"You're still trying to fight me in close quarters? Too naive, Minato."
"With my Sharingan activated, your speed is nothing special anymore."
Kaien hadn't been able to keep up with Namikaze Minato's movements before. But now, with the Sharingan enhancing his perception, he was confident—there was no way he'd lose track of Minato's movements again.
Through the crimson lenses of his Sharingan, he could clearly see chakra gathering in Minato's legs—a clear sign he was about to use the Body Flicker Technique.
Kaien's mind raced, quickly calculating Minato's likely landing points. Unseen threads of chakra-infused wire were already scattered across the field.
Front!
There!
A gleam of cold light burst into his vision—Minato's kunai, sharp and fast, closing in like a bolt of lightning.
Kaien raised his own kunai to block. Sparks flew as metal clashed against metal.
Kaien's raw strength far outmatched Minato's.
The power behind that slender wrist sent a jolt through Minato's hand, numbing his palm.
He had no doubt—if that blow had landed, it could've shattered his ribs.
Minato used Kaien's own force to leap backward, but the chakra threads had already formed a tight web around him, cutting off his retreat. He had no choice but to flicker out again.
Since the next location wasn't safe either—why not burn everything?
Kaien, with chakra to spare, began unleashing it with reckless abandon. Forming a seal with a reverse motion, he ignited the threads he had laid across the field.
Flames erupted along the wires, the temperature around them spiking rapidly.
The burning lines began to close in, forming a blazing prison.
"There's no way you're escaping this with just the Body Flicker. What will you do now, Minato?"
Kaien's tone dripped with confidence. The Body Flicker Technique gathered chakra into the legs to enhance movement to near-teleportation speeds—but it wasn't true space-time jutsu. It couldn't bypass obstacles. Which meant... Minato was trapped.
And besides—Minato didn't know Water Release techniques.
Kaien trained with him every day. Aside from Minato himself, Kaien probably knew him best.
Lately, Minato had been focused on wind-nature transformation. There was no way he had time to practice Water Release.
So what's your move now?
A self-assured smile crept onto Kaien's lips.
...
"This technique still doesn't have a name, does it, Kaien? Want me to come up with one? I guarantee it'll be super cool!"
Unable to flicker out right away, Minato started stalling while gathering more chakra.
But of course, he didn't say the ridiculous name he had in mind—Eternal Flame Serpents of the Heaven's Cage Technique.
If he said it out loud, Kaien would probably beat him senseless on the spot.
"Absolutely not! My jutsu will never have one of your names!"
If he let Minato name this technique, it'd be so awkwardly long and embarrassing, he'd never shout it aloud during a fight again.
Kaien's focus wavered slightly, just as Minato finished forming his seals. In one breath, he gathered a massive surge of chakra.
He knew Wind Release was weak against Fire—he couldn't rely on that to break through.
In that case, he'd use Fire Release too!
Kaien's fire jutsu was based on the Ignition property.
Minato, on the other hand, chose Explosion—a volatile trait of flame that could create an opening even within a blazing trap.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball!"
The massive fireball roared to life, several times stronger than a regular Great Fireball Jutsu. With explosive chakra fueling it, it surged skyward.
The moment it touched the burning wires, a chain of crackling blasts followed. One section burst open—and Minato flickered out through the gap.
Kaien squinted through the sudden white mist and pressure wave. The explosion temporarily blinded even the Sharingan. Minato had escaped.
He clenched his jaw, realizing he'd been baited.
He was the one always tricking others—deception laced with truth, nine lies and one fact. Yet this time, Minato had turned the tables on him. The yellow-haired troublemaker had learned too much.
Time to teach him a lesson.
...
Kaien remembered how Minato always got that gleam in his eye whenever he suggested a name—and how awkward Kaien would feel afterward. He'd assumed it was because Minato thought his naming sense wasn't cool enough.
Minato, meanwhile, genuinely believed the names were awesome—so cool it hurts.
That moment of hesitation had been part of the plan all along—and it had worked perfectly.
But maybe a little too well. Kaien looked pissed now. Better tread carefully.
Minato wiped the sweat from his brow—drawing out so much chakra at once wasn't without cost.
Time to execute the next phase.
The mist-shrouded battlefield trembled. Water stirred.
From the center, something serpentine began to rise, scales shimmering through the fog. A massive jutsu was taking shape.
The moment Minato saw the outline, his stomach dropped.
That had to be a Water Dragon Bullet.
Kaien hadn't been idle while Minato escaped—he had moved swiftly, using the nearby water source and cover of steam to perform his seals.
It was a simplified version, yes—but Kaien had managed to reduce the jutsu to just nine hand signs without losing any of its destructive power.
A towering water dragon burst forth, dwarfing the spectators like ants. Minato swallowed hard.
...
Its snarling azure head looked almost alive as it glared down at Minato's small frame.
A bead of nervous sweat slid down Minato's temple.
This version was way bigger than the last one. If he used the Body Flicker again, he'd have to chain several in succession—putting extreme strain on his legs and killing his mobility.
Against a Sharingan user like Kaien, he couldn't afford that.
Thankfully, he still had the speed edge.
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"
Wind against water!
A fierce current surged from Minato's position, slicing into the dragon's mass. He watched, carefully managing his chakra reserves, looking for a crack to exploit.
Water pooled around them, the force of the wind dwindling with each second. But by the time the dragon neared him, its size had shrunk enough.
One flicker was all it took to dodge cleanly.
The remaining fire traces were doused completely.
Minato disappeared in a blur.
The earlier collisions—fire versus fire, wind versus water—had left the training field scarred beyond recognition.
Minato reappeared near Kaien, kunai reversed in his grip. The two clashed once again, locked in close combat.
But—
"This is exactly where I want you."
"Genjutsu!"
The Sharingan glinted ominously. The moment Minato locked eyes with it, the illusion took hold.
His body froze mid-motion. With so much chakra already spent, he couldn't break the genjutsu right away.
Especially not one powered by the Sharingan—it felt like massive golden spikes had nailed him in place.
He looked into Kaien's scarlet eyes and saw the mischievous glint behind them.
You're really enjoying this, huh?
Still, if he really wanted to, he could break out. Genjutsu: Release would probably do it.
He saw the sweat on Kaien's brow too. The guy had used up a ton of chakra himself—but he was grinning ear to ear now.
Minato exhaled, then smiled—part amused, part exasperated.
This was just a training exercise. No need to go all out.
"I give up. Can you dispel the genjutsu now, Kaien?"
"Of course. But this time, I'm the one doing the reconciliation gesture!"
Kaien chuckled smugly, lifting his chin, clearly satisfied with Minato's decision to surrender.
----------------
Pls Drop some Power Stones
+100 chapters and support me on Patreon(.)com/Jixo