Unfinished Moves
Chi Yu had originally planned to find a quiet place to cultivate and consolidate the insights he had gained during his fierce battle with Tatsuji Kuroiwa in Yugakure.
But no matter where he went, he kept running into Minato Namikaze.
Chi Yu didn't want to train in front of Minato.
It made him uneasy—exposed.
When he turned to leave, Minato appeared before him in a blur, using the Body Flicker Technique to block his path.
Chi Yu frowned, clearly annoyed.
"What is it? Come to lecture me again? Even your sensei couldn't lecture me—what makes you think you can?"
Minato shook his head gently. "I'm not here to lecture you. Like Master Jiraiya said, in war, your choices weren't necessarily wrong. You did what you thought it took to win."
He paused. "I may not agree with your methods, but I can't say they're invalid. We just have different ideals."
Chi Yu's brow twitched.
"Oh? Sounds like Lord Jiraiya's finally trying to be a responsible adult. Let me give you a little reminder: if you try to get in my way on the battlefield again like last time, don't blame me for being impolite."
He turned away. "Now move. I have training to do."
But Minato didn't step aside. His expression grew more serious.
"There's something else..."
Chi Yu narrowed his eyes, immediately sensing Minato's intent. "You want to fight me?"
"Not fight. Spar," Minato replied firmly. "It's been years since our last match. I want to see just how far apart we've become."
Chi Yu stared at him, then suddenly laughed.
"Forget it, Minato. You don't interest me right now."
If Minato had mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique or awakened Sage Mode, then Chi Yu might be interested.
But right now, all Minato had were a few Wind Release techniques—swift, but shallow. His physical speed was nearing its peak, and yet it still couldn't keep up.
And as for the Rasengan... it didn't even exist yet.
Whether Kushina Uzumaki would survive becoming the Nine-Tails' Jinchūriki was still uncertain. Without witnessing the Tailed Beast Ball, Minato wouldn't have the inspiration to create the Rasengan.
So no—Chi Yu had no interest in this so-called spar.
The outcome was already obvious.
Seeing Chi Yu's indifference, Minato frowned, then said earnestly,
"Chi Yu, I know the gap between us is wide. But I need to know how wide. Please... just give me this chance."
Chi Yu gave him a long, unreadable look.
"Aren't you afraid the gap will be so big you'll lose all motivation?"
Minato answered without hesitation, "No. If I can't handle that, then just like you said before—it means I was never strong enough to begin with. That's on me."
Chi Yu stroked his chin, amused.
"I see... Honestly, I still don't care for sparring with you. But I would enjoy seeing you completely demoralized. So sure—why not?"
Minato's eyes lit up with determination.
He knew he couldn't win. Not now. The gap between them was real, and vast.
But he had to see it with his own eyes. Only then could he chase it.
The two stepped apart, walking back-to-back.
At the fifteenth step, they turned in unison, facing each other.
Minato's expression was focused, full of resolve.
"I'm ready."
Chi Yu placed his hand lightly on the hilt of his ninjatō.
"Perfect. I've been working on a new technique lately... not fully developed yet."
He smirked.
"Even if it's unfinished, you'll have a hard time stopping it. Might end the fight instantly. Want me to let you have the first move so you don't feel completely useless?"
Minato shook his head. "It's a spar. If we're not on equal footing, there's no point."
Chi Yu chuckled.
"As you wish. I'm looking forward to that broken expression of yours."
He bent slightly, lowering his center of gravity.
Minato's eyes narrowed—he recognized the stance.
Thunder Breathing: First Form — Thunderclap and Flash.
Chi Yu's signature technique. Faster than the eye. A single flash.
But Minato wasn't the same genin from years ago. He'd analyzed this move before.
He knew its flaw: it always came in a straight line.
Even if Chi Yu used terrain to feint and redirect, it still depended on linear movement. Predictable, if you had the reflexes.
Minato began forming hand seals—he intended to use the Summoning Technique. Perhaps a toad from Mount Myōboku could help balance the field.
Chi Yu moved.
"Thunder Breathing, First Form: Thunderclap and Flash—Godspeed!"
It was faster. Louder. The sound of thunder cracked around him like a cannon.
The earth beneath him blackened, scorched by the force of his acceleration. Deep footprints cratered the ground. His pants masked his legs, but beneath the fabric, his muscles swelled, blood vessels bulging under the strain of raw power.
And in a flash—
Minato saw only a blur.
Chi Yu appeared to be both in place and already behind him.
Then—pain.
Minato's body was hurled backward, smashing into a tree with a violent crash. Blood spurted from his mouth as he crumpled to the ground, winded.
He raised his head with effort, eyes blurry.
Chi Yu stood still, sword untouched.
No—scabbard. The sword had never left its sheath.
He'd been struck with the scabbard, not the blade.
In fact, Chi Yu hadn't even swung. He had merely moved, and the scabbard made contact by momentum alone.
If that blow had been an actual slash...
Minato's ribs would've been shattered.
His gaze drifted downward. The charred ground, the craters from Chi Yu's steps—the sheer force it took to move like that was terrifying.
Minato looked up again at Chi Yu.
So this... is the unfinished move you're researching?
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