Naruto: Heir To The Cherry Blossoms

Chapter 19

Raiga unleashed his thunderous attack, lightning cascading from his Kiba blades as it hurtled toward Kurenai. The air crackled with raw energy, and the ground shook as the strike closed in. Kurenai stood frozen, preparing herself for the impact she could not evade.

"Kurenai-sensei, no!" Kiba's voice rang out in desperation, his hand gripping Akamaru's fur as if to ground himself. Shino's usually calm face tightened with worry, and even Sasuke, who often masked his emotions, looked tense. Sakura clutched her chest, eyes wide in fear, while Tazuna stood rooted to the spot, utterly petrified.

Naruto, however was gone from his spot.

When the dust from the attack finally settled, everyone's eyes widened in shock. Standing in the aftermath, completely unscathed, was Naruto. His arm was wrapped protectively around Kurenai, while his other arm was extended outward, radiating a soft, white aura that seemed to repel the destructive energy.

Kurenai blinked, startled not only by the sudden rescue but also by the protective warmth of Naruto's hold. A faint blush crept across her cheeks as she registered the closeness. Naruto gently let her go, stepping back with an air of unshakable composure.

"Lady Kurenai" he said politely, his voice calm yet firm, "step back. This is no longer your fight."

Kurenai, shaken but composed, nodded. She took a few steps back, still watching him with an unreadable expression. As she moved to the others, a memory flickered in her mind, of their first meeting. Now, standing among the others, Kurenai realized the boy might not be as cold as he portrayed himself to be.

Kiba, still tense from the fight, grit his teeth. Relief that Kurenai was safe clashed with his frustration. "Does he always have to show us up like that?" he muttered under his breath. Sasuke, on the other hand, remained silent, but his clenched fists and narrowed eyes betrayed his irritation.

Kiba and Sasuke pushed their feelings of jealousy aside and stepped up ready to battle Raiga.

"Stand back," Naruto instructed without looking at them. His tone left no room for argument.

"What?!" Kiba snapped. "Naruto, I know you're strong, but you can't take on this guy alone! The both of us can back you up"

"You'll stand back," Naruto said coldly, turning slightly to fix them with a steely gaze. "You will guard Hinata-sama with your lives. If you refuse, I will cut you down myself." His voice was low, but the sheer weight of his words sent chills down their spines. "And if you fail to protect her…" His gaze darkened. "I'll cut you down as well."

The air grew heavy with the intensity of his declaration. For a moment, neither Kiba nor Sasuke said a word. They could see it in his eyes, Naruto wasn't bluffing.

With a resigned growl, Kiba stepped back, glancing at Akamaru, who let out a soft bark of understanding. Sasuke, though visibly irritated, reluctantly nodded and shifted his attention to Hinata, who stood silently, her hands clasped tightly together.

Naruto turned back to Raiga, his posture relaxed yet commanding. Raiga tilted his head, amused. "You shouldn't be so eager to march to your grave, boy," he sneered, his Kiba blades crackling with lightning.

Naruto's response was as calm as ever. "The one marching to his grave isn't me. It's you."

Raiga chuckled darkly. "Confident, aren't we? Let's see how long that lasts."

Naruto didn't reply. Instead, he raised his sword and uttered two simple words: "Scatter, Senbonzakura."

The sword's blade dissolved, the blade shattering into a thousand tiny, glowing fragments that hovered in the air around him, leaving only the hilt. The fragments reflected the faint light of the mist, creating the illusion of countless delicate cherry blossoms fluttering in the breeze.

Everyone froze, their eyes widening in disbelief.

"What… What the hell is that?" Kiba muttered, staring at the display.

Sasuke's Sharingan activated instinctively as he tried to analyze the technique. "Are those… petals?" he murmured, his voice filled with both confusion and intrigue.

Shino's gaze was calm but focused, his mind racing as he observed the shimmering fragments. Those aren't just for show. They must have some special ability.

Hinata, her hands still clasped tightly, whispered a silent prayer. Please, nii-san, overcome this safely.

Sakura's jaw dropped, her eyes flitting between Naruto and the strange spectacle surrounding him. Tazuna, meanwhile, looked utterly dumbfounded, unable to process what he was seeing.

Raiga, on the other hand, burst out laughing. "Cherry blossoms? Is this some kind of joke?" He twirled his Kiba blades, lightning sparking from their tips. "What are those supposed to do to me? My Kiba blades are far superior!"

Naruto's expression remained serene. "Do not underestimate Senbonzakura's power," he said politely.

Within his mind, Senbonzakura's voice resonated, calm yet resolute. Let us show this fool the true might of my power.

Naruto gave a subtle nod of acknowledgment, his grip tightening on the sword's hilt. The fragments began to swirl around him in a mesmerizing display, the air thick with their silent promise of devastation.

Raiga's grin widened as he prepared to attack. The battlefield was set, and the true power of Senbonzakura was about to be unleashed.

---

Chapter 20: Clash of the Thunder Swordsman and the Cherry Blossom Blades

The atmosphere was electric, and not just from the residual charge of Raiga's earlier attacks. Everyone stood rooted in place, the tension thick as they watched Naruto calmly face the infamous Seven Ninja Swordsman. His Senbonzakura swirled around him, thousands of glowing, petal-like blades reflecting the light of Raiga's crackling Kiba swords. 

Tazuna and the genin felt a mix of awe and confusion at the sheer beauty of Naruto's weapon. Sasuke's Sharingan tracked the faint traces of the cherry blossom-like blades as they shifted in the air, his brows furrowed in concentration. 

"What is that?" Sasuke muttered, his pride simmering beneath his curiosity. 

Kiba growled low, his fists clenched. "Looks fancy, but I don't get it. How's he gonna win with... petals?" Akamaru whined softly, nudging Kiba as if urging him to quiet down. 

Hinata, her Byakugan activated, could only whisper, "Nii-san…" She clutched her hands tightly, silently praying for his safety. 

Shino adjusted his glasses. "Those petals aren't just for show. Look closely, Kiba. They're not petals... they're blades." 

Kurenai's lips parted slightly, her breath caught. The faint shimmer of the countless fragments reminded her of the delicate yet deadly power Naruto wielded. She shook her head, trying to focus. "He saved me... now I can only hope he can save himself."

Raiga grinned, licking his lips like a predator about to feast. "Boy, you think you can scare me with a parlor trick? Pretty lights won't save you." He slammed the Kiba blades together, generating a crackle of lightning that shot through the air. The ground trembled beneath his power, his arrogance clear. 

Naruto remained composed, his gaze steady. "Underestimating Senbonzakura will be your greatest mistake." 

Raiga laughed, throwing his head back. "Big words for someone who hasn't tasted real power yet!" With a sudden burst of speed, he lunged forward, swinging the Kiba swords in an arc, aiming to cleave Naruto in half. 

The others gasped, but Naruto didn't move an inch. The cherry blossom blades surged forward, intercepting Raiga's attack mid-swing. The Kiba swords clashed against the swirling petals, sending sparks flying. Raiga's smirk faltered as the "petals" pressed against his blades with overwhelming force. 

"Wha...?!" Raiga staggered back, barely avoiding being shredded as the fragments followed his retreat. 

"Senbonzakura isn't a weapon you can brute-force your way through," Naruto said calmly, the handle of his Zanpakuto steady in his hand. With a small motion, the petals swirled around him in a protective barrier, the sheer control mesmerizing his audience. 

Raiga growled, thrusting one of his Kiba swords toward the sky. "We'll see how well your little petals hold up against this!" A jagged bolt of lightning shot into the clouds, charging the air above them. Moments later, massive arcs of natural lightning rained down toward Naruto. 

"Watch out!" Sakura screamed, her hands clutching Tazuna's arm. 

The white-pink glow of Senbonzakura shimmered brightly as the petals formed a dome around Naruto, absorbing the force of the lightning strikes. The ground shook, the sound deafening, but when the smoke cleared, Naruto stood unharmed within his protective barrier. 

"Impressive," Raiga admitted begrudgingly, though his grin remained. "But let's see if you can keep that up!" He swung the Kiba swords with both hands, releasing arcs of lightning that zigzagged across the battlefield, forcing Naruto to leap back with a flicker of Shunpo. 

To the onlookers, Naruto seemed to disappear, only to reappear a second later behind Raiga, his petals swarming the enemy like a tidal wave. Raiga twisted his body, parrying the petals with his blades, but the force behind the attack sent him skidding backward. 

"He's so fast," Sasuke muttered, his Sharingan barely keeping up with Naruto's movements. His fists clenched as he ground his teeth. 

"Those petals aren't just weapons," Shino noted aloud. "They're his shield, his spear, his armor. He's controlling the entire battlefield with them." 

Raiga growled in frustration. "You brat!" He thrust the Kiba swords into the ground, releasing a surge of electricity that spread in every direction. The ground beneath Naruto's feet cracked and buckled, forcing him to ascend into the air using Shunpo. 

Raiga smirked. "Got you!" He clapped his hands together, summoning a jagged bolt of lightning directly above Naruto's head. 

Naruto's eyes narrowed. Without hesitation, he raised Senbonzakura's hilt, and the petals surged upward. The lightning bolt met the cherry blossoms midair, exploding in a shower of sparks and fragments. Through the smoke, Raiga charged, swinging his Kiba swords in a wide arc. 

Naruto deflected the attack with a simple motion of his petals, forcing Raiga back again. "For someone who talks so much, you haven't managed to land a single hit," Naruto said, his tone polite but cutting. 

Raiga's face contorted with rage. He swung both swords, releasing a torrent of combined lightning and water, a deadly combination that surged toward Naruto like a tidal wave. 

Naruto's petals swirled into a focused formation, forming a dense wall in front of him. The wave crashed against it, sending water and lightning scattering in all directions. Despite the intensity of the attack, the wall of petals held firm. 

Raiga panted, sweat dripping down his face. "Damn brat... how?!" 

Naruto lowered the hilt of his Zanpakuto, the petals surrounding him once again in a calm, floating formation. "You rely too much on brute force and chaos. You lack discipline, precision, and understanding. That is why you'll lose." 

Raiga roared, his pride wounded. He raised the Kiba swords above his head, gathering all the natural lightning in the storm clouds above. "Let's see if your pretty petals can handle THIS!" 

The sky darkened as the concentrated lightning turned the clouds into a blinding storm. The sheer power of the attack caused the others to shield their eyes, the pressure suffocating. 

Naruto's grip on Senbonzakura's hilt tightened. Internally, he heard Senbonzakura's voice. "It's time to show him the true terror of my power."

Naruto gave a subtle nod, his expression calm as always. "Scatter, Senbonzakura." 

The petals shimmered brightly, preparing for the final clash. 

Tbc