Naruto: A blade in the Shadows

Chapter 12: 13



Chapter 20

Yamamoto's wrath: Duel of Fire and Darkness

---

Shura's eyes narrowed, the confidence in her smirk unfazed. "I've heard tales of you, Genryusai Fujimoto... Leader of Yugakure, a man who commands fire itself. I hope you won't disappoint me"

"Barrier's set," Naruto called out. "Don't hold back, old man!"

Genryusai didn't acknowledge Naruto's words. His focus remained on Shura, who stood ready to attack. His voice rumbled, calm but carrying a dangerous edge.

"Are you prepared for your punishment, girl?" Genryusai's voice was calm, yet it carried the weight of centuries, each syllable infused with authority.

Shura smirked, her crimson eyes gleaming with malice. "Old man, you think you can handle me? I'll crush you under the weight of your own arrogance."

---

Shura struck first, thrusting her hand forward and unleashing Dark Release: Abyssal Spears, a flurry of shadowed projectiles that streaked toward Genryusai with devastating speed.

With a single motion, Genryusai swung Ryūjin Jakka, a wave of fire erupting from the blade. The flames met the spears midair, incinerating them in an instant. The heat lingered, causing the stone beneath the clash to bubble and melt.

When an opening presented itself, he delivered a single Ikkotsu, a devastating punch that connected with Shura's side.

The impact sent her flying, crashing through several walls before coming to a stop. Dust and debris filled the air as Shura emerged from the wreckage, coughing but far from defeated. "Not bad, old man. Let's see how you handle this!"

Shura surged forward, her Gravity Release, amplifying her speed and strength. She closed the distance in a blink, her fists coated in Dark energy as she unleashed a barrage of strikes.

Genryusai moved like a storm, his blade intercepting every punch with precise, deliberate movements. Each clash sent shockwaves through the street, shattering nearby structures.

"Impressive," Genryusai remarked, his tone sharp, "but fire reduces all things to ash."

He swung Ryūjin Jakka in a wide arc, flames erupting outward in a devastating wave.

Shura leapt back, raising her hands to activate Presence of the Demon King, dramatically amplifying gravity in the space between them. The flames warped and bent under the immense pressure, their trajectory shifting harmlessly to the sides.

The gravity around Genryusai intensified exponentially, crushing the street beneath him into rubble and forcing the surrounding structures to groan under the strain.

Naruto, watching from his barrier, felt the oppressive weight even from a distance. "Geez, that's some insane gravity... Old man Yama, don't let her show you up."

Genryusai remained standing, his feet firmly planted. He tightened his grip on Ryūjin Jakka and channeled his reiatsu, countering the immense pressure with his spiritual energy.

"Your tricks mean nothing to me," he said, stepping forward as if the crushing gravity was mere child's play.

Shura's smirk faltered, and she reinforced her technique, doubling the weight. The ground beneath Genryusai cratered, but the man himself remained unaffected. With a sharp glare, he slashed his sword upward, dispelling the gravity entirely with a burst of flames.

---

Shura raised both hands, summoning a Gravity Singularity, a swirling black orb of immense power. The air around it warped violently, the ground cracking and rising into the vortex. With a flick of her wrist, she hurled it at Genryusai, the singularity growing larger as it moved.

Genryusai didn't flinch.

"Jōkaku Enjō."

Flames erupted around him, forming a massive sphere of fire. The singularity collided with the inferno, the two forces battling for dominance. Space distorted violently as the gravity warped the flames, but Genryusai raised Ryūjin Jakka and sliced downward, his flames surging. The singularity shattered, its fragments scattering harmlessly into the sky.

"Foolish." Genryusai stepped forward, his blade glowing with renewed heat. "You think your tricks can surpass the flames of hell itself?"

---

Snarling, Shura lunged forward again, this time using Heavy Infighting. Her punches came faster and harder, gravity enhancing her strikes to make each blow feel like a mountain falling. Genryusai met her head-on, Ryūjin Jakka blocking and parrying with deadly efficiency.

Each clash of fist and blade sent shockwaves rippling outward. The heat of Genryusai's flames began to singe Shura's skin despite her enhanced durability. She gritted her teeth, refusing to relent.

Spotting an opening, she drove her foot into the ground, summoning Evil God's Pressure Craft. A massive chunk of earth rose beneath her, rapidly compressed into a gigantic sword through gravitational pressure. With a flick of her hand, the sword flew toward Genryusai at incredible speed.

Genryusai narrowed his eyes, stepping aside as the sword streaked past him. Raising his blade, he unleashed Taimatsu, a wave of fire so immense it swallowed the sword entirely, reducing it to ash.

---

Shura whispered, her voice echoing unnaturally.

The shadows coiled outward, a dark aura latching onto Genryusai's form, creeping toward his mind.

For the first time, Shura's smirk widened. "Even the strongest can break."

Yet Genryusai's flame didn't waver. His eyes blazed as his voice thundered.

"You think your will can conquer mine?"

The flames around him surged, incinerating the dark aura in an instant. The pressure of his reaitsu alone shattered Shura's mental assault, forcing her to stumble backward.

"You've overstepped, girl."

Ryūjin Jakka ignited anew, its flames spiraling upward as seven massive pillars erupted around Shura, encasing her completely.

"Ennetsu Jigoku."

The flames closed inward like a collapsing sun, the heat overwhelming even the gravity Shura tried to impose. She roared defiantly, releasing Dark Release: Black Hole Abyss at full power. A monstrous vortex erupted, pulling at the flames, the ground, and even the air itself.

The black hole and the flames warred violently, space distorting as both forces clashed in the center of the battlefield.

Genryusai didn't falter. Stepping into the maelstrom, he raised Ryūjin Jakka high, his movements deliberate and final.

"Taimatsu: Final Judgment."

A single downward slash.

The flames burst outward in a blinding torrent, consuming the black hole entirely and crashing into Shura like the judgment of a god. The inferno rose into the heavens, its brilliance visible for miles.

When the flames finally receded, the battlefield fell silent. Shura lay sprawled on the scorched earth, smoke rising from her battered body. Her limbs trembling as she gasped for breath.

Genryusai stood over her, Ryūjin Jakka resting against his shoulder, its flames finally dimming. His voice carried the weight of finality.

"Your strength is commendable, but my flames burn away all hubris."

Shura coughed weakly, a half-smile tugging at her lips. "Tch... So this is the strength of the legendary flame... I never stood a chance, did I?" she said before falling unconscious

Genryusai turned, already walking away as his flames extinguished completely. "You fought bravely. Take solace in that."

As the dust settled, Naruto's barrier dropped, and he landed nearby, whistling softly at the destruction. "Impressive as ever"

Tbc


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