"The Cloud Village shouldn't be here," Namikaze Minato said calmly as he looked at the Kumo ninja across from him. "A and Killer B—you've crossed the border."
"We haven't," a voice answered. "Kumogakure is only here because our jōnin, Osayi, vanished while carrying out a mission near the Frost Country border. On the Third Raikage's orders, we've come to investigate."
The one who spoke was neither A nor Killer B, but Dodai.
Dodai wore a military beret, and over his left eye was an eyepatch marked with the kanji Lightning. He was well known across the ninja world—a user of the Fire–Earth kekkei genkai Lava Release, and a strategist famous for his composure and intellect.
"Jōnin Dodai," Pinto said coldly, anger barely contained, "aren't you getting the order of events wrong? Yesterday, three Frost ninja patrolmen were found dead—and Lightning Release traces were left at the scene."
Though there was no direct evidence, everyone present understood the truth: those Frost ninja had almost certainly died at the hands of Kumo.
The Cloud ninja themselves were equally furious. By Frost Country's standards—even the Frost Shadow wouldn't have been a match for Osayi, an elite jōnin. And yet Osayi had been forced to detonate himself.
So who could possibly have driven him that far?
Among all suspects, Namikaze Minato stood out the most.
A's gaze locked onto Minato as he spoke in a low, dangerous voice.
"Namikaze Minato. We suspect you're connected to Osayi's disappearance. Osayi vanished during a Lightning Country patrol near Frost Country. In this border region, the only one capable of killing him… is you—the Yellow Flash."
Minato felt as if a massive pot had been slammed straight onto his head and strapped there.
But from Kumo's perspective, their suspicion made perfect sense.
Osayi wasn't just any jōnin—he was elite. What kind of enemy would force him to use a Lightning Release self-destruction technique just to secure a kill?
Minato's reputation only deepened that suspicion.
For years, the Yellow Flash had been active along the Fire–Lightning border. His space–time ninjutsu, the Flying Thunder God Technique, was tailor-made for assassination. There was even a saying in Kumogakure:
If you encounter the Yellow Flash—abandon the mission.
Though Minato's movements were usually under Kumo surveillance, with space–time ninjutsu, it was entirely possible for him to appear, kill Osayi, and leave without a trace.
"Osayi's disappearance has nothing to do with me," Minato replied evenly. "I'm here only because of your abnormal movements."
He didn't bother explaining further. Instead, his fingers tightened around a Flying Thunder God kunai—as if he might strike at any moment.
In an instant, everyone shifted.
Each ninja stepped in front of their chosen opponent.
Minato faced A.
Ino–Shika–Chō confronted Killer B.
Sarutobi Shinku squared off against Dodai.
Pinto and Uchiha Ran stood opposite Troy.
The remaining ninja locked eyes with their counterparts, tension crackling through the air.
Dōmu nearly had a heart attack when he realized who Ran was facing.
Wait—what?!
That calm Uchiha is taking on an elite Cloud jōnin?! Is he insane?!
Minato and A moved forward simultaneously, stepping to the very front of their formations.
This was a clash of commanders.
In the current ninja world, speed-specialists were numerous—but the most famous of them all were concentrated in the Lands of Fire and Lightning.
The Third Raikage.
The A–B combination of Kumogakure.
The Two-Tails' jinchūriki, Yugito Nii.
Konoha's Yellow Flash—Namikaze Minato.
And the fallen legend: the White Fang of the Leaf.
Minato's fame came from mastering the Flying Thunder God, hailed as the fastest technique in the ninja world.
The A–B duo, by contrast, relied purely on overwhelming physical ability amplified by Lightning chakra.
To observers on both sides, the matchup was clear.
Minato wasn't merely fast—his movement was erratic, unpredictable. In a battlefield seeded with Flying Thunder God markers, it was almost impossible to determine where his next strike would come from. The technique had no hand seals… and no cooldown.
Once marked by Minato, escape was impossible. The only option was to fight him head-on.
A was different.
He might lack Minato's spatial flexibility, but his close-combat power was terrifying. With Lightning Armor activated, he could even shrug off a certain degree of physical damage.
From Konoha's perspective, A's greatest advantage was his chakra reserves.
As the Third Raikage's son, the Fourth Raikage's chakra pool was visibly—and overwhelmingly—greater than Minato's.
With no concrete evidence tying Minato to Osayi's death, and with the Seven-Tails operation already effectively a failure, Kumo had originally planned to withdraw.
But Minato's interference infuriated A.
If not for Minato and Konoha's meddling, Kumogakure might already possess three tailed beasts.
So A decided to teach the Yellow Flash a lesson.
If he can't withstand me… maybe I'll leave every Konoha ninja here.
With that thought, A spoke.
"Namikaze Minato—the man who reclaimed the Nine-Tails by himself. Konoha's Yellow Flash. Let me see whether your speed truly lives up to the legend."
Lightning exploded around him.
A activated Lightning Release Chakra Mode—his hair standing on end as electricity surged over his body.
Minato answered calmly, even as he scattered Flying Thunder God kunai across the battlefield.
"Son of the Third Raikage. Future Fourth Raikage. A man driven by overwhelming competitiveness," he said.
"I've heard of your strength. But I carry the will to become Hokage—and I will not lose to you."
"Everyone, stay alert. I'll deal with A myself."
Before the words even finished—
A streak of lightning appeared in front of Minato.
A fist the size of a sandbag hurtled toward Minato's face.
By instinct, Minato tossed a Flying Thunder God kunai.
Vanishing instantly, he disappeared from A's sight.
High in the trees.
"…You dodged my top speed?" A muttered, startled—yet his exceptional dynamic vision caught Minato's position.
Then—
Minato appeared behind him, right at the kunai's location, grasping it as he moved in for the strike.
A didn't react in time.
But a tail slammed into him, shoving him out of harm's way.
Minato's kunai slashed cleanly through that tail—and in the same motion, left behind a Flying Thunder God mark.
"Blade of Ninja Love."
The battle had truly begun.
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