Chapter 6: The Child of Lightning and the Man Who Smiled
Laxus narrowed his eyes.
This man — this stranger who had spoken like a whimsical traveler and handed out golden apples like picnic treats — wasn't an old man at all. He might feel ancient, like a mountain that had seen too many winters, but now that Laxus looked properly, he saw the truth.
The man's body was honed and powerful — each movement full of fluid grace and quiet precision. The golden lightning coiled around him like a purring beast, almost aware, unlike Laxus's own wild, crackling energy that danced like a drunk cat in a thunderstorm.
And then it changed.
The golden hue flickered — just for a heartbeat — and turned brilliant white, gleaming under the stormy sky like sunlight breaking through the clouds.
"Oh dear," Naruto said, with an amused sigh. "You've gone and made the child excited."
The words were teasing, but the tone had a fatherly lilt to it — one that Laxus didn't quite know how to take. Was he being mocked? Or... was the man genuinely treating him like a student?
The rain hadn't let up. It poured down in thick, slanting sheets that turned the rocky mountainside into a slip-and-slide of mud and loose stone. Laxus's boots sank into the softening earth, the sharp tang of ozone thick in the air.
No distractions, he thought, forcing himself to focus. He took in the terrain — steep cliffs to the east, slippery moss on the rocks, and a dark drop that promised a broken back if one were foolish enough to stumble. The kind of night where a misstep meant more than a bruise.
With a sudden crack, he disappeared.
"Lightning Bolt!" he shouted, body igniting in pure electricity as a stroke of lightning from the storm struck down with a deafening roar, as if the sky itself had joined his side.
A blinding flash.
The mountain trembled.
Smoke rose from the newly formed crater.
But in the middle of it — calmly, maddeningly — stood Naruto, not even ruffled. White lightning curled around his body like a divine shawl, crackling softly, humming with power far too elegant to be natural.
Laxus blinked. "What...?"
"Nice try," Naruto said cheerfully, stepping forward like they were in a garden duel rather than an elemental death match. "Now take this!"
With a flick of his wrist, Naruto conjured a lightning whip — no, not conjured — wove it out of the white lightning that now danced around him like threads in a tapestry.
The whip flew forward like a serpent with a mission.
It struck fast.
Laxus barely saw it before it lashed around his legs with a snap and yanked him into the air. His body twisted in the rain, helpless for a moment — just long enough for Naruto to leap high into the air and, with a mighty flip, send him crashing back down.
THOOM!
The mountain groaned.
Mud splattered. Trees shivered.
Naruto landed beside him gently, like a falling feather. He looked down at the dazed S-Class mage with a look of mock solemnity.
"Apologies," he said, placing a hand over his chest. "Next time I shall refrain from using any weapons. Consider this a formal reprimand."
And with that, he casually disabled his own left arm — it shimmered briefly and went limp, as though he'd flicked off a switch. "I'll break my arm as punishment. Very naughty of me."
Laxus groaned from the small crater he now called home. His leg burned where the whip had struck, the magic still sizzling faintly, and his ribs felt as if a small rhinoceros had politely stepped on them.
But he was not down. Not yet.
He pushed himself to his feet, brushing off mud and pride in equal measure. The burn was real, the ache was annoying — but nothing he hadn't endured in training or missions.
Still... the man in front of him had disabled his arm for fun. Just how powerful was he?
'What kind of monster did I just pick a fight with?' Laxus thought, not quite afraid — but not entirely confident either.
Naruto gave him a wink. "Shall we go again?"
-----------------
The storm howled overhead, lightning flashing across the sky like nature's applause. Rain splashed down in heavy waves, but around them, it no longer mattered.
The battlefield had turned electric.
Laxus stood firm, his muscles tense, his cloak torn at the edges, and eyes burning with purpose. Lightning surged across his frame, golden-white and violent. Sparks snapped from his fingertips. His breath came in controlled exhales, and his glare was sharp.
"What do you want with me? Who are you?" he growled, armor glowing brighter by the second.
Across from him, Naruto stood unfazed, eyes calm, posture loose. But the storm responded to him now. The lightning didn't just gather at his call — it obeyed him like a loyal companion.
"Naruto Uzumaki," he said simply. "And I'm here to teach you."
He raised his right hand, and in that moment, his white lightning pulsed like a living spirit. His long white hair broke free of its tie, flowing around his shoulders like a river of energy, wild and unbound — like lightning itself.
"I see promise in you, boy," Naruto continued, stepping forward. "You're powerful... but you've shackled that power with pride and isolation. You fear weakness, so you crush it. But there's wisdom in the weak — creativity in those without force."
Laxus clenched his fists.
"You think I'm weak?" he roared, his voice echoing with thunder.
"I think you're chained," Naruto said, eyes flashing. "Let's change that."
Then they moved.
Lightning screamed.
Both men vanished in twin flashes — one gold, one white — and the mountain erupted in noise and light.
They collided in mid-air — fist to fist, lightning to lightning. The impact cracked the air like a sonic boom. Trees trembled. Rocks splintered. A wave of raw force rolled outward.
Laxus spun, bringing his elbow down. Naruto blocked it with his forearm, the white lightning trailing like comet dust. The next strike came from Laxus's knee — but Naruto ducked under and countered with a blinding uppercut. It grazed Laxus's chin, sparks dancing like fireflies.
Boom—crack!
They danced through the air — no ground beneath them, no rules, just the wild surge of energy and instinct. Every blow was a bolt. Every movement left thunder in its wake.
To an onlooker, it was impossible to follow. They were lightning given form, zigzagging across the mountaintop like falling stars in close combat.
Laxus vanished behind a bolt — reappeared above — and unleashed a roundhouse kick charged with explosive force. Naruto caught the leg, twisted, and slammed him into the side of a rocky cliff, the stone crumbling on impact.
But Laxus wasn't done.
"Thunder Dragon's Roar!"
He unleashed a shockwave — a spiraling pillar of lightning — but Naruto spun with it, riding the current, and struck Laxus mid-spell with an open-palm thrust to the chest.
BOOM!
Laxus skidded back across the mud — only to leap into the air, firing bolts upward.
The storm responded.
Glowing lightning orbs formed in a perfect circle above — a trap made from pure electricity. A net to bind, shock, and burn.
The sky rumbled in acknowledgment.
Laxus roared and clapped his hands together.
"Heaven's Wrath Formation!"
The orbs shot down in perfect sync, locking onto Naruto's location.
But it was too slow.
Naruto looked up calmly, eyes now glowing pure white.
"You're clever," he said, "but still... too average."
His body blurred — became lightning itself — and he split into six streams, weaving through the falling orbs like wind through leaves.
He reformed behind Laxus, placing a hand on his shoulder before Laxus could even turn.
"You feel fast," Naruto whispered, "but control is what makes lightning lethal."
He launched Laxus forward with a surge of white lightning that kicked the air like a cannon.
Laxus landed hard — rolling, bleeding, panting.
He stared at the sky, rage and awe mixing in his gaze.
Naruto slowly walked over, crackling with raw power, yet his expression was peaceful — even kind.
"You're strong," he said. "But strength means nothing if your heart doesn't grow. Be more than a weapon, Laxus."
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It was, as fate would have it, a perfectly dreadful night for a duel atop a mountain.
Rain poured in sheets from the heavens, the wind howled like a wounded banshee, and thunder kept interrupting the conversation like a particularly noisy neighbour. The forest below groaned with each flash of lightning, and the entire mountainside was a slippery, mud-slicked mess — the kind of terrain sensible people avoided, unless of course they were wizards, madmen, or... well, Laxus.
Laxus Dreyar was many things: proud, powerful, and positively glowing with electricity like a magical kettle that had been left on far too long. His hair stood on end, his coat clung to his muscular frame, and his golden lightning flared with each breath he took. He looked, in short, like a walking storm.
And he had just been flattened.
Again.
But he wasn't done yet. Not by a long shot.
With a grunt that suggested both annoyance and a remarkable tolerance for pain, Laxus surged back to his feet, lightning snapping angrily around his shoulders.
"Not... done... yet!" he growled, and with a flash, he charged.
Naruto — who had been waiting with the sort of easy smile usually reserved for friendly uncles or ancient sages who knew too many secrets — cracked his knuckles.
"Oh good," he said brightly. "You're still standing!"
And then, just like that, he was gone.
Well, not gone exactly. Just very, very fast.
The two met in the middle like shooting stars colliding. A CRACK rang out so loud it might have woken dragons. Naruto's palm struck Laxus squarely on the chest, sending a visible pulse of lightning through his body like a bell being struck by the heavens.
Laxus gasped — properly gasped — as though someone had replaced his lungs with molten fireworks. His chest ached, and before he could even utter something appropriately rude, Naruto's knee collided with his abdomen.
It wasn't elegant. It wasn't even particularly stylish. But it was effective.
Laxus doubled over, wheezing like an old accordion, only to find himself being grabbed quite unceremoniously by the head.
"Hold still, would you?" Naruto said cheerfully.
And then — rather apologetically — smashed Laxus face-first into the ground.
The impact sounded like a watermelon being dropped onto cobblestone. A muddy, lightning-covered crater formed instantly, and Naruto, now crouched atop his opponent like an overly affectionate bear, planted an elbow firmly onto Laxus's back.
"AGHHHHHH!" Laxus screamed, limbs jerking violently.
Lightning surged through him like an orchestra gone mad. White bolts crackled around them, forming a glowing dome of energy that hummed with eerie life. It wasn't just lightning anymore — it moved, like a living creature wrapping itself around the two combatants.
"Feel it," Naruto whispered in a voice suddenly calm, almost reverent. "Feel it with every inch of your body. Let go. Show me your creativity... child of lightning."
It was a strange moment — painful, yes, and certainly dramatic — but strangely intimate. The mountain was alight with arcs of energy, and Laxus's body trembled violently as he tried to resist.
He bared his teeth. The lightning was crawling into his mouth, his lungs, his bones. His lips sizzled. His skin buzzed like a swarm of angry bees. Naruto's grip only tightened.
He fought back — biting down on the pain, biting at it, really — until something snapped inside him.
Not a bone. A limit.
A roar ripped itself from his throat, primal and ferocious.
"AHHHHHHHHHHH!"
The air exploded.
A massive beam of lightning surged out of his body in all directions, but mostly upward — and directly at Naruto.
Naruto, to his credit, beamed like a proud father watching his child take their first steps... albeit with slightly more death beams involved.
"Oh, there it is," he said brightly.
Then, in one smooth motion, he raised his arm — not in panic, not in defense, but with almost theatrical grace — and deflected the beam with the ease of someone brushing lint from their cloak.
The bolt skewered the sky — then tore through the mountain range behind them with the kind of sound one normally associates with immortals getting into bar fights.
Mountains split.
Trees vanished.
Somewhere, a herd of birds panicked and decided to migrate early.
Laxus, now free of Naruto's hold, blinked up in disbelief, face half-buried in mud and lightning still dancing along his skin.
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The air was thick with the scent of rain and ozone, and still dancing with the last wisps of fading lightning. The mountains were quiet now — unnaturally so — as though nature herself was catching her breath after witnessing something profound.
Laxus stood frozen, his body swaying, muscles twitching from exhaustion and overstimulation. The fierce warrior, who had moments ago been a living storm, was now little more than a boy blinking through fog and disbelief.
And then — warmth.
Naruto stepped forward, arms open, and without hesitation, pulled the younger man into a firm embrace.
"Congratulations for reaching a new level. I am happy for your success. Now rest, and we shall meet again, child. I am proud of you."
The words settled over Laxus like a weighted blanket — strange, comforting, and completely unexpected.
He didn't react at first. Mostly because his brain had stalled somewhere between what is happening and why is this oddly nice. His arms hung limp at his sides like two very confused eels.
Naruto gave him a few gentle pats on the back, the way one might soothe a giant, very angry cat that had finally decided not to scratch your face off.
Laxus was slack-jawed.
His mouth opened, then closed. His eyebrows did a curious dance of uncertainty. His face looked very much like a student being handed a birthday cake by a teacher he thought hated him.
This was weird.
This was so weird.
And yet...
It felt right.
Laxus hadn't realized how much he'd wanted this — that acknowledgment, that simple gesture of acceptance. Not praise earned by conquest or legacy, but something gentler. Real. Old. Familiar.
There was a tightness in his chest now, but not the painful kind.
Naruto pulled back just enough to see his face, and in his eyes there was nothing but sincere joy — the kind of joy that came from watching someone you care about finally take their first step into a wider world.
Laxus' body began to relax, a little too much for comfort. His knees wobbled and his eyelids drooped as an invisible drowsiness began to weigh him down.
He shook his head — once, twice — trying to fight the heavy calm that had settled over him.
"W...wait," he managed, reaching out weakly.
"Shh. Sleep," Naruto whispered, his voice the gentlest crackle of thunder in the distance.
And just like that, Laxus fell.
Not literally — he was already standing in Naruto's arms — but spiritually. His consciousness sank, dipped, and folded in on itself like a leaf floating down into a warm pool.
His breath slowed, his jaw relaxed, and his body sagged into Naruto's hold.
A faint glow wrapped around him, soft and blue like moonlight in water. His wounds faded. His expression softened. A world of dreams welcomed him — a world not born from his own imagination, but crafted lovingly by Naruto.
He would not remember all of it — maybe flashes: golden skies, laughter, the feel of a hand on his shoulder — but he would wake up healed in more ways than one.
Naruto remained still, holding the sleeping Laxus like a tired child who had finally surrendered to sleep after a long tantrum. He smiled — not with pride, though it was there — but with something older.
Nostalgia.
"This fighting spirit," he murmured softly, brushing a stray strand of hair from Laxus's face. "So eager to surpass the old... you remind me of Boruto."
Naruto tilted his head to the side, gazing up at the sky now clearing above them. The clouds parted, sunlight glinting faintly at the edges like a silver lining stitched by time itself.
"We can never run from memories," he said, his voice barely above the hush of the wind. "Even new things remind us of the old — wherever we look. What a test of spirit... Isn't that right, my friends?"
And in that moment, the world held its breath.
Time — that curious, fidgety creature — paused, as if to let him grieve and remember.
The battle-scarred terrain shimmered. Trees that had been singed by lightning stood tall once more. Cracked stones mended themselves with quiet groans of relief. Even the clouds, unruly moments ago, now drifted like sleepy sheep across a clearing sky.
With one last look, Naruto whispered something — too soft for even the wind to carry — and Laxus vanished from his arms.
Gone.
Teleported.
Healed, body and soul, and tucked gently back into his world.
Naruto stood alone, eyes closed, his white hair fluttering like soft banners of light.
And above him, the sky smiled too.