Naruto: Wooing Tsunade from Day One!

An inch longer brings strength; an inch shorter, danger. This principle was evident in the fierce clash before them—the collision of skills was formidable but not overly perilous.

The two young ninja swords, wielded with precision and a solid foundation, forced the three Amegakure Ninja into retreat.

Nawaki, unharmed, advanced and delivered a precise slash, cutting through the mask of the nearest enemy, revealing a youthful face beneath. Enraged, the Amegakure Ninja tore off his mask and discarded it.

Failing to capture two young opponents and losing their masks was a disgrace the Amegakure trio could not tolerate.

"Water Release: Wild Water Wave."

"Ninja Art: Senbon Rainstorm."

"Water Release: Five Feeding Sharks."

Each unleashed their unique Ninjutsu, launching a coordinated attack on the children.

Nawaki's expression turned serious as he swiftly formed hand seals. "Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"

The last time Kawakaze saw this technique, it was not impressive, but now, the Water Dragon was significantly larger—a testament to Nawaki's growth. Orochimaru's assertion that Nawaki had Chūnin-level strength was no exaggeration.

"Earth Release: Earth Shore Return!"

Nawaki's Water Dragon countered the Wild Water Wave and Five Feeding Sharks, his superior chakra volume overwhelming the opposition. His Earth Release shield blocked the falling Senbon needles.

From behind the Earth shield, Minato disappeared from sight, reappearing to flank the Amegakure Ninja with precise attacks. Recognizing their lack of close-combat skills, Minato exploited the weakness skillfully.

Kawakaze observed with admiration. At just ten years old, Minato displayed exceptional combat intelligence. His future success seemed inevitable—unless fate intervened.

As Minato attacked from the side, Nawaki charged head-on, and the clash escalated into intense hand-to-hand combat. The longer reach of their swords gave the young ninjas an edge, allowing them to inflict several wounds on the Amegakure trio. Unable to hold their ground, the Amegakure Ninja retreated, each adding another wound to keep their distance from the relentless duo.

Switching tactics, they resumed their assault with ranged Ninjutsu. Separated by these attacks, Nawaki and Minato pushed their stamina to the limit. Exhausted after traveling and fighting, their movements slowed, while the Amegakure Ninja, briefly rested, regained some strength.

Breathing heavily, Minato used Wind Release: Great Breakthrough to target the lead Amegakure Ninja. Seizing the opportunity, Nawaki coordinated his attack, focusing their efforts to eliminate one opponent.

The remaining two Amegakure Ninja retaliated with dual Water Release techniques. Nawaki barely blocked part of the assault with Earth Release, enduring the rest through sheer grit. Spitting blood, he staggered but quickly stabilized and launched a decisive strike, piercing the chest of the leading Amegakure Ninja as they struggled against Minato's wind technique.

Nawaki's first kill left no time for reflection. Drawing his blade from the fallen enemy, he turned, ready to face the remaining two Amegakure Ninja.

Now it was two against two, and the odds of victory had shifted slightly in their favor. Kawakaze had intended to assist Nawaki but paused when he noticed the hand seal Nawaki used to summon his sword. This time, Nawaki had performed admirably.

To conserve chakra, the two Amegakure ninja opted for close-quarters combat. Minato managed to defeat his opponent but sustained a wound in the process. Meanwhile, Nawaki, hindered by his injuries, struggled to attack effectively. Only with Minato's support was he able to overcome the remaining Amegakure ninja.

The defeated Amegakure ninja, lying on the ground, gazed up as Minato approached, pleading for mercy.

"Please, spare me! I was just following orders. If you let me go, I swear you'll never see me again."

The mask had been knocked off the young ninja, revealing a girl around 13 or 14 years old with a pretty face streaked with tears. As the shadow of death loomed over her, she cried desperately.

"I'm sorry. This is war," Minato said, his expression hardening as he drove his sword down. The girl died, hatred etched on her face.

At that moment, Nawaki collapsed, unable to stand due to exhaustion and injuries.

"Nawaki!" Minato sheathed his sword and rushed to his side, helping him up. He pulled a military rations pill from his ninja bag and placed it in Nawaki's mouth. The pill, specially crafted by Tsunade, was highly effective.

"I'm fine," Nawaki murmured. "I just overexerted myself. Why isn't Big Brother back yet?"

After swallowing the pill, Nawaki's tough exterior momentarily crumbled, and tears rolled down his cheeks.

"Sensei will be fine," Minato assured him, confident in Kawakaze's strength. Despite it being Minato's first kill, he handled it with greater composure than Nawaki. Nawaki, on the other hand, reacted as expected for someone new to the battlefield. Geniuses, after all, were rare.

"Ahem. Well done," Kawakaze's voice cut through the tension as he emerged from hiding and approached the two younger ninja.

"It's just a minor wound," he said after examining Nawaki's injuries. "I'll carry you back."

With that, Kawakaze hoisted Nawaki onto his back, ready to lead them to safety.

"Minato has the strength of a Chūnin. I'm very pleased," Kawakaze said, praising Minato without reservation. It was praise well-earned.

"Sensei taught me well," Minato responded humbly.

"Haha, I like it when you're honest like this," Kawakaze laughed heartily, clearly pleased by the compliment.

"Nawaki, you were also very good," Kawakaze continued. "You identified the enemy's weakness and made the difficult choice to trade an injury for their life. I don't fully agree with such risks, but in a desperate situation, it was a sound decision. From today onward, you are a qualified ninja."

Leaping onto a tree trunk, Kawakaze offered these words of encouragement to his brother-in-law. Minato realized then that this had been a test from their Sensei. Kawakaze had been protecting them from the shadows all along.

"Big Brother, I'm so scared," Nawaki sobbed from Kawakaze's back. "I'm afraid you'll be disappointed in me... that I'll never see you or my sister again."

Kawakaze sighed deeply. "This is war. I only hope we can find a way to prevent it in the future."

It was a wish shared by many, though the means to achieve it often differed. Still, war remained a constant in the ninja world. Kawakaze didn't view Nawaki's tears as weakness. He remembered his own first mission, which had gone far worse. Without his elder brother, Sakumo, Kawakaze might have struggled for far longer to recover. Killing had been an alien concept to him then, but in this world, it was a harsh reality. Now, he was both accustomed to it and numb.

The three made their way back. Nawaki fell asleep on Kawakaze's back, while Minato, having taken a military rations pill, began to recover his strength and chakra. Thanks to Kawakaze's deliberately slowed pace, Minato had no trouble keeping up.

"Sensei, where's that Jōnin?" Minato asked, curiosity overcoming him. If Kawakaze had returned earlier, the Amegakure ninja might have fled when Nawaki made his move.

"Dead," Kawakaze replied simply.

Minato was momentarily stunned, struggling to process his shock. But with this, he gained a deeper understanding of Kawakaze's immense strength.

"I know a very fast Kinjutsu," Kawakaze said, reaching out to pat Minato on the head. "I'll teach it to you when you grow up."

If not, how could Minato—who had yet to learn the Flying Thunder God Technique—become the Yellow Flash?

"Yes, Sensei," Minato replied earnestly. "I will study hard when the time comes."

At that moment, Minato's doubts faded, replaced with a growing determination. How soon would "when you grow up" be? He could hardly wait.