Advancing the Front
Before Minato Namikaze could react, he was struck squarely in the abdomen by a single, devastating blow from Chi Yu. He crashed hard into a tree, coughing up blood on impact.
He hadn't expected it to end like this. Not so fast. Not so decisively.
Chi Yu approached at a leisurely pace, looking down at Minato, expression unreadable.
"You lost this sparring match," he said.
Minato wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and chuckled breathlessly.
"So this is the new move you've been developing? It's still Thunderclap and Flash, but... it's faster. Sharper. The cutting power and acceleration—it's on a completely different level."
He paused, then admitted, "I didn't think the gap between us had grown so large. I couldn't even react, much less defend. Chi Yu... I lost."
Chi Yu clicked his tongue and tilted his head slightly.
"You don't seem the least bit frustrated. If anything, you're getting more excited. You see me as a rival, don't you? Shouldn't this sting, even a little?"
Minato managed a smile.
"No... that's exactly why I'm excited. You are my rival. This gap only pushes me harder. I'll keep working—start from being unable to block a single strike, then eventually block one, then two... until I catch up to you."
Chi Yu scoffed.
"Whatever keeps you motivated. What a boring spar."
He turned to leave, but Minato called after him.
"Chi Yu, you said before that this move wasn't finished. Just now—was that the completed version?"
Chi Yu paused mid-step, then replied flatly, "No."
With that, he vanished.
Minato inhaled sharply.
Even this was incomplete?
---
Thunderclap and Flash – Godspeed was not yet perfected.
The technique required Chi Yu to infuse Lightning Release chakra directly into the meridians of his legs, stimulating them to their absolute limit and then unleashing it in a single burst.
But Chi Yu could feel the flaw—however fast he moved, there was still a hitch. A faint moment of stagnation. The chakra stimulation wasn't enough. His speed could be even greater.
The problem lay with his body. His legs couldn't yet withstand the strain.
Even now, they throbbed in pain from overexertion.
The chakra consumption was extreme as well. But even in its current state, Godspeed was significantly faster than the standard Thunderclap and Flash.
Because it shared the same fundamental principle, Chi Yu could use the move even in its incomplete form.
He knew he was diverging his style now.
Thunderclap and Flash – Godspeed chased absolute speed, a pure lightning-fast assassination technique.
Seventh Form: Honoikazuchi no Kami, by contrast, was built from the integration of various sword styles—a versatile, all-encompassing technique. More balanced, but less explosively fast.
Chi Yu exhaled as the pain in his legs flared again.
Training Godspeed would take time. This wasn't something sheer effort alone could overcome. His leg meridians needed to strengthen gradually—adapt to higher voltages of Lightning Release chakra.
Only then could he truly unleash Godspeed.
Finding a quiet spot, Chi Yu dismissed thoughts of Minato from his mind.
In his estimation, unless Minato developed the Flying Thunder God Technique or mastered Sage Mode, he wouldn't stand a chance. Even something as powerful as the Rasengan would be useless if it couldn't hit.
Chi Yu resumed his daily consolidation training.
---
The Next Morning
The 32 remaining combat-capable Konoha shinobi gathered once more.
Leading them was Orochimaru.
"Everyone," Orochimaru began, "use the Clone Technique liberally. Then form one Shadow Clone each. Organize into units. The main body advances alongside the clones, maintaining formation. Jiraiya!"
"Yes!" Jiraiya responded immediately, his tone serious.
"You and I will take positions on either end of the formation," Orochimaru continued. "Summon your animals. If we encounter any Cloud-nin, use the summons to drive them away. Any that slip past will be handled by us."
"Understood."
"Chi Yu."
Chi Yu stepped forward.
"Yes, Orochimaru-sensei."
"You'll operate independently. Your speed and mobility exceed the rest. Scout within a fifty-meter radius of the formation. If you detect enemy presence, notify me immediately—use a summoning beast if needed."
"Understood. Strictly reconnaissance?"
Orochimaru's eyes narrowed.
"Kill them if you're confident."
Chi Yu gave a sharp nod.
"Yes."
Orochimaru faced the rest of the shinobi.
"The rest of you, do not engage unless the enemy directly threatens the formation. Your priority is maintaining the clone array. Understood?"
"Understood!"
"Advance immediately!" Orochimaru commanded. "Once we reach ten kilometers, fortify the position with traps and prepare for my next orders."
The shinobi began to multiply—each with a Shadow Clone and several basic Clones. One ninja producing a Shadow Clone and five Clones gave the appearance of a seven-man unit.
Thirty-two actual shinobi now looked like an army of over 200.
Orochimaru nodded in approval.
"Move out."
The formation advanced under the direction of Orochimaru and Jiraiya.
Chi Yu, meanwhile, set off on his own, weaving in and out of the trees, maintaining a fifty-meter sweep perimeter.
The first two kilometers were uneventful.
At the third kilometer mark, Chi Yu sensed movement.
He formed a hand seal and pressed one palm to the ground.
"Serpent Entanglement Formation!"
Unlike Orochimaru, who summoned serpents from his throat, Chi Yu's sleeves released dozens of snakes that slithered into the brush in all directions, seeking enemies.
Chi Yu then summoned a smaller black snake, a messenger from Ryūchi Cave.
"Go. Inform Orochimaru-sensei we've got enemy movement. Tell him to proceed cautiously."
"Yes, Chi Yu-sama!"
The snake vanished into the underbrush.
Soon after, several of Chi Yu's serpents returned, coiling around his arms and relaying their findings.
"A three-man team... reconnaissance unit," Chi Yu murmured.
A glint of cold steel shimmered in his eyes.
His grip tightened around his sword.
Time to fight.
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