Naruto: Maelstrom Of The Uzumaki

Raiden's long blade rested against Aburame Shibi's shoulder, leaving a fine scar on his neck. The icy chill of the steel stirred Shibi into sharper consciousness.

"Do it, Raiden," Shibi said, his voice steady. "I won't hate you."

Shibi forced himself to sit upright, opening his eyes with great effort to meet Raiden's gaze.

"Are you certain about this?" Raiden asked, his expression unreadable.

"Yes, I've made up my mind," Shibi replied, tears pooling at the edges of his eyes but refusing to fall.

"Don't worry," Raiden said, his tone softening as he raised his blade high. "I'll deliver your final words."

Raiden swung the Totsuka Blade toward Shibi's neck, but just before the strike could land, Hatake Sakumo appeared in a blur, catching Raiden's wrist and halting the blade mid-air.

"Captain Hatake, what are you doing?" Raiden asked, startled.

"Stop this nonsense," Sakumo said firmly, his grip unwavering. "Shibi is no spy. If you kill a comrade, even as the Hokage's disciple, I will never forgive you. This farce ends here."

Releasing Raiden's wrist, Sakumo turned toward Shibi, his voice softening. "You're too decisive, Shibi. There's no need for this. Trust in your team."

Sakumo's presence calmed the tension. Though Raiden had shown no intent to truly harm Shibi, Sakumo's intervention ensured no misunderstanding lingered.

Raiden sighed, lowering his blade. "I thought about it. He could be a liability to our safety. But fine, Captain, I'll leave it to you."

"Problematic kids," Sakumo muttered to himself as he hoisted Shibi onto his back. "Let's move. We've wasted enough time."

Despite Sakumo's composed demeanor, Shikaku Nara, Yamanaka Inoichi, and Akimichi Choza now looked at Raiden with visible unease. The sight of him nearly attacking a teammate left them wary, even if they knew it was a ruse.

Shibi, however, was carried with greater care, with the others taking turns to help Sakumo. Raiden observed this shift in the group's dynamic with a calm smile, channeling his Kagura's Eye to monitor Sand Ninja movements.

By evening, the team reached the border of the Land of Wind. Ahead lay an endless expanse of desert, signaling the start of a harsher terrain.

"We're close to the Land of Wind," Sakumo said, surveying the dunes. "We'll rest in the desert tonight. The environment will give us some cover. Once we've settled, we'll treat Shibi's injury and plan our approach to Sand Ninja Village."

"Yes, sir!" Shikaku and the others replied in unison, following Sakumo's lead.

The team quickly reached the edge of the desert. Just as they began crossing, the ground beneath them shifted violently. A sand dune ahead surged upward, and a torrent of golden sand rushed toward Sakumo.

"When—?!"

"Scatter!" Sakumo shouted, drawing his short blade and slashing at the incoming sand.

To his shock, the blade struck the sand with a metallic clang, sparks flying on impact. The sand coalesced rapidly, forming an impenetrable wall that surged forward and enveloped Sakumo in moments.

"Gold Burial!"

From the depths of the desert, a dark figure raised their hands, manipulating the sand with immense chakra.

"How did they escape my detection?" Raiden muttered, surprised but acting quickly. He unleashed a lightning arrow toward the distant figure.

Before the arrow could connect, another wall of sand rose, neutralizing the attack. Raiden's eyes narrowed as the sand settled, revealing Sakumo bursting free from the ground, his blade crackling with lightning. Though bleeding from his arm, Sakumo appeared unharmed and combat-ready.

"Senior Hatake!" Shikaku called out, concern etched on his face.

"Be careful," Sakumo warned. "That's not just sand—it's gold dust. The enemy is none other than the elite Sand Ninja, Rasa of the Magnet Release!"

Raiden tightened his grip on his blade. "And there's more than one Magnet Release user here. This is going to be a problem."

The group turned to face the woods behind them as two familiar figures emerged—Pakura and Ichikawa. Simultaneously, two more figures approached from the desert, closing in to encircle the team.

"Only four of them? That's manageable!" Choza said optimistically, unaware of the enemies' strength.

Sakumo, however, recognized the danger. Each of the four Sand Ninjas radiated formidable power.

Raiden's attention focused on the two approaching from the desert. One was a man he recognized as Rasa, the future Fourth Kazekage and father of Gaara. Beside Rasa stood a woman, her gaze sharp and calculating.

"Rasa..." Raiden muttered. "And her... who is she?"

The woman had short brown hair and an air of calm authority. Raiden's earlier lightning arrow had been blocked by her, not Rasa.

"Karura, that kid keeps staring at you," Rasa said lightly, glancing at her. "Do you know him?"

"I've never seen him before," Karura replied softly. "Perhaps he's just surprised that I blocked his Lightning Release so easily. I didn't expect such advanced techniques from a Konoha ninja without seals."

Rasa chuckled. "If it weren't for you, that attack might have seriously injured me. But enough talk."

Turning to the Konoha team, Rasa's voice turned cold. "Konoha ninjas, you're surrounded. Surrender now, and we may spare your lives. Resist, and you'll face no mercy."

(End of this chapter)