With an almost hypnotic rhythm, Yamanaka Shinno moved fluidly, his dance perfectly complented by the D-rank genjutsu he had created specifically to enhance the performance.
Namikaze Minato's two dances were t with unanimous praise from the audience, their enthusiasm filling the training grounds.
After a brief mont of fun, Might Guy, Kakashi, and the others returned to their intense training. Only Obito hesitated before approaching Shinno, asking—sowhat sheepishly—if he could teach him both the songs and the corresponding dance moves.
He had no ulterior motives.
He just thought their teacher's performance was too good to be forgotten.
Unsurprisingly, that afternoon, Obito ended up receiving special attention from Minato—punishnt for the grave sin. As a result, he was forced into an extra hour of rigorous training.
...
Later in the afternoon, Minato and Shinno didn't spar again. Instead, they each took ti to reflect on the insights gained from their previous battle.
The Crow Flying Thunder God and the Flying Thunder God Kunai each had their own strengths and weaknesses in actual combat.
The forr provided speed and unpredictability, dramatically increasing the height and angle of Minato's attacks. He didn't need to throw a kunai every ti he struck, nor did he have to calculate landing positions ticulously. In high-speed combat, this technique allowed him to move even faster.
However, it also had clear drawbacks. The flight path of the crows was sowhat predictable, and if they got too close to an enemy, they risked being taken down.
As for the latter technique, continuously throwing Flying Thunder God kunai ensured that every attack landed exactly where he wanted, making it deadlier and harder to counter. The unpredictable placent of the kunai made it difficult for opponents to anticipate his movents.
But it had its own limitations. When facing a large number of enemies or exceptionally fast opponents, the need to throw multiple kunai and calculate landing spots increased the number of tis he had to teleport. Although the ti spent throwing was minimal, against opponents with near-instant jutsu execution, even the slightest delay could be exploited.
Minato was troubled.
In their recent battle, he had used the Flying Thunder God technique at least three to four tis more often than Shinno!
There were three key reasons for this:
First, when Shinno used Great Water Arm, it amplified his strength to the point where Minato was at a disadvantage. He was forced to rely on teleportation to evade, divert attacks, and maintain his speed advantage.
Second, those summoned crows were a nightmare to deal with!
He was seriously considering whether he should start raising so of his own. The crows trained within Konoha had undergone generations of selective breeding, enhanced during their juvenile stage with secret dicines and rigorous training. Within three months, they could beco formidable combat partners. While they didn't have as much chakra as the toads of Mount Myoboku, their sheer speed, combined with a skilled summoner's unpredictability, made them an absolute nace—even for him.
And third—the most infuriating part—he really, really needed to add so anti-theft asures to his Flying Thunder God technique!
At the very least, he needed to make sure that Shinno couldn't abuse it during their fights.
Minato had thrown those kunai for his own use, not for Shinno to hijack the teleportation points, take the pri position ahead of him, and then throw the kunai far away so Minato had to go fetch them! Was this so kind of cruel joke?
What was this, playing fetch with a ninja dog?
Not to ntion, every ti Minato thought he had an opening, Shinno shalessly used his own technique against him, slipping away effortlessly and putting Minato at an even greater disadvantage.
Minato knew one thing for sure—if he let this battle pattern continue, his position would only worsen.
That was why he had gambled on the bold move of directly inscribing the Flying Thunder God seal onto Shinno himself.
Only to be completely countered.
Shinno had expected it, set up a trap, and taken him down in an instant.
"Looks like I've been slacking a bit these past few years..."
Minato glanced at Shinno, who sat cross-legged on a distant rooftop, lost in thought.
He silently resolved to push himself harder. Training was important, but as for dancing—
Well, if Shinno was the one performing, Minato would be even happier watching.
"Hmm... I recall that Mount Myoboku has a jutsu called Toad Shadow Manipulation Technique..."
Minato rubbed his chin, a plan forming in his mind.
Yes. That would be the perfect replacent for the Mind-Body Disturbance Technique.
Next ti—next ti, he was going to make sure Shinno perford a proper dance for him.
...
"Achoo!"
Shinno suddenly sneezed, rubbing his nose.
He instinctively glanced toward the lakeside pavilion, where Minato sat writing sothing on a scroll.
That guy...
He wasn't the bright-eyed, innocent "Little Sun" he used to be.
Minato's moves were getting dirtier by the day!
Who the hell aims for below the belt in a taijutsu fight?!
If it weren't for his mastery of the Hydrification Technique, he would've been in serious pain.
...
"Chakra, chakra..."
Shinno sighed, growing more impatient to unlock a trait that could increase his chakra reserves.
There was a saying—the poor focus on precision, the rich on overwhelming firepower.
If he had as much chakra as Minato, would he have needed to conserve his Flying Thunder God technique?
And if he had as much chakra as Hashirama Senju...
Heh.
Ever heard of saturation bombing?
"I need to talk to Shikaku later and have him pick a mission in the Land of Iron."
Shinno muttered under his breath.
He had already made most of the necessary preparations. Now, all he needed was the right mission.
Then he could leave Konoha legitimately and head to the Land of Iron.
To find Uchiha Madara.
...
Ti passed swiftly in the peaceful routine of training and preparation.
The tranquil environnt of the Hidden Training Grounds made it easy to forget that the Third Great Ninja War was on the horizon.
Mornings were spent sparring with Minato, afternoons training alone or guiding his three students, and nights enjoying the rare pleasure of holding a warm, soft Kushina in his arms.
Before he realized it, mid-November had arrived.
Just as Shinno was wondering whether Shikaku could actually be trusted—since neither of the two things he had asked him to arrange had been completed—Hiruzen Sarutobi summoned him to the Hokage's office once more.
The spacious office was shrouded in smoke.
Hiruzen puffed his pipe, standing with his back to the setting sun, his expression grim and shadowed.
Recently, Konoha's border outposts had been suffering frequent disturbances.
The enemy was testing them.
If Konoha couldn't respond with strength—or redirect the conflict elsewhere—
"Shinno, I need you to go to Kumogakure for a classified mission. There, our intelligence agent—the Wandering Miko—will et you and provide support."
Hiruzen's voice was heavy with rare solemnity.
The scroll he tossed Shinno had no official rank, but every word inside it was enough to make a lesser ninja's heart stop.
"...Understood."
Shinno pursed his lips.
And silently flipped Shikaku the biggest ntal middle finger.
He had waited over ten days...
And instead of the Land of Iron, he was being sent to the Land of Lightning?!
And this mission—was he serious?!
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