Chapter 15: Thunder's Wrath
Seeing Uzumaki Kushina being bullied and reduced to tears sent Kagenori's blood boiling with primal rage. He'd sworn to protect her smile!
His eyes bloodshot, Kagenori crouched low, lightning chakra concentrating around him. The genin who'd initially dismissed him now paled at the crackling energy enveloping the boy.
As a genin, he'd only mastered one C-rank technique. The lightning surging around Kagenori clearly indicated a high-level jutsu.
No longer careless, the genin released Kushina's hair, hands flying through seals. "Earth Style: Rock Pillar Spear!"
A sharp earthen spike shot upward from the ground, but its single trajectory proved too slow. Kagenori easily sidestepped it.
His left thumb pushed the sword guard, the blade partially unsheathing with a metallic whisper.
"Thunder Breathing, First Form: Thunderclap and Flash!"
As the final word left his lips, Kagenori became lightning itself—a blue-white streak shooting toward the genin.
The genin heard thunder's roar, saw blue light flash, then...
Blood erupted from his mouth as he collapsed.
"Brother!" The younger boy stared in horror. How had his brother suddenly fallen, bleeding?
Crackling thunder sounded behind him. The boy turned stiffly to find Kagenori already holding Uzumaki Kushina, bloodshot eyes fixed on him.
The child's pupils contracted violently. Icy dread filled him, trembling uncontrollably as he stumbled backward onto the ground.
The genin stared at Kagenori in disbelief. Though Kagenori had used the sword's back, his chest now bore a depression—several ribs clearly broken—while lightning chakra left his body numb.
How could a mere academy student, not even a genin, wield such power?!
Uzumaki Kushina, cradled in Kagenori's arms, gazed dazedly at his face. While terrifying to the others, to her he appeared magnificent.
Her heart hammered wildly, unfamiliar emotions blossoming within.
"Kushina, wait here," Kagenori said deeply.
Gently setting her down, he drew his katana fully, advancing with murderous intent toward the bleeding pair.
They scrambled backward fearfully. "W-what are you doing?! Village rules forbid attacking comrades!"
Kagenori's expression turned savage. "Forbid attacking comrades? Then what were you doing just now? Don't worry—I won't kill you. I'll just break all your limbs!"
As he prepared to strike, a kunai flew toward him. He deflected it with his sword.
Kagenori looked toward the attack's origin.
Namikaze Minato stood on a tree branch. "That's enough, Kagenori. They've been punished."
"Have you been watching this whole time?" Kagenori's voice darkened.
Minato hesitated, confirming the truth. He'd followed after seeing Kushina heading this way.
He held favorable feelings toward Uzumaki Kushina, wanting to know her better. He hadn't expected her to be attacked.
Though the boy often troubled Kushina at the academy, she always handled him easily. As their classmate, Minato had never intervened before.
Now facing retaliation, Minato felt conflicted about intervening.
Seeing Minato's silence, Kagenori sneered. "So you watched everything—saw Kushina bullied, did nothing, and now stop me from retaliating? How noble of you, Namikaze Minato!"
"That's not true!" Minato protested.
Kagenori pointed at the fallen kunai. "No? You threw a real kunai at me! Explain that!"
Minato's heart clenched. "This isn't mine! It's the one he used against Uzumaki Kushina, pinned to the tree earlier!"
Kagenori's already ferocious expression intensified. "Used a real kunai against Kushina?!"
He reversed his grip—blade edge now outward. "I'll sever all your limbs!"
He launched toward the terrified pair.
Minato's scalp prickled. He's serious! Immediately charging forward, he snatched the fallen kunai and blocked Kagenori's strike aimed at the genin's leg.
Terrified tears streamed down the genin's face. Without Minato's intervention, his leg would've been severed.
"Kagenori!" Minato pleaded. "Severing limbs will get you punished too!"
Bloodshot eyes glared back. "So what? They attacked Kushina with kunai first! Who can blame me?"
"And you, Namikaze Minato—you watched them attack her yet did nothing! Why play the hero now?!"
Kagenori's voice dropped dangerously. "I'll say this once: either leave or stay out of my way. If you help them, I'll cut you down too!"
"Kagenori! Calm down! They're still fellow villagers!"
Kagenori laughed coldly. "How hypocritical. They're your comrades, but Kushina isn't? Since you've chosen their side, don't blame me!"
"Thunder Breathing, Second Form: Rice Spirit!"
Five lightning-shaped strikes erupted instantly.
Minato's instincts screamed. His superior reflexes saved him as he rolled backward, barely avoiding the onslaught.
Rising from the ground, Minato truly understood Kagenori's speed. The earlier Thunderclap and Flash had been barely visible, but facing it directly revealed its terrifying velocity.