The next day, Minato reached the class early.
The others at the orphanage assumed it was because he was excited about joining the academy and taking his first real step toward becoming a shinobi.
Especially since he had been placed in the elite class due to his performance, which was rare for someone from a civilian background. It only reinforced what they already believed, that Minato was simply a hardworking genius.
They had seen him train for the past year.
Even though his magic training stayed hidden, he rarely played or wasted time like the others, so they just accepted it as one of his quirks.
But today was different.
He came early for one reason.
Fugaku.
The chances were low, but he still hoped his friend might show up early.
The academy grounds were mostly empty, but Minato quickly noticed Fugaku entering through the front gate.
Fugaku usually wasn't this early.
But yesterday, because of the whole Nawaki situation, he had forgotten something in his desk.
A dung bomb.
Now, why he even had a dung bomb in the first place was another matter entirely, something involving a plan to "improve the fragrance" of the Hokage building.
Fugaku had always been a fan of the Weasley twins, so learning basic alchemy to create simple prank items came naturally to him, especially with Grindelwald's template backing him up.
He had only remembered it this morning.
Normally, no one would go through his desk, but it still wasn't worth the risk. Explaining it would be both difficult and embarrassing.
So here he was.
Early.
To retrieve it.
'Well, well… look at that,' Minato thought, amused as he watched from a distance. 'The great Uchiha heir hiding a dung bomb. Truly a man of culture.'
Minato followed him quietly, watching as Fugaku sealed the dung bombs into a scroll.
Then he decided to make his presence known.
In his own way.
He dropped his Disillusionment Charm after confirming no nearby signatures were using his magical sense.
Then he raised his wand.
Legilimency.
Fugaku had just finished sealing the scroll when he felt something slam against his mind.
His basic Occlumency barely held for a second.
Then it gave way.
Minato didn't even bother being subtle.
This wasn't about spying.
It was a message.
Look at how pathetic your defences are.
But before he could even catch a proper glimpse of anything, Fugaku turned and lashed out with a high kick aimed straight at his face.
Minato was already prepared.
He dodged.
Now they stood facing each other.
Two friends.
Two idiots who died together.
Fugaku stared at him, shock flashing for a brief second.
'Legilimency… the only one who could do that here is Andrew. So this idiot really reincarnated as Minato.'
A pause.
Then irritation took over.
'And his first move is to attack my mind. Great.'
Without a word, Fugaku turned and walked out of the classroom.
Minato blinked.
This… wasn't what he expected.
He had prepared for everything. A fight. A reunion. Even apologising properly.
But this?
This just confused him.
Meanwhile, Fugaku walked out expecting footsteps behind him.
Nothing.
He stopped.
Waited.
Still nothing.
"…This idiot."
He turned back, veins already twitching on his forehead.
Doflamingo's energy is rising again.
He walked back in, grabbed Minato by the collar, and said,
"Oi. Follow me."
No explanation.
He turned and walked again.
This time, Minato followed.
They moved to an isolated part of the academy.
Then, without warning, Fugaku apparated.
Minato followed instantly.
The moment he landed, a streak of red light shot toward him.
Minato reacted on instinct.
"Protego."
The shield formed just in time.
"Is that how you greet your friend, Garry?" Minato shot back.
"Garry died seven years ago," Fugaku replied coldly. "Thanks to someone."
That hit.
Minato hesitated, his confidence slipping for a moment.
"…Look, I'm sorry," he said, his tone dropping. "I didn't mean for that to happen. I just reacted. I grabbed whatever I could and… yeah, that was you. But I am sorry. I got you killed."
He lowered his head.
For a second, Fugaku didn't say anything.
Then he remembered the legilimency.
And his irritation came rushing back.
"I don't care about all that right now," Fugaku said. "Just let me hit you once. I'll call it even."
Minato blinked.
Then laughed.
"You want to punch me? Fine. But you'll have to earn it. Let's settle it properly."
He raised his wand slightly.
"Wizard's duel. Dumbledore versus Grindelwald. Let's see who comes out on top."
Fugaku's eyes sharpened.
"…Fine. I was going to beat you up anyway."
"Before that," Minato added, glancing around, "this place is safe, right?"
"We're far enough from Konoha," Fugaku replied. "No patrols here. I've already used this place for Fiendfyre practice."
He paused.
"You should be able to feel the wards."
Minato nodded slightly.
"…And Zetsu? You didn't go around interfering with them, right?"
Fugaku didn't flinch.
"I know. Checked them. There are blind spots around here. And don't worry, I won't get into that hornet's nest right now."
Minato studied him for a second.
"…Alright."
He exhaled.
"Let's get this over with before we end up late for class."
Both of them took their positions.
The duel was about to begin.
Far away from the Land of Fire, on an island where the sun had yet to rise, something else was happening.
Something far worse.
In the darkness, a lone figure walked ahead of an army of skeletons.
Each of them carried a blade made of bone.
And in their other hand… a human.
The humans were alive.
Some unconscious.
Some are barely conscious.
Men. Women. Children. Even the elderly.
None was spared.
One by one, they were thrown into a massive container.
Hundreds of them.
When the last one was inside, the figure raised his hands and clapped once.
A circular pattern lit up beneath the container.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then the humans began to regain consciousness.
Confusion.
Panic.
Screaming.
Before they could even understand where they were, gas started filling the container.
Their screams grew louder.
Desperate.
Raw.
But there was no one to hear them.
At least, no one human.
The man leading everything started laughing.
Not softly.
Not controlled.
Completely unhinged.
"Hahaha… hahaha… hahahaha…"
Minutes passed.
The screams faded.
Then silence.
Suddenly, the volcano on the island erupted.
Magma flowed.
Heat surged.
And everything was redirected into a massive furnace connected to the container.
From that same container, a pipe carried a dark red liquid into the furnace.
The man began chanting.
The air itself seemed to distort.
And then—
A ring formed.
Dark. Heavy. Wrong.
"Success," he whispered, then laughed again.
"You see this, my God? I did it."
He held the ring up, eyes wide with madness.
"The first Ring of Despair… my creation."
A pause.
Then a grin.
"This is just the beginning."