A Poor Showing

"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 mostly been active on the front lines. During a support mission, Choza had been fortunate enough to witness Minato's hand-signless jutsu.

Its power when combined with the Flying Thunder God was one thing, but it was that technique's name that had left a lasting impression on Choza.

Yet he had never expected that little brat to use it now—and with both hands, plus two clones!

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

"You... have already mastered it to this extent??" Minato suddenly found the little fellow before him somewhat unfamiliar.

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

He had only told those two children the direction they should train in and the basic principles of the Rasengan. Altogether, he had probably said fewer than ten sentences.

Though he had not meant to brush them off, he had planned to teach them properly in greater detail later.

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

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

Bang—Minato drove a planted knee into one Ying Shu's body, instantly bending him over like a shrimp. White smoke immediately rose up.

Understanding flashed through Minato's eyes. This had to be a clone. From what he knew of that child, the real body would not be so easy to find.

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

"Got you, bastard!"

Within the smoke, Obito gritted his teeth and appeared while tightly clutching Minato!

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

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

Obito used every ounce of his strength to cling tightly to Minato's leg, as if he wanted to use his teeth too.

That fierce determination somewhat infected the people present. The way they looked at Obito changed, and even Fugaku's eyes flickered with surprise.

What a... unconventional Uchiha!

And the three boys' attack was not over yet.

After Obito, the remaining two Ying Shus rushed forward as well. However, one of them voluntarily released the 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 clinging to Minato, a trace of helplessness flashed through his eyes.

You're supposed to hold him back, 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: Underworld Swamp!"

It was the ninjutsu Orochimaru had gifted him, and the result of Kakashi's month of relentless training!

Following behind Kakashi, Ying Shu cursed inwardly. "That schemer! He clearly said he would only learn Lightning Release, but he went and learned Earth Release too!"

But it had to be said that Kakashi had chosen the perfect moment to use this technique.

The ground beneath Minato's feet had already turned into soft mud. Combined with Obito, that human cling wrap, Minato might not have been completely immobilized, but escaping this distance would definitely be difficult!

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

Two Rasengan struck Minato directly!

"Wait, 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 be all right after taking a direct hit?

These little brats were way too terrifying!

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

Minato had already flashed more than twenty meters away from the two of them. Without his flowing bangs covering his eyes, the shock in his gaze was fully exposed.

Confirmed. That was the Rasengan!

It was not disguised with ninjutsu. The substitution log had nearly been blasted to pieces. How could it not have been the Rasengan!?

"Are you okay, Obito!"

After missing with his attack, Ying Shu immediately looked toward Obito. They had been too close just now, and he was not sure whether he had accidentally injured him.

"Hiss—" Obito sucked in a breath, staggering a few steps as if things were not looking good.

"Oh no!" Ying Shu looked extremely anxious. Without another word, he supported Obito, green light flashing from his hands. Medic-nin Ying Shu had entered the scene!

Kakashi paused as well and hurried over.

This scene left everyone below dumbstruck, and the audience suddenly fell much quieter.

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

Who would have thought that this graduating team would even have a medic-nin?

Hokage Building.

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

Beside him, Shimura Danzo was deep in thought as well.

"You bastards, what are you standing around for? Go save them!" Hiruzen roared. Few people knew the Rasengan's true power, but the Professor of Ninjutsu was certainly 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 were other reasons.

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

However.

"Are you all right!"

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

But after taking only a few steps, his keen powers of observation suddenly caught Obito's abnormality.

Obito lay in Ying Shu's arms, but his hands were moving somewhat restlessly, stealthily shifting about. It looked like... he was forming hand seals!?

"Huh?" Minato was a little dumbfounded.

Just then.

"Earth Release: Headhunter Jutsu!"

A voice rang out from beneath Minato's feet, and a small hand grabbed directly for his ankle. It was Kakashi!

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

At that moment, Minato understood everything.

He could see through an enemy's schemes and tricks. The man who would become Hokage in the future could not possibly be some naïve fool.

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

Then, Obito, who had been "unconscious," suddenly sprang up and crouched halfway down. The seals in his hands had already been formed!

"Fire Release: Great Fire Dragon Jutsu!"

It was not over yet. Kakashi's real body had already arrived beside Ying Shu. The two stood on Obito's left and right like guardian deities.

"Lightning Release: Lightning Explosion!"

"Water Release: Water Chain Bullet!"

Three ninjutsu took shape in rapid succession!

But Obito did not launch his attack immediately. Kakashi and Ying Shu's Lightning Release and Water Release appeared, yet remained where they were.

At that moment, the entire viewing area fell deathly silent.

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

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

His legs suddenly exerted force, directly dispersing Kakashi's clone. Then he shot into the air, forming seals with both hands—the Wind Release: Great Breakthrough he had used before!

In just two months, you've all grown this much...

As long as I blow away the Fire Release, that technique of yours won't be able to activate, right?

A smile appeared on Minato's face once more.

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

And then.

"Target position deviating, correct trajectory! Adjust four upward, one to the left!"

"Obito, fire!"

"Raaah!"

With a strange cry, Obito unleashed the delayed Fire Release from his mouth. It transformed into a fire dragon and charged straight toward Minato!

"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"

A wild gale rose. Minato's Wind Release was ready as well. Its scale and power were somewhat greater than when he had dispersed the smoke before, but only somewhat.

Fire Release: Great Fire Dragon Jutsu was also part of Minato's repertoire. It was the first ninjutsu his unreliable teacher had taught him.

Minato recognized Obito's technique at a glance and roughly judged Obito's chakra reserves—he was even calculating how to avoid harming the three little fellows.

However...

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

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

There were only a few, and there were not many of them.

But for Ying Shu, who had spent so long aiming... it was enough!

"Hydrogen Release: Nuclear Peace Barrage!"

One tiny balloon after another, created by the reaction between water spheres and Lightning Release, retained the mass and speed of Water Chain Bullets as they tore through the air, racing toward the sparks in midair!

The next second.

BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM!!!!!

The explosions echoed across the entire arena—and through everyone's hearts!

Mikoto even felt that the child in her belly had probably been startled and kicked her.

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

Bang!

Shimura Danzo, who had remained silent the entire time, slammed a hand down on the table.

"These children, Root wants them!"