The sunset glow bled across the high peaks of the Land of Iron. After enduring four consecutive battles, Shiraishi was panting heavily, yet by utilizing the principles of his Sand Gathering Technique, he managed to maintain a steady recovery of his chakra reserves.
Minato Namikaze observed the rolling tides of sand at Shiraishi's feet and formulated a plan. Shiraishi leveled his silver blade horizontally and suddenly vanished from the Fourth Hokage's sight.
It wasn't the space-time ninjutsu involving black holes recorded in the intelligence files—it was an entirely different flickering technique!
As expected, the Kazekage has created another new jutsu!
Shiraishi's afterimages lingered, not yet fully dissipated, while along his path, the boulders and obstacles on the ground were sliced clean in two. The cuts were smooth and polished, as if severed by a divine weapon.
During the interval leading up to the Five Kage Summit, Shiraishi had specifically unlocked a Normal-type card: Extreme Speed.
As the evolved version of high-speed movement, it was a "super-flicker" that transcended physical limits.
Though not a space-time technique, the sheer velocity made Minato's scalp tingle and his hair stand on end. Sensing the shifting air currents, Minato immediately used Flying Raijin to evade.
A flash of light streaked past. Bathed in the radiance of Thunderstrike, Shiraishi accelerated further, attempting to hunt down the Yellow Flash.
Amidst the golden flashes, Shiraishi's silver blade condensed a powerful electromagnetic storm, creating a crushing atmospheric pressure.
Minato pivoted with a side-step, simultaneously condensing a cluster of high-temperature air at his fingertips, which instantly blanketed the ground beneath Shiraishi.
Shiraishi spun with a flying kick, but Minato flickered away again. As he repositioned, the high-temperature currents formed an invisible tether, surrounding Shiraishi from below.
While Minato was world-renowned for his Flying Raijin, he was, in fact, a powerful shinobi proficient in Fire, Wind, Lightning, Yin, and Yang. While manipulating the heat, his true objective finally manifested.
With perfect bodily control, Minato transformed the high-temperature air into multiple needle-sharp Wind Style shards.
They pierced into Shiraishi's body with surgical precision, striking his chakra pathway system. A surge of violent heat obstructed Shiraishi's ability to use the Sand Gathering Technique.
Shiraishi exhaled a massive cloud of Black Mist to force Minato back, but the latter crossed two specialized Flying Raijin kunai, forming a unique Lightning Guiding Barrier. The mist was violently expelled from the area!
Flying Raijin: Guiding Thunder!
Combined with the thermal currents Minato had generated earlier, the specialized chakra needles were designed for one purpose: to seal the specific acupoints Shiraishi used to control his magnetic sand!
One of Shiraishi's most troublesome traits was his peerless Magnet Style. Utilizing these "thermal needles" in tandem with Flying Raijin, Minato—acting on the intelligence gathered by Shisui—had successfully locked down Shiraishi's sand control.
Though he knew Minato possessed extraordinary tactical genius, Shiraishi couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration. This application of heat-based chakra needles, reminiscent of the Hyuga clan's Gentle Fist, was clearly a move Minato had prepared specifically for this encounter.
Such a formidable opponent, Shiraishi thought, feeling a mix of excitement and regret. It was a pity that such a brilliant rival had to be dealt with.
However, Shiraishi would not warn Minato about the impending Nine-Tails disaster. Minato's existence was too great a threat; if he continued to lead the Leaf, the future Shiraishi had glimpsed through Yamato might change in ways he couldn't control.
With his sand control suppressed, Shiraishi didn't stop. He focused his physical strength into a single point in his legs, causing the cracks in the ground to sprawl out like earth dragons.
His shoulders tensed, muscles rippling. Using Extreme Speed, he appeared beside Minato, his silver blade swinging in a heavy Gravity Slash.
Minato raised his kunai to parry. It was the same gravity-laden strike used against Onoki. As the lateral shockwave swept out, Minato's hands briefly touched Shiraishi's silver blade, secretly leaving a Flying Raijin formula before flickering away.
Shiraishi pursued with another burst of speed, his sword trailing a tearing gale. Minato didn't dodge this time; instead, he skillfully manipulated the positions of his kunai and Shiraishi's blade.
In an instant of "High-Speed Swapping," Shiraishi's silver blade vanished from his hand. Minato now gripped the silver sword and swung it directly at Shiraishi!
Shiraishi met the blade with a fist of exploding air. His muscles expanded as he used raw, brute force to counter.
The air seemed to freeze as his fist became the center of the local space, a sense of crushing destruction radiating from the impact.
Enhanced by the power of his Sword Dance, Shiraishi's physical output was terrifying. A single punch put immense pressure on Minato. Shiraishi then flickered to reclaim his stolen sword and spun for another slash.
The sheer air pressure of the incoming blade caused a miniature explosion. Minato used Flying Raijin to vanish, clearly unwilling to engage Shiraishi in a contest of pure physical endurance.
That Flying Raijin is truly elusive...
Shiraishi generated a surge of chakra that instantly fried the Flying Raijin marker Minato had placed on him, then lunged forward.
Despite Minato's efforts to seal his sand, the Yellow Flash was finding it difficult to match Shiraishi's physical explosiveness now that his body was fully "activated."
In his current state, Shiraishi's physical condition was roughly equivalent to the Fifth Gate of the Eight Inner Gates.
Combined with his swordsmanship, he was a lethal threat. He vanished and reappeared behind Minato, launching a combined Wind and Blue Flame attack.
Torrents of high-temperature air splashed everywhere, igniting like a grand firework show. Minato crossed his hands, deploying three kunai in conjunction with a Fire Sealing Method. A massive sealing barrier formed in mid-air, swallowing Shiraishi's azure flames whole.
"Flying Raijin: Fire Sealing Guiding Thunder!"
"What kind of ridiculous name is that..."
Shiraishi didn't care for Minato's naming sense, but he understood the technique: a defensive sealing barrier combining the Fire Sealing Method with space-time displacement. It was an original combo created specifically to counter Shiraishi's Blue Flames.
"To prepare for this fight, I created eighteen different variations of Flying Raijin Sealing Barriers," Minato admitted.
Having a wife from the orthodox Uzumaki clan certainly had its perks. With a vast repertoire of sealing jutsu combined with his own speed, Minato was exerting massive pressure on the Kazekage.
In Shiraishi's moment of surprise, Minato threw a kunai. He then initiated a three-way spatial swap between himself, Shiraishi's silver blade, and the thrown kunai.
Shiraishi lost his weapon once more, and Minato—carrying a Rasengan—slammed the sphere of swirling chakra directly toward Shiraishi's face.
Minato had actually left two markers on the silver blade—one obvious, and one hidden that only activated under specific chakra guidance.
To Shiraishi, the sight of Minato lunging with the Rasengan felt like someone trying to smash a brick into his face. It triggered a flash of genuine annoyance. I really hate people hitting me in the face.
Thinking quickly, Shiraishi dropped his shoulder, taking the brunt of the Rasengan on his body to free up his arms. Simultaneously, he drove his left fist upward in a soaring strike!
The two collided head-on. Shiraishi's palm condensed a powerful atmospheric shock that smashed into Minato's abdomen. For a moment, Minato's world spun; the pain was agonizing.
"Even without a weapon, I can still kick your ass..." Shiraishi grumbled.
Seeing Shiraishi's ruffled state, Minato actually started to laugh despite the pain. "When we first clashed, I left two markers on your blade—one in the light and one in the shadows. Was the Kazekage startled?"
"Tch, don't get cocky!"
The two men retreated a step. Minato clutched his stomach in pain, while the clothing on Shiraishi's chest was shredded, revealing a raw, spiraling bruise from the Rasengan.
This no-seal jutsu is a real pain, Shiraishi thought. He had seen Naruto use it in the future at Loran, but the father's version was significantly more lethal.
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