Uchiha's Taijutsu Supreme

With the fall of Kaguya Yama, the atmosphere within the Kaguya clan grew heavy, and the scene descended into silence.

Minato glanced at the defeated enemy beside him and remarked with an amused tone:

"I thought the Kaguya clan, renowned in the ninja world for over a century, would have something extraordinary to show. Looks like I overestimated them."

Fuma lightly pressed his palm against his forehead, contemplating whether he should reflect on how he had raised Minato.

Growing up under Fuma's guidance, Minato not only picked up some modern phrases but also developed a sharp tongue. While he still maintained the sunny disposition of a "little sun" around others, he had surprisingly gained a knack for delivering cutting remarks.

Perhaps this was the aftermath of awakening his inner "chuunibyou" soul—making it all too easy for him to utter aggravating lines during battles.

Kaguya Muzuki narrowed his eyes, contemplating the current situation while subtly stretching his muscles.

These two individuals who had boldly provoked the Kaguya clan—one of them even from the Uchiha clan—would not be allowed to leave alive.

"But if I want to take them both down, that blond brat with his Flying Thunder God Technique could escape at any moment. A head-on assault using sheer numbers won't work for now…"

"I'll have to play along with their rules and wait for an opportunity to strike decisively during combat. That's the only way to uphold the honor of the Kaguya clan as a warrior lineage!"

Muzuki cast a glance at his clan members nearby. Two black-haired Kaguya clansmen immediately understood his intent and carried Kaguya Yama's unconscious body to the side for treatment.

"Don't get cocky, boy. The one you defeated was just a youngling who recently made some progress in training. If you dare, why not face me instead?"

Minato twirled the Flying Thunder God kunai in his hand without replying, though the battle intent in his eyes was unmistakable.

In the last war, when he had not yet fully mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique, Minato had relied on the resources of Nawaki and the sensory abilities of Kushina.

His strategy revolved around safely flashing in, throwing an explosive tag, and retreating—a method that effectively eliminated lower-tier ninja.

However, such a combat style only worked against opponents below the rank of special jonin. To become a true powerhouse, one must step out of their comfort zone and face trials head-on.

Minato had done just that. He had already subdued all the young ninjas of the Uchiha clan, leaving Fugaku with an indelible psychological shadow. Now, it was time to venture outside the village and challenge the strong of other clans.

Kaguya Muzuki slowly stepped into the battlefield, his body emanating an intense aura.

Bones erupted from beneath his skin, coated with fresh blood, forming a red-and-white bone armor over his body. Sharp bone spikes jutted outward, creating a gruesome and eerie appearance.

This transformation seemed to ignite the fervor of the surrounding Kaguya clansmen, who roared wildly, their malicious gazes fixed on Minato as if he were seconds away from being torn apart.

"I am Muzuki, current head of the Kaguya clan. Name yourself, boy!"

Minato's expression grew serious. From Muzuki's appearance alone, it was clear that he was no ordinary ninja.

Anyone capable of leading a clan with a century of legacy must possess extraordinary skills. Based purely on combat strength, Muzuki had undoubtedly touched the threshold of "Kage" level.

"I am Namikaze Minato, a disciple of Uchiha Fuma. Please, guide me."

Muzuki nodded slightly. Gathering chakra around him, he launched himself with explosive force, shattering the ground beneath him as he charged fiercely at Minato.

"Shikotsumyaku: Dance of the Willows!"

The bone spikes covering Muzuki's body turned him into a deadly weapon. Wielding two bone blades formed from his spine, his movements were as fluid as willow leaves, yet every motion carried lethal intent.

Minato smirked, satisfied with such a formidable opponent. Only enemies who had reached this level of strength could evoke a sense of danger within him and help hone his skills.

Instead of relying on the Flying Thunder God Technique, Minato used his raw reflexes to narrowly dodge each of Muzuki's attacks.

The Flying Thunder God kunai clashed with the bone blades, sparks flying in every direction. Unfortunately, under the relentless assault of Muzuki's storm-like strikes, a loud "crack" echoed as Minato's kunai snapped, leaving him directly exposed to the threat of the bone blades.

A bloodthirsty glint flashed in Muzuki's eyes as the bone blade extending from his palm grew longer. The originally white bone turned black, radiating a terrifying aura of destruction as it stabbed toward Minato's chest.

In an instant, Minato vanished in a flash of golden light, reappearing behind Muzuki. His hand brimming with a massive amount of chakra, he slammed a Rasengan into Muzuki, driving him into the ground.

*Boom!*

The immense power of the Rasengan created a deep crater in the earth. But in the next moment, a forest of bone spikes erupted from the ground, aiming once again for Minato.

Frowning, Minato activated the Flying Thunder God Technique once more, teleporting to safety.

From within the crater, Muzuki slowly emerged, brushing the dust off his armor as he spoke arrogantly, "Don't bother with those childish tricks. They're nothing but laughable attempts."

"The true power of the Kaguya clan is beyond the comprehension of mere mortals. With the strongest sword and the toughest shield, no one can defeat us."

The red-and-white bone armor covering Muzuki's body showed only faint cracks, which healed in mere seconds, demonstrating his incredible regenerative abilities.

......

As the tension thickened amidst the Kaguya clan, Fuma spoke up to warn Minato, "The Kaguya clan's Shikotsumyaku is a troublesome kekkei genkai."

"By controlling bone density, osteoblasts, and osteoclasts, they not only possess abnormal regenerative abilities but also remarkable offensive and defensive capabilities."

"They are, without a doubt, geniuses in close-quarters combat."

"Moreover," Fuma added, "the most skilled members of their clan can even thicken their periosteum. Conventional ninjutsu won't even scratch them."

Muzuki glanced at Fuma with a flicker of surprise. Despite the clan's fearsome reputation, few outsiders could describe their abilities and mechanics in such detail.

Minato nodded in acknowledgment, his mind racing to formulate a strategy.

"This guy is like a toned-down version of Fuma-sensei," Minato thought.

"Every part of his body is a weapon. Engaging him in close combat is suicide. Worse still, his bones provide formidable defense. He's an exceptionally tough opponent to deal with…"

This realization struck Minato hard. He recognized a glaring weakness in his combat style: his inability to deal with large, resilient enemies.

"For most ninjas, the Rasengan is already an advanced technique. But as my own rank rises, its power starts to feel insufficient. I need to focus on developing more devastating moves."

Minato sighed inwardly. "If I had mastered a chakra fusion-based kekkei genkai, like Dust Release, finishing this battle would have been effortless."

Meanwhile, Muzuki's lips curled into a cruel grin. He thrust both hands deep into the ground, shouting with fervor:

"Shikotsumyaku Secret Technique: Dance of the Seedling Fern!"

Upon hearing those words, even the nearby Kaguya clan members scattered like frightened birds. They knew too well the devastation that was about to unfold.

The earth trembled for a moment before massive bone spikes erupted from the ground, spreading like a forest of deadly blades. The sharp, meter-long spikes decimated everything within range, leaving only a barren expanse of white bone.

The only untouched patch of ground lay beneath Fuma, whose presence seemed to shield that area with an unseen force.

However, Minato had anticipated this. Before Muzuki launched his attack, he had strategically thrown several Flying Thunder God kunai, enhanced with Wind Release, into the air. The kunai hovered above as aerial anchor points.

"Flying Thunder God: Second Stage!"

In an instant, Minato teleported above Muzuki, where a "Wind Release: Rasengan" roared to life in his hand. He aimed it directly at Muzuki's temple.

Muzuki reacted swiftly. Large, jagged bones burst from his shoulders, creating a thick shield over his vital points. Simultaneously, his body bristled with spikes, transforming him into a living weapon.

Minato frowned and vanished again in a flash of gold.

"This kekkei genkai is a nightmare," he thought. "Trying to defeat someone like this with close combat alone is nearly impossible."

Muzuki sneered, his bloodthirsty eyes scanning the battlefield. "Impressive technique, Flying Thunder God," he said. "But your offensive capabilities are pitiful."

"Stop running like a coward," he growled. "Face me head-on, or keep hiding in shame!"

Muzuki's voice rang with manic glee as he hunted for Minato, his desire for blood boiling over into a battle-fueled frenzy.

Minato reappeared beside Fuma, scratching his head sheepishly. "I have a lot to work on, Fuma-sensei. It's clear I'm not suited to fight non-human opponents like this one."

Fuma chuckled lightly. "No worries. With your talent, that Light Release concept you've been tinkering with has real potential."

"Also Orochimaru brought me the Ryuchi Cave scroll, and Tsunade still has access to the Shikkotsu Forest. If you have time, you should consider training in Sage Mode."

Ignoring Muzuki's menacing aura, Fuma ruffled Minato's hair in a fatherly gesture.

Right now, Minato had the strength of his counterpart during the Third Ninja War. His mastery of techniques, including the Hozuki clan's "Hydrification Technique", combined with his refined taijutsu, made him formidable.

But Fuma couldn't be sure whether Minato had an aptitude for Sage Mode.

In the canonical timeline, even during life-or-death moments, Minato had never entered Sage Mode, despite fighting the Nine Tails. It was only after being reanimated that he seemed to master it effortlessly.

Minato's signature sunny smile returned as he gave Muzuki a thumbs-up. "You're truly a formidable opponent," he said earnestly. "I hope we can spar again someday. This fight is your win."

"But," Minato added, his tone turning serious, "you're about to meet a real taijutsu ninja. I sincerely wish you the best of luck… surviving."

_____________________

Upto 20 chapters ahead on patreon :-

patreon.com/ShadySmuggler