Naruto: Maelstrom Of The Uzumaki

"Hurry up, you guys! Raiden and I will hold them off for you!" 

Hatake Sakumo pushed Nara Shikaku and Inoichi Yamanaka forward as he gripped his tanto tightly and charged toward Rasa and Karura. Before Sakumo could close the gap, two streams of sand—one golden and one ordinary—rose from the ground to block his path. 

"Gold dust and ordinary sand—these two Bloodline Limits share a common origin," Sakumo observed. 

With a light tap on the ground, Sakumo leapt into the air, evading the surging sands. His blade sliced through Karura's sand wall with ease. However, when it clashed with Rasa's gold dust, the impact forced Sakumo upward again, propelling him higher toward the two Sand Village ninjas. 

"Karura, bypass Hatake Sakumo and assist Pakura and the others," Rasa commanded. "Kill that red-haired boy first. We'll deal with Hatake Sakumo later. One target at a time." 

Hearing Rasa's orders, Karura nodded. She formed a sand platform beneath her feet, rising into the air alongside Rasa, who had already ascended on a disk of gold dust. Avoiding Sakumo's aerial attack, they flew directly toward Raiden Uzumaki, a storm of sand and gold trailing in their wake. 

Meanwhile, Shikaku and Inoichi obeyed Sakumo's instructions without hesitation. Knowing the immense power of Rasa and Karura, they carried the injured Shibi Aburame and retreated deep into the forest. As they ran, Shikaku summoned a messenger hawk to report the situation to Konoha. 

Raiden Uzumaki, observing Rasa and Karura's sudden advance, felt a growing sense of urgency. Pakura and Ichikawa weren't as skilled in close combat as he was, but Raiden knew he had to neutralize them before the other two arrived. Their abilities were an unknown factor, and Raiden couldn't afford to take risks. 

Ninjas, by nature, are high-offense, low-defense combatants. While a skilled attack could end a battle in moments, Raiden knew that even he wasn't immune to death if his vital points were struck. Despite his Uzumaki heritage and vast chakra reserves, caution was his greatest ally. 

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Raiden quickly created four clones. The clones dispersed, forming a large rectangle around Raiden, Pakura, and Ichikawa. 

"What is he doing?" Pakura murmured, clutching her injured side in confusion. 

Moments later, the clones completed their hand seals, and Raiden shouted, "Four Violet Flames Formation!" 

A massive purple barrier erupted around them, enclosing a thousand square meters of battlefield. The barrier shimmered with lightning, its surface covered with flickering detonator symbols. 

"Barrier ninjutsu?" Rasa and Karura were forced to halt their advance, blocked by the impenetrable wall of purple flames. Karura tested the barrier, attempting to manipulate the sand within, but her chakra was unable to penetrate it. 

"This is the Four Violet Flames Formation, a high-level Konoha barrier that usually requires four jonin to sustain," Rasa noted grimly. "Who is this red-haired ninja to perform it alone?" 

Rasa attempted to attack the barrier with a gold dust projectile, but the lightning retaliated, forcing Karura to intervene with her sand. Despite their combined efforts, the barrier showed no signs of damage. 

"It's useless," a voice cut through the tension. Hatake Sakumo had appeared outside the barrier, his tanto in hand. "This barrier won't break unless you can overpower it or find its weakness. Given Raiden's chakra reserves, you won't be getting through anytime soon." 

Sakumo's confidence unnerved Rasa. "Do you think your subordinate can defeat Pakura and Ichikawa? They're elite Sand ninjas!" 

Sakumo smiled faintly. "They may be elite, but Raiden Uzumaki isn't an ordinary ninja. If anyone's going to fall here, it'll be your so-called elites." 

Rasa's eyes narrowed. "We'll see." 

Without waiting for a response, Sakumo dashed toward Rasa and Karura, his tanto flipping into a reverse grip. In a blur, he closed the gap, landing a kick to Rasa's abdomen before slashing at Karura. Karura barely managed to tilt her head, the blade grazing her shoulder. 

But instead of blood, only sand spilled from the wound. 

"A sand armor?" Sakumo muttered, retreating as the ground beneath him turned to sand. 

"Impressive for an ordinary ninja," Rasa admitted, brushing gold dust from his abdomen. "But there's a world of difference between you and us." 

Karura's voice was calm as she added, "Leaving marks on my armor is a feat in itself." The wound on her shoulder quickly repaired itself as the sand reformed. 

Hatake Sakumo tightened his grip on his tanto. He hadn't anticipated such formidable defenses. Though his blade could conduct chakra, it wasn't strong enough to pierce Rasa's armor. For the first time, he found himself at a disadvantage. 

(End of Chapter)