Duel (2)

At the teacher's command, Yueshu and Minato Namikaze began weaving hand signs simultaneously. Their speeds were evenly matched, and they unleashed their ninjutsu at almost the exact same moment.

A powerful gust of wind collided with a Great Fireball, causing both to dissipate instantly, though the surrounding air temperature spiked sharply in their wake.

The lingering flames obscured their vision, but a series of sharp, whistling sounds cut through the air, scattering the fire entirely.

Watching the kunai flying toward them, Yueshu and Minato Namikaze shifted their bodies slightly, dodging every projectile with a single, fluid motion.

"Wind Style: Wind Blade."

The moment he dodged, Minato Namikaze began weaving signs again. This surprised Yueshu, though only for a fleeting second.

Minato Namikaze was clearly hiding his true strength, and it seemed he intended to reveal it all this time.

Thinking this, Yueshu gripped the hilt of the Kusanagi Sword at his waist.

"Iai Slash!"

His eyes sharpened in an instant, and Yueshu drew the Kusanagi Sword in one swift motion.

As Minato Namikaze's Wind Blade surged toward him, Yueshu's strike shattered the jutsu and continued on toward his opponent.

Minato Namikaze dropped into a deep squat, nearly pressing his entire body against the ground, and narrowly evaded the strike by a hair's breadth.

"Earth Style: Earth Mud Swamp."

Minato Namikaze's expression remained calm; he showed not a hint of panic despite having nearly been struck.

"Incredible!"

The onlookers gasped. This exchange, lasting barely ten seconds, had them exclaiming in shock.

This was no battle between Chunin or Jonin, but a spar between two children still attending the Ninja Academy. Yet, it looked as if two seasoned, long-renowned ninjas were locked in combat.

Typically, students graduating from the academy could manage the Three Basic Jutsu and basic kunai usage, and the talented ones might master a C-rank technique. But prodigies like Minato Namikaze and Yueshu were simply monstrous, especially considering they were barely eight years old and still years away from their twelve-year-old graduation.

Returning to the fray, the ground beneath Minato Namikaze—including the spot where Yueshu stood—had turned into a viscous mire, severely hindering Yueshu's mobility.

"Sorry, Yueshu."

Minato Namikaze charged forward with a kunai in hand while Yueshu remained stuck in place.

"Don't you dare lose, brat."

Tsunade's voice drifted from the sidelines. Yueshu looked at the approaching Minato Namikaze and smiled.

This duel was no small matter; not only was Tsunade watching, but Sakumo Hatake, Orochimaru, and even the Third Hokage were observing as well.

The kunai pierced Yueshu's body, but a puff of smoke erupted—Minato Namikaze had struck nothing but a log.

"A Body Replacement Jutsu?"

Minato Namikaze's eyes widened slightly before the corners of his mouth curled upward.

"Fire Style: Dragon Fire Jutsu."

Yueshu had already appeared behind Minato Namikaze.

Weaving signs, he unleashed a straight beam of fire directly from his mouth toward his opponent.

Bang!

The flames slammed into the target, engulfing Minato Namikaze completely.

The crowd gasped, unable to help but worry for Minato Namikaze amidst the fire.

Of course, this concern was limited to the civilians; the ninjas present showed no such alarm, though they watched the scene with intense focus.

In a ninja's battle, unless one personally witnessed the opponent's demise, there was always a chance they were still alive. This was true on the battlefield as well, where finishing blows were always mandatory after a fight.

The most classic example would be Obito Uchiha later on; he appeared to be beyond saving, yet who could have known he would not only survive but become the ultimate mastermind of the ninja world?

Yueshu landed on the ground, watching the spot where the flames had yet to dissipate.

"Earth Style: Headhunter Jutsu."

A sense of foreboding lingered in Yueshu's mind. The next second, a pair of hands burst from the ground where he stood.

The hands emerging from the earth grabbed Yueshu's ankles and pulled him down with a powerful jerk.

"Whoa!"

The crowd cried out. The fire Yueshu had unleashed had faded, leaving nothing behind but a hole in the ground.

"Well done."

The Third Hokage couldn't help but call out. He had long been familiar with Minato Namikaze and knew a thing or two about this civilian genius of Konoha.

It appeared the title of genius was well-deserved; such combat experience and technique were in no way inferior to those of a formal ninja.

"Sorry, Yueshu."

Minato Namikaze emerged from the ground nearby, charging toward Yueshu, who had only his head exposed.

Yueshu flashed a smile, showing not a shred of panic, which made Minato Namikaze feel a sudden sense of unease.

With a pop, Yueshu used raw strength to break the technique, launching his body straight out of the earth.

"Kotetsu!"

Yueshu gripped the Kusanagi Sword, his gaze sharpening.

As the Kusanagi Sword was drawn, Yueshu arched his back, his entire posture resembling a tiger poised to hunt.

Minato Namikaze was momentarily stunned, but he reacted quickly.

Just then, Yueshu's attack descended.

Like a streak of light, with a sharp swish, Yueshu's blade fell.

Minato Namikaze did not stand there foolishly; he gripped his kunai tightly and channeled his chakra into it.

A longer blade of light emerged from the tip of the kunai—a chakra blade.

"Come on!"

Minato Namikaze watched Yueshu closing in, showing no fear.

Ever since he learned how formidable Yueshu's swordsmanship training was, he had intensified his own kunai training, hoping to use it to counter Yueshu's masterful blade.

The next second, Yueshu's Kusanagi Sword and Minato Namikaze's kunai collided.

Clang.

A crisp sound rang out, and a gust of wind swept to the side.

The onlookers were dumbfounded. They knew these two were geniuses, but this completely exceeded their imagination. What kind of genius could reach this level at eight years old?

They had never seen it before, and it wasn't just them; even the Third Hokage admitted he had never seen such a thing. Although he had taught the current Sannin, both Yueshu and Minato Namikaze, standing before him now, surpassed Jiraiya and the others at that age.

Even the Sannin had not been this monstrous when they were eight.

While the crowd marveled, the battle between Yueshu and Minato Namikaze was far from over.

After clashing with Yueshu, Minato Namikaze found his strength and technique lacking, and he was sent flying by Yueshu's strike.

Minato Namikaze went tumbling backward, his body dragging across the ground and rolling several times.

Gritting his teeth, Minato Namikaze performed a mid-air flip, then forcibly brought his body to a halt using his hands and feet.

"Wind Style!"

Minato Namikaze had no intention of ending it here; for him, this was far from enough!

"Fire Style!"

This was the final strike.

Yueshu and Minato Namikaze both understood the other's intent and began weaving hand signs.

I will win!

It wasn't just Minato Namikaze; Yueshu shared the same thought.

The eyes of the two geniuses burned with fervor as their hands moved with incredible speed.

Almost simultaneously, both finished their signs, and their preparations for their respective ninjutsu were complete.

"Hurricane Blade."

"Dragon Flame Song Technique."

Yueshu and Minato Namikaze's shouts echoed across the arena, followed by a feast of gale-force winds and flames.

A fire dragon erupted from Yueshu's mouth, while a powerful, surging wind emanated from Minato Namikaze's side.

"This is!"

It wasn't just the Third Hokage; every ninja present watched these two geniuses in shock.

Both the Dragon Flame Song Technique and the Hurricane Blade were B-rank ninjutsu. Let alone students, even some genin might not be able to perform them, yet here were two students pulling them off.

"This victory."

"Belongs to me!"

Minato Namikaze displayed a rare, uncharacteristic passion, and Yueshu responded with equal intensity.

Neither of them were typically hot-blooded; both were usually calm and composed, but now they were both uncharacteristically fired up.

Boom!

The hurricane and the fire dragon collided, exploding instantly.

The gale spread outward, scattering flames in every direction.

The onlookers were startled, but fortunately, the ninjas watching from the sidelines acted quickly, preventing the flames from reaching the civilians.

Although the fire had nearly singed them, the civilians felt no panic; instead, they grew even more excited, spontaneously cheering for the duel.

This duel between students had them absolutely thrilled.

Dozens of eyes remained fixed on the arena, desperate to know the victor.

As the flames dissipated, a single figure stood there. There was no sign of the other; only one person remained.

"Who? Who won?"

The question was voiced aloud, echoing not just one person's curiosity, but the question on everyone's mind.

"The winner."

The teacher seemed to have already seen who was standing, calling out the name before anyone else could even make out a face.

"Himeshima Tsuki!"

As the words fell, Tsuki raised his hand toward the sky, striking the pose of a victor.

Tsuki wore a smile as Minato Namikaze knelt on one knee before him. His chakra was severely overdrawn; he had exhausted every ounce of his strength in this duel, playing every trump card he had.

Minato Namikaze offered a helpless, bitter smile before looking up at Tsuki.

What did it matter if he had used all his strength? He still couldn't defeat the man before him.

Like an undefeated general, Tsuki held his hand high, basking in the cheers and applause of those around them.

Minato Namikaze gritted his teeth, a flicker of light passing through his eyes, but the next second, his characteristic tenacity surged back.

Minato Namikaze would not admit defeat, nor would he fear failure; those who gave up simply because their opponent was strong were the worst of all.

Thinking this, Minato Namikaze pushed hard to lift his body. The duel was over, and he still had to perform the Seal of Reconciliation with Tsuki.

But Minato Namikaze had truly overexerted himself this time; after struggling for a moment, he still lacked the strength to pull himself up.

"A good duel."

Minato Namikaze froze as a hand appeared in his field of vision. Looking up, he saw his opponent, Tsuki, standing right before him.

Curving his lips, Minato Namikaze took the hand Tsuki offered.

"You too. I still couldn't beat you."

With a single pull, Tsuki effortlessly hauled Minato Namikaze to his feet.

"Next time!"

Minato Namikaze extended his hand to perform the Seal of Reconciliation with Tsuki.

"Next time, I will definitely beat you."

Their fingers hooked together, the Seal of Reconciliation held firmly between Tsuki and Minato Namikaze.

"I look forward to it."

Tsuki replied.

And just like that, the duel between Tsuki and Minato Namikaze came to a perfect end!