Back in the afternoon, during Sakumo Hatake's lesson.
"Minato, I can offer you a few pointers when it comes to understanding speed."
"Please do, Sakumo-sensei."
Namikaze Minato's request was earnest.
Lately, the pressure on him had been building. Kaien had grown stronger—almost without anyone noticing.
Especially since Kaien had already awakened the Sharingan some time ago, though he hadn't used it against Minato in any of their sparring matches until now.
But in today's combat training, Uchiha Kaien activated his Sharingan—and completely caught Minato off guard.
This was the first time Minato had witnessed the true power of the Sharingan.
Kaien's taijutsu had become sharper and more daring, his strikes unrelenting and suffocating. And then there was his precise chakra control.
Yes, chakra control.
Minato had found himself immobilized at the very beginning of their match precisely because the Kaien he'd sparred with before—without the Sharingan—had never shown such refined chakra manipulation.
He'd laced Fire Release perfectly across a web of steel wires, creating a blazing trap. Minato had been stunned by the technique.
Luckily, Minato wasn't just anyone. He quickly came up with a countermeasure and narrowly avoided being taken out in the opening round.
Had he failed, he might not have been able to look Kaien in the eye for days.
This match also made Minato painfully aware of his own shortcomings.
He wasn't fast enough.
That's right—his speed still wasn't enough.
If he were faster, he could've used the Body Flicker Technique to escape before Kaien finished weaving his "Heaven-and-Earth Cage: Infinite Blazing Serpent Flame" trap.
He had seen the wires with his eyes—but dismissed them too quickly.
Kaien's fighting style relied heavily on battlefield control from the very beginning. Using his considerable chakra reserves, he turned himself into a turret-like ninja who could dominate the fight from start to finish.
Minato used to break Kaien's techniques one by one. But this time, the Sharingan changed the game.
Realizing this, Minato resolved to double down on his greatest edge—speed.
He remembered something Jiraiya-sensei once told him: ninja born with unique bloodlines tend to unlock their advantages more fully as they grow older. The Uchiha, in particular, were exceptional in this regard.
Minato understood this now—and decided to push his own strengths as far as they could go.
"There are many ways to increase your speed," Sakumo said. "The most basic is physical training. A strong body is the foundation of everything. You understand that much, don't you, Minato?"
"Yes, Sakumo-sensei."
"When a shinobi channels chakra, they can greatly enhance their physical abilities. That's how we achieve strength far beyond ordinary humans."
Even a genin could run full speed through a forest for an hour without tiring, as long as they were using chakra. That's the true wonder of it.
"Next comes technique. A popular method is using Lightning Release to stimulate your cells. Activating them can lead to a boost in strength or speed."
"Take Kumogakure's signature Lightning Release Chakra Mode. It's only classified as a B-rank nin-taijutsu, but very few can master it to a high level."
"Most shinobi can only stimulate certain parts of the body with lightning chakra. It's extremely rare to develop full-body lightning armor like the Raikage."
"Your goal right now is to learn how to use Lightning Release to stimulate your cells—particularly the ones related to speed."
"If I remember correctly, your chakra affinity includes lightning, doesn't it, Minato?"
"Yes, Sakumo-sensei. Thank you for the guidance."
"No need to thank me. The next step is understanding chakra nature transformation on a deeper level."
"There are many types of nature transformations. Jiraiya told me you've already learned one for Fire Release?"
Sakumo's interest was piqued.
To have grasped nature transformation at such a young age—even with Jiraiya's guidance—was an incredible feat. Then again… Sakumo thought back to himself at Minato's age.
Wait, hadn't he already learned it by nine too?
Well, in that case, Minato's talent wasn't that outrageous. Just a couple of years ahead of him, that's all.
"Since you've mastered one of Jiraiya's signature fire techniques, the rest will come naturally. You've got no need to rush," Sakumo added, sensing a flicker of restlessness in Minato.
"You saw through me, huh, Sakumo-sensei?"
Minato scratched his head, a little embarrassed. He'd been feeling impatient lately—trying too hard to keep up with Kaien.
It had all started when he approached Kaien for advice on how to better train his taijutsu... and Kaien had casually handed him a C-rank ninjutsu scroll.
Minato knew even back then that the technique was valuable. But he had still underestimated just how sincere—and generous—Kaien was being.
Thinking back over the past year, he realized that many of his classmates, even those from prestigious families, were still stuck practicing basic Clone Techniques. Learning one of the five elemental releases was nowhere in sight for them.
That's why he kept pushing forward. Because Kaien was his first real friend. His only close companion. The one who brought warmth into his life.
And Kaien had a illness. Minato had made up his mind—he would learn medical ninjutsu. Maybe Kaien would never need it. But he still wanted to do something for his friend.
Now understanding the source of his impatience, Minato's face lit up with a smile like the sun.
"You've made peace with it, haven't you?"
Sakumo noticed the shift in Minato's expression right away.
"Thank you, Sakumo-sensei."
Minato bowed again, deeply sincere. He now realized that Sakumo's strength wasn't just in battle—but in wisdom as well. His respect for him grew even stronger.
"Alright then," Sakumo said with a small nod. "Let's continue. I'll show you how to use Lightning Release to boost the explosive power in your legs..."
...
That evening, after a full day of training, Minato lay in bed with a content sigh.
His blue eyes stared at the ceiling, unmoving. He reached toward his bedside and picked up a small wooden figure that looked just like him.
It was a carving Kaien had made for him—by hand—for his birthday.
That bond... had already become something he couldn't let go of.
After a short rest, Minato got up to prepare dinner.
It was mundane. Repetitive. But once your heart held something—someone—to dream of, the everyday moments became meaningful.
The title of Hokage... how far off was it, really?
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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