Minato nodded slowly.
He still didn't believe Hiruzen was as extreme as Jin described—but the signs were undeniable. The Third Hokage's grip on authority was tight. Almost instinctive.
For safety's sake, Minato decided to keep the matter of the Legislative Council to himself—for now.
They continued discussing strategy, reviewing details, refining contingencies. By the time they finished, dusk had begun to swallow the sky outside the Military Police headquarters.
Jin glanced at the fading light.
"That's enough for today. The longer you stay, the more it invites suspicion."
Minato, however, smiled faintly.
"There's actually one more reason I came."
Jin raised a brow.
"Oh?"
Minato scratched his cheek lightly.
"Besides securing the Uchiha vote and discussing legal reform… the Third also asked me to assess your current strength."
Jin paused—then chuckled softly.
"So he's preparing for the worst."
He understood immediately.
The "worst case" in politics always had the same meaning.
When negotiation failed—
When compromise ran dry—
When retreat became impossible—
Force.
War was merely the continuation of politics by other means.
Once, the Uchiha had been the ones cornered into contemplating that path.
Now—
Hiruzen was the one quietly preparing.
The balance had shifted.
And unlike the past Uchiha hotheads who shouted about coups without ever drafting intelligence networks, tactical blueprints, or supply chains—
Hiruzen planned.
He calculated.
He prepared.
That was the difference between anger and strategy.
Minato spoke again.
"I could fabricate something to report back. But at least we should put on a show."
Jin shook his head.
"No."
He stood.
"I've stepped into the sightline of every faction in Konoha."
"This is the perfect moment to let them see."
He wasn't aiming to provoke.
He was aiming to recalibrate fear.
Previously, Hiruzen compromised because public momentum forced him to.
But momentum had limits.
Jin intended to lower that limit further.
If the Third ever considered flipping the table—
He should first measure whether he had the strength to do so.
Of course, displaying strength required restraint. Too much pressure created panic. Panic created chaos.
Minato grinned.
"It's been a while since we sparred."
"Uchiha training grounds? Or the public field?"
Jin rose from his seat.
"If we're showing fangs, we do it where people can see."
"Public training ground."
He extended his hand.
Minato clasped it instantly.
The world blurred.
With the activation of Flying Thunder God Technique, space folded—
—and the two vanished.
Training Ground No. 7
They reappeared in Training Ground 7.
Dusk painted the field in muted gold. The area was empty.
Perfect.
Minato immediately leapt backward, widening the distance between them. His expression sharpened. Two fingers rose, forming the traditional seal of confrontation.
Jin mirrored him.
A gesture of respect.
Nothing more.
"Begin."
Minato disappeared.
He was called the fastest shinobi in the world for a reason—and not solely because of Flying Thunder God.
Even without teleportation, his raw speed ranked among the highest in the shinobi world. Only extreme velocity specialists like the Raikage could rival him in pure motion.
Jin did not underestimate him.
His eyes shifted—
Three tomoe spun into existence.
Sharingan activated.
Minato reappeared within striking distance.
A kick aimed for Jin's head.
Jin's arm snapped upward, intercepting the blow with a sharp crack of impact. He absorbed the force and countered immediately, reaching for Minato's ankle.
Most shinobi would have been caught mid-air—
But Minato's reflexes exceeded even his speed.
He retracted his leg, twisted his body midair, and redirected into a sweeping arc kick toward Jin's temple.
Jin leaned back just enough to evade. The heel sliced through empty air.
He surged forward instantly.
Minato met him head-on.
Fists collided.
Elbows, knees, shoulders—
Their movements accelerated.
Afterimages overlapped.
The air trembled with impact after impact.
Despite the Sharingan's predictive advantage, Minato's nervous system compensated with razor-sharp reaction speed. He erased the gap between perception and execution.
For one full minute, neither yielded.
Then—
Their fists collided simultaneously.
The force rebounded through both arms.
Without words, they used the recoil to disengage.
They landed several meters apart.
Minato exhaled slowly.
"That was just warm-up."
Jin drew the blade at his waist.
The fragmented edge gleamed.
Zanka no Tachi—or at least what he called it.
Chakra surged outward from him in a visible wave, whipping dust and leaves into spirals.
The air pressure shifted.
Minato's pupils contracted—but then he smiled.
Excited.
"Your growth these past years exceeded expectations," he said lightly.
"But I haven't stood still either."
Despite countless battles on the front lines, most of Minato's opponents had fallen in moments.
Jin—
Was different.
The strongest opponent he had faced in years.
And tonight—
Konoha would witness it.
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