Kakashi's Sharingan spun. He spotted the specially made kunai embedded in the ground at some unknown point, and realization struck him.
"Flying Thunder God Technique!"
At that moment, all three boys present held their breath, their eyes wide.
The legendary Flying Thunder God Technique was what had earned the Fourth Hokage his formidable reputation. The instant he activated it, his figure became impossible to track. Only his fluttering golden hair remained visible.
That was why he was known as Konoha's Yellow Flash.
And at that moment, a golden light flashed across everyone's vision.
That golden light traced a twisting arc, reaching River's back at an incredible speed and closing in against him.
Minato Namikaze's Hokage robes fluttered as he thrust the Rasengan in his hand down without hesitation.
He was normally gentle, treating everyone with kindness, but in battle, he became a ruthless killing machine of unparalleled precision.
Bang!
River, standing in the courtyard, dissolved into a cloud of white mist.
Everyone froze. Minato stood there too, his pupils contracting.
"It was a shadow clone!"
Kakashi spoke in a low voice.
Disbelief filled his eyes. Even through his Sharingan, River had only become a shadow clone at the very last instant.
Then when, exactly, had he dodged?
A voice tinged with laughter rang out the next second.
"Multiple Shadow Clone Technique!"
Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang!
One puff of white mist erupted after another, filling the entire courtyard in an instant. Smiling Rivers appeared everywhere-on the roof, in the trees, on the ground, on the pond's surface, and on the walls.
In the blink of an eye, Minato Namikaze found himself surrounded.
"This technique takes an enormous amount of chakra to use, little brother!"
Minato Namikaze's eyes grew serious as he spoke in a low voice.
"Big brother, once you've