Naruto: Flash Reborn — Minato’s Second Life

Fuu Akimoto slowly raised his longsword, determination etched across his face. Even with Kato Eirei standing in his way, killing her wouldn't be difficult for him.

Yet in this moment, Oshima Reina could have seized the helpless woman once more as a hostage to save herself.

But she didn't. Instead, she gently closed her eyes. Once an elite ninja of the Hidden Hot Spring Village, she should have had the strength to resist even the village leader.

Still, she shut her eyes tight and waited for death.

"My life... has ended."

That was what Oshima Reina thought, her long lashes quivering slightly as tears slipped from the corners of her eyes.

Swish!

Fuu Akimoto used the [Shifting Body Technique], circling swiftly behind the two women and swinging his blade.

Though Kato Eirei sensed his movement, she no longer had time to protect Reina Oshima behind her.

"You cannot kill her — I have already killed her parents!"

In desperation, Kato Eirei cried out. Hearing that, Fuu immediately halted mid-strike, the sharp wind from his sword slicing off a few strands of Reina's hair.

Oshima Reina's eyes also flew open in shock, her gaze red—not with hatred, but with endless sorrow.

If given the choice, she would rather believe all of this was a lie.

The person she trusted most, the one she had loved and looked up to like a mother since childhood, was actually the murderer of her real parents.

Even knowing that, she still couldn't bring herself to end her life. When danger struck, her body still instinctively moved to protect her.

"Mother, what are you saying?" Fuu Akimoto stared in disbelief. "You don't need to make up excuses just to protect her!"

Kato Eirei's expression turned heavy. "It's true, but… I can't explain now."

She glanced around. There were too many ears here, and the secrets involved the very foundation of the Hidden Hot Spring Village.

From his mother's tone, Fuu knew she wasn't lying.

As village leader, he sensed the gravity of the situation from her voice alone. He quickly sheathed his sword, though visibly shaken.

Oshima Reina stood frozen in place. Meanwhile, before the three of them, Hot Spring ninjas continued cutting down the remaining Evil Cultists.

Blades flashed, ending another life.

No matter what crimes these people had committed in their lives, the sight before them made life seem cheap and fragile.

...

Deep within the forest, battle raged on.

Boom!

A thunderous explosion echoed outward. Across hundreds of meters, the dense woods were reshaped by the clash between Sakumo Hatake and Ryo Yagura.

Lightning surged wildly as massive trees toppled one after another.

Crack!

Ryo Yagura was sent flying by Sakumo Hatake, crashing heavily into a massive tree as wide as five people embracing it together. The force split it clean in half and brought it collapsing down.

"Zzzsssh!"

In the direction the great tree fell, another figure followed closely behind. Sakumo's tanto pierced straight through the fallen trunk, then kept going—aimed directly at Ryo Yagura.

Even the Lightning Release Armor covering Ryo Yagura's body—renowned for its defensive power—had begun to show small cracks.

Although formed from chakra, repairing the armor consumed huge amounts of energy, and even then, there was a limit to how much damage it could withstand.

Against ordinary powerful opponents, even those capable of threatening his defense couldn't keep up with his speed.

Lightning nature was naturally the fastest among the five chakra natures. Most shinobi from the Land of Lightning excelled at speed, and Ryo Yagura stood among the very best.

Few ninja alive today could match his speed—but Sakumo Hatake surpassed him effortlessly using only his Shunshin no Jutsu.

Right now, there was simply no way he could win.

"Aren't you worried about what might happen to that woman and the two boys?"

Ryo Yagura glanced sideways at the crack on his left arm. Lightning Release chakra flared, instantly repairing it.

He tried to use this to distract Sakumo—if the battle continued like this, it would end just like their last encounter.

But Sakumo seemed completely unconcerned. He responded by slashing downward again, faster than Ryo Yagura himself.

...

Tachiyama Shinsaburo was locked in fierce combat with three opponents. His clothes were slashed in multiple places, blood staining them, but with the Immortal Body, he only felt pain without any real injury.

He aggressively attacked the trio before him, gradually mastering how to wield the Bloodthirsty Sickle of Three Moons.

"Dang dang!"

However, his raw strength paled next to Junko Watanabe's. With Minato Namikaze and Yan Uchiha supporting her from the sides, his wounds multiplied, yet not one of them had so much as a scratch.

Having acquired an immortal body made him somewhat arrogant, obsessively focused on fulfilling the conditions needed for the ritual while neglecting his own limitations.

A tool is only as strong as the hand that wields it.

Just like now—getting even a single drop of blood from any of these three before him was proving extremely difficult—a necessity for activating his secret technique.

Minato kept observing his opponent's movements. This fighting style and carelessness were nothing like Tachiyama Shinsaburo's usual behavior.

Yet none of his attacks were lethal, nor did they significantly impair their combat effectiveness as ninjas.

Still, since he was doing things this way, there must be a reason.

"Under no circumstances should you let yourselves get hit," Minato warned Yan Uchiha and Junko Watanabe beside him.

No matter what he's planning, as long as we don't fall into his trap, nothing serious will happen.

Junko Watanabe nodded, but when Yan Uchiha heard this, his expression suddenly changed.

"Are you trying to give me orders?" His face darkened slightly.

"That wasn't my intention."

Minato Namikaze had also overlooked this guy's former temperament. He thought that after hanging out for a few days, things between them had gotten a lot better.

But he was dead wrong. Yan Uchiha's pride hadn't diminished even slightly. He wouldn't let anyone—especially Minato—boss him around.

Whoosh!

Without hesitation, he switched tactics, flinging more than a dozen shuriken at once, scattering them in all directions to blur Tachiyama Shinsaburo's vision.

As for himself—he rushed straight for Tachiyama Shinsaburo's face.

Yan Uchiha's sudden move caught both Minato and Junko Watanabe completely off guard.

Meanwhile, Tachiyama Shinsaburo, who had been troubled by the situation, let a trace of mad smile flicker across his face!

...

...

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