"Ah, it was me." Shin replied calmly, without the slightest fluctuation in his tone, as though he were stating something utterly ordinary.
Yet Minato instinctively took a step back. Cold sweat seeped uncontrollably down his back. He did not doubt Shin's words—there was no reason to. His instincts told him the other man was right. He had never felt this kind of unfathomable presence from anyone else in his life. In other words, if he were not Uchiha Shin, then with his strength, there would have been no need to impersonate him.
"So you really are the true mastermind behind it all. No wonder that masked man knew everything about Konoha so well—it was you who told him." Minato spoke in a low voice, his gaze fixed gravely on Shin's every movement as he searched for a flaw.
He did not know just how strong his opponent was. The legend of the Three Gods was far too distant; descriptions of their strength had become nearly mythological, and it was difficult to determine how much of it could be trusted. But Minato understood one thing: this man was strong—stronger than anyone he had ever encountered. If he wanted to win, he could only hope to launch a surprise attack with the Flying Thunder God Technique.
"The mastermind behind it all? Is that what you think?" Shin murmured, then chuckled and shook his head. "Fine. Think whatever you like. To begin with, I never intended to interfere in this matter. But since you noticed me, I suppose I've become involved after all. What do you intend to do?"
Minato did not answer. His eyes narrowed gradually as countless thoughts flashed through his mind. *No, there are no openings. He doesn't have a Flying Thunder God mark on him either. Using kunai to