After hearing Minato's explanation, Kizaru began clapping slowly, a look of genuine admiration crossing his face.
"So that's how it was," he said with a faint smile. "I'll admit it—I was completely fooled just now. You must have survived countless life-and-death battles in the past. No wonder your thinking is so precise."
Then, in the next instant, the indifference in Kizaru's eyes vanished, replaced by sharp focus.
"It seems I've grown far too comfortable over the years," he said coldly. "But things won't be so simple from here on out."
Minato tightened his grip on the kunai in his hand. The Rasengan had landed cleanly, yet Kizaru's physical durability had far exceeded his expectations. If Minato himself had taken that hit, the damage would have been severe—but Kizaru appeared only lightly injured, his combat strength virtually unaffected.
"If I'm not mistaken," Kizaru continued, stepping forward, "you planned from the very beginning to use a clone to mislead me. You were betting that I would fall for it, weren't you?"
Minato smiled faintly.
"Yes. I knew your Elementalization could render my attacks ineffective, but I also knew it couldn't be maintained indefinitely. So I prepared several ways to lure you into carelessness. In the end, the Shadow Clone proved to be the most reliable."
"So part of everything that just happened…" Kizaru said slowly, "…was guided by you."
Minato didn't deny it.
Kizaru's expression grew solemn."Fourth Hokage. Yellow Flash. Minato Namikaze. I'll remember that name."
"To calculate a battle to this degree—you really are a terrifying opponent."
His Observation Haki surged to its limit. From this moment on, even the slightest lapse in focus could prove fatal.
Pirate World
The entire world was stunned by Minato's combat intelligence.
Smoker exhaled a long stream of smoke."It seems he figured out Admiral Kizaru's abilities by watching Akainu earlier."
Sengoku's eyes narrowed with cold intensity."Unlike the previous fighters, this one isn't relying on overwhelming force. Minato Namikaze is extremely difficult to deal with."
Garp chewed his senbei and muttered,"Anyone who can make Kizaru take a real loss is no ordinary man."
Back on the Battlefield
Kizaru removed his sunglasses and spoke in a low voice.
"Alright then. Let's continue."
His figure flashed as he lunged forward, the Amaterasu Cloud Sword blazing as it thrust straight toward Minato.
"Shadow Clone Technique!"
In an instant, more than a dozen clones appeared, surrounding Kizaru from all directions.
Kizaru swept his blade through them, shattering the clones effortlessly.
"You're not planning to use the same trick again, are you?" he asked coolly.
From afar, Minato shouted,"Rasengan Flash—Super Round Dance Howl, Third Style!"
He hurled a kunai toward Kizaru at blinding speed.
Kizaru's eyes narrowed."Flying Thunder God again? It won't be that easy!"
His sword came down in a sharp arc—
Clang!
The kunai snapped in half.
Buzz!!!
A blinding burst of yellow light erupted from the broken blade.
Kizaru's face was instantly flooded with light. His pupils shrank violently as he reflexively activated Elementalization and retreated dozens of meters.
He covered his eyes, gritting his teeth. The sudden flash felt like needles stabbing into his vision—temporary blindness.
"Tch… using something that underhanded."
He had assumed Minato was preparing another teleport, never expecting the kunai to be used purely as a visual disruption.
Seizing the opening, Minato threw another kunai and vanished.
"Rasengan!"
A Rasengan larger than any before formed in an instant and slammed straight toward Kizaru's chest.
"That again?" Kizaru scoffed. "I'm already elementalized—there's no way this can—"
Boom!!!
The Rasengan struck.
It hit.
Bang!!!
Kizaru was blasted backward dozens of meters, his face twisting in disbelief as he skidded across the battlefield.
The entire Multiverse fell into stunned silence.
Piccolo frowned deeply."That shouldn't be possible. He was already elementalized."
Gohan looked up at him, confused."Even you can't tell what happened?"
Kizaru's uniform was torn open at the chest, blood flowing freely and staining his yellow coat red.
He coughed twice before forcing himself upright, his mind racing.
"That's impossible," he said sharply. "My Elementalization should have nullified that attack. How did it hurt me?"
Minato answered calmly.
"It was Sage Art."
"Sage Art?" Kizaru had never heard the term before.
"I've been observing how Elementalization can be countered ever since the battle between Akainu and the Second Hokage," Minato explained. "But I don't use Armament Haki, Water Release, or Sealing Jutsu—and at your speed, sealing is nearly impossible anyway."
"So I developed a different approach."
Kizaru's expression grew serious.
"What exactly is this Sage Art?"
"The attack you just took was infused with Sage Art Chakra," Minato said. "It's a completely different system of power—separate from ordinary ninjutsu."
Kizaru stared at him. Minato's pupils had shifted to gold, with faint orange-red markings appearing around his eyes.
"So that's it…" Kizaru murmured. "No wonder your world produces such strange and unpredictable techniques."
"Sage Art Chakra is created by absorbing natural energy and perfectly balancing it with one's own chakra," Minato continued. "I suspected it might be the only way to bypass your Elementalization."
"And now," he said quietly, "I know it works."
For the first time since the battle began, a trace of excitement appeared on Minato's face.
Sage Art was far more powerful than he had imagined.