Naruto: Konoha’s Trickster, Starting as the Seven-Tails Jinchūriki

"That's quite the welcome ceremony."

"Pity."

Minato smiled faintly as the earthen spike lunged toward him.

In the blink of an eye, all the kunai in his hand were thrown, scattering across the ground and embedding themselves in the surrounding trees. The next moment, he vanished from his position.

"Hmph! A bunch of ants!"

"Fire Release: Blast Wave Wild Dance!"

As Minato moved away, Fugaku lowered his guard slightly. A massive, fiery tornado erupted, enveloping everything around him.

No matter how fiercely the enemy attacked with thrusting techniques, their efforts were futile. The towering flames of the tornado smashed their assaults into nothingness.

The Uchiha excelled in Fire Release—it wasn't mere boasting. Fugaku was now the embodiment of a walking fireball. He wasn't one to stand idle, either. Maintaining the swirling inferno, he moved forward.

The enormous fire tornado surged ahead.

"Retreat! Don't get caught in the blast!"

"Earth Release: Tearing Earth Turning Palm!"

An Iwagakure ninja, visibly strong and skilled, completed a hand seal and struck the ground. In an instant, the hardened earth fractured, creating a massive fissure in the path of the fiery tornado.

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

The attacks from Iwa didn't relent, but Fugaku's assault was unyielding as well. Shuriken laced with strings shot out from within the flames, weaving through the air in intricate arcs.

"Feel the flames of the Uchiha!"

"Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique!"

The shuriken strings hit the ground, igniting instantly. The fire tornado dissolved, replaced by several roaring fire dragons that surged toward the enemy with terrifying ferocity.

"Damn it!"

"This man... he's another Uchiha powerhouse!"

"Lord Ha-...!?"

An Iwa ninja, retreating instinctively, suddenly felt a sharp pain in his throat.

"Lord Ha-? Ha, what?"

"Oh, sorry—I should've let you finish that sentence."

He struggled to turn his head, only to see a young blonde shinobi smiling apologetically. However, the kunai in the boy's hand sank even deeper.

"One!"

Before the surrounding Iwa forces could react and refocus on him, the boy vanished once again.

"Damn it! What speed!"

"Stay together! Don't get separated!"

The Iwa forces moved quickly to regroup, but Minato took advantage of the chaos. Using the Flying Thunder God Technique again, he reappeared behind a smoking, flame-scorched Iwa shinobi wielding a ninja blade.

The enemy barely had time to react before Minato's blade descended.

"Two!"

Minato flicked the blood off his kunai, his demeanor still relaxed and almost casual.

"Bastard! Stop stealing my kills!"

Fugaku growled in frustration. Despite unleashing three powerful jutsu in quick succession, he hadn't managed to claim a single enemy.

In mere moments of battle, the Iwa forces had already suffered multiple casualties. Meanwhile, Minato and Fugaku had only expended a fraction of their chakra.

"Tsk, Chōmei, what did I say? These two don't need us to worry about them at all."

"Looks that way. That Uchiha kid used three powerful jutsu in a row, and he doesn't even look tired? The Uchihas really are something else!"

"I don't think Han's going to last much longer. When he finally makes his move, we can just sit back and enjoy the show!"

"Heh heh... You're right."

Watching from the sidelines, Kazuyama couldn't help but regret not bringing a bag of melon seeds to fully enjoy the spectacle.

The battle raged on, and the ninja who had previously hidden underground launched an attack. However, it had little effect on the two from Minato's side.

After all, both possessed superhuman reflexes, and with the Flying Thunder God Technique in play, combined with Sharingan—one of the most powerful Dōjutsu—ordinary sneak attacks were futile.

When three more lives were lost, Han finally couldn't sit still.

"Retreat! You bunch of idiots!"

The towering, two-meter-tall man charged into the battlefield, instantly dividing it with his sheer presence.

The Iwa shinobi scattered, their expressions a mix of panic and fear.

"Lord Han..."

"Shut up! Can't even 30 of you deal with two people? Even if the opponent is Uchiha, you shouldn't be this pathetic!"

Han's fury was palpable, his towering form radiating an oppressive aura that silenced his subordinates.

"Oh? Are you the one leading this team?"

"A Jōnin of Iwagakure?"

Minato's usual calm demeanor gave way to a somber intensity as Han entered the fray. His heightened sensory abilities picked up on Han's rock-solid chakra and overwhelming aura, signaling an opponent unlike any other.

Fugaku's Sharingan confirmed it more vividly. Through his Dōjutsu, he could see Han's chakra flowing with immense power.

Both realized the gravity of the situation and thought simultaneously: "A formidable enemy!"

They exchanged a glance, their unspoken decision clear: "Strike first!"

Without hesitation, Minato activated the Flying Thunder God Technique, teleporting instantly behind Han.

"Lord Han!"

"Damn!"

The Iwa ninja barely managed to shout a warning as Minato's kunai—already slick with the blood of several Iwa comrades—struck Han's armor.

A sharp clang echoed as metal met reinforced steel.

"Hmph, so it really is some kind of spatial ninjutsu," Han muttered, his tone calm but dismissive. "Too bad for you—it's not strong enough. My armor was custom-made for this!"

The kunai's tip was halted by the sturdy armor, sparks flying upon impact.

"Tch!" Minato clicked his tongue in frustration, immediately teleporting back to Fugaku's side using the Flying Thunder God Technique.

"What a hard armor. Not your average craftsmanship," Minato observed grimly.

"You don't need to tell me—I can see that," Fugaku replied, his tone equally serious.

The failed test attack only deepened the unease on both their faces. Despite wearing such heavy armor, Han showed no signs of fatigue, standing tall and composed.

To Minato and Fugaku, it was clear: their opponent possessed extraordinary physical strength and unparalleled skill in Taijutsu.

"The next generation of Konoha?" Han sneered. "Too bad for you—your story ends here! Come at me!"

Han assumed a battle-ready stance, his imposing momentum surging.

"Hmph! How arrogant!" Fugaku's Sharingan gleamed. "Fire Release: Great Dragon Fire Technique!"

Without hesitation, Fugaku unleashed his strongest Fire Release ninjutsu. A massive fire dragon roared into existence, spiraling upward before diving toward Han with fierce intensity.

Minato didn't hesitate either. He tossed several specialized kunai into strategic positions, preparing to strike the moment an opening appeared.

Even the strongest armor must have weaknesses, and Minato was determined to find them.

Han smirked as the fire dragon approached. "Not bad. Fire Release, huh? But it's not enough!"

"Boil Release: Unparalleled Strength!"

At the mention of Boil Release, the Iwa shinobi erupted into cheers. This was Han's ultimate technique, a terrifying display of strength they revered.

Watching from a distance, Kazuyama and Chōmei grinned with excitement.

Their reason for enthusiasm, however, was far from loyal admiration.

Both man and insect shouted in unison, "Here it comes!"

"The show is starting!"

The long-awaited spectacle was finally about to unfold.

Kazuyama grabbed an imaginary bag of melon seeds, already savoring the drama. He and Chōmei were ready—melons and benches metaphorically set—welcoming the grand actor to take the stage: Five-Tails Kokuō!