Three years. Three years since the album, since the concert, since the quiet intervention with Himiko's parents. Minato stood atop the tallest building, the wind whipping at his transformed attire. His system now showed
Namikaze Minato - 60%.
He was an Elite Jonin. The gravity seals, meticulously crafted and applied to his training gear, had been instrumental in this accelerated progress, allowing him to push his physical limits far beyond what regular training could achieve.
He could now utilize the Flying Thunder God Technique, a spatial ninjutsu that makes him virtually uncatchable. Rasengan and all its variants, save for the unwieldy Rasenshuriken, were at his command. His training wasn't just in solitude; his burgeoning world tour, while a public spectacle, had also been a perfect cover for his vigilante activities. Each new city, each new country, offered a fresh hunting ground, a chance to refine his skills against villains without establishing a traceable pattern for the police. He adopted different Transformations from Naruto world each time, ensuring no one could connect the dots.
Tonight, however, was not about covert operations. Tonight was about timing.
Below him, the city glowed, but one particular area pulsed with raw, destructive energy. The epic clash he had been anticipating for years was finally unfolding. All Might versus All For One. The air crackled with power, explosions illuminating the night sky like rogue fireworks.
Minato stood as Tobirama Senju, his silver hair stark against the dark, his red eyes narrowed in focus. In his right hand, a specially crafted kunai gleamed faintly, ready. He had scouted this position meticulously, knowing it offered the best vantage point while remaining far enough to avoid detection, yet close enough for his plan.
His eyes, enhanced by his shinobi senses, tracked the brutal dance below. All Might, the Symbol of Peace, a beacon of hope, was being pushed to his limits, his form slowly weakening. All For One, a swirling vortex of malevolence, seemed to relish in dismantling the hero. Minato knew this moment, etched into his memory from the canon timeline. The moment when All For One would attempt his decisive, fatal blow to All Might's stomach.
He held his breath, chakra subtly gathering at his feet. His eyes were fixed on All For One, waiting, watching. He couldn't directly interfere in the fight–not yet. It was too soon, too many variables. His intervention had to be precise, minimal, yet impactful enough to alter one key detail. He would not allow All Might to be fatally injured, not if he could prevent it.
He saw it. All For One's body began to condense, a monstrous surge of stolen Quirks coiling into a single, devastating punch aimed directly at All Might's weakened stomach. This was it.
Minato tightened his grip on the kunai, his mind clear, his senses razor-sharp. He would not engage in the fight, but he would ensure the trajectory of that attack was altered just enough. The future, even slightly, could be changed.
Minato acted.
With a flick of his wrist, a specially weighted kunai, marked with a small, almost invisible seal, spun through the night. It arced swiftly through the air, aimed not at All For One, but directly at All Might.
All Might, battered and weary, barely registered the glint of metal approaching him amidst the chaos. He was bracing for All For One's attack, his focus absolute.
Just as the kunai neared All Might, Minato vanished. The Flying Thunder God Technique activated, and in a flash of silver light, Tobirama Senju appeared beside the Symbol of Peace, catching the kunai mid-air. All Might, surprised by the sudden appearance, tensed, but before he could react, Minato's transformed hand briefly touched his shoulder.
"Get ready! " Minato's voice, deepened by the transformation, rumbled into All Might's ear.
Before All Might could even fully process the words, the world shimmered. In an instant, both of them were gone from the chaotic battlefield. They reappeared atop the tallest skyscraper, the very building Minato had been observing from, where he had earlier placed a pre-marked kunai. The sudden shift in altitude and location was disorienting, even for All Might.
Before they materialized, Minato, still holding the kunai he'd just caught, immediately hurled the specially marked kunai in his hand high into the night sky, its trajectory soaring upwards.
"What in the...?" All Might gasped, his eyes wide, looking around at the impossible height they now occupied. He turned to question his mysterious savior, but Minato was already moving.
With another burst of silver light, Minato, in his Tobirama form, vanished from the rooftop, reappearing precisely where the kunai he'd just thrown was ascending, hovering impossibly in the sky high above. From this new, elevated vantage point, he watched.
Below, All For One's monstrous punch, robbed of its target, tore a massive crater in the ground where All Might had stood moments before.
Suspended high above the chaotic scene, Minato watched All For One's confusion. The villain roared in frustration, searching for his vanished prey. This was the moment.
Minato hurled a specially marked kunai directly at All For One from the sky. As the kunai sliced through the air, a familiar blue sphere began to form in Minato's hand, rapidly expanding. He was charging a Big Ball Rasengan, its destructive power far greater than a normal one.
The kunai soared towards All For One. Just as it neared the villain, Minato vanished again. The Flying Thunder God Technique activated, and in a flash of silver light, Tobirama Senju appeared beside All For One, the massive, swirling sphere of chakra already primed. Before the villain could react, Minato slammed the Big Ball Rasengan directly into All For One's head, unleashing a concussive blast of raw energy.
All For One roared in pain and surprise, A crater was formed from the devastating attack.
Minato didn't linger. As All For One was trying to get up, Minato, with practiced precision, threw another marked kunai, embedding it firmly in the ground near the villain's new location. Then, with another flash, he reappeared beside All Might on the skyscraper rooftop.
All Might, still reeling from the sudden teleportation, looked at the mysterious figure. "What was that? Who...?"
"No time!" Minato's voice, still deep and urgent, cut him off. "Get ready to unleash your full power! He's disoriented. This is your chance!" Minato's hand clamped firmly onto All Might's shoulder once more. "Give him everything you've got!"
All Might's eyes widened. The mysterious strangers, coupled with the inexplicable speed and precision of his actions, ignited a spark of renewed resolve. He nodded, his face hardening with determination. He started channeling every ounce of One For All.
Before All Might could finish his declaration, the world shimmered for a third time. In a blinding silver flash, Minato teleported both of them directly to the location of the kunai he had just thrown near the reeling All For One.
They materialized in an explosion of dust and debris. All Might, already mid-punch, his body radiating a golden aura of concentrated power, found himself directly in front of the staggered All For One. With a guttural yell that shook the very foundations of the ruined city, All Might unleashed his greatest punch in his life
United States of Smash.
The impact was cataclysmic. A force of wind pressure, unlike anything seen before, tore through the landscape, obliterating everything in its path. All For One screamed, his body contorting under the immense power, before being driven deep into the earth, creating a massive crater.
Minato, standing a few feet from the impact zone, watched for only a second, confirming the attack's success. All Might, panting, bleeding, but standing, looked at him, his face a mixture of exhaustion and profound gratitude.
"You... you saved me. Thank you," All Might gasped, trying to formulate a proper response, to ask who this mysterious savior was.
But Minato didn't wait. He spoke quickly, his voice clear and resolute. "You owe me a favor. Just remember this. If I ever need help in the future, if I find myself truly cornered... I will come. No questions asked. Just remember that."
With that final statement, Minato vanished in another flash of silver light, leaving All Might alone amidst the destruction, the words echoing in his mind as he stared at the place Minato had vanished. Minato was gone before the Symbol of Peace could utter another word, or even fully comprehend what had just transpired.