"Just in time for a warm-up."
Before his words even finished, the Kiyohara possessed by Rogue Kiyohara shot forward, so fast he left an afterimage in place.
He didn't charge straight in. Instead, he cut a wide arc—first targeting the three Iwagakure chūnin.
"Fast!"
One of them barely managed to shout in surprise and threw a rushed punch.
Kiyohara didn't dodge. He casually caught the blow and used his opponent's momentum to swing him directly into a nearby comrade.
Then, ducking low to avoid a third shinobi's kunai thrust, he drove a sharp kick into the man's knee.
Crack!
The sickening sound of bone snapping echoed. The Iwa-nin screamed and collapsed.
"Earth Style: Earth Lance!"
Sumashi quickly formed hand seals. Jagged stone spears burst up from beneath Kiyohara's feet.
But Kiyohara moved a split-second earlier, leaping away just before the trap triggered. As he flew, he hurled the stolen kunai straight toward Sumashi's face, forcing the man to break off his jutsu to deflect it.
"What the hell is going on with this kid?!"
Sumashi was shaken.
Just moments ago, this brat had been cautious and restrained—but now his movements, his eyes, even his fighting instincts were like those of a seasoned warrior.
A veteran honed in the fires of countless battles.
From the sidelines, Kurenai and Rin stared wide-eyed.
Rin covered her mouth in disbelief.
"Kiyohara… how is he suddenly this strong?"
Kurenai's ruby eyes were wide with shock.
In the field, Kiyohara locked weapons with Sumashi. He used well-timed counters to neutralize most of the stone-coated punch's force, but his stamina and chakra were still limited.
He was forced back several steps, arm numb from the blow.
Fighting this many opponents at once was a huge drain.
'This body's still too weak…'
Possessing Kiyohara gave Rogue Kiyohara full awareness of the body's limitations.
Even operating at maximum output, it couldn't last long.
Sumashi caught the signs of fatigue and sneered.
"He's spent! Everyone, finish him!"
Over a dozen Iwa shinobi closed in.
Then it happened.
A flash of golden light appeared in the center of the battlefield, so fast it looked like he had always been there.
There was no sound, no warning.
Just a man with flowing blond hair, clad in a green flak jacket, calm and composed.
Namikaze Minato.
He didn't waste time.His custom kunai blurred—turning into deadly streaks of motion.
Shhk! Shhk! Shhk!
Three Iwa chūnin dropped at once, throats slit before they even knew he'd moved.
Sumashi's pupils shrank.A sense of death gripped him.
"The Yellow Flash!!"
He reflexively tried to escape underground—Earth Style: Hiding Like a Mole!
But Minato was faster.
"Flying Thunder God: Second Step."
He vanished—and reappeared behind Sumashi, slashing his back without hesitation.
BOOM!
Sumashi flew like a ragdoll, smashed into a tree, and went limp.
Minato turned and did the same to the rest.
It all happened in an instant.
What had been a desperate, losing battle was now utterly reversed.
At that moment, Rogue Kiyohara released his possession.Control returned to the real Kiyohara.
For a moment, Kiyohara felt like he was shedding armor—his body throbbed with fatigue.
"Huff…"
He panted. His limbs were sore from being pushed beyond their limits.
'So that's Namikaze Minato…'
The pressure those Iwa shinobi had given them?
To Minato, they were nothing more than cannon fodder.
No wonder he was considered one of the three greatest civilian-born shinobi.
To Kiyohara, the other two were Might Guy with the Eighth Gate, and Sage Mode Kabuto.
None of them had bloodline limits.They climbed with pure effort, only to end up… supporting roles—fighting just to give Naruto and Sasuke an opening.
Minato turned toward them, eyes scanning the exhausted group: Kiyohara, Kakashi, Kurenai, Rin, and Genma.
A look of apology crossed his face.
"Sorry… I was late."
Looking at the collapsed cave and the new Sharingan in Kakashi's left eye, Minato could guess what had happened.
Obito… was gone.
"Thank you, Kiyohara."
He gave the boy a serious look.
From afar, Minato had seen Kiyohara hold off over a dozen enemies alone.
If not for him, Kakashi wouldn't be standing.
He would've collapsed from chakra depletion long ago.
"I was just doing what needed to be done, Lord Minato.I don't abandon comrades. That's my ninja way."
Kiyohara's voice was steady as he shook his head.
Now that Minato had arrived, the mission was as good as complete.
All that was left was to blow the bridge—and then cash in the credit.
Time to start selling the "Will of Fire" speech.
Minato blinked, a little caught off guard by the conviction in Kiyohara's words.
This kid… had grown.
"Good thing you showed up, Lord Minato.We wouldn't have made it otherwise."
Genma retrieved the senbon from the dirt and wiped it clean with his sleeve before popping it back in his mouth.
He'd nearly made a one-way trip to the Pure Land.
Minato paused, then said quietly:
"No… I'm not the real hero."
In truth, he felt guilty.
Kakashi's team and Kiyohara's squad had done the hard part—they gathered intel, infiltrated enemy territory, and planted his custom kunai inside their zone.
Only then could Minato warp in and finish it all in a single sweep.
"Then who is?"
Genma looked confused.
"You.
Kiyohara.Kakashi.Obito.…All of you.You're the real heroes."
Minato's voice was quiet.
He looked again at Kiyohara—this boy had surpassed even Obito and Kakashi in this mission.
Minato saw a glimpse of his younger self in him—the one who rose step by step with no special bloodline, only drive.
"Let's go. Once we destroy the bridge, we can finally go home."
"We're finally heading back to the village."
Kurenai's face lit up with relief.
Maybe… just maybe, by tomorrow they could begin the long road home.