A cold glint flashed across the training ground.
A kunai tore through the air, flying directly toward Minato’s chest.
The attack came so suddenly that several students instinctively recoiled.
What a shameless outsider!
Minato’s heart tightened.
He hadn’t expected the seemingly harmless Isamu to have such a shameless move up his sleeve.
As the kunai drew closer, Minato was just about to sidestep it.
But for some reason, his eyes seemed unable to tear themselves away from the weapon.
Then, vaguely, he noticed something different.
A kunai moving at such tremendous speed was impossible for an ordinary person’s eyes to track.
Usually, one could only rely on instinct and physical ability to evade it.
Yet at that moment, Minato felt as though something strange had awakened within him.
He could barely see the trajectory of the kunai.
Until now, he had never realized that his dynamic vision was this exceptional.
For a moment, an absurd thought flashed through his mind.
Catch it.
Minato’s hands instinctively moved toward his chest as his chakra began circulating at high speed.
“He’s insane!”
One of the observing instructors was already preparing to intervene.
Even Tsunade couldn’t help muttering,
“Jiraiya’s idiot disciple What an idiot.”
But what happened next left everyone stunned.
Smack!
The kunai stopped less than 0.01 centimeters from Minato’s throat.
Yet it couldn’t move even a fraction farther.
Minato brought both palms together and actually caught the kunai!
“Minato is amazing!”
The exclamations from the spectators didn’t make Minato feel proud.
Because Isamu had already arrived.
The short blade in his hand shot toward Minato’s chest.
Halfway there, however, the thrust changed into a slash, the blade suddenly shifting toward his lower body.
Damn!
Minato tensed his lower body and could only use the kunai in his hand to deflect the short blade.
The two figures brushed past each other.
In that instant, Minato saw the ruthless determination and fighting spirit in Isamu’s eyes.
Minato immediately put some distance between them.
This guy has killed before!
He had seen that look only in veterans who had been tempered by blood and fire.
He had once asked one of them what that look meant.
They had merely shaken their heads instead of answering him directly.
Instead, they had solemnly told him that they hoped he would never have to experience such a thing himself.
Later, Minato had figured it out.
Only shinobi who had killed people possessed that look in their eyes.
Isamu obviously wasn’t going to kill him in a place like this.
But those techniques
They were absolutely not the kind of moves one would normally use against a fellow student during a training match.
Minato had always considered himself quite strong.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have even considered applying for early graduation.
But at this moment, the pride he had taken in being one of the top students in his class was thoroughly shattered by Isamu.
Isamu was about the same age as him, perhaps even a little younger.
Yet when it came to strength, he was in no way inferior to Minato.
In fact
He might even be considerably stronger.
Faced with Isamu’s relentless attacks, Minato had no choice but to give it everything he had.
This wasn’t merely a spar.
It was also a test of Minato’s own strength.
He hadn’t encountered an opponent who could match him like this in a long time.
“This blond kid is pretty good.”
Isamu had reached the same conclusion.
During his years wandering outside the village, he had fought plenty of people.
When it came to opponents his own age, they usually died after two or three moves because of one of his dirty tricks.
He had never encountered someone like Minato, who could actually fight him evenly.
For the first time in a while, Isamu became genuinely interested.
His short sword attacks grew even fiercer.
Another ten exchanges passed.
Several bloody cuts appeared across Minato’s body.
The supervising instructor saw Isamu’s increasingly aggressive attacks and hurriedly glanced toward Tsunade.
When he saw that Tsunade showed no intention of intervening, he finally relaxed.
Perhaps
She really did intend to let these students get injured a little so they could experience medical ninjutsu firsthand?
That’s enough.
Isamu looked at Minato, who was still struggling to keep up, and decided not to continue.
Minato deflected another slash from Isamu’s short blade with his kunai.
At that moment, Isamu’s other hand suddenly reached into his ninja tool pouch and pulled out a handful of chili powder he had prepared earlier.
He threw it directly into Minato’s face.
He had put some leftover seasoning into his ninja tool pouch after making barbecue the previous night.
Minato, who had yet to experience the harsh reality of the shinobi world, never saw it coming.
The chili powder immediately blinded him.
He was forced to retreat.
By the time he managed to steady himself, Isamu had already taken advantage of the brief loss of vision.
The short blade was resting against Minato’s neck.
Despicable!
Shameless!
Isamu immediately heard a barrage of angry voices.
“Isamu wins!”
Even the supervising instructor felt like beating Isamu himself, but he still announced the result of the spar.
According to the rules, the two participants were supposed to exchange the Reconciliation Seal afterward.
But when the instructor looked at Minato, who was still squinting and hadn’t recovered from the chili powder, he simply couldn’t bring himself to say it.
This outsider is too despicable!
He ambushed him!
He attacked his lower body!
And then he damn well threw chili powder in his face!
If this had happened on a battlefield against an enemy, the instructor would probably have praised Isamu for his quick thinking and ability to adapt.
But this was a training match!
Isamu had defeated one of the Academy’s top students with such underhanded tactics right in front of a teacher.
Naturally, the instructor was somewhat resentful.
Even Tsunade couldn’t help smiling at the scene.
Where did this kid learn so many dirty tricks?
For a shinobi, staying alive was the most important thing.
Isamu had survived alone outside the village for so many years.
There was no way he could still be some innocent, kind-hearted child.
Using underhanded tactics had simply become instinctive for him.
It was very shinobi-like.
But it certainly wasn’t very in keeping with the Will of Fire.