"Hmph. Let's see your skills in battle."
Minato's face flushed—alternating between red and pale—with barely contained fury. His expression was so convincingly pained that it almost seemed real.
"I wonder how your strength compares to Kawaki Hatake's."
Nagato quickly scanned the battlefield. Spreading both arms wide, he summoned two black rods from beneath his wide sleeves in an instant.
"Watch out—they're no ordinary black rods!"
Rōshi shouted a warning—he had learned this the hard way.
"Noisy."
Nagato shot him a cold glare before sending both rods flying straight toward Rōshi's face.
"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"
Kitsuchi shielded Rōshi with an earth wall just in time. As the earth barrier and black rods shattered into scattered pieces, Nagato had already vanished from sight.
"He's above!"
The instant Minato looked up, Nagato was already diving straight toward him, the two black rods rapidly growing larger in his eyes.
Kitsuchi's earth wall seemed as if unintentionally giving Nagato the perfect opening to strike.
"Don't block it directly!" Rōshi shouted while rushing forward to assist, while Kitsuchi began forming hand seals again to support Minato.
"I can evade him easily," Minato said with a calm smile before vanishing in a blur.
"So fast," gasped Kitsuchi and Rōshi, their eyes widening. They couldn't even track Minato's movement.
If Minato were their enemy instead of an ally, would they even stand a chance against that speed?
Before they could find an answer, Rōshi realized Nagato was already right in front of him.
Just a few inches more, and his fist would crash violently into that loathsome face.
Unfortunately, such an opportunity wouldn't be allowed by Nagato.
[Shinra Tensei]!
With a massive repelling force bursting forth, Rōshi was blown away like a sudden gust—fast in arrival and faster in retreat.
Kitsuchi's Earth Release technique was directly destroyed without any effect.
[Big Ball Rasengan]!
Hardly had Nagato completed his move when Minato reappeared at the same spot with his [Big Ball Rasengan].
The chakra sphere, bigger than half a man, was thrust straight toward Nagato's head.
"Not bad timing," came Nagato's deep voice as one of his hands pressed onto the opposite end of the Rasengan.
Once again, chakra absorption activated.
Minato failed once more. After the [Big Ball Rasengan] disappeared, he traded blows with Nagato before retreating swiftly using the Flying Thunder God Technique.
"Fast runner too."
Nagato didn't pursue. He knew he stood no chance in a race.
Though he couldn't use the Flying Thunder God Technique itself, he knew it all too well.
"It's hard to land a hit on him with normal jutsu," Rōshi muttered as he brushed dust off himself and climbed out of a crater. Clearly, he hadn't suffered any serious injuries.
"Obviously."
"Give me some time," Minato said suddenly, forming hand seals as if preparing to unleash a secret technique.
"Sure thing."
Rōshi nodded instantly and transformed into [Lava Release Chakra Mode] the next second.
Blazing magma surrounded him, radiating a powerful chakra aura that drew the eyes of countless shinobi across the battlefield.
"Don't you have anything new to bring out?" Nagato scoffed contemptuously—he'd crushed this loser before, and nothing had changed.
"Cut the chatter!" Rōshi roared angrily as painful memories surged back. Without hesitation, he charged forward.
[Earth Release: Rock Fist]!
"Looks like you're hesitating?"
"Then I won't hold back."
Kitsuchi covered his right arm with dense rock, increasing both its hardness and weight. This was one of the powerful techniques passed down by his father, Ōnoki.
The two once again took positions on either side of Nagato, but under the intimidation of [Shinra Tensei], neither dared to approach directly.
For now, the battle had settled into yet another deadlock.
"How about this? Not daring to make a move?"
Nagato saw through their hesitation and immediately launched toward Kitsuchi.
Compared between the two, Kitsuchi seemed easier to handle.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The black rod scraped against the rocky fist, sending sparks flying while producing sharp metallic sounds.
Kitsuchi's speed wasn't an advantage at all, and he began to falter under Nagato's assault.
Crack!
The tip of the black rod shattered the rocky armor around Kitsuchi's right fist.
A cruel smirk curled Nagato's lips as he thrust another black rod straight toward Kitsuchi's heart.
If this landed solidly, unless Kitsuchi's heart happened to be on the right side, there would be no surviving the strike.
"You dare!"
Rōshi could wait no longer, searching for an opening.
Although he didn't get along well with Ōnoki, even he couldn't bear watching his son die helplessly before his eyes.
A fist larger than a cooking pot, engulfed in flames, rushed toward Nagato—he had no time to aim.
"Lucky you."
It wouldn't have been fatal, but Nagato refused to be injured at all.
Under current circumstances, they weren't yet desperate enough to trade blows for lives.
He swiftly dodged Rōshi's punch, leaving Kitsuchi panting heavily on the spot, still trembling from the brush with death.
Never before had he felt death so near.
"Are you alright?"
Rōshi quickly glanced at Kitsuchi before locking his gaze firmly on Nagato again.
There was no way he would allow Kitsuchi to face Nagato alone anymore.
"I'm fine, thanks," Kitsuchi replied gratefully after barely surviving.
"Next time won't be so lucky."
Fighting two wasn't daunting to Nagato; if anything, he welcomed it.
With Rōshi joining the fight, Kitsuchi's burden lightened considerably, allowing him to counterattack occasionally.
However, he failed to notice how Rōshi's molten chakra had begun to fade, while Nagato's chakra seemed inexhaustible—as if limitless.
After being pushed back again, Rōshi could no longer maintain his Lava Release chakra mode and reverted to his original form.
His face had gone deathly pale—a clear sign of severe chakra depletion.
"My chakra has been drained away."
Bending forward slightly, Rōshi seemed on the verge of collapsing.
"Is Minato-kun ready yet?"
Kitsuchi knew he and Rōshi could no longer resist Nagato. From past experience, it was time to fall back.
"What difference will that kid make anyway?"
Nagato cast a glance at Minato. From beginning to end, he had no plans to intervene.
To Rōshi and Kitsuchi, this seemed reasonable—they assumed Nagato simply disdained such interference.
"I owe you one."
"My turn now."
This chapter isn't over yet!
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Nagato had barely finished speaking when he suddenly appeared between the three of them, firmly blocking Rōshi and Kitsuchi from view behind him.
That not-so-broad back seemed remarkably reliable in their eyes right now.
"You seem… different somehow."
Nagato looked at the familiar face before him. Those faint red markings gave Minato an unexpectedly striking look.
Minato senior can use Sage Mode too!!!
"Can you do it?"
Kitsuchi asked tentatively, doubt still lingering in his heart.
"Don't worry about it."
Minato replied confidently. This would be his first time using Sage Mode on a real battlefield.
As he felt the tremendous power surging within his body, he could only inwardly grumble about how long it took to enter Sage Mode.
I wonder when I'll be able to activate Sage Mode as instantly as my teacher does.
A faint smile tugged at Kawaki's lips — a perfect expression of utter contempt.
"You'll see soon enough."
Minato vanished in a flash. Though he wasn't using the Flying Thunder God Technique, his speed was still astonishing.
Empowered by Sage Mode, both his speed and strength had greatly increased.
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