The sheer power Minato and Uchiha En had just displayed was nothing short of jaw-dropping—far beyond what any freshman at the Ninja Academy should be capable of. Every student and Konoha teacher watching was stunned into silence.
Even Jiraiya, hidden in the shadows, widened his eyes in surprise.
Uchiha En possessing that level of strength was still within reason. After all, the Uchiha clan's name still rang throughout the shinobi world. As a prodigy of the current generation, it was natural for his growth to surpass the ordinary.
But Minato Namikaze? He came from an ordinary family, with no shinobi lineage to speak of. Orphaned from a young age, he'd had no exposure to the shinobi arts before enrolling at the academy.
And yet—it had barely been a year since they started as freshmen. For a typical student, even managing to refine chakra was considered exceptional.
But Minato was going toe-to-toe with Uchiha En.
That kind of talent made Jiraiya think of another person… someone else who'd been born a true genius in this world.
There was no doubt about it—both he and Minato were the real deal.
Boom! Boom!
On the training field, Minato and Uchiha En clashed in a flurry of taijutsu, their strength and speed evenly matched. Their rapid exchange of blows and sudden shifts between attack and defense left the watching students dazed and breathless.
En was growing increasingly alarmed—not just by Minato's physical prowess, but by his battle instinct.
En had been sparring with elite shinobi from his clan since he was three. His combat experience far exceeded anything taught in the academy.
Yet Minato's reactions, his fluid movements… they weren't just sharp. They were refined.
Even Minato himself was a little shocked. At the start of the fight, he'd been taken aback by En's aggressive technique and seasoned timing.
But as soon as the blows started flying, his body began to move on its own, responding instinctively as if honed by countless battles he'd never lived through. His defense grew tighter, his attacks more precise. Gradually, he began to push En back.
Several Konoha instructors—including Tokimoto-sensei—were already looking disheartened. With this level of skill, neither of these boys needed the academy anymore.
Even they, as chūnin, had little left to teach them.
Boom!
Uchiha En, growing flustered, finally made a mistake. In the momentary gap between offense and defense, Minato found his opening and launched a straight punch aimed at En's chest.
With Minato's strength, a direct hit would end the fight—and probably send En to the infirmary.
But at the last moment, Minato softened his blow, turning the punch into a palm strike that sent En flying back several meters without serious harm.
En staggered but managed to stay on his feet.
"That's enough," Minato said calmly.
He didn't want to humiliate En further. Tokimoto-sensei had already lost face, and Minato's own fury—ignited by what had happened with Kushina—was beginning to cool.
In truth, this whole incident had escalated because he hadn't handled things properly. If he'd kept his temper in check, En wouldn't have provoked him like this.
Tokimoto's eyes lit up. If the fight could end like this, without further escalation, it would be the best possible outcome.
Mikoto, too, breathed a silent sigh of relief. Had they continued, it likely would've ended in a mutual beatdown. Minato had given En a way out—a gesture of respect, and a chance to walk away.
But they'd underestimated Uchiha pride.
To En, Minato's gesture wasn't mercy—it was mockery.
Worse yet, he had started this conflict. If word got back to the clan that he'd provoked a fight and still lost to a nobody from a civilian family…
That would be seen as weakness.
And the Uchiha had no use for the weak.
His eyes began to burn faintly red.
He couldn't—wouldn't—be branded as incompetent.
Under Minato's watchful gaze, En slowly brought his hands together and began forming a seal—the Snake seal.
Tokimoto's heart jumped.
Though only a chūnin, he'd earned praise from the Third Hokage for his breadth of knowledge. And the moment he saw En's hands form the Snake sign, his expression darkened.
Next came the Ram and Monkey seals—flawlessly executed.
Now Tokimoto knew exactly what was coming.
The Uchiha clan specialized in Fire Release, and among their arsenal, the most fundamental—yet devastating—was…
"Uchiha En! Stop right now!"
Tokimoto shouted, but it was already too late.
En completed the final hand sign. His fingers pressed together, and his cheeks puffed out with chakra-fueled breath.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
FWOOSH!
A roaring flame burst from En's mouth, swelling rapidly into a giant fireball that surged toward Minato.
But—caught in the fireball's path were two frozen students.
If that jutsu hit them, they'd be burned alive.
Swish!
Jiraiya hadn't expected En to completely ignore a direct order. He barely managed to leap from the shadows and snatch the two students away just in time.
Minato stood in the center of the field, the massive fireball bearing down on him—taller than he was.
His golden eyebrows furrowed, and a flicker of anger lit up in his blue eyes.
This bastard—En—had just unleashed a jutsu of this scale, with zero concern for collateral damage, in a confined space like this?
Reckless didn't even begin to describe it.
Jiraiya, after depositing the stunned students in safety, turned sharply, his face grim.
Minato wouldn't be seriously injured, not at his current level.
But still—Jiraiya hadn't even made this kid his disciple yet. Watching him get roasted in front of his eyes would be beyond disgraceful.
He began flashing through hand seals, his fingers a blur. His speed made En look like he was moving in slow motion.
A few more seals and he was ready to release a Wind Release jutsu—but then, suddenly—
Minato vanished.
Swish!
It was as if he'd teleported.
Jiraiya's eyes went wide.
Before, Minato's speed had simply been fast.
But this—
This was on an entirely different level.
This was no longer just agility.
This was a ninjutsu.
This was…
The Body Flicker Technique.