Naruto: The Hyuga Mastermind

Chapter 21: The Legacy of the Flying Thunder God

"In my battles, you've probably heard how difficult it is to keep up with me," said Minato's shadow clone, standing in the training ground amidst the forest. He spoke calmly to the two individuals before him.

"In fact, in the entire shinobi world, there are very few who can keep up with me when I'm fighting at full power."

"That's why, after consulting with the advisors, I've adjusted the criteria for selecting the Shadow Guard."

Minato's shadow clone raised his hand, extending two fingers.

"First, the ninja's strength doesn't have to be overwhelming, but they must possess several specific talents: excellent reflexes, precise chakra control, and, most importantly, spatial perception abilities."

"The second…"

He deliberately drew out the sentence, but when he glanced at the two expressionless faces in front of him, he couldn't help but feel a little defeated.

Why does it feel like I've gained two more Kakashis?

Yakumaru hadn't been like this before—he must have changed after being defeated by Fuji. While the new composure suited him, the lack of enthusiasm in moments like this made things awkward.

Shaking his head to push aside his attempts to lighten the mood, Minato continued, "The second requirement is merit—specifically, achievements that make you eligible to learn this forbidden jutsu: the Flying Thunder God Technique."

Hyuga Fuji took a deep breath. Though he had anticipated this, his eyes still burned with excitement.

The Flying Thunder God Technique—a jutsu that made its user nearly invincible in the early days of the Hokage's reign!

He had previously considered acquiring it through Orochimaru's channels, but Orochimaru didn't know this S-rank jutsu. Acquiring it would require Orochimaru to access the Scroll of Seals, leaving a traceable flaw.

So, Fuji had decided to take this route through Minato. This was one of the reasons he had pushed to be promoted to jōnin.

Minato needed support from prominent clans to implement his orders smoothly. The recently shaken Hyuga clan, with its Byakugan and its status as an ideal protector clan, was a perfect candidate.

The combination of these factors made Fuji confident about being selected for the Hokage's Shadow Guard.

The benefits were numerous.

Guidance from a master far exceeded self-study.

Just as Naruto and Kabuto would have struggled to learn Sage Mode without proper instruction, the same applied to the Flying Thunder God Technique.

As the only living shinobi who had mastered and refined the Flying Thunder God, Minato was undoubtedly the best teacher.

Minato had indeed taught Shiranui Genma and others the Flying Thunder God Technique, though none of them had fully mastered it.

Calming himself, Fuji tempered his excitement.

Whether he could master the jutsu remained uncertain. There was no need to get too worked up, especially since half-baked mastery, like that of Shiranui Genma's group, would squander this opportunity.

Seeing the change in their expressions—Yakumaru looking particularly eager—Minato's shadow clone smiled faintly before asking:

"Fuji, it seems you've never redeemed your battlefield merits for any jutsu?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama. There hasn't been anything I've needed."

Fuji's calm reply made Minato frown slightly. Thinking of the conservative nature of the Hyuga Main Family, he realized that Fuji likely hadn't been allowed to learn much. His tone softened further.

"In that case, your merits are more than enough."

"Yakumaru, you've also accumulated sufficient merit through your work capturing spies and patrolling the village's perimeter."

S-rank jutsu were labeled forbidden because of their difficulty, not their availability.

The Flying Thunder God Technique's strategic value made Konoha eager to have more shinobi master it.

Merit was merely a basic filter.

While Minato, as Hokage, could have directly handed over the Flying Thunder God to the two, doing so without conditions would seem inappropriate, even for preselected candidates.

Minato's shadow clone retrieved two scrolls and handed them to the pair.

"These scrolls detail the key points and insights for learning the Flying Thunder God Technique. Memorize them and destroy the scrolls afterward. Sharing them with anyone else is strictly forbidden."

"Yes!"

Hyuga Fuji and Uchiha Yakumaru responded in unison, taking the scrolls and immediately delving into their contents.

Fuji was stunned after only a brief glance at the detailed information within.

No wonder no one outside the Fourth Hokage's Shadow Guard has mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique. The depth of these insights is worlds apart from what someone could figure out on their own.

This is Minato's core legacy.

---

"Among the necessary talents for mastering the Flying Thunder God, spatial perception is likely the one you lack," Minato explained.

"But this can actually be cultivated through training."

"My shadow clone will guide you through a few uses of the Flying Thunder God today, so you can personally experience spatial shifts. There will be intervals between each demonstration to give you time to process."

Minato's shadow clone continued seriously, "From now on, come here every morning at 5 AM for training. When the time is right, I'll use the Flying Thunder God to move rapidly around you.

"During this phase, you won't be allowed to use dojutsu to observe me. I won't move too quickly. When you're able to predict where I'll appear before I arrive, you'll pass this stage. Be sure to record your progress."

"If you don't understand something, feel free to ask me. I'll answer all your questions before this shadow clone disperses. Once this stage is complete, we'll begin formal Flying Thunder God training."

"Yes!"

Uchiha Yakumaru glanced at Hyuga Fuji and steeled himself.

With my Sharingan, there's no way I'll fall behind you in learning this jutsu!

---

The Flying Thunder God Technique—one of the forbidden jutsu created by the Second Hokage.

Unlike the Impure World Reincarnation, which was banned for its sinister nature, this technique was deemed forbidden because of its immense difficulty.

Even with guidance from the Fourth Hokage's shadow clone and cultivated spatial perception, Fuji still couldn't quite grasp how to execute it.

He had prepared himself for this, but what he hadn't expected was the person who appeared at the training ground several days later.

"A 15-year-old boy walking around with such a serious face all the time isn't good. You should enjoy life in your free time, like Jiraiya-sensei."

"Of course, don't pick up his bad habits!"

The woman standing before Fuji had long, vibrant red hair—a distinctive trait of the Uzumaki clan.

In Konoha, there was only one member of the Uzumaki clan: the Fourth Hokage's wife and the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki, Uzumaki Kushina.

"Kushina, don't distract him. He's training to learn the Flying Thunder God Technique," Minato's shadow clone said, sounding a bit exasperated.

"Ha? Isn't he technically your student?" Kushina retorted. "Are you just going to let him walk around looking as cold and detached as Kakashi?"

"Kushina, Fuji grew up this way. He's different from Kakashi. Leave him be," Minato said with a wry smile.

"No way! I'm not letting this slide. I understand Kakashi's situation, but what's with this all the time?"

"As his teacher's wife, I can't interfere with Kakashi, but I can certainly try to fix this 'Kakashi 2.0'!"

Kushina waved her hand dismissively and turned to Fuji.

"Your name's Fuji, right? What do you like most?"

"Reading."

Kushina frowned slightly, shaking her head. "Too boring. What's your second favorite thing?"

"Training."

"…"

Kushina narrowed her eyes, staring intently at Fuji.

Fuji remained expressionless.

(End of Chapter)