"Plop!"
The sound of the last enemy hitting the ground echoed through the silent forest. The yellow light that had been flickering and weaving across the battlefield began to fade, revealing Minato Namikaze. His kunai, specially crafted and marked, gleamed faintly, with droplets of blood dripping from its edge and splattering onto the dirt below.
The rhythmic sound of blood hitting the ground pulled Aburame Shibi out of his deep shock. From his perch on a tree trunk, he adjusted his sunglasses, removed them, and rubbed his eyes. The strain of the last few minutes was evident in his movements.
When his vision finally cleared, he placed his sunglasses back on and glanced at Minato. His lips moved as if to speak, but no words came out. He couldn't find the right words to express what he had just witnessed.
Without saying a word, Minato began collecting the forehead protectors of the fallen Iwagakure ninjas. He worked efficiently, his demeanor calm despite the carnage surrounding him. Once he was done, he turned to Shibi, placed a hand on his shoulder, and vanished once more.
Frontal Battlefield
"Boom!" "Boom!"
What had once been a serene plain had been transformed into a chaotic battlefield littered with jagged rocks and craters. Explosions echoed across the area, and debris flew in all directions as combatants clashed.
In the heart of the battlefield, no one dared approach the epicenter where Jiraiya and Kōdo were locked in battle. The intensity of their fight created a zone of destruction that even the bravest ninja avoided.
"Earth Release: Rock Fist!" Kōdo bellowed, his hands forming rapid seals. His entire arm transformed into solid rock, swelling to the size of a boulder before he lunged at Jiraiya.
Jiraiya, ever vigilant, pushed off with his feet, narrowly dodging the massive strike. The ground where Kōdo's fist landed erupted, leaving behind a crater several meters wide, with cracks spiderwebbing outward.
Jiraiya's evasion gave him only a moment of respite. His sharp eyes widened as Kōdo reappeared in front of him, emerging from the ground with startling speed.
"Earth Release: Hiding Like a Mole Technique!"
Instead of using the technique to burrow underground as most would, Kōdo utilized it to propel himself forward with alarming velocity. Jiraiya had no time to dodge. Kōdo's rock-encrusted arm swung toward his chest with devastating force.
Reacting instinctively, Jiraiya thrust his hand forward, palm glowing with swirling azure chakra. "Rasengan!" he shouted, the small sphere of concentrated energy spinning violently.
Kōdo's eyes widened in recognition. "That's—!"
Before he could finish his thought, Jiraiya's Rasengan met his rock fist with a thunderous crack. The collision sent shockwaves rippling through the battlefield.
Tiny cracks began forming along Kōdo's rock-encased arm, spreading outward as the Rasengan's energy drilled deeper. With a final burst of power, the rocks shattered, forcing Kōdo to stagger backward.
Kōdo steadied himself, his arm trembling slightly as he surveyed the damage. "Is this... Minato Namikaze's Rasengan?" he muttered, a mixture of shock and admiration in his voice.
Minato's reputation as the creator of the Rasengan was well-known across the ninja world. His innovative technique had been carefully documented by rival nations, with detailed reports circulating among their ranks. Kōdo, like many others, had been briefed on Minato's capabilities. Yet knowing about the Rasengan and experiencing its power firsthand were two entirely different things.
Jiraiya, still holding his Rasengan, gave a wry smile. "Yeah, Minato's Rasengan. I should thank him for it. Without this technique, that last exchange might not have ended so well for me."
He recalled the day Minato first demonstrated the Rasengan to him, the pride shining in his young student's eyes. Minato had not only mastered the technique but also shared its intricacies with Jiraiya, who had spent over a year perfecting it himself. Even now, Jiraiya marveled at Minato's genius.
Minato, a prodigy who created this at eleven years old… And here I am, still struggling with his techniques, Jiraiya thought. He couldn't help but feel humbled by his student's brilliance.
Kōdo, however, had little time to dwell on his awe. Attempting to form seals for his next jutsu, he realized his arm refused to cooperate. His chakra flow stuttered, rendering him unable to perform even basic techniques.
"What's happening?" Kōdo gasped, staring at his unresponsive limb. The internal damage caused by the Rasengan had disrupted his chakra pathways, albeit temporarily.
Jiraiya smirked knowingly. "That's the real power of the Rasengan. It's not just external damage—it tears you up from the inside."
Despite his temporary disadvantage, Kōdo's resilience was evident. Jiraiya, however, was not willing to give him a chance to recover. Chakra swirled around his hand once more, this time expanding rapidly. "Odama Rasengan!" he shouted, the sphere now the size of a human head.
The battlefield trembled as Jiraiya charged at Kōdo. His objective was clear: neutralize Kōdo and shift the tide of the battle in Konoha's favor.
Meanwhile, in a forest near the border of the Land of Grass, Minato and Shibi continued their relentless pursuit of the scattered Iwagakure forces. The Yellow Flash of Minato's teleportation technique illuminated the dense foliage as he moved from one target to the next with unerring precision.
"Two hundred and seventy-three," Minato murmured, sealing away the forehead protector of his latest victim. He wasn't boasting; the number was a grim tally, a measure of how many enemies he had eliminated so far.
Beside him, Shibi Aburame observed in silent admiration. For all his experience and skill, Shibi had never witnessed anything like Minato's efficiency. The battlefield seemed to bend to his will, each encounter ending before it truly began.
"There are about 500 more," Minato said, his tone calm but urgent. "We need to move quickly."
Shibi nodded, his resolve hardening. For the first time in his career, he felt the weight of being a burden. Minato's speed and precision left no room for error, and Shibi was determined to support him to the best of his ability.
Raising his hand, Shibi performed a complex seal. From beneath his skin, a small black insect emerged, no larger than a fingernail. The mother insect twitched, pointing in a specific direction.
"I've located the next group," Shibi said, sweat beading on his brow from the strain of long-distance sensing.
Minato followed the insect's direction, his sharp gaze fixed ahead. Placing a hand on Shibi's shoulder, he said, "Let's go."
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