Naruto: Maelstrom Of The Uzumaki

Uzumaki Raiden and Hatake Sakumo managed to escape under the watchful eyes of Rasa and Karura. However, the two Sand Shinobi leaders did not pursue them further. With Pakura seriously injured and Ichikawa killed by Uzumaki Raiden, neither Rasa nor Karura could ensure they would succeed in apprehending the Konoha ninjas.

Moreover, there was concern that Pakura, gravely injured during the battle, might have been poisoned by the enemy. Losing another upper-echelon Sand Shinobi was a risk they could not afford. Thus, Rasa and Karura focused on stabilizing Pakura's condition and awaited reinforcements. Time crept by as the sun began to set.

Meanwhile, Uzumaki Raiden and Hatake Sakumo rejoined Nara Shikaku and the others, who had retreated earlier. The team had traveled a significant distance from the borders of the Land of Rivers and the Land of Wind, but they remained on edge. Sand Shinobi were known for their relentless pursuit methods, and the poison afflicting Shibi Aburame had yet to be fully neutralized. Until Shibi's condition improved, the group had to stay vigilant against possible enemy attacks.

In the dense forest of the Land of Rivers, the team used a massive tree as a temporary shelter.

"Captain, how did your battle with Sand Shinobi go? Did you manage to take down the enemy?" Shikaku asked Hatake Sakumo once the group had settled.

"Raiden managed to kill the puppet master and seriously injure Pakura," Sakumo replied, glancing at Raiden, who was busy setting up traps nearby. "As for me, I fought two of Sand Shinobi's Kekkei Genkai users but couldn't gain much advantage."

Sakumo's voice carried a tone of relief. The mission's success was largely due to Uzumaki Raiden's formidable strength. Had it been any other lineup of Konoha ninjas, the mission would have likely ended in disaster.

"Raiden killed the puppet master and injured Pakura?" Shikaku asked, astonished. He had witnessed the strength of both opponents during their earlier encounters. That someone as young as Raiden could emerge victorious against them was difficult to believe.

"Don't judge a ninja's strength by their age," Sakumo said, his gaze filled with admiration for Raiden. "To have such strength at his age is a blessing for Konoha, especially in these trying times."

Suddenly, Raiden's voice cut through the quiet. "Stay alert! Enemy shinobi are approaching!" Without hesitation, he darted into the jungle, heading toward the Sand Shinobi trackers.

"Quick, grab Shibi and move!" Sakumo barked, immediately rising to his feet. He sprinted in the direction Raiden had gone. Shikaku didn't waste a moment, lifting Shibi onto his back and retreating. Yamanaka Inoichi muttered curses as he gathered his belongings and followed.

Not long after they evacuated, a series of violent explosions shook the forest.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The shockwaves flattened trees and left a clearing filled with dust and debris. When the smoke settled, Uzumaki Raiden stood alone in the midst of the destruction, purple lightning crackling around him. His red hair fluttered in the wind, and the veins on his hand, which gripped the Totsuka Blade, were prominent.

"What happened?" Sakumo asked as he arrived, his eyes scanning the battlefield.

"A strange ninja showed up," Raiden replied, his expression grim. "It seems to be a Jinchuriki."

The Nine-Tails within Raiden stirred restlessly, its chakra surging against its cage. Raiden, however, suppressed the beast with his own immense chakra, forcing it into submission.

"A Jinchuriki?" Sakumo muttered, his expression darkening. "The only known Jinchuriki of Sand Shinobi was Bunpuku, the host of Shukaku. But according to our intelligence, he was imprisoned and eventually died during the Second Shinobi World War. How could there be another Jinchuriki?"

Raiden's eyes narrowed. "If one Jinchuriki dies, they always make another. But this one seems... unstable."

Before Sakumo could respond, a barrage of sand bullets erupted from the dust cloud. Raiden shoved Sakumo aside and leapt away, narrowly avoiding the attack.

As the dust cleared, the figure of Shukaku, the One-Tailed Beast, emerged. The sand-colored tanuki loomed several meters tall, its body covered in black markings. Its star-shaped pupils glared at the two Konoha ninjas with murderous intent.

"Wind Release: Air Bullet!" Shukaku growled. It inhaled deeply before unleashing a compressed gust of wind, tearing through the forest with devastating force.

Raiden dodged swiftly, gripping the Totsuka Blade tightly. "This power... Shukaku's form is still incomplete, but it's already dangerous. We need to seal it before it fully manifests," he said.

Sakumo nodded, his hands forming seals. "Lightning Chain!" A bolt of lightning shot out, wrapping around Shukaku. For a moment, it seemed effective, but the beast effortlessly broke free. The ground beneath Sakumo turned to quicksand, pulling him down.

Reacting quickly, Sakumo stabbed his blade into the ground, channeling lightning to solidify the sand and free himself.

"Not bad, Konoha's White Fang," a voice sneered. Sakumo and Raiden turned to see Rasa and Karura stepping out of the shadows.

"And here I thought it was just the two of you," Raiden said coldly. His gaze shifted as an older voice echoed from the trees.

"Young people these days are truly terrifying," the voice said. Emerging from the forest was Chiyo, one of Sand Shinobi's elders, accompanied by a large group of ninjas—at least a hundred strong.

Sakumo's expression tightened as sweat beaded on his brow. "To go this far for revenge…"

Chiyo's eyes gleamed with determination. "No price is too great for vengeance!"

(End of this chapter)