Chapter 30: Clash of Thunder and Shadows

[Shinji's POV]

As I approached the burning village, my eyes locked onto a figure standing amidst the destruction. A man with wild green hair, a Kiri Anbu mask covering his face, and a pair of crackling Kiba blades in his hands.

Raiga — the Thunder of the Mist.

Strapped to his back, in a worn-out bag, was a small, frail-looking boy with crimson eyes.

Ranmaru.

'So, he's already found him…'

Without hesitation, I commanded Nue to dive. Raiga reacted instantly, vanishing in a blur of movement as my summon crashed into the ground where he had been standing. He reappeared a few meters away, gripping his twin swords tightly, and the air around him crackling with electricity.

"So Konoha sent a bunch of kids for this mission?" Raiga mused, snapping his blades together to form a single jagged sabre. "Guess the Daimyō's request wasn't taken seriously."

I stepped forward, lightning flickering across my own sword. "So our mission details were leaked, and you were sent to capture whoever came?"

Raiga chuckled. "Exactly. But I wasn't expecting a bunch of brats. That's just bad luck on my part."

Without warning, he lunged. His blade, wreathed in lightning, streaked toward me with explosive speed. I barely managed to block in time, but the moment our swords met, a surge of electricity coursed through me, sending a violent jolt across my body. I was blasted backward, barely managing to regain my footing as my muscles spasmed from the residual shock.

Raiga detached his swords and pointed them skyward. "Lightning Release: Fangs of Lightning!"

Bolts of electricity surged into the storm clouds above, causing the sky to rumble ominously. I barely had time to react before multiple natural lightning strikes tore down toward me.

I dived into my shadow at the last second.

Raiga's eyes narrowed in confusion as his attack struck nothing but empty ground. Then, a voice whispered in his ear.

'He can attack from below.'

Without hesitation, Raiga slammed both swords into the ground. "Lightning Burial: Banquet of Lightning!"

Electricity erupted from the earth, spreading in all directions. I barely managed to change my angle mid-attack, narrowly avoiding being fried as I re-emerged from the shadows a few feet away.

"You've got an interesting ability," Raiga admitted, his gaze shifting slightly. "Perfect for assassinations."

I ignored his words, my attention drawn to Ranmaru, still strapped to his back. His crimson eyes were glowing faintly.

'So, he saw me coming and warned Raiga…'

"Why are you carrying a kid into battle?" I asked, watching Raiga closely.

He didn't answer, only smirked as he formed a hand seal.

I followed suit.

"Water Release: Wild Water Wave!"

"Fire Release: Searing Migraine!"

Steam erupted as our jutsu clashed, blanketing the battlefield in a suffocating haze. I leapt into the air, signaling Nue to attack. As Raiga tried to evade the lingering flames, I dived straight for him, sword poised to strike. But before I could close the distance, or even realize my mistake, I found myself completely surrounded.

Lightning orbs—dozens of them—floated ominously around me, crackling with deadly energy.

"What are you, kid?" Raiga asked, his voice carrying an edge of curiosity. The steam cleared just enough to reveal his face, partially burned, his long green hair singed down to shoulder length. He had discarded his mask.

But something else caught my attention.

Ranmaru was no longer strapped to his back.

As I turned my gaze toward the ruined houses, our eyes met.

And I cursed myself.

The moment I locked eyes with him, the world around me shifted. My vision was engulfed by a red, sand-like haze, and suddenly, hundreds of Raigas surrounded me, all preparing to strike with various lightning techniques.

'Genjutsu—!'

Before I could dispel it, a bolt of lightning struck my back.

Pain exploded through my body as I was thrown violently across the battlefield. But before I could crash into the ground, I summoned a swarm of white rabbits beneath me, cushioning the impact.

I struggled to my feet, gritting my teeth as I tried to shake off the lingering effects. Stirring my chakra to disrupt the genjutsu, I expected it to fade immediately—but it didn't.

'Damn it… his Kekkei Genkai is busted.'

More attacks came at me—some illusions, some real. I had no way of knowing which were which. So, I made the only move that made sense.

I vanished into my shadow.

Inside the darkness, the genjutsu's effects disappeared, allowing me to see clearly again. Raiga was already preparing another volley of lightning spheres, completely saturating the battlefield with them.

Attacking from the shadows wouldn't work—not with Ranmaru's vision.

I needed a new plan.

I signaled Nue. The massive beast roared as it dove toward Raiga, who responded by launching a barrage of lightning strikes at it. Nue endured the attacks, his thick hide covered in lightning resisting the worst of the damage as it crashed straight into Raiga. But before the impact, Raiga substituted himself with a wooden log, reappearing further away.

He didn't realize I was already there, standing beside Ranmaru.

"Nue—Thunder Wave!"

A wave of electricity surged outward like an EMP blast, triggering every lightning sphere Raiga had scattered. The resulting chain explosion was deafening, consuming the entire battlefield in a massive, blinding flash. The shockwave rippled outward, disintegrating what remained of the village and sending debris flying for miles.

I reappeared far from the destruction, Ranmaru in my grasp, coughing and gasping as if he had been drowning moments ago.

I created five shadow clones and sent them to search for Raiga—or at the very least, his Kiba blades.

"Why… did you save me?" Ranmaru asked between breaths.

I stared at him. "Because you're just a kid caught up with the wrong person."

"Raiga wasn't wrong… He saved me," Ranmaru muttered. His crimson eyes glowed faintly, as if trying to peer into my soul. "He took me in when the villagers abandoned me."

"He murdered an entire village," I countered. "And he kills for no reason. The only reason he didn't kill you is because you're special."

Ranmaru flinched, his expression conflicted.

'That's a good sign.'

"The villagers hated me," he whispered. "They feared me. They wanted to kill me, but they didn't have the courage. So they just let me starve instead…"

His hands trembled. "Raiga saved me. He said he'd take me to see the world."

Tears welled up in his eyes. "But now, everything's gone. My village, Raiga—"

I placed a hand on his head. "You're not alone."

Ranmaru looked up at me, searching my expression for lies.

"Raiga isn't dead," I added. "His chakra's faint, but he's still alive."

His eyes widened.

"You have a choice, Ranmaru," I said. "Go back to that murderer, and he'll show you nothing but the darkness of the world. Or come with me—and see the world as it truly is, both good and bad. You decide."

"You are not the only one special in the world" I said.

I let my shadow move around us, surrounding him in darkness before pulling it back. He stared at it, fascinated.

"You can see people's true nature, right?" I asked. "So look at me. See for yourself."

I met his gaze. "I'll make you strong enough that you won't ever need saving again."

Ranmaru hesitated, he looked at me with his eyes glowing red for some time then whispered, "What do I have to do?"