Chapter 16: Body Flicker Technique

The abilities displayed by Minato Namikaze and Uchiha Homura were far beyond what would be expected from new students at a ninja academy. Whether the observing students or the Konoha teachers, everyone was utterly shocked. 

Even Jiraiya, hidden in the shadows, had his eyes slightly widened.

That Uchiha Homura possessed such strength was still within Jiraiya's understanding. After all, the renowned Uchiha clan's fame resonated throughout the ninja world. As a genius youth of this generation's Uchiha clan, his rapid progress was naturally exceptional compared to ordinary people.

However, Minato Namikaze was merely a child from an ordinary family, not belonging to any ninja clan. He had even lost both parents at a young age, absolutely unable to access any ninja teachings before entering the academy.

The new students had only been in the academy for less than a year. Even for a student with excellent talents, being able to extract chakra would be considered good. 

Yet, Minato could now fight on par with Uchiha Homura.

This level of talent reminded Jiraiya of someone else.

Indeed, there was a distinction between ordinary people and geniuses in this world.

Without a doubt, whether it was him or Minato Namikaze in front of him, they were both true geniuses!

Boom! Boom!

On the training grounds, Uchiha Homura and Minato Namikaze were exchanging taijutsu strikes. Their strength and limb speeds were nearly equal, their frequent switches between offense and defense leaving the observing students dizzy.

Uchiha Homura became increasingly alarmed, not because Minato's taijutsu could match his, but because Minato possessed combat experience that was no less than his own.

It should be known that Uchiha Homura had been sparring against the strong members of his clan almost daily since the age of three, accumulating combat experience that should be incomparable to any student from the ninja academy.

Yet, it seemed that Minato Namikaze's combat experience was not inferior to his.

This was surprising not just for Uchiha Homura, but for Minato himself as well. At the start of the fight, he was startled by Uchiha Homura's combat experience.

However, when Uchiha Homura's attacks came, Minato's body seemed to automatically respond with appropriate moves, as if it were a natural instinct honed from countless battles.

As the fight progressed, he gradually adapted to this feeling, his switches between offense and defense becoming increasingly smooth, even managing to suppress Uchiha Homura.

Konoha teachers like Kunio Shindō felt somewhat dejected, because the level demonstrated by Uchiha Homura and Minato meant there was no need for them to continue learning at the ninja academy.

The chūnin-level teachers could no longer provide any meaningful guidance to further their growth.

Boom!

Uchiha Homura gradually became flustered. In a moment of distraction, Minato seized an opening between his attack and defense, throwing a straight punch towards Uchiha Homura's chest.

With Minato's strength, if this punch landed squarely, the fight would essentially be over.

However, to avoid injuring Uchiha Homura, Minato changed his fist into an open palm strike at the last moment, pushing Uchiha Homura back several meters.

After stumbling a few steps, Uchiha Homura finally regained his footing.

"Let's stop here," Minato said after knocking Uchiha Homura away. This incident had already caused enough embarrassment for Kunio Shindō, who lost his composure when it involved Kushina Uzumaki.

Ultimately, it was Kunio's improper handling of the situation that provoked Uchiha Homura's extreme reaction.

Hearing Minato's words, Kunio's eyes lit up. Minato had said earlier that he knew restraint, and ending the matter here was the best outcome.

Mikoto Uchiha also secretly breathed a sigh of relief. If the two continued fighting, the likely result would have been mutual injury. By letting Uchiha Homura save face, Minato defused the situation.

However, they did not expect that even if Minato was willing to stop now, Uchiha Homura had no intention of ending it so easily.

To his arrogant mind, Minato's act was more like a provocation.

Moreover, he was the one who initiated this in the first place. If he backed down now, he would surely be criticized when word got back to his clan.

Failing to defeat an ordinary person would be seen as incompetence.

And the Uchiha clan had no need for the incompetent!

Thinking this, his eyes gradually turned a slight reddish tint. He did not want to be called incompetent.

Then, in front of Minato's watchful gaze, Uchiha Homura's hands slowly formed the Snake hand seal.

"That opening hand seal is..." Kunio Shindō's face immediately turned solemn, despite only being a chūnin. His knowledge had even earned praise from the Third Hokage. Seeing Uchiha Homura form the Snake seal, he could tell what jutsu was coming next.

Uchiha Homura then skillfully followed up with the Horse and Monkey seals. At this point, Kunio Shindō could confirm the jutsu Uchiha Homura was about to use.

The Uchiha clan specialized in Fire Release techniques. Among their fire jutsu, the most common one that every Uchiha essentially mastered was...

"Uchiha Homura, stop this instant!" Kunio shouted, but Uchiha Homura had already finished the last seal. His hands came together, fingertips touching as his cheeks puffed out.

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"

Woosh!

Raging flames immediately spewed from Uchiha Homura's mouth, instantly expanding into a massive fireball heading straight for Minato Namikaze. But at the edge of that fireball, two students stood frozen in shock.

At the temperature of the Great Fireball, coming into contact with it would instantly burn those two students.

Swish!

The hidden Jiraiya, not expecting Uchiha Homura to blatantly disregard the teacher's warning, could only rush out and narrowly rescue the two students at the fireball's edge.

Facing a fireball even larger than his own height, Minato's golden eyebrows furrowed slightly, a hint of anger gradually appearing in his azure eyes.

Because this guy actually unleashed such a massive Fire Release technique in this confined area, completely disregarding everyone's safety!

After taking the astonished students to safety, Jiraiya whipped his head back around. 

With the level Minato demonstrated, he would not be seriously injured. But as a teacher, to watch his potential student get hurt before even taking him under his wing was too ironic.

Jiraiya's hands then formed a blur of seals at an unmatched speed far beyond Uchiha Homura's ability.

After a sequence of hand seals, he nearly instantaneously completed the preparations to unleash a Wind Release technique. But just as he was about to release it, Minato, who had been standing before the Great Fireball, suddenly vanished from his original spot in what seemed like a flicker of movement.

Swish!

It was an ultra-high speed movement akin to teleportation. When Jiraiya saw it, his face was filled with disbelief.

It was the Body Flicker Technique!

(end of chapter)