Naruto: Maelstrom Of The Uzumaki

Thick purple poisonous mist rose above the battlefield, and the rain poured down heavily from the dark sky. Despite the relentless downpour, the mist lingered, slowly dissipating but enough to serve as a shield for Hanzō of the Salamander.

Within the mist, Hanzō's figure gradually became visible. Beside him loomed the faint silhouette of his summoned creature—his infamous salamander, Ibuse.

Standing atop Ibuse's back, Hanzō gripped a short sickle in one hand and a small hammer in the other, connected by a long iron chain. The strange weapon drew the wary eyes of everyone on the battlefield.

"Boy, I acknowledge your strength," Hanzō said, his voice cutting through the sound of rain. "For Konoha's sake, retreat now, and I'll let you live. But if you persist, don't blame me for what happens next."

As he spoke, the Rain ninja launched their assault. Waves of ninjutsu were unleashed toward Akatsuki's forces. Among them, many of Akatsuki's less-experienced members failed to dodge, and casualties mounted rapidly. Uchiha Fugaku fought fiercely, fending off the onslaught of Rain ninja.

Despite his skills, Fugaku was overwhelmed. Hundreds of attacks came simultaneously, and as a traditional ninja, he lacked the defensive capabilities of someone like Uzumaki Raiden. Forced to dodge frantically, he found himself pressed to the limit.

Raiden, however, had no time to concern himself with Akatsuki's members. His focus was on those he knew—Fugaku, Nagato, Yahiko, and Konan.

Seeing his allies under attack, Raiden made his move. He left Hanzō untouched for the moment and aimed to eliminate the Rain ninja first.

With a burst of speed, Raiden leaped into the crowd of Rain ninja and plunged the Sakegari no Tachi into the ground.

"Lightning Style: Thunder Prison!"

Purple lightning surged outward, forming a wide net that stretched across the battlefield. The web of electricity crackled as it extended, incapacitating Rain ninja who couldn't evade in time. They fell one by one, unconscious.

"Lightning Style: Lightning Arrow!"

As the thunder net expanded, Raiden summoned a storm of lightning arrows, lighting up the dark sky. The dense barrage of arrows blanketed the battlefield, paralyzing Rain ninja with fear.

"Such power… This is beyond anything we can handle!"

"Lord Hanzō, save us!"

Cries of despair echoed as the lightning arrows rained down, striking with deadly precision. The thunder net climbed upward, trapping more Rain ninja in its grasp. The battlefield was filled with screams as one after another fell.

Hanzō, standing outside the lightning net, watched in horror. The once-proud Rain ninja force—his precious few remaining troops—had been decimated. Less than a hundred survived the assault.

"This monster… How can he unleash such powerful ninjutsu repeatedly without any sign of exhaustion?" Hanzō muttered, sweat mixing with the rain on his face. He scanned the battlefield anxiously. "Where is Danzo? Where is he? If we join forces, we might have a chance!"

But there was no trace of Shimura Danzo or his Anbu.

"Looking for Danzo?" Raiden called out, a sly smile on his face. "When you attacked me with the explosives, he fled with his men. He never intended to fight me. He knows better—because he knows he would die!"

Raiden pulled out a scroll from his robes, unfurled it, and activated its seal. A surge of chakra enveloped him as he whispered, "Sage Mode!" The Sakegari no Tachi crackled with lightning as natural energy fused with his chakra.

"Was that… some sort of technique?" Hanzō muttered, narrowing his eyes. Pressing a hand to Ibuse's head, he commanded, "Poison Mist Spray!"

Ibuse opened its mouth wide, releasing a thick cloud of purple poison toward Raiden. Even with his lightning armor, Raiden quickly evaded the deadly gas, retreating to a safe distance before breathing again.

Raiden raised his blade, channeling the immense energy of his Sage Mode. Swinging the blade, he unleashed a transparent wave of energy that tore through the air, heading straight for Hanzō.

Feeling the oppressive wind pressure, Hanzō attempted to dodge but was distracted by an unexpected attack. Above him, a massive fireball descended from the sky—Uchiha Fugaku had leapt high above and unleashed a Fire Style technique.

"Sneak attack?!" Hanzō exclaimed, caught off guard. As he prepared to counter, his eyes met Fugaku's. The three-tomoe Sharingan spun rapidly, evolving into a Mangekyō.

"Kageka Suigetsu," Fugaku whispered.

Hanzō froze as the world around him shifted. He found himself back in his childhood home, his hands small and unscarred. Familiar scenes of warmth and happiness played before him, filling his heart with longing. His parents appeared, and he lived an idealized life, free of pain and war.

But the dream was short-lived.

Slash!

A searing pain snapped Hanzō back to reality. A deep wound ran from his chest to his abdomen, blood pouring from his body. Raiden's lightning-infused blade had struck first, cutting through him before Fugaku's fireball could land.

"Ugh… Cough!" Blood gurgled in Hanzō's throat as he fell to the ground. His eyes, now clear, held a strange serenity.

Raiden and Fugaku approached, standing silently over the dying man. Hanzō looked up at them, forcing a weak smile. Slowly, his breathing stopped, and his body grew still.

"What did he see in your illusion?" Raiden asked, gazing at Hanzō's peaceful expression.

Fugaku shook his head. "I only showed him what he desired most. I don't know what it was."

The infamous demigod, Hanzō of the Salamander, fell without fanfare. Raiden and Fugaku's combined strength had brought him down with surprising ease.

"I thought this would be more of a fight," Raiden muttered, sheathing his blade.

(End of Chapter)

>>>>>>>

Please leave PowerStones and Reviews if you're enjoying the story

Read up to Chapter 355 ahead on [Patreon.com/ggfanfiction]