"Just think of it as a ninjutsu I created myself."
It wasn't easy to explain anyway, so that was the simplest answer he could give.
"As expected of Lord Ryuyun!"
Of course — he was Konoha's hero. The idea that he could create his own ninjutsu didn't seem impossible at all.
Aoyama Ryuyun didn't hide the truth about Armament Haki and spoke openly:
"This ability can be manifested anywhere on my body. Whether for defense or offense, it greatly enhances both."
"Uh…"
Minato Namikaze hadn't expected Ryuyun to reveal his ability so casually.
Was he really looking down on him that much?
Grinding his teeth slightly, Minato reached into his pouch and drew several Flying Thunder God kunai.
"Lord Ryuyun, please fight me seriously!"
He could accept losing — but being treated lightly was something he couldn't stand.
At the very least, he had to make Ryuyun acknowledge him as an opponent.
"Ninjutsu — Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Dozens of Flying Thunder God kunai split apart in midair, turning into a storm of glinting metal as they shot toward Aoyama Ryuyun.
Hands still clasped behind his back, Ryuyun stomped lightly on the ground.
Boom!
An earthen wall surged upward, intercepting the entire volley with ease.
"Rasengan!"
The field was now littered with Flying Thunder God markers — perfect for Minato's mobility.
His figure flickered in rapid succession, and in an instant he reappeared beside Ryuyun, blue chakra swirling in his palm.
Bang!
Ryuyun didn't even move his hands. Another mass of earth erupted upward, colliding with Minato's Rasengan midair.
Whoosh!
Minato's body vanished again, reappearing several meters away. His instincts told him not to stay too close.
Almost simultaneously, the ground around Ryuyun began to tremble.
"Earth Release — Soaring Dragon Formation."
Roar!
The earth split apart as several enormous dragons of solid rock surged upward, spiraling around Ryuyun.
Within seconds, the entire training field was transformed — a maelstrom of earthen beasts surrounding one calm figure.
And there he stood — Aoyama Ryuyun — his hands still clasped behind his back, his expression composed as ever, his gaze locked on Minato.
"This is—!"
Everyone watching was stunned.
They could all see it clearly: Aoyama Ryuyun hadn't used a single hand seal.
Of course, Tsunade merely smirked, arms crossed.
Hmph. You see now? The man I chose really is extraordinary.
The battle hadn't just drawn the attention of those at the field.
In the Hokage's Office, Hiruzen Sarutobi sat before his crystal ball, watching intently.
His eyes narrowed.
"This ability…"
He'd never seen anything like it. Was it a kekkei genkai? A new bloodline limit?
He had only been using the crystal ball to monitor village activity — yet here he was, witnessing a battle between Konoha's two greatest geniuses.
Hiruzen didn't understand how Aoyama Ryuyun could manipulate the earth without hand seals or visible chakra molding.
But one thing was certain — Ryuyun's strength far exceeded even his prior estimations.
He muttered under his breath, as though trying to reassure himself.
"It's fine… The Flying Thunder God Technique is a space–time ninjutsu. Minato will be fine."
If even the Flying Thunder God proved ineffective, Hiruzen truly didn't know how Konoha could ever contain Aoyama Ryuyun.
---
Back on the battlefield, Minato stood motionless for a moment, analyzing.
When he didn't immediately counterattack, Ryuyun's expression didn't change.
He simply extended a hand — and the rock dragons lunged.
"Roar! Roar! Roar!"
The stone beasts surged forward, tearing through the ground as they charged toward Minato.
The once pristine training ground was now a ruin — the earth shattered, trees uprooted, the air thick with dust.
Swish! Swish!
But Minato Namikaze was no ordinary shinobi.
Between his natural speed and his mastery of the Flying Thunder God, his movements were beyond the reach of ordinary perception.
He darted between the dragons like a flicker of sunlight, golden light flashing across the battlefield as he reappeared and vanished again.
---
"I can't let this continue!"
Feeling his chakra draining rapidly, Minato's expression tightened.
The Flying Thunder God was efficient, but using it repeatedly took a toll.
At this rate, he wouldn't last much longer.
His gaze sharpened. If I just take him down directly, the jutsu should end.
He drew several more Flying Thunder God kunai.
"Ninjutsu — Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
The same technique again — predictable, but effective.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The roaring rock dragons smashed through the volley of kunai, shattering some midair — but that wasn't Minato's real goal.
"It's enough!"
He grinned slightly, glancing at the ground.
Dozens of kunai now embedded in the shattered terrain — each a teleportation marker.
Flash!
A streak of golden light burst forth as Minato's body vanished, then reappeared, then vanished again — dozens of times in an instant.
The flexibility of the Flying Thunder God Technique was fully unleashed.
Even Tsunade and Orochimaru, both Kage-level shinobi, struggled to track his movements.
"It's over!"
Minato appeared directly behind Ryuyun, Rasengan blazing in his palm as he drove it forward.
For a brief instant, it looked like victory was his.
But Ryuyun only smiled faintly.
He turned, effortlessly catching Minato by the collar with one hand.
"Nani?!"
Minato's eyes widened in disbelief.
He'd been moving faster than light itself — how could Ryuyun possibly keep up?
Before he could react, Ryuyun slammed him to the ground with brutal force.
Boom!
The earth cracked beneath the impact.
Minato coughed violently, blood spattering the dirt. His chakra was spent — he couldn't even trigger another teleport.
Subdued in a single move.
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