Namikaze Minato mao evade Sora's Rice Soul teique, but Sora's incredible speed left him troubled.

  How did he bee this strong? Minato thought, his breath steady but tense. Ba the academy, I could easily overpower him.

  Sora, oher hand, was slightly surprised that Minato had dodged his attack so skillfully.

  As expected of the man who will one day master the Flying Thunder God Teique, Sora mused. His reflexes are something else.

  However, Sora's fidence did not waver.

  He may be growing, but so am I. At my peak, my Thunder Breathing won't lose to his speed.

  Meanwhile, Uzumaki Kushina grew increasingly anxious. She hadn't anticipated thiing this far. While deeply moved by Sora's determination to protect her, she couldn't ignore her worry that he might face severe sequences for his as.

  "Sora, I'm fine!" she shouted, her voice trembling with emotion.

  Sora's grip tightened around his sword. He whispered, "I swore that day to protect your smile… yet after just a few days, I've failed you."

  Turning to face Uzumaki Kushina, his scarlet eyes burned with resolve. "I will never five those who hurt you. Never."

  "Sora…" Kushina murmured, her eyes red with tears as she watched him. His unwavering stance sent a storm of emotions through her.

  Sora's sword returo its sheath as he fixed his gaze on Namikaze Minato.

  Minato ched the kunai in his hand. He's not stopping, Minato thought. That movement… it's the beginning of atack.

  "Thunder Breathing: Third Form – Gathering Swarm into Thunder!"

  Sora began moving at blinding speed, cirg Namikaze Minato. The trajectory he left behind shimmered with wavy blue lightning, f a web that cut off any path of retreat.

  The strikes came quickly. Each ssh was swift, precise, and heavy, infused with the crag power of Lightning Style chakra. Namikaze Minato gritted his teeth as he parried, but the strain was overwhelming.

  The Lightning Style's paralyzing effects seeped into his body, dulling his movements.

  I 't keep up much longer, Minato realized grimly. If this tinues… I won't be able to block the attack.

  As Sora's ssh desded, Namikaze Minato tried to lift his right hand to defend himself, but his paralyzed muscles refused to respond.

  Just as the bde was about to strike Minato's arm, a tall figure nded behind him.

  "Ninjutsu: Needle Jizo!"

  In an instant, a protective co of white hair enveloped Namikaze Minato.

  Sora's bde struck the barrier, produg a sharp ding before snapping in two.

  Sora's eyes narrowed as he took in the figure now standing in front of him.

  It was one of the Sannin—Jiraiya.

  Jiraiya released his Needle Jizo and scratched his hair. "Oh my, what's going on? I saw such a se just after returning to the vilge."

  Seeing Jiraiya baamikaze Minato's face lit up with excitement. "Jiraiya-sama!"

  Jiraiya g Namikaze Minato beside him and asked, "Minato, what happened?"

  Namikaze Minato hesitated before responding. "We are cssmates; we just had a little flict."

  Jiraiya's gaze nded on Sora's broken sword. "This doesn't look like an ordinary little flict. Even though the kid just used the back of the bde, if that strike had hit your arm, it would've certainly broken your bones."

  However, what her Jiraiya nor Namikaze Minato expected was that Sora suddenly hurled the broken sword at the leg of a Genin, who was already paralyzed with fear.

  Anure nded in front of the Genin, smming a fist into the ground.

  The powerful impact deflected the brokehrown by Sora.

  Another of the Sannin, Tsunade, appeared.

  Tsunade crossed her arms and frow Sora. "Kid, yoing a bit too far."

  Jiraiya questioernly, "Why would you use such a heavy hand on a fellow vilger?!"

  Sora retorted coldly, "panion? He's a genius. Whehrew a real kunai at Kushina, did he see her as his panion? And you, Namikaze Minato, you saw it all. You watched the real kunai fly toward Kushina without lifting a fio help. But the moment I retaliated, suddenly I'm no longer a panion, huh?"

  Jiraiya turo Namikaze Minato. "Minato, what's going on?"

  Namikaze Minato expined everything to Jiraiya, detailing how Sora had already broken the Genin's sternum and inteo further harm them by breaking their hands a. It was only then that Minato used a real kunai to stop Sora.

  After hearing the full story, Jiraiya cluded that Namikaze Minato had dohing wrong.

  Jiraiya fixed his gaze on Sora. "You've already puhem. Do you still think it's right to go so far as to break their hands a?"

  Uzumaki Kushina rushed in front of Sora, spreading her arms protectively. "They went too far first! Why is Sora the only one being bmed?!"

  Sently pulled Uzumaki Kushina behind him and s Jiraiya. "Too far? What if that kunai had actually hit Kushina? Would you still say I went too far? Oh, but you probably wouldn't care. After all, Kushina es from another vilge, and I'm the child of rebellious ninja parents. To you, they're panions, and we're nht?"

  Jiraiya faltered at Sora's words, awkwardly scratg his nose. "I didn't say that."

  Tsunade g Uzumaki Kushina in surprise. "What's your name?"

  When Uzumaki Kushina first arrived in Konoha, Tsunade hadn't been in the vilge. In fact, Tsunade had been away from Konoha for years.

  The same was true for Jiraiya.

  After the Sed Ninja War, Tsunade left the vilge due to the deaths of her brother Nawaki and her lover, Dan, as well as her hemophobia. She had wahe world alongside Kato Dan's niece, Shizune.

  Jiraiya, meanwhile, tinued his training journey.

  Jiraiya had returo the vilge this time to take Namikaze Minato as a disciple. Along the way, he entered Tsunade, and the two decided to return to Konoha together.

  As Uzumaki Mito's granddaughter, Tsunade corresponded with Mith letters and learned about the arrival of a Uzumaki member in Konoha.

  Uzumaki Kushina's red hair and her in from another vilge instantly remisuhat the girl before her was likely a member of the Uzumaki .

  Uzumaki Kushina replied, "Uzumaki Kushina."

  Tsunade firmed her suspi silently.

  Tsuuro Jiraiya. "Let the old man hahis matter."

  Uanding the significe of Tsuone, Jiraiya nodded. "Alright, Minato, take them to the ninja hospital."

  "Yes!"

  Namikaze Minato picked up the injured Genin, roused the frightened one, and quickly made his way to the hospital.

  Sora's eyes flickered. With Jiraiya and Tsunade present, he khere was no ce for him to act further.

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