I founded the "Bragging Cult" in Naruto.

Chapter 15 A Lucky Victory

This kind of struggle is very disadvantageous for Tatsuma, because he will only run out of energy faster than Minato. Therefore, what Tatsuma needs is a quick way to break the deadlock, or even a countermeasure.

Therefore, Tatsuma risked letting go of Minato's left hand and suddenly pulled Minato's right hand to the side with both hands, the kunai grazing Tatsuma's cheek.

Seizing the opportunity, Tatsuma struck at Minato's ribs with both hands. Minato sensed something was wrong and rolled to the side, but his left ribs were still hit by Tatsuma's palm strike.

Minato, who was about to roll over and get up after being hit in the ribs, suddenly felt that he could not straighten his back. Tatsuma, who had already gotten up, looked at the half-crouched Minato and kicked him straight in the face with a left front kick.

Minato parried with his left hand while tilting his head to dodge. At the same time, he gritted his teeth and strained to get up, trying to lift up Tatsuma's left leg that was kicking at him, and then slammed it down.

Seeing this, Tatsuma quickly raised his leg, intending to deliver a downward kick. Minato didn't brace for it, but instead stepped back to dodge, since he didn't need to be in such a hurry as Tatsuma.

Minato tried to create some distance, but Tatsuma followed closely, constantly throwing out left punches and kunai. Minato also continuously parried with his outer defenses. The two, who practiced together almost every day, were now so in sync that it was as if they had rehearsed it.

Jiraiya, who was watching the game, gripped the window frame tightly, his eyes becoming serious.

"The white-haired brat is getting anxious."

Orochimaru had been watching the fight between the two without anyone noticing and was even offering his commentary. Jiraiya instinctively nodded, but then, realizing what was happening, he turned and questioned, "Orochimaru, are you making a veiled attack?"

Orochimaru shook his head and said, "I never insult you indirectly, you loser."

"hateful!"

"Alright! Let's continue watching!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi interrupted, looking down at Minato, who, with his superior stamina, had finally created distance between himself and Tatsuma, continuously throwing out shuriken and kunai.

Tatsuma barely managed to parry the incoming ninja tool, while Hyuga Sento watched the scene with a grim expression. This was the same way he had just lost to Minato.

However, Tatsuma was not Hyuga Sento after all. He was too familiar with Minato's projectile habits. Therefore, even though he was exhausted and his dodges were very messy, he still managed to dodge several rounds of Minato's ninja tool projectiles.

Minato, on the other side, also frowned. He hadn't expected Tatsuma to be so powerful when he got serious. He touched his ninja tool pouch and roughly determined the number of ninja tools remaining.

"Two kunai, six shuriken, and eight senbon needles?"

Thinking of this, Minato quickly drew all his shuriken and threw them at Tatsuma, followed by senbon. He didn't throw the last two kunai, but held them and rushed towards Tatsuma.

Tatsuma focused intently on dodging the ninja tool attacks, but just as he knocked down the shuriken and was about to knock down the senbon, he discovered that Minato's flying kick was also coming at the same time.

"A thousand copies should be fine."

Tatsuma murmured to himself, then ignored the flying senbon needles, aimed at the trajectory of Minato's flying kick, took a step forward, and used the Tai Chi skills he had taken as an elective in college in his previous life.

With a quick step, Tatsuma blocked Minato's flying kick with his left shoulder, grabbed and pressed down on Minato's right knee with his left hand, and held a kunai in his right hand. He first punched Minato in the stomach with his fist.

With one punch, the power that Minato had gathered in his core instantly dissipated, leaving him powerless and falling backward as Tatsuma slammed him to the ground. At the same time, Tatsuma lunged forward and knelt down, pressing his knee against Minato's stomach, rendering him unable to exert any force.

At the same time, the kunai in his right hand was pressed against Minato's collarbone. Only then did Tatsuma's solemn expression finally relax, and he smiled, saying, "As expected of you, Minato. But I won by sheer luck."

Minato, ignoring his own defeat, looked anxiously at the senbon pinned to Tatsuma's shoulder and thigh and asked, "Are you alright?"

"Huh? I won't feel pain if you don't tell me."

Minato's reminder brought back the muscle soreness and the stinging pain from being stabbed by the senbon needles, and Tatsuma's heart sank, causing the kunai pressed against Minato's collarbone to loosen weakly.

"Teacher Hepu! Please check on Chenma's condition."

Seeing Tatsuma fall straight to one side, Minato anxiously said to Sarutobi Kazuura who was walking over, "It's just some minor injuries, he was mainly too tired."

Inside the classroom, Tsunade, watching this scene through the window, narrowed her eyes and said, "So the two of them have a pretty good relationship? But how could two people who seem to get along so well resort to such violence?"

One second they were exchanging injuries, the next they were worried about each other. This is rather unusual.

Hiruzen Sarutobi explained, "The two of them have been training together for the past few months. Except for the last round, they are probably very familiar with the previous rounds, so there is no danger."

"They're still first-year students, right? This decisiveness is probably unmatched even by some ninjas, isn't it, Jiraiya?"

After Tsunade finished speaking, Jiraiya's face turned green with anger. If Orochimaru's veiled insults were unintentional, Tsunade's words were clearly a direct insult to his face.

However, while he dared to lose his temper with Orochimaru, he wouldn't dare to do the same to Tsunade, so he silently swallowed his grievances.

Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled and said, "Tsunade, weren't you uninterested? What about now?"

Tsunade paused for a moment, then shook her head again and said, "These two kids are indeed quite good for first graders. Even if they were placed in any grade at the Ninja Academy, they would get good grades."

But I still don't want to play house with little kids; I don't have time to waste on these students.

"No rush. This is just a preview for you. Even if you really want to be their teachers, you'll have to wait until they graduate."

Hiruzen Sarutobi waved his hand. Tsunade's change in attitude was enough to satisfy him. There was no need to ask for anything more. If he really pushed his luck and angered Tsunade, she might really hold a grudge and never take on any more disciples for the rest of her life.

Seeing that Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't intend to force the arrangement, Tsunade nodded. She was not even twenty years old and had only recently become a Jonin. She didn't want to waste her golden training period on a child.

"I'd like to go and get to know those two children."

After receiving the prophecy from the Great Toad Sage a few years ago, Jiraiya had been thinking about finding a student. It would be better if the student was the one destined for prophecy, but it wouldn't matter if he wasn't.

After all, someone who can teach the Child of Prophecy must be very good at teaching others. Even if some students are not the Child of Prophecy, they should still become better ninjas under his guidance.

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded upon hearing Jiraiya's words and said, "You're all on vacation now, so do whatever you want. You've seen what you were supposed to see today, so those of you who have things to do can leave."

"Um."

Tsunade turned and left. Orochimaru thought for a moment and, realizing he hadn't left any information behind, said, "Then, Sarutobi-sensei, I'll be going now."

Hiruzen Sarutobi waved his hand, looked at Jiraiya who remained beside him, and asked, "Is there anything else?"

"Ahem. Um..."

A hint of embarrassment appeared on Jiraiya's face, and he then said, "Teacher, um, the mission reward."

"You're short of a million taels?! The village's finances are so tight right now, can't you take it later?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi was somewhat displeased, while Jiraiya said helplessly, "Tsunade 'borrowed' all my money; now I can't even afford ramen."

Hearing Jiraiya emphasize the word "borrow," Hiruzen Sarutobi understood what it meant, nodded, and said, "Then come with me to the Hokage Building to get it."

"By the way, Jiraiya, sometimes you have to keep money firmly in your own hands. Never mind, you wouldn't understand anyway. Here's 100,000 ryo for you; I'll hold onto the rest."

"Okay, then."

(End of this chapter)