Chapter 14: Namikagze Minato

Seeing Uzumaki Kushina crying as she was being bullied, Natsuo's blood rushed to his head.

He had vowed to protect her smile, and this sight was intolerable.

With a snarl, Natsuo's eyes turned bloodshot. He arched his body slightly, channeling his Lightning Style Chakra. Sparks danced across his skin, illuminating the anger etched on his face.

The Genin, who had initially dismissed Natsuo as a mere child, felt a chill run down his spine at the sight of the lightning. Despite being a Genin, he had only mastered a single C-rank ninjutsu, and the level of power emanating from Natsuo was unmistakably superior.

Panic set in, and the Genin quickly released Kushina's hair, his hands flying into a series of seals.

"Earth Style: Rock Pillar Spear!"

A single, sharp stone spike thrust upward from the ground. But it was too slow, and Natsuo dodged it effortlessly, taking a swift step back.

With a flick of his thumb, he partially unsheathed his sword. The air around him crackled with energy.

"Thunder Breathing, First Form: Thunderclap and Flash!"

The word "Flash" had barely left his lips when Natsuo transformed into a streak of lightning. The Genin heard a deafening roar, followed by a blinding blue light, before feeling the impact. He collapsed to the ground, blood gushing from his mouth, his chest caved in from the force of Natsuo's strike.

"Brother!"

The younger boy's eyes widened in horror. Moments ago, his brother had been a figure of strength. Now he lay sprawled on the ground, bleeding and broken.

The boy turned, hearing the ominous crackle of thunder behind him. His gaze met Natsuo's, who was holding Kushina protectively. Natsuo's eyes, burning with rage, were the color of blood.

Fear paralyzed the boy. He stumbled backward, his legs giving way, and he crumpled to the ground. Cold sweat drenched his face, and his mind screamed for escape, but his body wouldn't respond.

The Genin, too, stared at Natsuo in disbelief. The back of Natsuo's sword had only brushed him, yet his chest was shattered, and his ribs felt like they had splintered inside him. The Lightning Style Chakra had left his body numb and unresponsive.

He couldn't fathom it. How could this child, not yet a ninja, wield such potent techniques? The realization was as painful as his injuries.

In Natsuo's arms, Kushina's tears had ceased. She stared up at him, her earlier distress replaced with awe. To the Genin and his brother, Natsuo was a terrifying avenger. But to Kushina, he appeared as a beacon of hope and heroism.

Her heart raced, an unfamiliar warmth spreading through her chest as she gazed at Natsuo's determined face.

Natsuo's voice was soft but firm as he spoke to her, "Kushina, stay here."

With a gentleness that contrasted his earlier ferocity, he set her down. Then, he turned back to the Genin and the boy, drawing his sword fully. His eyes, still bloodshot, were filled with an unwavering resolve.

They recoiled in terror, scrambling backward on the ground.

"W-What are you going to do?!"

"There's a rule against attacking your comrades!"

Natsuo's face twisted with fury. "No attacking comrades? What were you doing just now? Don't worry, I won't kill you. I'll just break all your limbs!"

As he advanced, his intentions clear, a kunai whizzed through the air towards him. Natsuo's reflexes took over, and with a swift motion, he deflected the kunai with his sword.

He turned to see Namikaze Minato standing on a tree branch. Minato's expression was stern, his hand outstretched from throwing the kunai.

"That's enough, Natsuo. They've been punished."

Natsuo's face darkened. "Have you been watching this whole time?"

Minato hesitated, unsure how to respond.

He had indeed been watching. Ever since he saw Kushina running, he had followed, driven by a desire to protect her. He admired her from afar, his feelings for her growing with each passing day.

But when he saw the Genin and his brother accosting her, Minato was paralyzed by indecision. Kushina often dealt with trouble on her own at the Ninja Academy, and Minato had never intervened. He prided himself on his impartiality, on getting along with everyone. But this time was different. This time, it had escalated beyond the usual schoolyard scuffles.

Natsuo, seeing Minato's silence, sneered, "So you watched Kushina being bullied and did nothing, but you step in now to protect them? You're really something, Namikaze Minato."

Minato's heart sank. He opened his mouth to explain, but no words came out.

Natsuo pointed at the kunai on the ground. "Not it? You just threw a real kunai at me. What does that make you?"

Minato's heart pounded. "That kunai isn't mine. It's the one he used to attack Kushina!"

Natsuo's eyes blazed with a renewed fury. "They threw a real kunai at Kushina?"

He reversed his grip on the sword, the blade now glinting menacingly in the fading light.

"I'm going to cut off all your limbs!"

With a burst of speed, Natsuo launched himself toward the terrified Genin and his brother.

Minato's scalp tingled with alarm. Realizing the gravity of the situation, he sprang into action, intercepting Natsuo's sword just in time to prevent it from severing the Genin's leg.

Tears streamed down the Genin's face in terror. If Minato hadn't intervened, his leg would have been lost.

Minato tried to reason with Natsuo, "Natsuo! If you cut off their limbs, you'll be punished too!"

Natsuo's scarlet eyes burned with an intense hatred. "So what? They attacked Kushina with a kunai. If I cut off their limbs, it's their own fault."

He glared at Minato with a venom that made even Minato flinch. "And you, seeing them attack Kushina and doing nothing, why are you pretending to be a good person now?"

"If you want to stand by and watch, get out of my way. If you want to help them, I'll cut you down too!"

Minato shouted back, "Natsuo! Calm down! They're your fellow villagers!"

Natsuo sneered, "Fellow villagers to you, but not to Kushina, right? If you want to help them, that's your choice!"

"Thunder Breathing, Second Form: Rice Spirit!"

In a flash, Natsuo unleashed five consecutive lightning-fast strikes.

Minato's hair stood on end. His extraordinary reflexes allowed him to roll backward, narrowly evading Natsuo's attacks.

As he got to his feet, Minato realized just truly understood the swiftness of Natsuo's Thunder Breathing techniques.

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