"Obito, don't push yourself too hard," Minato said sternly as he placed a firm hand on Obito's shoulder. "This isn't just a simple academy spar. This is a real battle."
"Don't worry, Sensei," Obito replied, tilting his head up stubbornly. "Against a big, dumb brute like this, Konan and I have the perfect combo technique to take it down!"
Minato nodded slowly. "Then go and do it. Don't disappoint me, Obito. If anything goes wrong in this situation, Fuma and I may not be able to reach you in time. Do you understand?"
"If you back out now, it's not too late."
Minato studied Obito's Sharingan, searching for any trace of fear.
But Obito's expression remained firm as he responded with unwavering resolve. "I understand, Sensei. I can't hide under your protection—or the Uchiha's—forever. A shinobi must face his enemies himself."
"And as a genius like me, it's not just about protecting myself. I have to carry the responsibility of guarding my clan. After all, I'm the future head of the Uchiha!"
Obito adjusted his cloak, a treasured gift from Fuma during the succession ceremony. Konan had tailored it to fit him, making it one of his most prized possessions.
Minato patted Obito's shoulder approvingly and said no more.
That being said, Minato had been bluffing a little.
The intersecting Flying Thunder God marks on Obito's body weren't there for show… and Konan's sleeve bore his seal as well.
Caution was second nature to Minato. He never hesitated to use his chakra for the most critical preparations.
..........
"Come at me, you oversized toad!" Obito shouted, gripping the explosive blade in front of him as he faced off against Gamabunta.
Gamabunta twisted its grotesque mouth into a vicious grin.
But inside, the massive toad was calculating, "I need to stall for ten minutes against these brats... What a pain."
Earlier, during its conversation with Jiraiya, Gamabunta had learned something crucial.
Jiraiya was expecting a real clash with this strange Uchiha—one who seemed connected to the Box of Ultimate Bliss.
And though Fukasaku and Shima were standing by in Mount Myoboku, constantly gathering natural energy, Jiraiya and Gamabunta had decided to play it safe.
The two Great Toad Sages were given more time to accumulate as much chakra as possible.
"Little brat, you're about to become nothing more than minced meat beneath my blade!" Gamabunta roared, planting its webbed feet into the ground, preparing to strike.
From the sidelines, Kakashi clenched his fists.
Even though they had summoned Gamabunta themselves, Kakashi knew it wasn't truly their power. The only reason they could summon such a massive toad was thanks to the Myoboku scrolls.
"Obito… You really have the courage to do this?" Kakashi muttered, his lips pressed into a tight line. "How much have you honed your strength…?"
If their roles were reversed, Kakashi knew he wouldn't have the guts to face Gamabunta head-on.
But Obito remained calm.
He swiftly weaved hand seals, then shook the explosive blade, unraveling a massive scroll that extended dozens of meters.
The scroll's surface shimmered as it activated, sending countless explosive tags floating into the air, dancing like a snowfall of white paper.
Konan pressed her hands together.
Her chest gradually transformed into paper, merging with the countless tags unleashed by Obito's blade.
"Shikigami Dance!"
With a soft exhale, the paper surrounding Konan took on a life of its own, forming a colossal paper angel, nearly half the size of Gamabunta.
"Damn… That's cool," Minato muttered as he admired the towering, elegant construct. He clicked his tongue. "This technique… It could definitely reach the level of an S-rank jutsu."
Fuma, on the other hand, had a more complicated expression, 'Seriously? Is my entire lineage just one big cosplay group now?'
First, he had ripped off Jujutsu Kaisen's domain expansion and Piccolo Daimaku's moves. Then, Minato had copied Borsalino's speed and Tobirama's teleportation.
And now Obito wasn't about to be left behind—he was straight-up copying Byakuya Kuchiki.
"Uchiha truly are the kings of plagiarism…"
Obito stood tall, his massive blade radiating paper as he maintained Konan's transformation.
Grinning confidently, he shouted, "Konan, let's do this!"
Konan nodded. Her head emerged from the angel's forehead as she formed seals, controlling her colossal construct.
*Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!*
A storm of razor-sharp paper blades shot toward Gamabunta, filling the air with an inescapable barrage.
Gamabunta scoffed. "Not bad, kid!"
But the toad wasn't fazed, "All that fancy showmanship… but it's still just paper."
"Toad Flash!"
Gamabunta let out a battle cry, swinging its massive blade with blinding speed.
*Clang! Clang! Clang!*
The battlefield rang with the sound of paper colliding with steel as the toad slashed through the incoming storm. Countless sheets fluttered to the ground, defeated.
Konan, however, remained unfazed.
She silently calculated the distance between Gamabunta's feet and the number of explosive tags that had already settled beneath it.
Waiting.
Building up the perfect moment.
Then—
With a sharp exhale, Konan triggered the explosive seals beneath the massive toad.
*BOOM!*
A series of deafening explosions erupted from below, engulfing Gamabunta in roaring flames and black smoke.
"AAAAAARRRGH!"
The massive toad let out an agonized roar.
Even with its tough, leathery skin, it couldn't withstand such a concentrated detonation of explosive tags.
As the smoke cleared, Gamabunta was barely standing.
Its once-pristine body was now scorched black. Its eyes were bloodshot, its mouth torn at the corners. Cracks ran across its hide, and deep red blood oozed from its wounds, staining the ground beneath it.
"Gamabunta!" Jiraiya called out in alarm.
His gaze snapped to Konan, blazing with anger. He was about to intervene— But then realized he couldn't move.
A dark shadow had appeared beside him.
Fuma's Mangekyō Sharingan burned with eerie black flames. The pressure from his gaze alone pinned Jiraiya in place.
A hand fell onto his shoulder.
Fuma's voice was low and firm.
"Is it over?"
Jiraiya clenched his fists. "Not yet! These two brats—I'll make them pay!"
A guttural, wet cough interrupted him.
Gamabunta spat out a mouthful of thick, dark blood, eyes burning with venomous rage.
It glared at Konan and Obito, voice trembling with fury.
"Dammit… I never expected this little girl… to wield a technique that turns paper into explosive tags…!"
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