After hearing Minato's plan, Kato Dan and Hyuga Tenki exchanged uneasy glances. The bitterness on their faces was unmistakable.
They understood the situation all too well—against any one of the four enemy leaders, even if they fought together, the odds of victory were slim. Yet, at this moment, there seemed to be no better alternative.
Sensing their hesitation, Minato spoke calmly, his tone reassuring. "You misunderstand me. It's not that I doubt your strength. I have other plans."
Minato valued both Kato Dan and Hyuga Tenki as capable and skilled ninjas, but he also knew the risks. Even if they could hold off an enemy leader for a short time, it could cost them dearly. With Konoha's forces already stretched thin, losing such valuable allies was a risk he wasn't willing to take.
"I want you both to lead the main group and focus on dismantling the enemy's forces. Jiraiya-sensei will handle Kitsuchi, and I will take care of the other three."
Minato's statement was met with silence. Jiraiya and the others were quick to grasp his strategy, but a sliver of doubt lingered. Wasn't it too reckless?
Still, no one dared to question him. Minato's track record spoke for itself. Even in impossible situations, he had always found a way to prevail.
"Just be careful," Jiraiya said after a moment, his voice heavy with concern.
Minato nodded. As he prepared to act, he felt the weight of angry stares. It wasn't just the battlefield watching him—Hanzo, Rōshi, and Rasa were now fixated on him, their glares brimming with fury.
Minato's plan was clear: to face three of the most formidable opponents at once. It was a move that enraged the enemy leaders. Hanzo, still bitter from his prior defeat, clenched his jaw. Rōshi, known for his fiery temper, was the first to break the standoff.
Boom!
Rōshi surged forward like a blazing inferno, his body enveloped in molten chakra. The air around him rippled from the intense heat, forming a shimmering haze. The transformation left no doubt—Rōshi had activated the Four-Tails' chakra mode.
A tail of molten chakra swayed behind him, and his entire body gleamed with a magma-like sheen. The ground beneath his feet hissed and cracked as he advanced.
Minato's sharp gaze tracked Rōshi's movements. He had seen a similar transformation before—when Killer B harnessed the Eight-Tails' chakra. But this was different. Rōshi wielded the tailed beast's power with a level of control that was almost seamless.
Swish!
Rōshi launched himself toward Minato with incredible speed, appearing like a streak of fire. The sheer velocity startled Jiraiya, who reflexively took a defensive stance.
But Minato had already disappeared.
Rōshi's momentum carried him forward, leaving a trail of molten destruction in his wake. For a brief moment, the battlefield seemed to hold its breath.
Then, a burst of azure light flared in Minato's hand—a spiraling ball of chakra that grew larger with each passing second.
"Super Odama Rasengan!"
With precision and timing, Minato thrust the massive chakra sphere forward, colliding with Rōshi head-on.
BOOM!
The impact was cataclysmic. Rōshi's molten fist met the Rasengan, and the two forces clashed in a violent explosion of heat and energy. Sparks and debris flew in every direction, the ground quaking beneath them.
The intense heat of Rōshi's chakra began to eat away at the Rasengan, melting it at the edges. The stalemate didn't last long before the overwhelming energy reached its breaking point.
BOOM!
The resulting explosion sent both combatants hurtling backward. Rōshi tumbled to the ground, his molten armor partially shattered. Molten fragments splashed onto the ground, scorching the earth where they landed.
Rōshi steadied himself, surprise flickering in his eyes. He hadn't expected Minato to counter his attack so effectively. But the Four-Tails' chakra quickly surged through his body, repairing the damage and reforming the molten armor.
"Impressive," Rōshi muttered, the magma around him bubbling ominously.
Before the dust could settle, a dark blur appeared beside Minato. Hanzo's blade, enhanced with wind chakra, descended in a deadly arc.
Clang!
Minato's kunai intercepted the blade just in time. Sparks flew as the two weapons collided, the force of the clash reverberating through the air.
"You're persistent," Minato said evenly, meeting Hanzo's glare with unwavering resolve.
Hanzo smirked, though his eyes burned with frustration. "And you're far too bold for someone so young."
Their exchange was cut short as another voice rang out.
"Since you want to fight three-on-one, allow me to oblige you!"
Rasa's voice carried across the battlefield as he finished forming hand seals. A wave of gold sand surged toward Minato, the dense mass shimmering as it closed in.
"Cowards!" Jiraiya growled, his hands flying into a series of seals. "Fire Style: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!"
A roaring dragon of flames shot toward Rasa, but before it could reach him, an earth wall erupted from the ground, blocking the attack.
Bang!
The flames scorched the wall, leaving blackened marks, but the sturdy barrier held firm.
"Your opponent is me," Kitsuchi declared, stepping out from behind the wall. With a series of seals, he summoned an earth dragon that unleashed a barrage of rocky projectiles.
Jiraiya glanced toward Minato, who was now surrounded by three enemies, frustration etched across his face. But before he could intervene, Minato's calm voice rang out.
"Sensei, focus on your battle. I can handle this."
As Minato spoke, Rasa's gold sand closed in, the heavy mass crushing the ground beneath it. Minato leapt into action, vanishing in a blur of yellow light.
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