"Is the connection between the tailed beasts truly so close?" Minato pondered silently.
The tailed beasts had always been a mysterious existence to shinobi. They were manifestations of pure chakra, immense beings that defied human comprehension. While their powers were undeniably vast, their uniqueness made it difficult to draw comparisons. The tails, from one to nine, symbolized their identities, but Minato had never believed their strength was solely determined by their number.
Minato had encountered several tailed beasts in his lifetime. The One-Tailed Shukaku, the Eight-Tailed Gyūki, and, most notably, the Nine-Tails. Among them, the Nine-Tails was the most powerful by far, an embodiment of destruction and malevolence. However, his own experiences with the Nine-Tails had given him an edge. His body, transformed by the Nine-Tails' chakra, made him more than an ordinary human, yet it also left him with secrets he had to protect at all costs.
As he observed Killer B, Minato noted the subtle changes in the Jinchūriki's demeanor. The Eight-Tails within Killer B had noticed something unusual, a trace of familiarity perhaps. Minato's eyes narrowed slightly. They've sensed it, he thought. While the Nine-Tails' chakra coursed through his body, it was not identical to that of the beast itself. Even so, Minato couldn't allow the secret of his rebirth to surface—not here, not now.
On the other side of the battlefield, A's temper flared. The future Fourth Raikage was not one to be ignored, and Minato's calm demeanor only fueled his anger. Lightning crackled around his body as he activated his Lightning Armor, the blue glow intensifying until it enveloped him entirely.
"Shhh!"
The surge of chakra from A sent a ripple of pressure through the battlefield. Even Sakumo and Tsunade, standing beside Minato, tensed in response. Minato, however, remained calm, analyzing the situation with precision.
What incredible chakra, Minato mused. The power emanating from A rivaled even the strongest shinobi he had encountered—except, of course, for the tailed beasts and their Jinchūriki. Yet, Minato's thoughts skipped over one factor: himself. Transformed by the Nine-Tails' chakra, his own power exceeded the boundaries of human norms, though he seldom acknowledged it.
"Brother, be cautious when fighting Namikaze Minato," Killer B warned, his voice calm but resolute.
"What did you say, B?" A's eyes widened in shock, then narrowed in anger. He was not one to appreciate caution, especially when it came from his younger brother. To him, such words only undermined his pride and strength.
Killer B, recognizing his brother's temper, said nothing further. Instead, his focus sharpened. A surge of red chakra erupted from his body, pouring out in waves and enveloping him in a monstrous form. The substantial chakra swirled, taking the shape of a coat with six tails protruding behind him. The power radiating from him was oppressive, suffocating all but the strongest shinobi on the battlefield.
Even Sakumo and Tsunade, experienced warriors both, felt the weight of Killer B's chakra pressing down on them. Only Minato stood unaffected, his expression calm yet contemplative.
"To think he has already mastered this level of the Eight-Tails' power," Minato murmured. He remembered their previous encounters, when Killer B's control extended only to four tails. Now, with six tails, his power had at least doubled.
The Nine-Tails stirred within Minato, its voice dripping with disdain. "The Eight-Tails has sunk so low, allowing itself to be controlled by a human."
"Jealous?" Minato replied internally, a faint smirk playing on his lips.
The tension on the battlefield escalated as Killer B turned to A. "Brother, let's take him together!" he called, his voice steady despite the oppressive chakra swirling around him.
But before Killer B could act, A disappeared in a flash of lightning. His speed was astonishing, and in an instant, he was in front of Minato, his fist aimed directly at his opponent's face.
"What speed!" Sakumo exclaimed. Even for someone of his caliber, A's speed was unparalleled. The Lightning Armor not only enhanced his defense but pushed his agility to a near-superhuman level. In this aspect, he surpassed even his legendary father, the Third Raikage.
Despite the ferocity of A's attack, Minato remained calm. Without hesitation, he thrust his iconic three-pronged kunai forward. Wind chakra danced along the blade, sharpening it into a deadly spike.
The movements of both shinobi were blindingly fast, their actions almost imperceptible to those watching. Tsunade, a seasoned fighter, barely managed to track their movements. Most others could only sense the energy radiating from their clash.
A's eyes widened in surprise. Minato's speed rivaled his own, and the kunai was on a direct trajectory to strike him. What shocked him more was the timing—Minato had countered a moment later than him but was still poised to land his attack simultaneously. How is he this fast? A thought.
Before their blows could land, a second threat emerged. Killer B had closed the distance, his speed enhanced by the Eight-Tails' chakra. With Minato and A locked in combat, Killer B aimed to overwhelm them both.
Minato, however, had anticipated this. His azure eyes glimmered as he flicked his wrist, sending his kunai spinning through the air. The weapon arced gracefully, landing a short distance away.
A's fist was mere centimeters from Minato's face when the latter vanished. In the blink of an eye, Minato reappeared at the location of the kunai, his hand gripping its hilt tightly.
Both A and Killer B, unable to stop their momentum, collided at the exact spot where Minato had been moments before. The impact sent shockwaves rippling through the battlefield.
It was a moment of perfect calculation. Minato had manipulated their speed and trajectories to perfection, turning their combined force against them. As they struggled to recover, Minato moved with fluid precision, his kunai slashing through the air toward their exposed positions.
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