Chapter 485: New Technique

As the teacher of Kakashi, Obito, and Rin, Minato had no time to worry about their well-being on the chaotic battlefield. His own situation was dire—he faced three S-ranked opponents simultaneously and was currently at a disadvantage.

"Shhh!"

Rōshi, cloaked in the searing magma of his Lava Release, lunged forward with a devastating punch. The surrounding air shimmered and evaporated under the intense heat.

"Rasengan!"

Minato's hand blurred as a Rasengan formed in his palm, meeting Rōshi's magma-coated fist head-on. The resulting collision sent shockwaves rippling outward.

Meanwhile, Hanzo's blade flashed toward Minato's vitals. Reacting instantly, Minato raised his kunai to parry the strike. The clash of metal sent sparks flying in all directions.

Behind them, the Fourth Kazekage, slower than the others, took advantage of Minato's distraction. He formed a series of seals, and the gold sand under his command surged forward, morphing into a deadly spear.

"Swish!"

The golden spear shot through the air with terrifying speed, aimed directly at Minato's heart.

"Bang!"

In a split second, Minato's feet shifted mid-air, touching together with precision.

"Boom!"

A barrier materialized before him, intercepting the golden spear. The spear struck the barrier with enough force to dent it but ultimately failed to penetrate.

"You're using your feet to form seals and create a barrier?" Hanzo's eyes narrowed slightly, his brow lifting in curiosity.

But his curiosity quickly gave way to a sinister smile. Minato's maneuver was a clear sign that their strategy was working—he was being pushed into a corner.

Within a radius of several hundred meters, all of Minato's Flying Thunder God marks had been meticulously destroyed by Rōshi's Lava Release. Each time Minato attempted to place a new mark, Rōshi would divert his efforts to eliminate it.

While a few marks remained on the distant battlefield, using them would mean teleporting into areas crowded with allied forces from both sides. Such a move could lead to catastrophic losses for Konoha's forces, a scenario Minato was determined to avoid.

The battlefield's constraints had effectively cornered him.

This isn't looking good.

Minato's sharp gaze flicked toward Jiraiya, who was locked in a fierce battle with Kitsuchi.

"Jiraiya-sensei!"

Jiraiya and Kitsuchi's attacks clashed once more, forcing both to retreat. Hearing Minato's call, Jiraiya immediately took stock of the situation. The grim reality of Minato's predicament was clear.

Without hesitation, Jiraiya formed seals and pressed his hand against his wrist. A hidden seal pattern emerged briefly before fading away, revealing a concealed black mark.

Unknown to their enemies, Minato had planned for this exact scenario. Knowing that the ninja nations would develop strategies to counter the Flying Thunder God Technique, he had prepared a contingency: a hidden mark sealed on Jiraiya's body.

This mark, undetectable even to Minato himself until unsealed, was his trump card.

As the seal broke, Minato's body flickered and vanished.

"Swish!"

In an instant, he reappeared next to Jiraiya.

"Minato, this is cutting it close!" Jiraiya said, casting a wary glance at his student.

"I'll be fine," Minato replied with a calm smile. His expression shifted slightly as he added, "Sensei, let me show you my new technique."

"New technique?" Jiraiya echoed, his surprise evident.

Kitsuchi, sensing the danger of facing both Minato and Jiraiya simultaneously, retreated swiftly. Meanwhile, Hanzo, Rōshi, and Rasa closed in, their movements precise and relentless.

Minato's eyes briefly met Jiraiya's before he clasped his hands together.

"Bang, bang, bang!"

In an instant, ten shadow clones materialized around him.

Swish!

Three clones disappeared immediately, while the remaining seven launched a barrage of Flying Thunder God kunai at their approaching enemies.

"Lava Release: Magma Curtain!"

Rōshi, acting swiftly, formed seals and spewed molten lava from his mouth. The magma fanned out like a curtain, incinerating the incoming kunai mid-flight.

"Buzz!"

The intense flames painted the battlefield in a fiery glow. Above the flames, Minato's seven shadow clones leapt into the air, each one forming a Rasengan in their hands.

"Borrowing your move, Naruto," Minato thought, a fleeting smile crossing his lips.

"Super Odama Rasengan Barrage!"

The air seemed to tremble as massive spiraling orbs of chakra descended, each one radiating destructive energy.

"Rustle!"

In response, Rasa manipulated his gold sand to create a protective dome around his allies. The shimmering barrier gleamed under the firelight, its density absorbing the brunt of the Rasengan barrage.

"Boom, boom, boom!"

The successive impacts sent shockwaves across the battlefield. The gold sand barrier held momentarily but began to fracture under the relentless assault.

"Earth Release: Rock Dragon Technique!"

Kitsuchi seized the opportunity, clasping his hands together to summon massive rock dragons. The earthen beasts roared as they surged toward Jiraiya and Minato.

"Ninja Art: Wild Lion's Mane Technique!"

Jiraiya's hair elongated and whipped forward, intercepting the rock dragons. The two forces clashed, each vying for dominance.

As the dust settled, the cracks in the gold sand barrier expanded until it finally crumbled. A shadow darted out from the remnants of the barrier.

"Iaido Slash!"

Hanzo moved with blinding speed, his blade cutting through Minato's shadow clones before they could react. The clones dissipated into puffs of smoke, leaving only Minato standing.

Hanzo, Rōshi, and Rasa rushed forward, their combined power bearing down on Minato.

"Looks like it's time," Minato muttered, his mind focused.

With a subtle gesture, he dispelled the remaining shadow clones positioned in unknown locations.

"Woosh!"

A surge of energy coursed through Minato's body. His eyes closed briefly as orange pigmentation appeared around them, and his pupils turned into vertical slits.

"Sage Mode," Minato whispered, a calm yet powerful presence emanating from him.

Hanzo froze mid-step, his instincts screaming danger.

"No... Not this state again!" Hanzo's voice trembled, memories of past encounters flooding his mind. The overwhelming aura radiating from Minato was unlike anything he had faced in this battle.

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