Expectations from Orochimaru

The people in the conference room dispersed.

Inside the Third Training Ground, Minato's battle was also drawing to a close.

He could not expose his elemental form or his Sharingan, and creating the Rasengan at the age of five was already shocking enough; furthermore, he had no formal jutsu for his Wood Release. He had already showcased just about everything he could.

"Hmm... without releasing lasers, I don't really have any better offensive means. I'll use this move to wrap up the fight."

Minato extended his right hand, and light gathered in his palm. In the blink of an eye, a magnificent Light Sword appeared in his grasp!

"What kind of move is that again..."

Nawaki's expression went blank, his mouth agape.

To be honest, when Minato had just defeated him, he felt a little bit of resentment in his heart.

Later, after witnessing the battle between Minato and Jiraiya and realizing that the other party was indeed stronger than him, he felt a bit jealous of Minato's talent.

After that, when Minato displayed Light Release, his heart calmed down; after all, Kekkei Genkai were not things one could force, and the gap between them was simply too vast.

But when Minato unleashed Wood Release and revealed he possessed dual Kekkei Genkai, he couldn't muster a shred of jealousy anymore. Simply put, he was numb...

Watching the Light Sword in Minato's hand, Jiraiya became interested: "Oh? It can actually condense into a weapon? I just wonder how its durability holds up."

"This move... I should probably use it on Orochimaru-senpai."

Minato swung the long sword in his hand, pointing the tip toward Orochimaru.

Orochimaru chuckled upon hearing this: "Oh? Does this mean that in Minato-kun's eyes, my strength is more reliable than Jiraiya's?"

"Nani? Minato, is that really what you think?"

Jiraiya suddenly felt as if he had been betrayed, his eyes filled with shock and disbelief.

I've been sparring with you for half the day, nearly getting wiped out by you, and you think Orochimaru is more reliable than me?

"They... they're both very reliable, haha..."

Minato gave an awkward smile, not knowing what to say.

He just felt that Orochimaru's survival instincts were stronger than Jiraiya's...

Looking at the entire Naruto series, there might be debates about who had the greatest strength, but when it came to who had the best survival skills, Orochimaru was undoubtedly the undisputed champion!

"A Light Sword, is it?"

Tsunade stroked her chin, observing the blade in Minato's hand with great interest: "If we're talking about swordsmanship, it is indeed Orochimaru's specialty."

"Tsunade, even you..."

"Get lost! Don't be noisy!"

"Understood."

Jiraiya immediately fell silent.

Under their expectant gazes, Minato held the Light Sword, his figure suddenly flashing as he appeared before Orochimaru, slashing toward his waist!

Here it comes!

Orochimaru shunshined backward, putting two steps of distance between them. Just as he drew a kunai to counterattack, he saw Minato's movement suddenly pause, the tip of the sword pointing at his lower abdomen.

"This is... oh no!"

Noticing Minato's unnatural movement, Orochimaru twisted his waist violently.

And at the very moment he dodged the direction the sword tip was pointing, the light at the tip suddenly flared, growing a long blade of light out of thin air, scorching a patch of black onto the side of Orochimaru's chunin vest!

"As expected..."

Jiraiya shook his head with a laugh and clapped his hands: "Despicable, truly despicable!"

"You jerk! How can you say that to a child?"

Tsunade slammed her fist onto Jiraiya's head, sending him stumbling.

On the other side, seeing that Minato didn't continue his attack, Orochimaru quietly breathed a sigh of relief. Looking at the ten-meter-long blade of light in the boy's hand, he felt speechless, not knowing whether to be angry or amused.

"Minato-kun has a very high battle IQ."

Low EQ: Despicable!

High EQ: Very high battle IQ.

"Haha..."

Hearing this, Minato gave an embarrassed smile.

"Hmph, at the end of the day, isn't it just that you two lack experience?"

Tsunade pulled Minato to her side and ruffled his soft, yellow hair: "Since it's a Light Sword, isn't it perfectly reasonable for it to extend?"

"That makes sense. I was bound by common sense."

Orochimaru chuckled, not at all angry: "Minato-kun, could you show me the durability of your Light Sword?"

Minato nodded, took out a kunai, and clashed it against the Light Sword.

The moment the two collided, the edge of the kunai turned fiery red, and within a few short seconds, it was melted through by the intense heat contained within the Light Sword!

"Subarashii..." A flicker of excitement flashed through Orochimaru's eyes.

"Hoo..."

As the kunai snapped, Minato dissipated the Light Sword and let out a sigh of relief.

Maintaining the Light Sword consumed stamina continuously, far more than a laser, and with his current small frame, he couldn't keep it up for very long.

"Alright, let's call it a day."

Tsunade looked at Minato with a beaming smile: "You performed well, I'm very satisfied! To celebrate, we're going for barbecue today, and it's my treat!"

"Oh!!"

Hearing that they were going for barbecue, Nawaki immediately grew excited.

Minato's eyes also lit up; it had been a while since he'd had barbecue, and thinking about it made him quite hungry.

"Wait a minute, wasn't this meal supposed to be on you anyway?"

Jiraiya rubbed the large bump on his head and muttered under his breath.

He and Orochimaru had originally come here for this very meal.

"I only said I'd treat you to barbecue, I never said which day."

Tsunade scoffed, waving her hand as if shooing away a fly: "Isn't treating you in half a year the same thing?"

"Then you'd have to pay interest, wouldn't you..."

"Huh? Do you have an opinion?"

"No, no, no... Hahaha, oh my, isn't eating barbecue such a wonderful thing~"

Jiraiya laughed it off, and the group chatted and joked all the way to the barbecue restaurant.

Minato and Nawaki sat on either side of Tsunade, while Jiraiya and Orochimaru sat opposite them.

Soon, several plates of meat were brought out, and as the fresh slices hit the grill, they sizzled, releasing a savory aroma that made everyone's mouth water.

"Itadakimasu!"

As soon as the first piece of meat was cooked, Nawaki and Jiraiya impatiently reached out with their chopsticks.

They dipped the meat in sauce, blew on it twice, and shoved it into their mouths, only to hiss and gasp as it burned them; their comical expressions made Tsunade chuckle.

Minato watched the scene quietly, a faint smile on his lips.

Suddenly, a piece of grilled meat was placed onto his plate. Minato turned to look at Tsunade beside him, and she offered a gentle smile: "What are you thinking about?"

Minato shook his head: "Nothing, it's just been a long time since things were this lively around me."

"I see..."

A soft, fair hand gently rested on Minato's head, and Tsunade's gaze softened: "It will always be like this from now on."

Minato nodded, revealing a smile.

That smile was as sunny and gentle as before, yet Tsunade keenly sensed something different about it.

It was more real, and even more tender...

"Oh my..."

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow and grinned.

Orochimaru wore a faint smile, his expression lacking its usual cold sharpness and carrying a touch of softness instead.

Ever since he first met Minato, he had felt as if he were looking at his former self.

Handsome, outstanding, and possessing an elusive heart like a flower in a mirror or the moon in the water.

But looking at him now, while the two were similar, they were not the same.

Minato not only possessed even more outstanding talent, but in certain aspects, he seemed to have qualities entirely different from his own.

This only made him more curious about Minato's future, and filled with anticipation...