Seeing Kushina Uzumaki in tears from being bullied, Chinya's blood surged furiously toward his brain.
He had sworn to protect Kushina's smile!
Chinya's eyes burned with bloodshot fury as he crouched forward, channeling Lightning Release chakra.
The lower-ranked Genin who had initially underestimated Chinya suddenly changed expression upon seeing the electricity flashing around him.
As a Genin, he had only learned a single C-rank ninjutsu.
But Chinya's entire body crackled with intense lightning energy—clearly indicating an extremely high-level technique.
No longer daring to act arrogant, the Genin released Kushina's hair and quickly formed hand seals with both hands.
"Earth Release: Rock Spikes!"
An earth spike erupted from the ground, shooting upward.
However, the rock spike was too slow and singular. Chinya simply stepped backward to evade.
Chinya used his left thumb to push aside the tsuba, slightly unsheathing his katana.
[Thunder Breathing, First Form: Lightning Flash!]
Right after the word "flash" left his mouth, Chinya transformed into a streak of lightning, charging straight at the Genin.
First, the Genin heard thunder rumbling. Then, a blinding flash of blue lightning cut through his vision. Finally...
The Genin suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood and collapsed stiffly onto the ground.
"Brother!"
The little boy stared wide-eyed in shock. How could his brother suddenly fall to the ground, continuously spitting blood?
Suddenly, he heard crackling thunder sounds coming from behind him.
Stiffly turning his head around, he saw Chinya already cradling Kushina Uzumaki, glaring at him with red eyes.
The boy's pupils contracted violently. His whole body shivered uncontrollably, chilled to the bone. He staggered back several steps before dropping down onto the ground.
Even the injured Genin stared at Chinya in stunned disbelief.
Chinya had struck him with the flat side of the blade, yet his chest was now caved in, multiple ribs clearly broken. The Lightning Release chakra running through him also made his body go numb.
Just a kid still attending the Ninja Academy, not even an official ninja yet—who somehow mastered such powerful techniques?!
Held in Chinya's arms, Kushina Uzumaki gazed at his face in astonishment.
To the Genin and that young boy, Chinya appeared extremely terrifying right now—but to Kushina, he looked incredibly handsome.
Kushina's heart pounded violently, an unfamiliar emotion blossoming inside her chest.
Chinya murmured in a hoarse voice, "Kushina, wait here for me."
Gently placing her on the ground, he once again drew his sword from its sheath, radiating killing intent as he strode menacingly toward the wounded Genin and the terrified boy.
Both desperately scooted their bodies backward in panic.
"What... What do you think you're doing?!"
"There's a village rule prohibiting attacking teammates!"
Chinya's expression twisted with fury. "Team rules? Then what were you two just doing? Don't worry—I won't kill you. I'm going to break every one of your limbs!"
As Chinya prepared to strike, a kunai flew directly toward him.
Without hesitation, he swung his blade to knock the kunai away.
Then Chinya turned his gaze toward where the projectile had come from.
Minato Namikaze stood on the tree trunk and said to Chinya, "Enough already, Chinya. They've had enough."
Chinya asked darkly, "Have you been watching all along?"
Minato hesitated for a moment without speaking.
Indeed, he had been here the whole time.
Minato saw Kushina Uzumaki running this way, so he followed as well.
Minato had quite a favorable impression of Kushina and always wanted an opportunity to get to know her better.
However, he never expected that Kushina would come under attack from a Genin.
That brat kept giving Kushina a hard time back in the Ninja Academy, but Kushina thrashed him badly every time.
At the time, Minato Namikaze, as Kushina's classmate, didn't help that boy.
Therefore, Minato couldn't help but think—if he hadn't helped that kid before when Kushina beat him up, how could he suddenly switch sides and defend her now?
In the Ninja Academy, Minato Namikaze got along pretty well with everyone.
Seeing Minato silent, Chinya sneered, "So you really have been here all along? You watched Kushina being bullied and did nothing. Now I'm punishing them, yet you're helping these guys instead! What a guy you are, Minato!"
"No, no, it's not like that!" Minato quickly explained.
Chinya pointed at the Kunai on the ground, "Not like what? You shot a real Kunai at me! Tell me, then, what were you thinking?"
Minato's heart tightened, "That Kunai isn't mine! It's the one he used earlier to attack Kushina Uzumaki—it was stuck in the tree!"
Chinya, already dark and menacing looking, became even angrier, "They shot Kushina with real Kunai?!"
Chinya changed the direction of his sword—the flat part faced outward before, but now it was the blade side facing out.
"I'll cut off both their hands and legs!"
Chinya pushed hard with both feet and instantly leaped toward the terrified boy and the Genin staring at him.
He went cold inside. Damn—he really means it this time. Immediately rushing toward Chinya, Minato picked up the Kunai from the ground and intercepted Chinya's sword swing aimed at the Genin's left leg.
The Genin was scared to tears; without Minato blocking, his leg would've already been severed by Chinya's slash.
Minato shouted, trying to reason with Chinya, "Chinya! If you cut off their hands and legs, you yourself will be punished too!"
With bloodshot eyes, Chinya said coldly, "So what? They were the ones who shot Kunai at Kushina first. Who could blame me for cutting off their limbs?
And Minato, you saw them shooting Kunai at Kushina and did nothing—so why are you acting so high and mighty now?!
Let me say this one more time—if you want to watch, then step aside and don't interfere. If you really intend to protect them, I'll cut you down too!"
Minato called out firmly, "Chinya! Calm down! Regardless, they are comrades from the same village after all!"
Chinya sneered, "Minato Namikaze, you're being so hypocritical. What about Kushina? She's not your comrade too? If you've chosen to help them, that's your own decision!"
[Thunder Breathing, Second Form: Paddy Soul!]
In an instant, Chinya launched five lightning-shaped strikes.
Minato's hair stood on end. Using his incredible reflexes, he rolled backward, barely evading Chinya's five rapid attacks.
Minato rose from the ground. Earlier when Chinya used Thunder Flash, he had already sensed just how fast Chinya was—so fast that it was nearly impossible to catch even a glimpse of him with the naked eye.
Now that he was face-to-face with Chinya, Minato truly understood just how fast he was—terrifyingly fast.
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