The morning air was crisp, carrying the scent of damp earth from the previous night's rain. The training grounds stretched before them, quiet yet filled with the electric tension of an impending fight. Three figures stood at the center—Minato, Kushina, and Nawaki—each radiating an aura of confidence and anticipation.
A short distance away, under the shade of a large tree, a group of experienced shinobi observed. Ryūsei, Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru remained in the background, their expressions ranging from amused to analytical. Though they wouldn't interfere, their presence was a silent challenge—a reminder that expectations were high.
A Test of Growth
Kushina cracked her knuckles, golden-red chakra chains flickering into existence behind her. Her confidence was palpable. "Alright, slowpokes. Let's see how much you've improved."
Minato rolled his shoulders, his expression calm. "Confident as ever, huh?"
"Damn right." She smirked. "You might've gotten some fancy bloodline upgrades, but you're still Minato to me."
Nawaki stretched his arms, exhaling deeply. There was a determined fire in his eyes. "Let's just get this over with. I want to see if I can keep up with you two now."
Ryūsei leaned casually against the tree, arms crossed. "Three-on-three spar. Let's see how you handle pressure."
Jiraiya clapped his hands together. "Alright, you three against three of my clones. Give it your best shot."
In a puff of smoke, three identical Jiraiya shadow clones appeared, each grinning wildly.
Kushina scoffed. "I'll take the loud one."
Nawaki smirked. "They're all loud."
Minato simply lifted a specially marked kunai between his fingers, his grip loose but prepared.
"Begin."
The Jiraiya clones lunged first, moving with impressive speed for mere shadows of the real thing.
Kushina: The Unbreakable Seal
Kushina didn't retreat—she rushed forward, chakra chains whipping through the air like golden vipers. The first clone barely dodged before she unleashed a barrage of barrier seals, each exploding into existence in midair.
Seal traps in motion? Jiraiya's real self raised an eyebrow. She's getting creative.
The clone tried to counter, but her chains seized him mid-step, yanking him backward into a sealed boundary. Kushina wasted no time, slamming her fist into the clone's gut. The force cracked the earth beneath them before he exploded into smoke.
She dusted her hands off. "Too easy."
Nawaki: The Unrelenting Force
Nawaki wasn't as fast as Minato or as precise as Kushina, but he didn't hold back. He charged straight at his opponent, fists crackling with chakra-enhanced power.
The Jiraiya clone blocked his punch but skidded backward, surprised by the raw strength.
"You've got some bite, kid."
Nawaki grinned. "You haven't seen anything yet."
He pressed forward with a relentless flurry of punches and kicks, forcing the clone onto the defensive. Though his technique lacked refinement, his willpower was undeniable. Even as he took hits in return, he refused to back down.
Minato: The Phantom Blade
Minato's fight looked different. He didn't need raw strength.
The moment his opponent moved, he was already gone—vanishing in a flicker of yellow light.
Ryūsei watched closely. His chakra flow is smoother than before. The Senju refinement didn't give him Wood Style, but it did something else…
Minato reappeared behind his clone, kunai slashing forward, but the clone barely parried.
He vanished again.
Then again.
And again.
Jiraiya, watching from a distance, rubbed his chin. He's already adapting to the Flying Thunder God's flow.
The **clone hesitated for just a second—**and that was all Minato needed.
With a final blur, he reappeared midair, twisting into a spinning kick that shattered the clone into smoke.
He landed softly, exhaling as the last remnants of his opponent faded away.
Only Nawaki remained, still duking it out with his clone. His moves were slower, but his relentless perseverance kept the fight going longer than expected.
The real Jiraiya smirked. "Kid's stubborn."
Tsunade crossed her arms. "He's a Senju. What do you expect?"
With one last explosive punch, Nawaki sent the clone crashing into the ground, dispersing it. He was breathing hard but grinning.
"I win."
Minato chuckled. "Barely."
Kushina clapped him on the back. "Not bad, brat. You're finally catching up."
Nawaki scowled. "Brat? I'm older than you!"
A Mission Ahead
After a short rest, the group gathered at the village's mission hall.
Hiruzen had assigned them a recon mission—a joint operation with the Uchiha and Hyūga to scout the Land of Fire's borders.
Kushina frowned as she read the details. "Uchiha and Hyūga, huh? Bet they'll love working together."
Minato sighed. "We'll just have to make sure we don't get caught in their rivalry."
Nawaki grinned. "Or maybe we should just let them fight and sneak off to finish the mission ourselves."
Kushina punched his shoulder. "No."
Jiraiya leaned back against the wall, arms crossed. "Don't screw this up, you guys. If you embarrass me, I'll make sure your next training session is hell."
Tsunade smirked. "Especially you, Nawaki."
He groaned. "Why just me?!"
Orochimaru, flipping through an old scroll, muttered, "Just don't die."
Ryūsei gave them all a final look. "You three have come far, but this is your real test. A mission isn't a spar. Out there, hesitation kills."
Minato nodded. "We'll be ready."
As they left, Kushina leaned toward Minato. "You better be. Otherwise, I'll have to save you again."
Minato chuckled. "I think it's my turn to save you this time."
She smirked. "We'll see."
Meanwhile…
As the new generation walked off, Ryūsei watched them go, arms crossed.
Tsunade nudged him. "You're proud, aren't you?"
He smirked. "A little."
Orochimaru sighed. "Minato's growing too fast. If we don't watch out, he'll surpass us all before we know it."
Jiraiya grinned. "I'd like to see that."
Mito, who had been silently listening, finally spoke.
"Well, if Minato is getting stronger, maybe it's time he started thinking about marriage."
Ryūsei blinked. "Wait, what?"
Tsunade burst out laughing. "Oh, this is gonna be good."
Mito smirked. "A strong shinobi should have a strong partner. And Kushina is quite the catch."
Jiraiya immediately perked up. "Ohhh, now this is a conversation I can get behind."
Ryūsei smirked. "Better tell Minato before Kushina does."
As the group laughed, the new generation walked toward their future, unaware of the chaos their mentors were plotting for them.
— To Be Continued…