Naruto: Maelstrom Of The Uzumaki

Outside the barrier of the Four Purple Flame Formation, Hatake Sakumo fought against Rasa and Karura. Inside the barrier, Uzumaki Raiden stood still after completing the formation, quietly observing Pakura and Ichikawa from a distance. An oppressive atmosphere filled the air within the barrier.

"This is... Barrier Ninjutsu?" Ichikawa asked warily, eyeing the purple barrier that enveloped them. He spoke in a low tone to Pakura.

"Yes," Pakura confirmed. "It seems this Konoha ninja intends to fight us inside the barrier, isolating us from Lord Rasa and Lady Karura."

Pakura held her chest and exhaled deeply. Raiden's earlier attack had inflicted internal injuries on her, but the brief respite allowed her to recover slightly.

"One man dares to take on the two of us? Is he underestimating us?" Ichikawa muttered grimly. He retrieved a scroll from his back, releasing a large, snake-like puppet. Chakra threads extended from his hands, connecting to the puppets.

Raiden cast a brief glance at Hatake Sakumo, who was battling outside the barrier, then adjusted the barrier's properties. The once-transparent purple barrier darkened until it became pitch black, severing visibility between the inside and outside.

After finalizing the barrier, Raiden focused on Pakura and Ichikawa , channeling his chakra.

"What is he doing?" Ichikawa wondered, noticing Raiden's increasing aura of intensity. Realizing his opponent might be preparing an attack, Ichikawa commanded his puppets to strike.

"Let me test this technique on you," Raiden murmured. Just as the puppets neared, his eyes snapped open, and his body became engulfed in purple chakra. The oppressive energy was palpable even from a distance.

"Thunder Armor!" Raiden said softly. In an instant, he crushed the humanoid puppet's head with his left hand and, with the Totsuka Blade in his right, sliced the snake-shaped puppet cleanly in half.

"Puppet masters have unusual attack methods, but their potential is too limited," Raiden remarked, his voice low. He turned his gaze toward Pakura, and in the blink of an eye, vanished from sight. All Pakura and Ichikawa could see was a streak of lightning barreling toward them.

"Damn it!" Ichikawa shouted, unleashing a barrage of needles from his puppets. However, the needles failed to keep up with Raiden's speed. Before he could react, Raiden closed the distance.

"First one!" Raiden declared, his blade swinging toward Ichikawa's neck. But just as the strike landed, Pakura intervened. Two fireballs erupted at Raiden's feet, forcing him to divert his attack.

"You underestimated me," Pakura said, a faint smile playing on her lips. However, Raiden, relying on his heightened senses, anticipated the ambush and disappeared before the fireballs could land.

"Get out of there!" Pakura shouted to Ichikawa , but it was too late. Raiden reappeared behind him, his blade piercing through Ichikawa's chest. Blood splattered across Pakura's face as she stared in shock.

"Ichikawa?" Pakura whispered, her voice trembling. She saw the human-shaped puppet wedged between herself and Raiden, its hands gripping the blade to prevent further harm.

"You did well," Raiden muttered, his gaze steely. His initial target had been Pakura, but Ichikawa's self-sacrifice disrupted his plan. Despite Raiden's overwhelming speed, Ichikawa had anticipated his moves with frightening accuracy.

"Pakura, leave... now," Ichikawa rasped, blood dripping from his lips. Even in his weakened state, he hurled a vial toward Pakura before collapsing in her arms.

Raiden, momentarily distracted by the snake-shaped puppet's collision with the barrier, failed to notice the poisonous gas released from its destruction. The toxic mist filled the barrier, forcing Raiden to retreat and release the formation. Pakura used the opportunity to escape into the mist, carrying Ichikawa's body.

Outside the barrier, the sudden dispersal of the formation and the appearance of the yellow mist brought the battle to a halt. Rasa quickly dispelled the poison with a wind jutsu, revealing Pakura kneeling beside Ichikawa's lifeless body. His expression was serene, as though he had found peace in his final act.

Raiden regrouped with Hatake Sakumo, who was visibly drained but uninjured. "Much faster than I expected," Sakumo remarked with a tired laugh. "Your Sage techniques seem even more refined than Jiraiya's."

Raiden said nothing, his gaze lingering on Pakura as she cradled Ichikawa. "That man was unexpected," he murmured, his tone neutral but reflective.

Acknowledging their precarious position on enemy territory, Raiden and Sakumo retreated into the forest, leaving the battlefield behind.