Naruto: The Scarlet Ronin

Chapter 9: The Yellow-Haired Prodigy vs. The Ronin

The mid-day sun beat down on the battlefield, its light glinting off the tanto in Shinji's hand. Dust and debris from their previous clashes hung in the air like a veil, but the sharp gazes of both combatants pierced through it. Minato Namikaze, the young "yellow-haired ninja," stood calm and focused, his kunai glinting ominously in his hand.

Shinji, though formidable and a seasoned killer, felt the growing weight of Minato's relentless presence. He knew he was outmatched—but retreat wasn't an option. His mission was clear: eliminate the merchant. Yet here stood Minato, blocking his path like an unmovable wall.

The remaining three Chunin and one Jonin stood at a distance, the merchant trembling behind them. They could only watch in awe as the clash between these two titans escalated, their skills and power far beyond anything they had ever witnessed.

---

Shinji tightened his grip on the tanto, his adamantium chains coiled around his arms, ready to lash out.

"You're good," Shinji admitted, his voice devoid of emotion. "But let's see how long you can keep up."

Minato didn't respond, his piercing blue eyes narrowing. He flicked his wrist, sending one of his kunai flying toward Shinji with blinding speed.

Shinji sidestepped effortlessly, the kunai embedding itself in the ground behind him.

But Minato disappeared.

In a blur of yellow light, Minato appeared above Shinji, his kunai slicing down toward his head.

Shinji reacted instantly, raising his tanto to block the strike. The clash of metal echoed across the battlefield, but Minato didn't stop. He unleashed a flurry of strikes, each one precise and deadly, forcing Shinji to backpedal.

The sheer speed of Minato's attacks left Shinji no time to counter. Even his adamantium chains struggled to keep up, lashing out in vain as Minato danced around them with fluid grace.

"Your movements are predictable," Minato said coldly, his voice calm yet firm.

Shinji smirked faintly, his chains retracting. "Is that so?"

He weaved through a series of hand seals, his chakra surging.

"Fūton: Kaze Tatsumaki (Wind Style: Tornado, Rank-A)!"

A spiraling column of wind erupted around Shinji, tearing through the ground and surging toward Minato. The roaring winds threatened to swallow him whole, their force uprooting trees and sending debris flying in every direction.

---

Minato didn't flinch. His hands blurred into motion, forming a series of seals with practiced precision.

"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu (Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu, Rank-C)!"

A massive sphere of fire shot forward, colliding with the tornado in a deafening explosion. Flames and wind intertwined, creating a violent shockwave that rippled across the battlefield.

Shinji shielded his face from the blast, his chains coiling defensively around him. When the smoke cleared, Minato was gone.

Shinji's instincts screamed danger.

---

Minato appeared behind him in a flash of yellow, his kunai slashing toward Shinji's spine.

But this time, Shinji was ready.

His adamantium chains lashed out, intercepting the strike. The chains wrapped around Minato's wrist like vipers, but Minato's expression remained calm.

"Impressive," Minato said. "But not enough."

A surge of lightning chakra coursed through his kunai, spreading into the chains.

"Raiton: Kaminari Kiba (Lightning Style: Thunder Fang, Rank-B)!"

The lightning shot through the chains, racing toward Shinji. He cursed under his breath, releasing the chains just in time to avoid the electric shock.

The chains fell limply to the ground, but Minato didn't give him a moment to recover.

---

"Raiton: Raikō Jishin (Lightning Style: Lightning Quake, Rank-A)!"

Minato slammed his hand into the ground, releasing a surge of lightning that spread outward in a violent wave. The ground cracked and split, sparks flying as the electricity tore through everything in its path.

Shinji leapt into the air, narrowly avoiding the attack.

"You're stronger than I anticipated," Shinji admitted, landing gracefully. His chains retracted, coiling around his arms once more. "But you're wasting your potential protecting weaklings."

Minato's gaze hardened. "It's not about protecting the weak. It's about protecting what matters."

Shinji snorted. "Spare me the lecture."

---

With a flick of his wrist, Shinji sent his chains hurtling toward Minato once more. The chains moved faster than before, infused with chakra that made them gleam like polished steel.

Minato dodged with ease, his body a blur of movement. He tossed another kunai, vanishing in a flash of yellow light and reappearing above Shinji.

"Katon: Hōsenka no Jutsu (Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu, Rank-C)!"

Minato unleashed a barrage of small fireballs, each one arcing toward Shinji with deadly precision.

Shinji weaved through the flames, his chains deflecting those he couldn't dodge. The ground around him erupted in bursts of fire, the heat searing his skin.

"You're fast," Shinji admitted, "but let's see how you handle this."

---

Shinji formed a new series of hand seals, his chakra spiking dramatically.

"Fūton: Sonic Bullet (Wind Style: Sonic Bullet, Rank-S)!"

The air around Shinji vibrated violently as he condensed his wind chakra into a single, devastating projectile. The sonic bullet shot forward, faster than the eye could follow, aimed directly at Minato.

Minato's eyes widened as the attack closed in.

At the last possible moment, he teleported away, reappearing a dozen meters away. The sonic bullet struck the ground where he had stood, carving a massive trench into the earth and sending a shockwave rippling outward.

But Minato's teleportation left him vulnerable for a fraction of a second—just enough time for Shinji to close the distance.

---

Shinji's tanto gleamed as he swung it toward Minato's throat.

Minato ducked under the blade, his kunai flashing upward in a counterattack. The two blades clashed once more, sparks flying as they locked in a deadly dance.

Minato suddenly shifted his stance, his free hand forming a single seal.

"Katon: Enshōha (Fire Style: Flame Collision Wave, Rank-B)!"

A burst of fire erupted from his hand, forcing Shinji to leap back. The flames roared toward him, but Shinji spun his chains in a wide arc, creating a barrier of wind that deflected the fire.

---

The fight continued at a breakneck pace, neither combatant willing to give an inch. Minato's lightning-fast reflexes and precise jutsu gave him a clear edge, but Shinji's adamantium chains and advanced chakra control kept him in the fight.

But as the battle wore on, it became clear that Minato was gaining the upper hand. His attacks were growing more relentless, his movements more fluid.

Shinji, though powerful, was being pushed to his limits.

---

In a desperate bid to turn the tide, Shinji formed another set of hand seals.

"Fūton: Kaze no Rendan (Wind Style: Wind Barrage, Rank-A)!"

A series of compressed wind blasts shot toward Minato, each one powerful enough to shatter rock.

Minato dodged the first two, his body flickering in and out of sight as he used his Hiraishin to evade. But the third blast clipped his left arm, tearing through the fabric of his sleeve and leaving a deep gash.

Minato gritted his teeth, clutching his injured arm.

"You're good," he admitted. "But this ends now."

---

Before Minato could make his next move, one of the Jonin, sensing an opportunity, leapt into action. He charged toward Shinji from behind, his blade poised to strike.

Shinji's senses flared, but he was distracted by Minato.

The Jonin's blade descended.

---

To be continued…