Boom.
As the smoke dispersed, the sharp sound of something slicing through the air reached Namikaze Minato's ears.
His gaze sharpened, and he crouched low. A flaming whip-like kick grazed just above his head.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique."
Shimizu, retracting his leg, opened his mouth and unleashed a blazing fireball.
"Kakashi."
Shimizu called out suddenly.
"I'm here."
Kakashi unsheathed his short blade, swiftly cutting off Minato's retreat path.
"Impressive strategy, but..."
Minato's voice echoed through the forest, but before he could finish, Shimizu had already created three shadow clones.
Each clone performed the "Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique."
Countless fireballs surrounded Minato in an instant.
Rin Nohara, snapping out of her brief stupor, pulled out a kunai to fill the gaps between the phoenix flames, creating an inescapable net.
Minato calmly observed the trajectory of the flames, Kakashi closing in from behind, and Rin poised to assist at any moment.
He nodded slightly in approval.
Shimizu and Kakashi must have sparred frequently, developing a strong sense of coordination.
Rin, though slightly less skilled, reacted quickly and adapted well to the situation.
The team had basic synergy, enough to ensure their survival during missions.
A fireball narrowly brushed past Minato's waist. As it shook a bell tied to his clothing, the bell slipped into a fold of his ninja uniform.
"Flying Thunder God Technique!"
Minato threw a specially crafted, tri-pronged kunai and instantly disappeared from his spot.
Boom!
The sound of flames colliding with the ground and the sharp clang of the kunai piercing the earth echoed.
Minato stood atop a tree trunk.
Just as he was about to praise the team's cooperation, he noticed Shimizu holding a string of bells.
"When did that happen?"
Minato wondered if he had been distracted by the fire release, allowing one of them to use the Head Hunter Jutsu to retrieve the bells from underground.
"Do any of you know the Head Hunter Jutsu?"
As he asked, Minato lowered his head slightly to check if the bells were still on his waist.
At that moment, a pair of hands reached out from behind the tree, firmly grabbing the bells tied to Minato's waist.
"Sensei, getting distracted in battle isn't good."
Sunlight filtered through the dense canopy, casting dappled light on Shimizu's face.
"So your strategy was to distract me. The fire release was designed to push the bells into a blind spot, forcing me to check."
Minato praised them, marveling at their layered plan.
To devise such a strategy so soon after explaining the rules demonstrated incredible adaptability.
It was reminiscent of the Nara clan's intelligence: calm and swift.
"It was Shimizu's idea," Kakashi said as he sheathed his blade.
On the way here, Shimizu had speculated that Minato would play a bell-snatching game and proposed the plan.
Rin silently moved closer to Kakashi without saying a word.
Just as Kakashi mentioned, it was all Shimizu's doing.
This filled Rin with a faint sense of dread. Shimizu seemed to know everything—whether it was medical skills or combat tactics, he was unnervingly proficient.
What unnerved her most was how his extraordinary abilities starkly contrasted with his questionable moral compass.
"Shimizu, huh," Minato mused, nodding.
It seemed this squad would be easier to lead.
Having a strategic mind as the backbone of the team was far better than dealing with chaos.
As expected of a member of the Uchiha clan—true elites.
"Alright, let me give you some advice about being a ninja," Minato said, gathering the three of them to explain basic ninja knowledge.
Shimizu and Kakashi listened quietly, while Rin, having recently graduated, needed a refresher.
Two hours later.
After finishing the lengthy lecture, Minato dismissed the team. Their first mission would be in three days.
Shimizu, not sharing the same path as Kakashi and Rin, headed home alone.
As he moved through the crowd, someone suddenly called his name.
From 200 meters away, Uzumaki Kushina waved energetically.
Shimizu pulled out a small mirror to obscure his face, swiftly activating his three-tomoe Sharingan to plant a subconscious suggestion in himself.
After deactivating the Sharingan, he feigned adjusting his hairstyle and walked over.
"Hey, I've been calling you for ages! What took you so long?"
Kushina crossed her arms, puffing her cheeks in frustration.
She almost thought Shimizu had ignored her, making her doubt his earlier promise to give her a massage.
"Why is a boy like you even using a mirror?"
Kushina asked, surprised, as Shimizu put the mirror away.
"Everyone has the right to pursue beauty," Shimizu replied indifferently.
"Why were you calling me, Kushina?"
Without answering, Kushina gestured for Shimizu to move to a shaded spot. The current location, near the barrier's edge, was under direct sunlight and too hot.
Once they reached the shade, she said, "A massage, of course!"
Kushina carefully watched Shimizu's expression, trying to see if he looked annoyed.
Seeing his calm demeanor, she added, "You made this promise in front of Mikoto. If you lie, I'll complain to her!"
Kushina placed her hands on her hips, her chest rising and falling as she spoke.
"Don't worry. I wasn't planning to deceive you. Do you need it now?"
"Yes... now," Kushina nodded.
The past few days had been exhausting. Minato was always busy developing jutsu, even after promising not to. Today, he was called away by the Hokage again and hadn't returned.
Meanwhile, the Nine-Tails kept stirring within her. Any hint of negative emotion, and it would seize the opportunity to tempt her.
With a monster residing in her, peaceful sleep was a luxury.
This left her both mentally and physically drained.
Remembering Shimizu's offer, she decided to take him up on it when she saw him on the street.
"Alright, lead the way," Shimizu said.
He figured it was a good opportunity to test a new medical technique he hadn't yet used on Mikoto.
Seeing Shimizu agree so readily without any hint of impatience, Kushina smiled and led him through the winding streets.
Half an hour later.
They arrived at Kushina's residence.
The building resembled a tower, with a spherical structure at the top.
It was the Uzumaki clan's shrine and Kushina's home.
Not far away stood the Hokage's office.
"Why aren't you coming in?"
Kushina asked, noticing Shimizu standing still at the door.
"Just got distracted," Shimizu replied casually, casting a discreet glance at a nearby corner.
With his current observational skills, he noticed several figures—likely members of the ANBU—hidden nearby.
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