Naruto: The Scarlet Ronin

Chapter 10: The Blade That Cuts All

The battlefield held its breath as the Jonin's blade neared Shinji's back, while Minato prepared his next strike.

Cornered and with time slipping away, Shinji's mind raced, but his instincts took over.

In one fluid motion, Shinji activated the seal on his left wrist. A flash of chakra shimmered, and Yamato, the blade that could cut through anything, appeared in his hand.

With practiced precision, he infused the

sword with wind chakra and swung it

with devastating force. The blade's energy carved through the air, creating a flying slash that screamed toward Minato with incredible speed.

At the same time, an adamantium chain

burst from Shinji's back, impaling the Jonin who had been mere inches away from ending him.

It all happened in an instant.

Minato's eyes widened as he registered the incoming slash, his instincts taking over. He teleported to the nearest kunai, which he had left embedded in the ground behind Shinji, avoiding the attack entirely.

But as he reappeared, Minato drove his kunai toward Shinji's back. The blade pierced flesh, and Shinji grunted in pain, his movements halting for a moment.

Minato's calm voice broke through the tension.

"You missed."

Shinji, his face hidden behind his mask, allowed a faint grin to spread.

"Did I?" he replied, his voice calm despite the pain.

Minato turned his gaze forward, following the trajectory of the flying slash.

It hadn't been aimed at him. Instead, it tore through the tree where the merchant had taken refuge, cleaving the trunk-and the merchant clean in half.

Minato's stomach dropped. His mission had been to protect the merchant at all costs, and now, that mission was in ruins.

That single moment of hesitation was all Shinji needed.

Shinji twisted his body and swung Yamato in a lethal arc toward Minato.

The sword moved like lightning, aiming to end the fight in a single strike.

Minato snapped out of his shock and raised his special kunai to block the attack.

But as Yamato's blade met the kunai, the legendary weapon lived up to its reputation. The kunai shattered like glass, unable to withstand Yamato's unparalleled cutting power.

Realizing the danger, Minato teleported to another kunai a safe distance away just as the blade narrowly missed him. From his new position, Minato's hands blurred through a series of seals.

"Katon: Ryūka no Jutsu (Fire Style: Dragon Flame Jutsu)!"

A spiraling column of fire roared toward Shinji, its intense heat distorting the air around it.

Shinji reacted quickly, spinning his adamantium chains into a protective barrier.

The flames crashed against the shield, the impact creating an explosion of smoke and sparks.

But Minato wasn't done.

Taking advantage of the smoke, Minato

hurled several kunai behind Shinji's chain barrier. In an instant, he teleported behind him again, his kunai poised for the finishing blow.

"Now it's over," Minato muttered as he

unleashed a custom technique he had been refining for moments like this.

"Hiraishin: Shinkū Rendan (Flying

Thunder God: Vacuum Barrage)!"

Minato's clones materialized around Shinji in a synchronized dance of speed and precision.

Each clone moved with perfect coordination, combining taijutsu with wind-enhanced strikes to pummel Shinji from every angle.

Minato's real body delivered the final blow, slashing downward with a kunai imbued with wind chakra.

The blade struck, and Shinji's body dissipated into smoke.

"A clone," Minato murmured, his eyes narrowing in frustration.

He glanced around, scanning the area for any trace of his opponent. But Shinji was gone, vanishing like a shadow into the forest.

----

Scene Change

Far from the battlefield, Shinji swung through the trees with his adamantium chains, propelling himself forward like a phantom. His movements were erratic but swift, leaving no clear trail for anyone to follow.

Blood dripped from his wounds, staining his tattered clothes, but he ignored the pain. His breath came in ragged gasps, each one a reminder of how close he had come to death.

'That was close,' he thought, grimacing as he adjusted his grip on Yamato.

Despite the injuries, a part of him felt exhilarated. He had not only survived but also managed to complete his mission, eliminating the merchant right under Minato's nose.

------

Meanwhile, back at the battlefield, Minato stood amidst the chaos, his expression unreadable.

The Chunin and the remaining but injured Jonin stared at him in shock and confusion, their gazes shifting between the severed tree and the remnants of the merchant's body.

Minato tightened his grip on his kunai, his thoughts racing.

'He's dangerous. Too dangerous to be left alive,' Minato concluded.

But Shinji was gone, leaving behind only the faintest trace of his presence. Minato turned to the surviving team members, his tone firm.

"Secure the area. We'll report this failure to the Hokage," he said.

As the team moved to follow his orders,

Minato's mind lingered on Shinji's parting words and the haunting image of Yamato's devastating power.

-----

In the forest, Shinji paused to catch his breath.

He looked at Yamato, its blade gleaming faintly in the dim light filtering through the trees.

"This sword..." he muttered to himself, tightening his grip. "It's the only reason I'm alive."

Despite his injuries and the weight of his exhaustion, Shinji allowed himself a small, bitter smile.

"Next time, Namikaze...next time, I'll finish what I started."

As he disappeared into the shadows, the forest grew silent once more, the echoes of their deadly battle fading into the distance.

To Be Continued...