Naturally, Yuki Seisui wasn't about to let things go as his opponent hoped.
"Panda Ming, I'm leaving this to you!"
"Yeah, don't worry. That ugly toad? I'll take care of him in no time."
Panda Ming Chomped on a piece of bamboo, looking completely unconcerned.
Yuki Seisui had full confidence in him. He was already well-acquainted with the abilities of the Myoboku toads.
This Iron-Wall Toad, while possessing powerful defense, was lacking in every other area.
Far inferior to Panda Ming in all aspects.
"You filthy panda! Take this, Toad Rolling Technique!"
The Iron-Wall Toad shouted, pulling his limbs in and curling into a ball before launching himself toward Panda Ming.
One could say the move bore some resemblance to the Akimichi clan's Human Boulder technique.
Panda Ming casually tossed aside his bamboo. Though he might look down on the enemy, he knew better than to hold back in a real fight, a lesson from the Panda Sage.
A glowing white aura flared around Panda Ming's body, a sign he had activated his Body Dominance Mode.
"Panda Fist!"
The white energy surged into his arm, turning it completely white. With a mighty roar, he slammed his fist forward.
The Iron-Wall Toad was sent flying, tumbling back into his normal form.
Still, he wasn't too badly hurt.
As expected from a toad known for its ironclad defense.
Meanwhile, Yuki and Minato were locked in a fast-paced clash. While Yuki technically had the upper hand, Minato's incredible reflexes allowed him to narrowly avoid most of Yuki's attacks.
Minato would dodge and, whenever the chance arose, strike back. Yuki's victories weren't easy.
Today was no exception. Minato was clearly trying to break away and rush to Kushina's side. He even activated the Eight Gates Technique, dashing toward her the moment he saw an opening.
At that moment, Uchiha Haru smiled at Kushina, and, without hesitation, brought her blade down once more.
This time, there were no surprises. Her blade pierced Kushina's heart, and she collapsed, lifeless.
Sensing the shift in her body, Uchiha Haru turned her attention to Minato and charged toward him.
Yuki's eyes lit up, now that Haru had arrived, Minato didn't stand a chance of escaping.
Feeling his chakra nearly depleted, Yuki gritted his teeth and activated the Eight Gates.
"Gate of Opening, open!"
"Gate of Rest, open!"
"Iaijutsu: Water Severing Strike!"
At the same time, Haru spoke:
"Uchiha Style – Blazing Blade Leap!"
The Uchiha-style sword technique, when combined with the Body Flicker Technique, produced strikes so fast they were nearly impossible to counter, lethal in a single blow.
Yuki's Iaijutsu was a similar high-speed, high-lethality technique.
But his version had been improved, using the Water Prison as inspiration.
Before the strike hit, he released a dense mist, anyone caught in it would be restrained, no need for direct contact with water.
Minato saw the two attacks coming from opposite directions. He knew he'd lost. He hadn't beaten Yuki in a fair fight before, and now with Haru joining in, he was completely outmatched.
Still, he wasn't going down without a fight.
He quickly formed hand signs, using the last of his chakra, which caused the Eight Gates to shut down.
"Wind Release – Vacuum Wave!"
Seeing the incoming jutsu, Haru smirked, and suddenly collapsed to the ground, clearly out of strength.
Minato's pupils shrank. "She... used herself as bait?!"
The Vacuum Wave swept harmlessly over Haru's head, right as Yuki's technique arrived.
The surrounding mist turned to streams of water that wrapped tightly around Minato's limbs.
He struggled, but with his chakra exhausted, his body had no strength left.
A moment later, everything went dark.
When he came to, he was already outside the training zone.
He sighed, defeated again.
Kushina had also been forced out. She looked utterly dejected.
"Next time, I'm definitely going to win!"
She declared, but then noticed Haru stumbling and about to fall.
She rushed to catch her, but was one step too slow.
Yuki moved faster, stepping in to support Haru before she hit the ground.
"You alright?"
Haru shook her head. She was just a bit dizzy and hadn't regained her balance.
But the moment she smelled the sweat on Yuki, her face turned red, and she quickly pushed away from his embrace.
Yuki realized the situation looked a bit too intimate and quickly coughed to cover the awkwardness.
Kushina, who had completely lost interest in winning now, looked at them with a teasing expression.
"You two sure look cozy."
"Must be love," Minato chimed in from the side.
Yuki snapped back, "Don't slander our innocence!"
"We're totally innocent," Haru agreed, nodding.
"Really now?"
"I don't buy it," Kushina smirked, then jabbed Minato in the ribs. "Do you believe it?"
Minato shook his head. "Not a chance."
Yuki sighed. "You two are more like a couple than we are. Look at you, bickering in sync."
Minato blushed and turned his head away.
Kushina, meanwhile, looked at Minato curiously.
She no longer disliked him, he wasn't that annoying, girly guy she used to think he was, but she hadn't really considered him that way either.
"Anyway, I'm heading back." Kushina picked up her ninja tools and said to the three of them, "I'm skipping training over the break."
"But I'll come check on you guys."
With that, she waved goodbye.
After she left, Yuki threw his arm around Minato's shoulder and laughed. "Minato, your little girlfriend just left."
"We're not like that!"
"Come to think of it," Haru said, arms crossed, "Kushina doesn't seem that into you. Didn't she say she used to think you were a total wimp and couldn't stand you?"
"Though I guess she's warmed up a bit."
"Wimp?" Minato pointed to himself in disbelief.
Haru nodded seriously. "You heard right."
Minato looked completely crushed.
Yuki now remembered too. In the original story, Kushina really didn't like Minato at first.
It wasn't until after graduation, when she was kidnapped by enemy ninja and Minato rescued her, that she started falling for him.
A bit melodramatic, but hey, flirting under the moonlight does work wonders.
Yuki glanced unconsciously at Haru.
Noticing his gaze, Haru tilted her head in confusion.
"What?"
"Nothing," Yuki said, shaking his head. Then, seeing Minato still sulking, he patted him on the back.
"Don't sweat it."
"She said she used to dislike you. Not anymore."
"You're always talking with Yamanaka Inoichi about those 'love strategy guides,' right? Time to put them to use!"
Minato's eyes lit up. He nodded, regaining his energy.
"Yeah. I'll win her over!"
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