Observing the duo move with impeccable form, Sakumo found himself particularly intrigued, particularly by the blond child. His low center of gravity and the stylish ninja-like sway of hands behind him caught his attention.
Yet, the child who addressed him as "uncle" deviated from the standard. His hands swung in an unconventional manner, crossing in front of his chest, a departure from the typical ninja style.
"Watch out, Sakumo-sama!"
Minato Namikaze yelled, unfamiliar with the ninja before him. However, upon hearing the Hokage-sama call out Sakumo's name, recognition dawned on him.
In a synchronized effort, Minato and Tatsuma launched their attacks, thrusting their Kunai simultaneously towards Sakumo's waist.
Sakumo's eyelids twitched. Although he understood that this was due to the height difference between them, it still felt unpleasant!
"Bang~"
As the two Kunai made contact with Sakumo, he abruptly transformed into smoke.
"Dudud~"
The two Kunai, now devoid of a target, impaled a strategically placed wooden decoy. This exemplified the fundamental application of the Substitution Jutsu.
Sakumo didn't even specifically look for the right timing and position to execute the technique and just performed it casually; doing the opposite would be too much of a bully for these two kids.
Sarutobi Hiruzen's true intentions for Sakumo to engage in a "spar" with the two youngsters was not lost on him.
Taking a quick dash to position himself approximately ten meters away from Tatsuma, Sakumo strategically placed himself within the range suitable for Ninja Tool Throwing practice tailored for Academy junior students. The duo, Tatsuma and Minato, were engrossed in their practice at this distance earlier as well.
As Sakumo expected, Tatsuma and Minato swiftly transitioned from chipped Kunai to rusty Shuriken. In total, they launched six Shuriken, each exhibiting a slightly irregular trajectory.
This inconsistency arose from both youths being unfamiliar with the technique of simultaneously hurling multiple Shuriken. Minato had yet to master it, and while Tatsuma displayed a talent inherited from Minato, his proficiency stood at 20%, leaving him short of mastery in this particular skill so far.
The six Shuriken, launched in unison, proved futile in exerting even the slightest pressure on Sakumo. With fluid motions, he traced a circle in the air with his hands, effortlessly catching the Shuriken before nonchalantly redirecting them back towards the two youngsters.
Observing the Shuriken returning at least twice as fast as their initial launch, both Tatsuma and Minato displayed visible signs of tension on their faces. Hastily tracking the projectiles' trajectory, they vigorously swung their Kunai in response.
"Ding ding ding~"
"Ding ding~"
Tatsuma successfully deflected three Shuriken, showcasing nimble expertise. Meanwhile, Minato managed to deflect two but was forced to evade the last one by agilely leaping aside.
"Not bad!" Sakumo offered a rare compliment. However, in the next moment, his figure dissipated into a cloud of smoke, leaving behind only his voice lingering in the mist.
"Guess which one is me?"
"Pupupu~"
From the dissipating smoke emerged three Sakumo figures, swiftly advancing towards the duo. These weren't Shadow Clones but rather the most fundamental form of Clone Jutsu. Despite lacking the complexity of the former, the mere visual duplication was sufficient to sow confusion and deception.
Tatsuma, at least, found himself unable to discern the real Sakumo. He hurled his last Shuriken towards the central figure while directing his Kunai at the left one.
Observing this, Minato swiftly thrust towards the right side, both he and Tatsuma unable to discern the real Sakumo amidst the trio.
"Pupupu~"
To their surprise, all three Sakumos turned out to be illusions. Tatsuma pursed his lips and remarked, "We were misled."
The earlier statement from Sakumo had led them to believe that one of the three duplicates was real. Little did they anticipate the broad-eyed and thick-browed Sakumo indulging in playful tricks with two five-year-old kids!
Fortunately, Sakumo treated the situation as a lighthearted interaction with children and refrained from launching a continuous attack. Otherwise, that singular move could have led to Tatsuma and Minato's defeat.
"Next, I'll unveil some powerful Ninjutsu!"
Sakumo's voice resonated once more, and suddenly, from the side, another Sakumo charged towards them. Both hurriedly blocked, anticipating the need to dispel the Clone and ready to lend aid against the genuine Sakumo—or so they believed.
"Bang bang~"
Unexpectedly, both figures were real this time! Minato and Tatsuma found themselves kicked, sent flying in different directions.
It was Shadow Clone Jutsu! Tatsuma's mind raced with information about this Ninjutsu, but there was no time for further contemplation as Sakumo's entrancing voice echoed once again.
"Behold, my latest creation in Taijutsu—a self-proclaimed Secret Taijutsu! It's designed to subject individuals to the torment of a thousand years in an instant. You two little devils will have the honor of being the inaugural subjects for this Secret Taijutsu! If you manage to endure it, consider yourselves victorious!"
One Thousand Years of Death?!
Tatsuma's buttocks instinctively clenched as he felt the sudden presence of a pair of ominous eyes behind him.
Not far away, Sarutobi Hiruzen furrowed his brow. He hadn't heard Sakumo mention any recently developed Taijutsu, and the notion of employing the Secret Taijutsu on these two kids seemed utterly absurd!
At that moment, two Sakumo materializing behind Tatsuma and Minato deftly completed a series of hand seals. Witnessing the intricate movements, Sarutobi Hiruzen's brows furrowed even tighter.
"Tiger Seal? Fire Release? No, it's unmistakably Taijutsu."
Swiftly analyzing the situation, Sarutobi Hiruzen stood prepared to intervene, his concern growing. He had seen enough to warrant action; he couldn't allow these two young ninjas to come to harm. Such an outcome would be unworthy of the title of Hokage.
"One Thousand Years of Death!"
"Minato! Dodge to the side!"
Tatsuma's urgent shout cut through the air, his sense of dignity momentarily forgotten as he rolled to safety. Minato, trusting Tatsuma implicitly, leaped to the side without fully comprehending the situation. He quickly redirected his gaze to the initial position of the two Sakumo that had appeared behind them.
Observing Sakumo's posture and the height of his hands, Minato felt an abrupt tension in his buttocks, grateful for Tatsuma's well-timed warning that potentially spared him from an awkward encounter...
"Huh? Both of you managed to dodge it? You're truly remarkable geniuses!"
"Bang~"
The Shadow Clone of Sakumo beside Minato dissipated, revealing the genuine Sakumo standing not far from Tatsuma. He scratched his head with an embarrassed expression, realization dawning that he had made an error?
Simultaneously, Tatsuma felt a wave of disgust crawling up his spine. This Sakumo, utilizing his real body to execute such a technique on him, was undeniably shameless!
Sakumo glanced toward Sarutobi Hiruzen, contemplating an apology, only to be met with the stern expression etched on the Hokage's face.
For a fleeting moment, Sarutobi Hiruzen harbored concerns that Sakumo might pose a genuine threat to the village's children, but it quickly became apparent that it was nothing more than a theatrical performance! His worry had been misplaced.
Indeed, his prior judgment, anticipating Sakumo's potential descent into darkness after prolonged service in ANBU, proved utterly unfounded. This man showed no inclination whatsoever to tread such a path.
"Hahaha~" Sakumo chuckled, scratching his head, and conceded, "As promised, I lost. Come on, I'll take you to get some ninja tools!"
"Ding~ Successfully praised and defeated your opponent to acquire talents [Speed+1] [Ninjutsu+1]."
Upon hearing the system prompt, Tatsuma's mouth twitched in an almost bewildered manner. He had nearly succumbed to a state of shock, and all he could discern were these modest few talents?
"Accept."
Sigh! It was still better than nothing!
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