An Unexpected Turn

"You see? It's just the two of them!"

After leaving school, the clone and Kushina walked down the street, chatting and laughing.

At the street corner, Kotai and the other two poked their heads out, looking around nervously, afraid they might accidentally run into Tsunade.

When they saw that only Minato and Kushina were there, the three eagerly rushed out and blocked their way.

"Hmph, I finally got my chance!"

Kotai grinned smugly. "Minato Namikaze! Let's see you act so high and mighty now!"

"You again!"

Seeing the three block their way, Kushina furrowed her brows and instinctively rolled up her sleeves, ready to fight, but the clone raised a hand to stop her.

"Leave it to me."

The clone smiled gently, without another word.

But the feeling of being protected made Kushina's cheeks turn red.

She shook her little fist. "Then do your best, Minato! Beat them up good!"

The clone stepped forward and looked calmly at the three. "So you're here to pick a fight?"

"What? Haven't we made that obvious enough?"

Tetsuo smiled maliciously. Kotai's sturdier-than-average build made him feel much safer, and he was acting very much like a fox borrowing a tiger's might.

"Well, you could say we're not exactly picking a fight..."

Shio formed the Confrontation Seal. "It's just a little friendly interaction between classmates. After all, if you keep acting so arrogant, you might provoke someone you shouldn't."

"Ah... is that so?"

The clone nodded in understanding and glanced at the bushes nearby, a peaceful smile on his face.

"I don't know how I offended you, but if you're set on fighting, please make it quick. I'm running low on chakra."

"Don't worry, we won't take up much of your time!"

As Kotai spoke, he pointed at the clone, unable to hide the glee in his voice. "Teach him a lesson!"

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—

The three spread out, then charged at the clone from three different directions.

"Kushina, move back a little."

The clone pushed Kushina aside and quickly swept his gaze over the three, feeling somewhat satisfied.

At least they had the basic discipline of ninja. They hadn't all charged straight at him at once.

That meant it would be entirely plausible if he, inexperienced at dealing with a group attack, let his guard down and left himself open.

From the right rear, Shio reached to grab Minato around the waist, but the clone seized his wrist and flung him toward Tetsuo, who was charging from the left rear.

Thud!

Their foreheads collided, and both cried out in pain.

At the same time, the clone twisted around and kicked Kotai in the face.

"Ugh..."

Kotai's head snapped to the side. The kick sent him stumbling, and he fell onto his side.

"With skills like that, you still think you can corner someone?"

Looking at the three who had been knocked down in an instant, the clone sighed. "If there's nothing else, I still have to go buy groceries..."

"Damn it, don't get too cocky!"

Kotai sprang up and punched at the clone's cheek.

The clone was about to dodge, but Shio, still on the ground, suddenly grabbed his ankle.

At the same time, Tetsuo wrapped both arms around the clone's waist and shouted with burning enthusiasm, "Got you!"

"Oh no, Minato!"

Kushina, watching from nearby, cried out and instinctively started to rush over to help.

"Kushina, don't come over!"

The clone's expression changed, and he shouted, "Stop, Kotai!"

But Kotai showed no sign of stopping. He swung his fist at the clone's face!

Seeing this, the clone cried out in alarm. "I'm a Wood Clone. If you break it..."

Thump!

The fist slammed into the clone's face, cutting him off.

Kotai grinned in triumph.

But in the next instant, there was a muffled pop, and a sharp branch pierced his lower abdomen!

Feeling something strange in his stomach, Kotai instinctively looked down. As he stared at the hole in his abdomen, his grin slowly froze.

The Minato before him gradually turned the color of wood, then transformed into a great tree. With the last of his face still remaining, he struggled to utter his final words. "I... can't control it... Run...!"

As the last trace of human-colored skin faded, the clone turned completely into a thick, sturdy tree.

Branches pierced the three of them one after another, but somehow avoided their vital spots, as if this were the clone's final effort...

"Ahhh!!!"

"It hurts!"

"Help!!"

Kotai and the others came to their senses and screamed in agony, but it was no use.

The tree before them grew rapidly, creaking as it lifted the three of them several meters into the air. The sight was horrifying!

"Oh no! We have to save them!"

A figure shot out of the bushes. Shinnosuke shouted to Kushina, who was frozen with shock.

Then he leaped into the air, drew a Kunai, and cut through the branch impaling Kotai.

Kushina snapped out of it and hurried forward. She leaped high and smashed through the branches with two punches, rescuing Tetsuo and Shio.

"They've lost so much blood!"

Kushina stared at the three on the ground in a panic. They were soaked in blood, and their limbs had shriveled to varying degrees, leaving them wrinkled and ghastly.

"What do we do now?"

"Stay here and watch them. I'll get help. The teacher's still at school."

Shinnosuke hurried back to the school to find a teacher.

Soon, Shinnosuke returned with Ikkaku Umino and several teachers. They quickly took the three to the hospital and notified their parents.

"Doctor, how are they?"

After administering first aid, Ikkaku Umino asked anxiously.

"They're not in any danger of dying, but..."

The doctor hesitated. "They're students from the school, right?"

"Yes."

Ikkaku Umino nodded.

"Although their lives aren't in danger, a large number of their cells have died, and their bodies have shriveled to varying degrees. I've never seen injuries like these before."

The doctor shook his head. "This is a severe case of life-force depletion. It'll take at least several years for them to recover. And even if they do, I'm afraid they won't be able to become ninja."

"I see..."

Ikkaku Umino's expression turned grave. "Understood. Sorry for the trouble."

He turned and left the room. In the corridor, he looked sternly at Shinnosuke and Kushina. "Tell me what happened."

Kushina clasped her hands behind her back and watched Ikkaku Umino uneasily.

She was worried that if she told the truth, Minato might be punished.

"I'll explain."

Shinnosuke sighed. "Earlier today, Kotai and the others got into an argument with Minato... Though really, Kotai was the only one picking a fight."

Ikkaku Umino furrowed his brows. Just yesterday, he had made Kotai and the other two copy lines as punishment, and already those brats had learned nothing.

"When school let out, I saw them following Minato and Kushina, so I followed them..."

Shinnosuke recounted everything that had just happened in detail, including how the three had picked a fight with Minato, how Minato had taken them down in an instant, and how the three had grabbed hold of him as he was leaving, causing the accident.

Along with his contempt for Kotai and the others, his words also carried a hint of protectiveness toward Minato.

As Ikkaku Umino listened to Shinnosuke's account, his tightly furrowed brows eased slightly.