Naruto: From Spy to Hokage

...

'If only I could have moved a bit faster earlier...'

On the dark street beneath the moonlight.

A golden figure, swift as flowing light, moved across the rooftops at incredible speed, alone.

Recalling the scene from earlier, Minato Namikaze's heart was filled with regret.

Whether it was age or physical differences, during their earlier encounter, his application of shinobi techniques and tactics, the timing of his surprise attack... there were so many things he hadn't done well, things he hadn't even noticed before.

'Even though I aim to become Hokage.'

'Did I become complacent because of small achievements compared to my peers?'

'How shameful.'

Things shouldn't have turned out this way.

The figure wrapped in black combat gear rolled across the ground in the darkness, pressing a single finger to the cold surface, sensing chakra spreading continuously into the distance.

Although the 'Earth Style: Earth Dragon Hidden Technique' of those Explosion Corps members was quite advanced, the traces of chakra wouldn't disappear in such a short time.

As a high-level spatial/chakra sensing-type shinobi, Minato Namikaze only needed the smallest details to keenly detect the abnormal residue they left in the soil.

The chakra continued to radiate from his feet as he raced toward the enemy's escape route using Body Flicker Jutsu that exceeded ordinary levels.

As one of the most skilled users of Body Flicker on the scene, and also to make up for his earlier failure to stop the enemy, Minato Namikaze didn't even care about chakra consumption.

"BOOM—"

Suddenly, a deafening sound came from the distance.

Pillars of earth and stone shot up like an inverted waterfall, straight into the sky. Spreading dust under the moonlight.

Minato Namikaze's expression instantly changed.

"Over there!"

Without time to think, he immediately raised the signal flare from his waist and fired a shot into the sky.

The sudden bright light illuminated the night, guiding the direction for the following troops.

Minato couldn't wait any longer - he knew exactly how strong his opponents were, and even if regular ANBU members tried to merely block their path, it would certainly cost them their lives.

"Whoosh!"

His figure vanished from the spot. And he wasn't the only one in motion.

...

Looking down from the Hokage Rock.

Scattered figures converged like fireflies toward the source of the disturbance. Strong members from various shinobi clans ventured forward, while ANBU and Uchiha Police Force members spread across the area became increasingly dense.

Further behind were Uchiha Sayuri and others, guided by Hyuga clan members.

The thorns of Konoha had woven into a net, trapping any troublemakers within, constantly tightening... tightening.

...

Under the moonlight.

Sawara Kiri stood at the end of the street, quietly gazing at the three people before him, a kunai hooked between his fingers, his expression serene.

Almost the instant he saw his face, Sen'gao's expression suddenly turned serious.

His already exceptional memory immediately recalled the key intelligence that the young man had casually revealed earlier that day.

Because of Sawara Kiri's age and experience, Sen'gao had initially thought this was just important information accidentally leaked by an immature youth in a key position.

But when he appeared here, everything took on a different meaning.

Sen'gao stared directly into the young man's azure eyes, his posture guarded "Who exactly are you?"

Sawara Kiri's smile faded, his expression becoming solemn.

"Do you even need to ask?"

He slowly stepped forward, flipping the kunai in his fingers to a reverse grip, the blade flickering in the moonlight as he spoke ominously

"Of course, I am one who dedicates everything to the village, the most loyal..."

"Konoha shinobi."

The moment these words fell.

Suddenly, chakra light burst forth from beneath the young man's feet.

His form moved from stillness to motion, instantly crossing over.

In a split second, he covered the dozen or so meters between them, his image becoming almost blurry in the eyes of the three Iwa shinobi.

The swing of his blade produced a piercing sound as it cut through the air.

"CLANG!"

That intimidating chakra reaction and ultra-high speed made Sen'gao instinctively block with his crossed hand seals.

However, when the kunai actually collided with his fist, the lightning chakra coated blade tore through the hand seals and deeply embedded into the surface of his thick fists, drawing blood.

His feet, serving as support points, sank deeply into the cement road under the terrifying pressure, bursting open block-like solidified matter, plowing back half a meter like a plow.

Only then did Sen'gao truly realize the young man's strength.

'Huh?!'

'How can his strength be...?'

There wasn't even time to let out a sigh.

"CLANG—"

The lightning kunai followed the torn opening, carving a deep wound across Sen'gao's fist, blood spraying.

In just that moment of pause, the slender young man had already used the massive force from their collision to float slightly, his free left hand lightly pressing against the outstretched thick forearm, and his whole body glided past like a graceful swift, drawing a semicircular arc in the air.

The delayed attack from the shorter Iwa Chūnin at his side missed completely.

On the other side, the tall Iwa Shinobi had already completed his hand signs.

"Earth Release: Earth Flow Spears!"

The spear-shaped earth and stone continued to rise and extend, carrying heavy force, rising from behind Sen'gao, aimed directly at the young man still in mid-air.

The coordination between the three Iwa Shinobi seemed simple, but their timing was extremely precise.

However, Sen'gao immediately realized the problem.

"Dodge!"

The tall Iwa Shinobi hadn't yet noticed where the danger was coming from, but the rich experience Iwa Shinobis' strict battlefield discipline made him instinctively roll into a ball at the moment he heard Sen'gao's command.

"Swish!"

The lightning kunai, shot like a bullet, embedded deeply into the ground where the tall Iwa Shinobi had just been standing, only managing to tear open a bloody gash from his left shoulder to his back as he rolled.

If he hadn't received the warning, this strike would have pierced his heart.

However, this didn't change much.

Sawara Kiri's form, suspended in mid-air, suddenly rotated, his feet abruptly stepping onto a diagonally rising earth pillar.

The massive reactive force sent him shooting like an arrow toward the roaring Sen'gao.

"Earth Release: Fist Rock Technique!"

The giant fist, completely wrapped in solid earth and stone, broke through the wind with a force that ordinary shinobi could hardly withstand, fiercely swinging toward Sawara Kiri's direction.

At the same time, his other hand, secretly gripped at his waist, had already prepared for the next technique.

However...

"BOOM!"

The rock fist swept through, but its overwhelming force hit nothing but air.

The afterimage, blurred by speed in the darkness, passed straight 'through' the center of the fist, with no sensation of hitting anything solid.

A clone?!

This thought instinctively rose in Sen'gao's mind.

But immediately after, as if realizing something, he suddenly turned to look behind him.

Sawara Kiri stood there quietly.

Another kunai, drawn out at some unknown moment, had silently pierced the neck of the shorter Iwa Shinobi who had been waiting to strike from behind Sen'gao's visual cover.

Until the second before death, he hadn't even realized what had happened.

His pupils, looking toward Sen'gao, were filled with bewilderment.

Splut

The kunai was pulled from the wound, accompanied by a soft uncorking sound, and blood gushed out like a fountain.

The body of the unnamed Iwa Shinobi was released from his hand, falling limply to the ground.

"That's one."

Sawara Kiri turned his head, looked at Sen'gao, slightly raised his chin, and taunted "If this is all the performance you can put on, it's far from enough."

"Please entertain me a bit more."

"You..."

"YOU BASTARD!!"

At that moment, Sen'gao fully realized.

If they couldn't kill this person who had intercepted them ahead of time as quickly as possible, neither he nor his last subordinate would survive under Konoha's encirclement.

So, Sen'gao no longer cared about jutsu range or remaining chakra, and formed hand signs.

"Earth Release: Earth Pillar Explosion!"

Suddenly, continuous explosions like roaming dragons rapidly spread from the ground in front of Sen'gao toward Sawara Kiri's direction.

The violent explosions tore through an entire street.

Dust and smoke billowed up.

...