Toyotomi Yinglang's cold, cruel words that cut straight to the heart were like a basin of bloody water mixed with shards of ice, leaving Naruto Uzumaki utterly distraught. They also shook Minato Namikaze, who was listening from hiding, so badly that he almost lost control of his chakra fluctuations.
But Minato was still Minato, the future Yellow Flash. After a brief moment of wavering, his sense of duty to protect his comrades and uncover the truth instantly overwhelmed the turmoil within him.
He could tell that the mysterious youth who called himself "Toyotomi" possessed unfathomable strength and harbored immense hostility toward Konoha. Naruto and the others were in terrible condition. They absolutely could not stay any longer!
Just as Toyotomi Yinglang finished speaking, in the instant before his figure fully faded-
Whoosh!
A golden flash tore through the twilight without warning, moving faster than the eye could follow, and suddenly appeared beside Naruto! It was Minato Namikaze! He placed one hand on Naruto's shoulder before the boy had fully reacted, while his other hand already held several specially made kunai. His eagle-sharp gaze locked onto Toyotomi Yinglang's fading figure.
"Flying Thunder God Technique!"
Space rippled slightly as Minato prepared to teleport away with Naruto!
He had no intention of fighting head-on. His only goal was to rescue Naruto and leave this trouble spot immediately!
However-
"Not a bad reaction. Unfortunately, you're too weak."
The icy voice seemed to sound right beside Minato's ear! The figure that should have been fading ahead appeared like a phantom directly in front of Minato and Naruto, barely three meters away!
It was no afterimage, but his actual body, as though he had been waiting there all along!
Movement accelerated by [Instant] was so fast that he could even catch and intercept the startup of