Naruto - Minato Namikaze SI

[Chapter Size: 2000 Words.]

Third Person POV

Konoha, Year 40.

...

...

BOOOOMM!!!

BOOOOMM!!!

BOOOOMM!!!

The explosions echoed across the training field as both opponents charged at each other relentlessly, exchanging blows at incredible speed.

Duy, surrounded by a roaring green aura, tried to counter Minato's punch, which was coated in a layer of dark haki, generating another explosion in the center of the battlefield.

BOOOOMM!!!

But they didn't stop there. Minato and Duy quickly advanced again. Minato's fist had returned to its normal state, but he clenched it tightly once more, creating and enveloping it in another layer of armament haki as he prepared for a new attack.

He couldn't maintain the haki for long, but he was getting good results thanks to the intense training of recent months. Meanwhile, Duy showed remarkable progress in mastering his transformation with the Fourth Gate, fighting fiercely against Minato in a much more intense battle than their first.

Minato was happy for the man. Duy had finally fully mastered the gate, demonstrating with all his strength what he was capable of. It had been nine months since Minato had arrived at that camp. They wouldn't stay there much longer, as a year would be completed in three months.

Even so, the time hadn't been wasted at all. Minato had finally begun to release his basic haki but still needed to learn how to control it fully, something he knew wouldn't be easy before the end of the war.

The year was 40 since the founding of Konoha. Minato was now 14, having celebrated his birthday almost two months ago, and many things had happened during those months. However, he set those thoughts aside to focus on his fight against Duy. Once again, he tried to maintain his haki without distractions, delivering a new blow against Duy.

When Minato struck, Duy felt the immense pressure of the attack. His body was thrown backward, but Minato couldn't maintain his energy for long either. As a result, Duy managed to regain his balance and returned to combat, countering Minato's attacks.

Now that Duy had completed his transformation with the Fourth Gate, he was at the level of a beginner jounin—something that made him happy. Being a lifelong genin, it was a remarkable change.

The fight went on for quite some time, both maintaining their advanced states. Finally, the two realized it was enough. Duy began to tire, and Minato felt his stamina waning, as he couldn't properly control his haki and was spending a lot of energy to maintain it. They had been fighting for over an hour, trying to keep their abilities at their peak—something they were both still learning to do.

"Well, I think that's enough, Duy. How are you?" Minato asked, sighing as Duy began to revert to normal. His skin lightened, and the chakra around his body dissipated slowly. He looked at Minato, visibly exhausted.

"I'm fine, but... I can have total control now! I'll be able to move on to the next gate!" Duy replied excitedly.

"That's great! Let's call it a day for training," Minato said with a satisfied smile.

Duy nodded, still excited. That afternoon, only the two of them were training. The girls had left earlier after a sparring session among themselves.

It was a calm afternoon at the camp when Minato returned and found the girls studying and meditating in their tents. Suddenly, Hanabi came out of her tent and approached him.

"Minato, a jonin delivered this. There's a scroll for you from the Western Border," Hanabi announced, extending the scroll.

"Any news from sensei?" Minato asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No. He's still in the Land of Rain," she replied, shaking her head.

Minato nodded. It had been two months since they learned that Jiraiya had requested leave to remain in the Land of Rain, and the Hokage had accepted his request in the midst of a war. Minato knew the reason well: Jiraiya had found Nagato and seemed determined to stay there for the next three years, even with the war raging on the other borders. Minato wasn't surprised—it seemed to be Jiraiya's destiny to train Nagato.

Despite Jiraiya's absence, Minato maintained frequent contact with Tsuna, exchanging letters from that border. Additionally, he also communicated directly with Kushina, who remained in the village, since he was able to send correspondence to his fiancées.

"Thank you, Hanabi," Minato said, taking the scroll as he walked toward his tent. Before entering, he cast a glance at Duy.

"Duy, be prepared. We'll head to the command tent shortly. Understood?" he requested firmly.

Duy nodded, visibly nervous.

Minato entered his tent, taking a deep breath as he opened the scroll. The news was encouraging: the war in the West was shifting significantly in Konoha's favor. Even with the new poisons developed by the Land of Wind, the deployment of medical ninjas in every combat team had drastically reduced battlefield casualties. This, combined with efficient strategies, allowed Konoha to gain the upper hand in fighting two nations simultaneously.

Konoha's superiority had become so evident that, months earlier, Hanzo of the Land of Rain had spared the lives of Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru during a mission in which they clashed. Recognizing their strength, he had named them the "Legendary Sannin."

The title quickly spread across the borders and throughout the Land of Fire, elevating the respect for these three students of the Third Hokage. Even enemy forces began referring to them with reverence, acknowledging their reputation. At that time, even the common people added the honorific -sama when mentioning them, not just Tsunade because she was the First Hokage's granddaughter.

Now, it seemed the war wouldn't last much longer. With the current strategic advantage, all indications pointed to the Land of Fire emerging victorious. However, Minato was not entirely at ease. Despite the relative calm in the north, he had a feeling that this would soon change. His years of experience in war had taught him never to let his guard down and to sense when something was about to happen.

As he pondered this, Minato continued reading Tsuna's letter in his hands. Besides excelling as a medical ninja, she had already begun more advanced training under her mother's guidance. Tsuna was making significant progress, showing potential that placed her far ahead of other medics, much like Sakura was at sixteen.

Tsuna had great aptitude and was already considered the best healer of her generation, second only to her mother in wartime skills. However, a lingering concern weighed on Minato's mind: the fate of Dan, Tsuna's father, and Nawaki, her uncle.

In the original timeline he knew, Dan and Nawaki were supposed to die soon. Minato was determined to try and prevent this fate but understood that he couldn't control everything in the war. He couldn't be everywhere at once, but if he had the chance to save them, he would.

Minato took a deep breath, closed the scroll, and decided to reply to Tsuna the next day. He stored the scroll and began organizing his things. Besides his haki training, he continued practicing his fuuinjutsu, aiming to reach Mito's level. He had even managed to develop a chakra observation seal far more efficient than the Uzumaki clan's older version, which had several flaws and had been used when chakra was drawn from Shukaku.

Minato wasn't yet able to fight completely without limits on the battlefield, absorbing energy from enemies, but his seal was already a significant help in extending his stamina during battles.

After tidying up, Minato stepped out of his tent, finding a visibly nervous Duy waiting outside.

"Let's go," Minato said.

Duy nodded, still somewhat uneasy, and Minato sighed at seeing him like that, attempting to encourage him with a smile.

"I know how you feel. I was nervous too when this happened to me," Minato said with a reassuring smile as they walked through the camp together.

"Hey, Minato, how's it going?" Someone greeted Minato enthusiastically on the way.

Minato returned the greeting. He was widely known in the camp, regarded as the strongest ninja at the base. His reputation wasn't only as a war hero but also from his success in missions where he often rescued allies or confronted invaders in extremely challenging operations. Minato was incredibly fast at locating and tracking enemies. Although the investigation mission into the disappearance of ninjas hadn't yielded conclusive results, the vanishings had significantly decreased, and the camp felt more at peace.

Minato simply waved at everyone who called out to him as he continued walking with Duy toward the command tent. Upon arrival, they were granted entry by Commander Aburame.

"So, you've arrived," the commander remarked in a nonchalant tone, contrasting the typically reserved demeanor of the Aburame clan, despite inwardly disliking being around people—a fact he didn't outwardly show.

"Yes, Commander. I'm here to nominate my team member as qualified for promotion to chuunin rank," Minato declared with a smile.

Duy was visibly nervous. This was his first promotion, and he had never imagined achieving something so significant in less than a year. After nine months of intense training and dedication to mastering the gates, he was finally beginning to shine like a diamond being polished, hidden within the leaves.

Minato knew this was the right time for Duy. With his mastery of the Fourth Gate and consistent performance on missions, he had proven himself deserving. The previous week, during a critical mission, Duy had managed to defeat three jounin from the Cloud Village using the fully activated Fourth Gate, showcasing his strength and skill.

"Well, with your recommendation, the reports I've received, and the witnesses to his performance, it seems everything is in order for the promotion," the commander commented.

Duy looked as if he might burst into tears of joy. Minato smiled and turned to the commander. "So, I believe everything is ready, correct?" he asked.

"Yes, everything is prepared as you requested," the commander replied, pulling a document from his drawer and placing it on the desk.

Minato felt a deep sense of satisfaction seeing his friend finally being recognized. He had closely supervised Duy's progress.

"You just need to sign here," the commander indicated the scroll containing Duy's details and mission records.

Overcome with emotion, Duy approached and signed the document, officially receiving the title of chuunin. The certificate was also signed by both Minato, as the team leader, and the camp commander, formally recognizing the promotion.

"Thank you! Thank you!" Duy exclaimed with tears in his eyes, holding the document as if it were something incredibly precious.

"I'm happy for you, Duy. But now, could you wait for me outside?" Minato requested with a smile.

Duy nodded, still emotional, and left the tent, allowing the conversation between Minato and the commander to continue.

Minato looked directly at the commander in front of him.

"I'm sure you have something to tell me, don't you?" Minato stated, his tone serious.

The commander sighed before responding. "That's correct. We've received a command... something urgent."

"About what?" Minato asked, frowning.

"It seems our ambush ninjas have detected significant movement coming from the Mist Village in the neighboring country. After such a long period of passive behavior, it appears they're about to act. Headquarters has ordered all camps to remain on alert."

The commander paused, adjusting his tone before continuing. "Additionally, I've received a direct message for you. Commander Sakumo has requested that you be prepared to join him on the front lines."

Minato nodded, considering the situation. "Understood. I'll be ready, Commander," he replied.

The commander acknowledged with a nod, and Minato left the tent.

Meanwhile, the suspicions of the ambush ninjas were correct. At that exact moment, a large group of Mist ninjas was advancing through the Land of Hot Water, heading toward the Fire Country's border, with the Raikage leading them.

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