Showing Off

"That was... Minato's Spiral Flash... whatchamacallit!?"

In the stands, Choza Akimichi was utterly stunned!

Minato had not returned to Konoha for two months and had been active on the front lines. During a support mission, Choza had been fortunate enough to witness Minato's hand-signless ninjutsu.

Its power when combined with the Flying Thunder God was one thing, but it was the technique's name that Choza remembered so vividly.

Yet he had never imagined that brat would use it now—and with both hands plus two clones at once!

If Choza was this shocked, then Minato was even more so.

"You... have already mastered it to this extent??" Minato suddenly felt that the little guy before him seemed unfamiliar.

How long had it been? Just over two months, it seemed!

He had merely told those two children the direction of their training and the basic principles of the Rasengan. Altogether, he had probably said fewer than ten sentences.

It was not that he had meant to brush them off, but he had planned to teach them in greater detail later.

But who would have thought that they had not only learned it, but had learned it several times over!

Still, Minato's basic qualities as a ninja were solid. Shocked as he was, he once again assumed a combat stance in the face of the three Hidekis' attack.

Bang—Minato drove a knee into one Hideki's body, making him instantly curl up like a shrimp. A puff of white smoke rose immediately afterward.

Understanding flashed through Minato's eyes. That had to be a clone. Based on his impression of that child, the real body could not possibly be found so easily.

But just as Minato prepared to pull back his leg and counterattack, his brow furrowed slightly. This clone's feel... was not quite right?

"Got you, bastard!"

From within the smoke, Obito appeared, gritting his teeth as he clung tightly to Minato!

That was not a clone. It was a Transformation Technique!

Hideki was fake, the Rasengan was fake, but Obito was real, and so was the attack!

Obito used every ounce of strength he had, clamping onto Minato's leg so tightly that he seemed ready to use his teeth too.

That fierce determination affected the people on the field to some extent. The way they looked at Obito changed, and even Fugaku's eyes flashed repeatedly with surprise.

What a... unique Uchiha!

And the three boys' assault was not over yet.

After Obito, the remaining two Hidekis charged forward as well, but one of them voluntarily dispelled his Transformation Technique. It was Kakashi.

Kakashi held a short blade in his hand, clearly intending to engage in close combat. But when he saw Obito stuck to Minato, a trace of helplessness flashed through his eyes.

You were supposed to hold him down, not hug him, idiot...

Left with no choice, Kakashi bit down on the short blade and began forming hand seals with both hands.

Then, just as he was about to reach Minato, he abruptly stopped and pressed both hands against the ground.

"Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld!"

It was a ninjutsu gifted by Orochimaru, and the result of Kakashi's training after an entire month of intense grinding!

Hideki, following behind Kakashi, cursed inwardly. "That sneaky bastard. He clearly said he would only learn Lightning Release, but he learned Earth Release too!"

But it had to be said that Kakashi's timing in choosing this technique was excellent.

The earth beneath Minato's feet had turned into soft mud. With Obito clinging to him like a stubborn leech, Minato might not have been completely immobilized, but it would definitely be difficult for him to dodge at this distance!

"Excuse my poor showing! Double-Yellow Rasengan!"

Two Rasengan struck Minato directly!

"Uh... what?"

The others in the stands did not understand what was happening, but Choza was completely dumbfounded. He knew the power of Minato's technique. Could anyone still be okay after taking it head-on?

These little brats were way too terrifying!

But soon, Minato's body turned into a wooden log amid white smoke, and Choza finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Minato had already flashed more than twenty meters away from the two of them. With his flowing bangs no longer covering his eyes, the shock in his gaze was plain to see.

Confirmed. That was the Rasengan!

It was not disguised with ninjutsu. Even the substitution log had nearly been reduced to splinters. How could it not be the Rasengan!?

"Are you okay, Obito!"

After his strike missed, Hideki immediately looked toward Obito. They had been too close just now, and he was not sure whether he had accidentally hurt him.

"Hiss—" Obito sucked in a breath and staggered a few steps, seeming to be in bad shape.

"Oh no!" Hideki looked extremely anxious. Without another word, he supported Obito, green light flashing from his hands. Medical ninja Hideki had entered the field!

Kakashi paused as well and hurried over.

This scene left everyone below the field staring blankly. The spectator stands quickly fell much quieter.

Part of it was concern, but more of it was because of the Mystical Palm Technique Hideki had revealed.

Who would have expected this graduating squad to come equipped with a medical ninja?

Hokage Building.

Hiruzen Sarutobi nearly tore out several strands of his beard as he stared fixedly at the crystal ball, unsure whether he was panicked or stunned.

Shimura Danzō beside him was also deep in thought.

"You bastards, what are you standing around for? Go save them!" Hiruzen roared. There were not many people who knew the Rasengan's true power, but the Professor of Ninjutsu was definitely one of them!

Yet in the image, aside from Minato, not a single person dared step forward. Perhaps it was because doing so would interrupt the exam, or perhaps... there was another reason.

For example, Obito's identity as an Uchiha? Who knew...

However.

"Are you alright!"

Minato did not think that much about it and immediately rushed toward the three boys.

But after taking only a few steps, Minato's sharp observation suddenly caught Obito's abnormality.

Obito lay in Hideki's arms, yet his hands were moving a little suspiciously, quietly shifting about. It looked like... he was forming hand seals!?

"Huh?" Minato was a little bewildered.

Just then.

"Earth Release: Double Suicide Decapitation Technique!"

A voice rang out from beneath Minato's feet. A small hand reached straight for Minato's ankle—it was Kakashi!

"Was it chakra left behind when he used Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld just now? Or a clone hidden with a smoke bomb from the very beginning?"

At that moment, Minato understood everything.

He could see through his enemies' schemes. The man who would become Hokage in the future could not possibly be some naive fool.

But he could not understand why these little brats were so damn cunning!

Then, Obito, who had supposedly "lost consciousness," suddenly sprang up and crouched low. The hand seals in his hands had already taken shape!

"Fire Release: Great Fire Dragon Technique!"

And that was not all. Kakashi's real body had already arrived beside Hideki, and the two stood to Obito's left and right like guardian statues.

"Lightning Release: Lightning Explosion!"

"Water Release: Water Chain Bullet!"

Three ninjutsu took shape in rapid succession!

Yet Obito did not launch his technique immediately. Kakashi and Hideki's Lightning Release and Water Release had appeared, but remained where they were.

At that moment, the entire viewing area fell silent.

The battle had reversed several times in an instant. Some people had not been paying close attention at first and still had not even processed what had happened!

But Minato truly was Konoha's fastest man. Even after being struck by one move after another and walking step by step into their trap, he reacted quickly.

He violently pushed off with both legs, directly dispersing Kakashi's clone, then leaped into the air while forming hand seals. It was the Wind Release: Great Breakthrough he had used earlier!

In two months, you have all grown this much...

As long as I scatter the Fire Release, that technique of yours will be unable to activate, right?

A smile appeared on Minato's face again.

Do not forget, Minato was the man who understood the principles of Hydrogen Release.

And at that moment.

"Target position has shifted, correct trajectory! Adjust four degrees upward, one degree to the left!"

"Obito, fire!"

"Raaah!"

Obito let out a strange cry. The delayed Fire Release burst from his mouth, transforming into a fire dragon that shot straight toward Minato!

"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"

A fierce gale rose as Minato's Wind Release was completed as well. Its scale and power were greater than the one that had scattered the smoke earlier, but only to a limited degree.

Fire Release: Great Fire Dragon Technique was also in Minato's repertoire. It had been the first ninjutsu taught to him by that unreliable teacher of his.

Minato recognized Obito's technique at a glance and roughly judged the amount of Obito's chakra—he was even calculating how to avoid hurting the three little ones.

However...

Minato's good intentions were obviously unnecessary. He might as well have fed them to a dog.

When the fire dragon met the hurricane, it was not scattered immediately. Instead, it held on for a moment, and in the end even left behind scattered sparks in the air!

There were only a few, and their number was small.

But for Hideki, who had been aiming for so long... it was enough!

"Hydrogen Release: Nuclear Peace Barrage!"

One tiny balloon after another, produced by the reaction between water spheres and Lightning Release, retained the mass and speed of Water Chain Bullet as they tore through the air and flew toward the sparks in the sky!

The next second.

BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM!!!!!

The explosions echoed one after another throughout the entire arena—and throughout everyone's hearts!

Mikoto even felt as if the child in her belly had been startled and kicked her.

The crystal ball in the Hokage's Office instantly lost its image.

Bang!

Shimura Danzō, who had remained silent the entire time, suddenly slammed a hand onto the table.

"These children... my Root wants them!"