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"Sarutobi-sensei, are we being detained here just to endure these kids' mundane display?"
Within the confines of the Academy's teaching building, inside an unoccupied classroom, Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen, flanked by his three diligent students, observed the scene unfolding on the playground below. Orochimaru voiced his discontent.
"Patience, Orochimaru. The true protagonists I want you to witness have yet to make their entrance. I've organized a showdown between them. Take a closer look later and gauge if it can kindle your interest in mentoring apprentices."
Sarutobi Hiruzen waved his hand and spoke, Orochimaru furrowed his brow and replied, "I'll pass. I've already promised Tsunade to look after her brother. Adding another responsibility with our current workload would be too distracting."
Upon hearing Orochimaru's straightforward decline, Sarutobi Hiruzen chose not to press the matter further. Instead, he cast a glance at Jiraiya and Tsunade. Jiraiya reached into the gap in his clothes, scratched his belly, and then remarked:
"I wouldn't mind taking on an apprentice. After all, I should make for a good sensei. But it depends on the individual; not everyone piques my interest, hahaha."
Jiraiya's words brought a smile to Hiruzen's face. He then redirected his gaze to Tsunade. Tsunade furrowed her brow and remarked, "Jiraiya mentioned he's interested in taking on an apprentice. Why not let him mentor both?"
"Tsunade, the inheritance of the Will of Fire is not confined to a specific individual or generation. It is the responsibility of every Konoha ninja, extending to every villager of Konoha. Just as I received the Will of Fire from Tobirama-sama and passed it on to you, your Will of Fire should also be shared, carrying on for the sake of the new generation."
Sarutobi Hiruzen spoke with great sincerity, but Tsunade still shrugged dismissively. At that very moment, Sarutobi Hiruzen noticed the arrival of the two children. Abandoning his attempts to persuade her, he instead remarked:
"It's those two kids. Take a closer look; they might be the ones to carry on your will," Sarutobi Hiruzen said.
Observing the significance placed by Sarutobi Hiruzen, even Orochimaru, who had initially sworn off taking on apprentices, became slightly more attentive, focusing his gaze on the playground below. Jiraiya casually leaned against the windowsill, scrutinizing the scene, while Tsunade continued to play with her hair, displaying a hint of impatience.
On the playground, Tatsuma and Minato, having stepped into the designated duel area, initiated the Seal of Confrontation without Sarutobi Atoma needing to intervene. Even before the competition commenced, both focused intently on honing their chakra.
"I must say, it's impressive," Tatsuma began with his customary opening phrase, then added, "After the extensive training last night, you succeeded in defeating Choza and Sento consecutively. However, this time, I am determined to secure the victory."
"It's not that simple, Tatsuma. Remember, you used up more chakra than I did last night," Minato said with a smile. The recent swift resolution of Tatsuma's match against Uchiha Tenko deviated from Tatsuma's usual style. There was only one explanation for this: Tatsuma's stamina might be inferior to Minato's, placing him at a disadvantage now.
Aware that exploiting Tatsuma's significant lack of stamina and slowing down the match's pace could secure his victory, Minato confidently plotted his strategy. Tatsuma fell silent upon hearing this. Indeed, his stamina was in a dire state. Although Tatsuma's diverse talents surpassed Minato's, the inherent limitations of his abilities were evident. Minato held more advantages that remained untapped.
Take, for instance, stamina and spirit. During this period, as the ceilings of these two talents increased, Tatsuma could sense his recovery ability in all realms growing. However, given the present circumstances, Minato's talent ceiling was undoubtedly higher than his.
In simpler terms, within the same timeframe, Minato could recuperate more stamina than him. This meant that Tatsuma held no significant advantage. As the two individuals squared off, Atoma reminded himself to keep a vigilant eye on them, ensuring nothing unexpected occurred, especially since Hokage-sama seemed to be observing nearby.
"Begin!" After Sarutobi Atoma declared the start, he swiftly stepped aside, a kunai materializing in his hand, ready to intervene at any moment.
"Ding ding ding~"
Meanwhile, Tatsuma and Minato had already completed a round of ninja tool throwing. Tatsuma's prowess in Ninja Tool Throwing was inherited from Minato, while Minato's own skills in the art were taught by Tatsuma. As a result, their collaboration in Ninja Tool Throwing was highly synchronized, with their tools colliding mid-air.
However, this synchronization was confined to Ninja Tool Throwing. Despite extensive practice and familiarity in various aspects of combat, disparities in their fighting styles still persisted compared to Ninja Tool Throwing.
Following the Ninja Tool Throwing segment, Tatsuma promptly charged, aiming to close the distance and overpower Minato with superior physical prowess. However, Minato, anticipating this move, deftly retreated.
"Hmm? Quite spirited, these two little devils."
Observing that these two were involved in a distinct kind of sparring compared to the others, who remained focused on testing each other's skills, Jiraiya became slightly more intrigued. His remark also captured the attention of Tsunade, who had been absent-minded, prompting her to gaze down at the scene below.
Increasing the distance, Minato swiftly retrieved another shuriken. In anticipation of Tatsuma's advancing movement, he hurled it directly. Tatsuma, without breaking his stride, brandished two kunai in his hands, skillfully deflecting the incoming shuriken.
"I can't keep this up."
Tightening his lips, Tatsuma's eyes flickered as he swiftly assessed the situation. He hurled a kunai with his left hand, accurately predicting Minato's next move. Forced to pause, Minato deftly dealt with the approaching kunai.
Observing Tatsuma still in pursuit, Minato caught the thrown kunai and tightly gripped it to face Tatsuma.
"Ding~"
Their kunais clashed, producing a small spark. Minato briskly retracted his right hand holding the kunai and promptly thrust it again. Seizing the opportunity, Tatsuma shifted his body to the side, narrowly avoiding Minato's kunai.
Utilizing his left hand to grab Minato's wrist holding the kunai, Tatsuma's right hand passed beneath Minato's arm, directing the kunai straight toward Minato's throat. This maneuver showcased his exceptional flexibility and unpredictability!
However, having practiced with Tatsuma countless times, Minato was well aware of this move. He also tilted his head and lowered his body, causing Tatsuma's kunai to merely graze across hiss shoulder, achieving no success.
Simultaneously, Minato retracted his right hand, aiming to create distance once again. However, Tatsuma wasn't willing to grant Minato the opportunity. He swiftly seized Minato's right hand with both of his own, then forcefully pressed downward while lifting his knee to strike Minato's face.
"Hiss~ That's quite ruthless!"
Jiraiya, who observed the match, suddenly shuddered. It wasn't that he hadn't witnessed such tactics before; he had seen even more brutal ones. However, Tatsuma and Minato were just two children who hadn't yet reached six years old.
Even among the older Academy students, such decisiveness was exceptionally rare. For example, the previous groups seemed more like they were engaging in a ninja game, lacking a genuine intention to physically confront each other.
Confronted with the knee striking towards his face, Minato had no choice but to awkwardly block with his left hand. It wasn't about preserving his image; his face was just too vulnerable. A casual hit would significantly impact his condition.
With the initial attempt unsuccessful, Tatsuma swiftly shifted his weight to the other foot and raised his knee once again, aiming for consecutive strikes. However, Minato wasn't foolish; he lunged forward promptly, executing a direct tackle that brought Tatsuma to the ground.
The sudden imbalance caused Tatsuma to release his grip on Minato's right hand, and Minato promptly withdrew it. Not wanting to give Tatsuma an opportunity, Minato's kunai descended directly.
Tatsuma abandoned defense elsewhere, using his left hand to grasp Minato's right hand. His right hand secured Minato's left hand, preventing him from exerting force with both hands.
"Aren't you going to intervene?"
Seeing the kunai just a few centimeters away from Tatsuma's eyes, Jiraiya frowned and remarked, but Hiruzen waved his hand, saying, "For these two little ones, it's just the beginning."
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