NOVEL WEB Chapter 28: Chapter 28: Sparring
The top rookie?
Minato had never heard this title before. Up until now, Yan Uchiha had always been considered the most outstanding student in their class.
Their last fight didn't really count as a victory for Minato, because in the end, Yan lost focus after uncontrollably using the [Great Fireball Jutsu], giving Minato an easy chance to subdue him.
Otherwise, if the battle had continued, the outcome would've been uncertain.
However, the other students at the Ninja Academy didn't know the full story behind Minato's victory. On the surface, it indeed seemed like he had the upper hand.
Therefore, Yan's reputation as the top rookie naturally passed on to Minato.
Upon hearing this, Minato shook his head and said, "Senior Nawaki, I'm not truly the top rookie. Yan Uchiwa is extremely strong—I haven't actually defeated him..."
"But if it's just sparring, I don't mind." Then, narrowing his eyes slightly, he added.
Nawaki didn't know the full story behind that match, but he found Minato's words showed humility.
Looking at Minato—who was half a head shorter—Nawaki suddenly felt he'd found a true rival.
"Then," he said with a smile, walking toward the open area behind the house, "let's begin!"
"Minato, you..." Jiraiya was taken aback by how suddenly the two had decided to spar. It wasn't that he opposed it—he simply worried about Minato's stamina still recovering from the morning training session.
In this state, sparring with Nawaki risked injury.
But when he saw the firm determination flicker in Minato's eyes, the words on his lips were swallowed back.
"Sensei, thank you," Minato also sensed Jiraiya's concern, offering him a grateful smile.
It wasn't that he was trying to be reckless—he simply found his body's recovery rate surprisingly good. Though fatigue hadn't fully vanished yet, sparring wouldn't be a problem.
Besides, he hadn't used any chakra during the morning session.
Stepping into the arena, standing several meters apart from Nawaki, Minato bowed formally—a custom taught at the Ninja Academy and practiced in Konoha when juniors spar with their seniors.
Nawaki lightly returned the bow, then narrowed his eyes and said, "Then, here I come!"
Whoosh!
As soon as he finished speaking, he dashed straight toward Minato. His movement was so fast it whipped up a gust, pushing Minato's bangs back from his forehead.
A punch aimed straight at Minato's face shot forward with such force and wind pressure that its power was unmistakable. Moreover, his speed surpassed even Yan Uchiha's.
No wonder he'd received guidance from two Jonin—Tsunade and Orochimaru!
Though Minato was also strong, he had no intention of matching Nawaki blow-for-blow, especially considering his own younger age and smaller build, which put him at a physical disadvantage.
Nawaki was fast, but speed was precisely Minato's greatest strength. He swiftly sidestepped Nawaki's punch, simultaneously bringing his left hand down like a blade striking toward Nawaki's neck.
A straight punch was one of the toughest moves to pull back once thrown, and the neck was one of the easiest places to hit hard. You didn't need full power; even a light hit could leave your opponent dizzy and half their strength gone.
Nawaki slightly shifted his gaze, spotting Minato's movement. With the latter's speed, he had no time left to raise any defense.
If that was the case, then why not take the initiative and attack instead?
In an instant, his left leg snapped backward in a kick.
Their bodies passed each other, shoulders almost brushing—Minato's left side came dangerously close to Nawaki's frame. This strike was clearly meant to throw Minato off balance.
Glancing sideways, Minato had no choice but to reluctantly abort his knife-hand strike and leap back, dodging Nawaki's foot.
"That was intense…"
This fight was even more thrilling than his previous duel against Yan Uchiha. If he'd been just half a second slower, Nawaki's kick would have thrown him off balance. In that scenario, he wouldn't have been able to evade any follow-up attacks, leading directly to his defeat.
Nawaki felt shaken too—he had just seen Minato instantly deflect his aggressive offense and counterattack. Although Nawaki had managed to block it, it still startled him greatly.
"Perfect—I'm not great at ninjutsu either. Let's go all out with taijutsu!" Nawaki grinned, gaining even more respect for Minato.
Minato tensed inwardly. Though he had considerable chakra reserves, he didn't know a single offensive ninjutsu technique yet.
Even though he had become Jiraiya-sensei's disciple, the latter hadn't shown any interest in actually teaching him ninjutsu so far.
Even a C-ranked ninjutsu might be difficult for him to handle—just like the Great Fireball Jutsu used by Yan Uchiha last time.
Although he could dodge using the Body Flicker Technique, it would consume a tremendous amount of chakra.
When it came to chakra, the Senju clan always stood out.
Members of the Senju clan naturally possessed physical constitutions beyond ordinary humans, granting them vast chakra reserves and immense strength.
Minato had already experienced part of Nawaki's power passed down through the Senju bloodline, and his chakra reserves were definitely superior to Yan Uchiha's. The ninjutsu he released would likely be even stronger.
After all, he was personally trained by Tsunade and Orochimaru.
That was definitely a good sign—for Minato, at least.
Whoosh!
Without another word, Nawaki charged again, launching another wave of fierce offense.
Minato dared not confront him head-on, but excelled in agility and versatility. For now, neither could gain the upper hand.
Jiraiya stood at the sidelines. He fully understood both Minato's and Nawaki's abilities—based purely on this match, they seemed pretty evenly matched.
However…
After several exchanges, Minato was forced to take a direct hit from Nawaki's fist when there was no way to dodge. He fell flat onto the ground, and both arms blocking in front of him felt numb and sore to varying degrees.
"Senior Nawaki, I admit defeat," Minato gracefully conceded.
Nawaki extended his hand toward Minato, and after a brief pause—as if weighing something—Minato took it.
Nawaki pulled him up and said, "I can tell you must've been training with Aniki Jiraiya this morning, that's why you're experiencing exhaustion now, right?"
Minato nodded.
"You're seriously impressive. It took me two years under Master Tsunade to get where I am now, but I don't even know how long you've been Aniki Jiraiya's student. Considering we're around the same age, I guess I'm the one who fell behind."
Nawaki smiled brightly. His smile wasn't as gentle as Minato's, but it was bright and full of energy, making people like him without even trying.
Then he thrust out his fist with a grin, "C'mon, bro — fist bump! We're buddies now!"
...
...
The last update will come later - something urgent needs doing.
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