"Minato Namikaze! Tatsuma Sakamoto! I challenge you!"
During the first practical combat lesson of the new semester, Tatsuma and Minato—who were mid-spar—froze in surprise. They turned toward Kushina, who was standing a few paces away with a look of iron determination.
"What did you do to offend her?" Tatsuma asked, genuinely curious.
"I have no idea," Minato replied, shaking his head. "Did you?"
Minato mentally reviewed everything he had done over the past week and found nothing that could have slighted Kushina. If he had to guess, maybe she was still mad about his "brilliant" smile on the first day of school.
Seeing the two of them whispering to each other and completely ignoring her, the surrounding students began to mutter. They whispered that the "Tomato" and the "Red-Hot Habanero" was just making a scene for no reason.
Kushina's face flushed a deep red with rage. "Hey! You two cowards! Do you have the guts to accept my challenge or not?!"
Tatsuma looked helplessly at Goppu Sarutobi. Normally, this was the part where the teacher was supposed to intervene and mediate. However, when Goppu noticed Tatsuma's look, he simply offered a silent nod of approval.
Hey, hey, hey! What are you nodding for?! Are you encouraging us to fight our classmates?! Tatsuma screamed internally.
Before he could protest, Minato—who had been called a "girly-boy" and a "coward" once too often—looked at Kushina and nodded. "Fine. How do you want to do this?"
"Practical combat!"
As she spoke, Kushina pulled out a practice kunai—the unsharpened, blunted kind. These were popular at the Academy because they significantly reduced the risk of serious injury.
Unfortunately, Minato and Tatsuma didn't own any. Practice gear cost extra, and neither of them wanted to spend their limited funds. The weapons they carried were the real ones gifted to them a year ago by Hatake Sakumo.
Minato looked at the blunt blade in her hand and said, "Sorry, I only have combat-ready kunai. I don't have a practice one like yours."
Combat-ready.
To Kushina's ears, those words sounded like a blatant provocation. She thought Minato was mocking her for talking about "practical combat" while being too afraid to use a real blade. Her face transitioned from red to a dark, angry purple.
But Minato's "tactical politeness" wasn't finished. He tucked his kunai back into his pouch and offered her another radiant smile. "It's okay. I won't use a weapon at all."
Minato's intention was simply to avoid accidentally cutting her with a live blade. But to everyone else, it sounded like he was saying, "I don't need a weapon to beat you." Tatsuma gave his friend a "good luck with that" look and silently retreated to the sidelines.
"You arrogant sissy!"
The moment Tatsuma stepped aside, Kushina lunged forward as if she had just triggered a blood-frenzy. She swung her practice kunai at Minato with reckless abandon.
Minato sidestepped the strike with ease. He caught Kushina's wrist as it swung past, twisted, and used her momentum to pivot behind her, locking her arms in a hold.
Kushina was stunned. She hadn't even lasted a single exchange before being pinned. Flushed with shame and anger, she ignored the pain in her locked arm and began to thrash around like a crocodile trying to roll its prey.
Seeing that she was willing to risk injury just to break free, Minato immediately let go. Once free, Kushina didn't hesitate; she threw a vicious spinning elbow directly toward Minato's face.
Minato raised his arm to block, but Kushina's raw power was so great that her elbow slammed into Minato's own arm, which in turn slammed into his face. Minato stumbled, his balance wavering for a split second.
It was only a moment, however. Having sparred with Tatsuma for a year, he was used to an opponent who never missed an opening. If this were Tatsuma, the follow-up strike would already be landing. Minato decisively rolled away to reset.
Kushina, however, wasn't Tatsuma. Seeing her attack land, she broke into a triumphant grin. Seeing Minato roll away ungracefully, she laughed out loud. "Haha! This is the Top Student? That's it?"
Minato stood up, dusting off his sleeves without a trace of anger. Through that brief exchange, he had accurately gauged Kushina's level.
Her raw strength was greater than his or Tatsuma's. That realization actually surprised him; he and Tatsuma were arguably the strongest in their grade level, and yet a girl who had just arrived had already surpassed them in power.
However, aside from her strength and her "fearless courage," she lacked everything else. Her speed, technique, and combat mindset were all unrefined.
Minato looked at her and smiled gently. "If that's all you've got, you won't be able to defeat me."
"Hmph! Big talk for a loser!" Kushina wiped her nose with her thumb, looking arrogant. But seeing that Minato still hadn't drawn his weapon, her mood soured again.
"Hyah!"
She lunged again, her kunai driving toward Minato's chest. But Minato, now fully aware of her strength, wasn't about to meet her head-on.
He used his palms to deflect the blow to his right, while his body blurred in a swift maneuver to pass her. As they crossed paths, he planted his right foot firmly between her legs.
Thud—!
Kushina didn't even need Minato to push her. Her own momentum, combined with Minato's well-placed foot, sent her tripping face-first into the dirt. It was a classic "borrowed force" technique Minato had learned from Tatsuma.
Kushina scrambled to her feet, her face covered in dust and her eyes burning with fury. She didn't feel like she had lost; she just felt like Minato was being "slimy." To her, he looked like a sissy, and his fighting style was just as "feminine" and indirect. It was... infuriating!
"Bastard!"
She threw herself at him again. Minato felt a pang of helplessness. If this were him and Tatsuma, a slip like that would have ended the match with a respectful forfeit. Kushina clearly didn't play by those rules.
Over the next few minutes, Kushina charged again and again, only to be tripped or redirected every single time. Because Minato refused to actually strike her, Kushina didn't feel defeated—she just felt her rage meter reaching its breaking point.
"Alright! That's enough. Kushina, Minato has already won," Goppu said firmly. He looked at the girl and pointed toward Tatsuma. "It looks like you only have one chance left."
"On what grounds?!" Kushina shouted, but Goppu ignored the protest and began explaining the tactical reasons for the decision.
In the Hokage's office, Mito Uzumaki watched the crystal ball and nodded. She looked at Tatsuma, who was currently watching the scene with a smile. "Minato Namikaze certainly has a gentlemanly air about him. This Tatsuma boy... I assume he'll be much the same?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi hesitated, then sighed. "Lady Mito, I suggest you prepare yourself. Tatsuma is a wonderful child in many ways, but... his desire for victory is a bit more... intense."
On the screen, Kushina had already turned her attention to Tatsuma. Tatsuma looked at the fuming girl and said, "As expected of Lady Mito's kinsman. Your strength is truly incredible. But... I'm going to win."
"Save the talk for after you win, Seaweed-Broom-Head!"
Kushina charged. Tatsuma didn't underestimate her strength; he knew she could overpower him if he wasn't careful. As she lunged, he retracted his left arm and leaned his shoulder into the collision. The moment they met, his arm snaked around hers in a grapple.
Tatsuma's right hand whipped up in a palm strike—an "Earth-Shattering Slap" aimed directly at Kushina's round face. Terrified, Kushina raised her left hand to defend, but Tatsuma's hand suddenly shifted mid-air, his fingers driving toward the hollow of her throat.
"STOP!!!"