An exchange on Lightning Release

Minato Namikaze's expression turned unusually grave, and his long fingers traced an arc across the Map.

"The AB Combo is among Kumogakure's elite forces. Their speed and destructive power far surpass those of ordinary shinobi. That's why I'll be responsible for holding them off head-on."

His voice was calm, yet carried an absolute confidence that put everyone at ease.

Then he turned to Kakashi.

"Kakashi, your task is to stop their accompanying confidant, Rael. He's a Kumogakure Jonin, and Intelligence indicates that he's working on mastering Lightning Release Chakra Mode. Though it's still incomplete, his explosive power is formidable. Keep your cool and look for an opening."

Finally, Minato's gaze settled on Asami Ri, Hyuga Shin, and Uchiha Tekka.

"Your target is the other Jonin, Ran En."

When he mentioned that name, a note of caution entered Minato's voice. "According to top-secret Intelligence, this man inherited an extremely rare Kumogakure kekkei genkai: Storm Release. It combines Lightning Release and Water Release, and its attacks are so fast they're almost impossible to guard against."

"We don't yet know how far he's developed his kekkei genkai, but he's still an extremely dangerous opponent for chunin." Minato looked at the three, a glimmer of expectation in his eyes. "The Hyuga's perceptive eyes, the Uchiha's reflexes, and Asami Ri's calm judgment—I need all three of you to work together. You don't need to kill him. As long as you keep him pinned down, that's a victory."

At those words, Asami Ri recalled his first impression of Storm Release: Six Paths Madara's Sage Art: Storm Release: Light Fang...

He turned his head slightly, catching sight of Hyuga Shin unconsciously clenching his fists beside him, while Uchiha Tekka's Sharingan was already stirring with excitement.

This isn't child's play anymore, Asami Ri thought.

Against a special Jonin with a kekkei genkai, a mistake at any stage could leave all three of them as charred corpses on the ground.

"Understood?" Minato asked firmly.

"Understood!" everyone answered in unison, the atmosphere among the trees freezing solid.

"Good." Minato gave Obito and Rin one last look. "Obito, Rin, you'll provide flank security and medical support from the rear. Everyone, move stealthily into the border region of the Land of Hot Water. Move out!"

Two evenings later, thick clouds obscured the setting sun, and an oppressive sense of an approaching storm hung over the forest.

The seven of them silently reached the depths of the Dense Forest, less than ten kilometers from the Kumogakure camp.

"Everyone, rest here and remain combat-ready."

Minato Namikaze stopped, his golden hair stirring in the breeze, his eyes sharp as a hawk's. "I'll scout Kumogakure's movements and confirm the AB Combo's location. Don't reveal yourselves before I return."

Before his words had finished ringing out, he turned into a flash of light and vanished from everyone's sensory range.

Their leader's departure left the air briefly deathly still.

Hyuga Shin and Uchiha Tekka exchanged a glance, then each found an old tree to sit against. They closed their eyes and regulated their breathing, bringing themselves into peak mental condition.

Nearby, Obito was speaking animatedly to Rin Nohara in a lowered voice, seemingly trying to ease her prebattle nerves. Rin Nohara responded with a gentle but slightly worried smile.

Asami Ri's gaze settled on Kakashi Hatake a short distance away.

Kakashi wasn't resting. He sat cross-legged on a dead log, a Scroll covered in complex formulas spread across his knees.

From time to time, deep-blue arcs of electricity burst from his raised right hand like startled snakes, giving off a piercing hiss.

Kakashi stared at the flickering arcs, his brow furrowed and anxiety showing in his eyes.

After watching for a while, Asami Ri walked slowly over and sat beside him.

"If you try to forcibly compress a high-frequency current, the internal repulsion will disrupt the Chakra flow instead." Asami Ri's voice was even, but his words struck precisely at Kakashi's current problem. "Maybe you could try slowing the initial condensation, forming a stable 'point' first, then letting the Lightning Release Chakra collapse inward."

With that, Asami Ri raised his hand. A Lightning Ball no bigger than his thumb danced at his fingertip, yet it was exceptionally compact and stable.

Surprise flashed through Kakashi's dull eyes. He turned to stare at the stable Lightning Ball on Asami Ri's fingertip. "Is this... an insight you gained from that Lightning Ball technique?"

"It's fine control over Shape Transformation." Asami Ri dismissed the Lightning Ball, his tone candid. "Earlier, I tried stretching a Lightning Ball into a line and ran into resistance similar to yours."

Kakashi fell silent for a moment, then rolled up the Scroll in his hands. His tone remained cool, but became a little more earnest.

"I'm trying to develop a completely new Lightning Release technique, aiming for the ultimate piercing power. But at the final stage of Shape Transformation, the Chakra structure always collapses because the energy density gets too high."

Asami Ri nodded. Breaking things down logically was his greatest strength. "That's inevitable. Lightning is inherently explosive. Trying to give it a fixed shape is like carving ice in a raging torrent. If your original goal is 'piercing,' why not abandon spherical or flat forms and make it completely 'formless,' retaining only its 'direction of flow'?"

The two began quietly exchanging their experiences with Lightning Release.

Though Asami Ri lacked Kakashi's astonishing talent, his fundamental understanding of the logic behind Chakra flow gave Kakashi entirely new inspiration.

And Kakashi's tips on Practical Combat gave Asami Ri a clearer idea of how to develop his Lightning Release.

After an unknown stretch of time, the breeze among the trees faltered, and Minato Namikaze appeared silently in their midst like a falling leaf.

Once he had landed, a trace of surprise crossed his eyes as he glanced beneath the trees.

He saw Asami Ri sitting shoulder to shoulder with Kakashi, both occasionally gesturing with their fingertips. The atmosphere between them was surprisingly harmonious.

Minato knew Kakashi's personality well. This boy, wrapped in the reputation of a genius and his own aloof pride, rarely had meaningful exchanges with his peers.

Yet Asami Ri had managed to build a rapport with Kakashi in such a short time.

"It looks like you're getting along well. Much better than I expected." Minato spoke with a smile, but it quickly faded.

Everyone stood at once. Obito stopped fooling around as well and gathered around with a tense expression.

"The intelligence has been confirmed." Minato unfolded a newly marked sketch map, speaking rapidly. "Iwagakure has launched an all-out offensive. Ten thousand shinobi are surrounding the Third Raikage at the border of the Land of Iron. Just now, I sensed a violent chakra fluctuation inside the Kumogakure camp. Unless something unexpected has happened, the AB Combo has received the call for help."

The air grew taut, the pressure of an impending battle bearing down on them.

"Let me repeat the core of our mission: our goal is not to eliminate the enemy, but to hold them up. We must plant ourselves firmly on their route and prevent the AB Combo and their confidants from reinforcing the Third Raikage."

Minato paused. "From what I know of A, he's fierce and arrogant. Once he discovers someone blocking his way, he'll most likely order his subordinates to go ahead and provide support so the main force can reach his father as soon as possible, while he stays behind to deal with us 'obstacles.'"

"He'll try to cover their retreat or break through on his own, and that will be our chance to split them up and defeat them separately."

Minato looked at Asami Ri and the other two, his voice grave. "Once I tie down A and Killer B, Rael and Ran En will definitely stay to support A. When that happens, Kakashi will keep Rael occupied. Asami Ri, Hyuga Shin, Uchiha Tekka—the three of you must stop Ran En at any cost."

"The key to victory lies not with me, but with you. If you're defeated, A and Killer B's guards will be free to act, and the entire course of the battle will change."

Feeling his heart beat faster in his chest, Asami Ri nodded slightly. He glanced at Kakashi, then at his other four teammates.

"Understood," he answered briefly.

"Then..." Minato Namikaze looked solemnly at his subordinates.

"Move out!"