"Uh... this..."
Jiraiya hesitated, but seeing the eager determination on his students' faces, he found it difficult to refuse.
Minato pointed toward Obito and Kakashi, who were locked in an intense stare as if about to call each other's names dramatically, and Asuma, who was glaring at Guy with a face full of frustration.
With a cheerful smile, Minato said, "It's quite the coincidence, Jiraiya-sensei. My students seem eager for a real battle as well."
Jiraiya pondered for a moment before nodding. He deliberately maintained a relaxed tone as he said:
"Very well. Since they were classmates at the academy, we as their mentors should take this opportunity to guide their training."
Inwardly, Jiraiya sighed. He hadn't expected Minato to arrive at such a critical moment.
If he chose to retreat now, wouldn't that mean his students were afraid to face Fuma's disciples?
'We must win this fight... If the situation gets out of hand, I'll have to step in to salvage our reputation'
"As for the rules, let's follow standard shinobi combat principles. No need to hold back, since we, as their mentors, will be watching over them."
Among Jiraiya's students, Kakashi was the most skilled, and his combat style excelled in real close-quarters combat.
"However, I've primarily taught them teamwork-based strategies. After all, learning to work together is the most important skill for academy students. They haven't had any formal training in one-on-one combat yet."
Jiraiya stated something completely absurd with a straight face, causing Asuma and Kakashi to look at him in confusion, as if asking, 'Sensei, what are you talking about? We've never done any teamwork drills.'
In Konoha, while the academy emphasized cooperation under the "Will of Fire" ideology, teamwork training was rarely emphasized for prodigies.
The reason was simple—forcing a genius to lower themselves to match ordinary shinobi was less effective than having them fight solo.
At a certain level of power, teamwork wasn't something that needed specific training. Most jōnin could coordinate with each other instinctively through silent eye contact, combining their elemental jutsu naturally.
'Interesting... Is Jiraiya trying to set himself up with an excuse in case his team loses?'
Minato scratched his head, radiating his usual warm, sunny aura. "I see. That was my oversight."
But then, his tone shifted as he stretched his words slightly:
"That being said, my students are the same way. In fact, Obito and Konan recently developed an interesting combination technique. Why not make this a team battle instead?"
Before Jiraiya could respond, Minato turned to Obito with a smile and asked:
"Obito, do you think you three can handle five opponents? Don't push yourself too hard."
"Hah? This is nothing, Sensei! Leave it to us!" Obito responded enthusiastically, pointing at Kakashi and gesturing a thumbs-down.
He shouted confidently, "That guy is their strongest, right? With his level, I could take on five—no, ten shinobi like him!"
"Don't talk big!" Konan lightly chopped Obito on the head, making him cry out dramatically in pain.
"But, Minato-sensei, Obito and I really did come up with a new team technique for group combat. We'd love your feedback on it."
Minato nodded as if he had long since gotten used to Obito and Konan's master-and-pet dynamic. Then, he turned to Jiraiya with a smile:
"Shall we make this an exhilarating team battle, Jiraiya-sensei?"
Jiraiya's expression darkened. This time, Minato's team had the psychological advantage.
If his team won, it wouldn't be anything special—five against three, after all. And they'd be beating Fuma's disciples.
But if they lost, it would be ridiculous—losing a five-on-three fight? How could he call himself a mentor? Might as well go sell roasted sweet potatoes in the Fire Country instead.
And if they backed out now, it would be even worse. Refusing to fight in this situation would make them look like cowards, especially after confronting the Uchiha.
"...Fine. We start in ten minutes."
Jiraiya forced a smile, but to him, Minato—usually radiant and warm—now seemed incredibly devious.
'No matter... I'll send in a three-man squad first. As long as we win, it'll be fine.'
He gathered Kakashi and the others and quietly laid out their strategy:
"Kakashi, Asuma, Kurenai—you three will engage them head-on. Rin and Raido, you two stay in the rear and don't interfere unless things take a turn for the worse. Understood?"
"If things go south, Raido, use your special ninja tool for a surprise attack. Rin, prioritize healing the wounded as fast as possible."
"Remember, this isn't just a spar—this is war!"
Jiraiya's voice was solemn as he carefully planned out the battle.
Meanwhile, Minato's side was far more relaxed.
"Obito, what's this technique you and Konan developed?" he asked casually. "Just fight freely, no need to hold back. With Fuma watching over us, we can afford to go all out."
"Hah! Just watch, Minato-sensei!" Obito exclaimed, gripping his explosive blade with excitement. "It's a technique on par with an S-rank jutsu, and the name is incredibly cool!"
Minato chuckled and patted Obito's head. "That's right! Our lineage must always have flashy technique names! Looks like you're learning fast, Obito."
Fuma, standing nearby, frowned. He was about to correct Minato's terrible influence on Obito when he suddenly heard:
"Like Fuma's newly developed [Special Beam Cannon], for example. A perfect example of a well-named technique. So, I suggest you name yours—"
Fuma immediately stopped in his tracks and pretended not to hear anything. 'This brat Minato... When it comes to bad habits, he picks them up faster than anything else.'
Minato, however, was utterly serious about this. His love for naming techniques had reached dangerous levels.
"Sensei! I will give this battle my all and unleash my youth to the fullest!"
Guy, his bowl-cut hair gleaming under the sunlight, clenched his fists in excitement.
"That's the spirit, Guy!" Minato cheered, his eyes filled with admiration.
At first, Minato had taken Guy as a student purely because of his hard work and visible talent in taijutsu. He hadn't expected much beyond that.
After all, countless shinobi trained in taijutsu, but only a handful ever reached high-level jōnin combat strength.
However, Guy had completely exceeded his expectations. Not only did he possess astonishing physical potential, but he was also showing signs of mastering nintaijutsu—a fusion of ninjutsu and taijutsu!
Guy had both fire and lightning chakra natures, and when it came to utilizing those, who better than the Uchiha to teach him?
"Go, Guy. Show these academy students, who have never truly known the meaning of youth, the results of your hard work!"
"Yes, Minato-sensei!!"
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