qingyun is going to lose."

"Ah, what a pity. But a loss is a loss. Even a Genin or Chunin might not survive a barrage of Shadow Clone shuriken unscathed!"

Hearing the crowd say all this, Qingyun couldn't help wanting to laugh.

Who am I? I'm Qingyun. I haven't even used my big moves yet!

Of course, Qingyun wasn't about to reveal all his trump cards. That would be foolish.

I've decided. I'll use this!

"Armament Haki!" Qingyun called on the power of the Pirate King world: Armament Haki.

His Armament Haki was still far from being strong enough for Armament Haki Hardening, but it was more than enough to take these kunai head-on.

Besides, Minato wasn't really trying to kill him. To everyone's astonishment, Qingyun stood firm against the barrage.

Thud! Thud! Two sounds rang out, and Qingyun's Shadow Clones disappeared first. They were only clones, and Qingyun didn't have enough chakra to sustain them, so it was only natural that they couldn't hold out.

Yet Qingyun's real body was still standing there. In fact, "standing firm" was an even better way to put it.

"What?! How is this possible?" Just as everyone thought the match had been decided, the tide turned once again.

Qingyun rushed toward the stunned Minato.

Minato swung his fist, but he was a step too late.

While Minato was dazed, Qingyun's Armament Haki-coated fist slammed into him.

With a single thud, Minato's slender body flew off like a cannonball.

"What a strong... hard fist! I lost! I accept my defeat!" With the help of the others, the fallen Minato slowly got back to his feet. Looking at Qingyun, he managed to concede with difficulty.

The result shocked everyone present, especially the principal, Teacher Ikkaku.

Worried about the boys' condition, Teacher Ikkaku immediately called for the medical team.

"Quick! Take them both to Konoha Hospital!" Ikkaku said.

Qingyun said, "Teacher Ikkaku, don't rush. What's the result? You haven't announced it yet."

"I declare Qingyun the winner of this match! As we agreed beforehand, you can now study at the Ninja Academy!" Ikkaku directed the first sentence to everyone and the second to Qingyun.

At last, Qingyun's heart, which had been in his throat, settled back down.

Qingyun wasn't satisfied with his performance in the fight. His Shadow Clones at the beginning had been nearly useless; Minato had countered them with just one move, the Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique.

Qingyun had won thanks to Armament Haki. Without his special ability, he would definitely have lost. So Qingyun carefully thought over what had happened and reviewed the fight.