Minato Namikaze was the direct disciple of Jiraiya and the grand-disciple of the Third Hokage, making him a true scion of the Hokage's direct lineage.
Over the years, Minato had shaken the shinobi world with his peerless speed, earning the moniker "The Yellow Flash."
High-ranking officials from all nations outside the Land of Fire had issued a standing order: any shinobi encountering Konoha's Yellow Flash could flee immediately without fear of punishment.
During the war against the Cloud, Minato had faced the "AB Combo"—the son of the Third Raikage, A (the future Fourth Raikage), and his adoptive brother Killer Bee, the Jinchuriki of the Eight-Tails.
A, prideful of his own speed, ignored the standing orders and challenged Minato. Using the Flying Raijin, Minato's speed completely overwhelmed A, and he even managed to sever one of the Eight-Tails' tentacles.
At the Battle of Kannabi Bridge, Minato's prowess was even more divine, single-handedly breaking the blockade of the Iwa army.
With the destruction of their final supply point a few days ago, Minato had effectively secured Konoha's victory over the Land of Earth.
His combat intuition was unparalleled. In a future yet to come, he would decipher the weakness of Obito's "Kamui" in just two exchanges. Had he not been preoccupied with the rampaging Nine-Tails, Obito would likely not have survived that night.
The Flying Raijin Jutsu was originally created by the Second Hokage. It utilizes formulas to achieve instantaneous movement, surpassing mere "Body Flicker" speed.
The user leaves a Flying Raijin seal on any surface they touch; once a foe is marked, it becomes a literal death sentence.
This jutsu allows the user to traverse time and space freely, appearing anywhere on the battlefield at will.
Facing the dire situation of the Leaf, Minato looked at the cyan flames ravaging the battlefield, his gaze heavy with gravity. Two years ago, Shiraishi and Minato had met briefly. Now, meeting again, their stances were diametrically opposed.
With his Dimensional Holes hovering around him, Shiraishi flickered instantly in front of Minato. To test the speed of the Yellow Flash, Shiraishi's silver blade gathered a massive electrical charge. As the blade swung down, Minato vanished in a blink of a Flying Raijin jump.
However, the Dimensional Holes followed like a shadow. As Minato switched coordinates, a concentrated cyan fire-orb shot out from a portal.
Minato's goal was clear: he wasn't here to duel Shiraishi to the death, but to use his speed to evacuate his comrades from the Hidden Sand.
During the Battle of Kikyo Pass, he had used his mobility to save many from the sea of paper bombs. This time, the situation was even more severe.
As Shiraishi hurled another volley of fire-pyramids, Minato released a large number of kunai. He formed a specialized space-time barrier in mid-air: Flying Raijin: Guiding Thunder! This barrier could intercept and teleport massive attacks—even Tailed Beast Bombs—to another location.
While Shiraishi's Dimensional Holes and Minato's Flying Raijin were both space-time techniques, they had distinct differences. Shiraishi was limited to six mobile "hole" coordinates, whereas Minato's specially marked kunai far exceeded six in number.
However, the Dimensional Holes could move freely, making them dynamic points of origin. Both had their advantages, but in this chaotic setting, Shiraishi found it difficult to pin down the flickering Minato.
If I can't catch him, I'll match him. Shiraishi used his Magnet Release to stimulate his body cells with electromagnetic pulses.
Bathed in electric light, he became a bolt of lightning, lunging toward Minato. The sonic boom of his movement reached Minato's ears just as Shiraishi's fist arrived.
Scorch Style heat ignited the air through friction, coating Shiraishi's fist in flames.
It all happened in a literal heartbeat.
Minato's body seemed to drift like a leaf in the wind, swaying backward. The fist pierced through the air where his face had been just a millisecond prior. As the distance between them closed, Minato's momentum shifted, and a Rasengan formed instantly in his palm.
Facing the Rasengan, one of Shiraishi's rings flickered, and a Dimensional Hole shifted into an offensive mode. The collision of their energies created a shockwave that seemed to tear the very atmosphere apart.
Shiraishi's stamina was running low. He needed to disrupt Minato's rescue rhythm. He exhaled a massive surge of Black Mist, blanketing the entire battlefield.
The mist obscured vision, hindering Minato's ability to locate and save trapped comrades.
The Sand is stalling for time...
Minato realized the intent and refused to stay locked in combat. After the Rasengan clash, he flickered away, appearing behind the Third Hokage and the other leaders.
Hiruzen, Jiraiya, and even Danzo were successfully teleported out of the killing zone by Minato. However, the ordinary Leaf ninjas caught in the cyan flames were not so lucky.
Those who were quick-witted enough chopped off their own limbs to stop the fire's spread; the rest were reduced to ash. Amidst the thick black mist, panic and terror gripped the Leaf survivors.
Over half of the invading Leaf army had been consumed by the cyan flames. Of those remaining, many were severely wounded.
No matter how fast Minato was, he could not save everyone. Still, compared to the total annihilation that seemed certain moments ago, Minato's performance was nothing short of miraculous.
"Should we pursue?" Ebizo asked, ignoring his own wounds as he approached Shiraishi. Though the Leaf was retreating via Flying Raijin, they couldn't have gone far. A pursuit could theoretically wipe them out.
"No," Shiraishi replied. "Prepare the negotiators. We only need the Leaf to recognize our interests in the Land of Rivers and the Land of Rain. Compensation and other matters will be handled through the Daimyo's channels."
A cornered army fights with desperate ferocity. If he pushed the Leaf too hard now, they might turn and fight to the death.
Shiraishi's remaining cyan flame was low, and the massive bombardment had taken a toll on the Sand's own infrastructure. He needed to focus on damage control and recovery.
Meanwhile, facing the survivors and the mountain of wounded, Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes grew moist.
"I am sorry... I underestimated the Sand and committed a grave error. I have put the Leaf in a position of extreme danger." The elderly Hokage's voice trembled with grief as he looked upon his broken army.
"Lord Third..."
Minato stepped forward to offer comfort, but Hiruzen placed a hand on his shoulder and shook his head. "Minato... the truth is, you are far more suited to be Hokage than I am now. I have truly grown old."
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