Naruto: Maelstrom Of The Uzumaki

"Oh!"

The two Iwa-nin struck by Raiden Uzumaki's thunder arrows fell lifelessly to the ground, dust rising as their bodies collapsed.

"Dead?"

"Is this what Father meant by the strength of Konoha's first genius?"

Hatake Kakashi, clutching his wounded eye, stared blankly at the fallen Iwa-nin. Though his pain had lessened, his heart pounded with shock.

"They were taken out instantly... so powerful!"

"The strength of this man isn't even in the same dimension as ordinary shinobi!"

Uchiha Obito looked at Raiden Uzumaki with admiration, but his focus quickly shifted to Rin. Rushing to her side, he knelt down, gently shaking her as he called out, "Rin, wake up! Rin!"

"She's under a genjutsu. It just needs to be released," Raiden Uzumaki said calmly. Placing a hand on Rin's shoulder, he poured chakra into her, dispelling the illusion and stabilizing her chakra flow. Without hesitation, Raiden turned to Kakashi, squatting beside him and grabbing his wrist.

"Let me see your injuries."

Kakashi winced but removed his hand, revealing the wound.

"The eye can't be saved, but the optic nerve isn't damaged. You should still recover with your remaining eye," Raiden assessed nonchalantly. "It's not a big problem. We'll get you a replacement soon."

Raiden stood, unfazed. The two Iwa-nin he had dispatched earlier likely sent a signal for reinforcements. Before long, more enemies would arrive.

Kakashi sighed quietly, his spirits lifting when Rin suddenly regained consciousness and rushed to his side.

"Kakashi!" Rin cried out, kneeling beside him. Her eyes scanned his injuries as she prepared to use medical ninjutsu.

"Rin, you're awake," Kakashi said weakly, a small smile appearing on his face.

"Don't talk. Let me help you," Rin insisted, breaking away Kakashi's hand and beginning treatment.

Raiden glanced at Rin's healing efforts, then turned to Obito, who was watching Kakashi and Rin with an unmistakable look of jealousy. Raiden smirked, the atmosphere thick with a familiar tension.

"Domestic drama right in front of me. How amusing," Raiden mused silently.

But his amusement faded when his Kagura's Mind Eye sensed Iwa reinforcements closing in. His expression hardened.

"The enemy's support troops are on their way," he said sharply. "Obito, protect Rin and Kakashi during the battle. Leave the rest to me."

"Can you handle it, Uchiha Obito?"

Obito's face turned serious, then lit up with determination. "I can do it!" he exclaimed loudly.

"Good," Raiden said, leaning in and whispering, "Girls like strong, brave guys. This is your chance."

"Betting on the name of the Uchiha clan, I'll protect Rin... and Kakashi!" Obito declared, his confidence growing.

Raiden smiled approvingly. "Not bad, kid."

Suddenly, the forest erupted with the sound of birds scattering, signaling the arrival of Iwa-nin reinforcements. Raiden's demeanor shifted as he turned toward the sound.

"Be ready. They're here!"

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!"

Kunai flew from all directions, aimed at Raiden and the group. The sheer number of projectiles revealed the scale of the incoming force.

"This isn't just a squad of three or four," Kakashi said, alarmed.

"Don't worry. I've got this," Raiden replied, a powerful chakra surging around him as a layer of lightning armor enveloped his body. The kunai clattered harmlessly to the ground.

But the Iwa-nin weren't done. A figure suddenly appeared behind Rin, aiming a kunai at her back. Obito shouted, "Rin, watch out!"

Raiden's figure vanished in a flash of purple lightning.

"Boom!"

The attacking Iwa-nin was sliced in two, blood spraying the battlefield. Rin gasped, the metallic scent overwhelming her senses.

"The speed... it's like Minato-sensei's," Kakashi thought, awe-struck.

Raiden didn't stop. Another Iwa-nin attempted a sneak attack on Obito, but Raiden intercepted it effortlessly, dispatching the enemy with precision.

Soon, the Iwa-nin leader stepped forward, his expression grim. "We meet at last, 'Thunder of Konoha,' Raiden Uzumaki."

"You recognize me, yet you don't flee?" Raiden mocked, shaking the blood from his blade.

"For the Land of Earth, for Iwa Village, we can't retreat—even at the cost of our lives," the leader declared, his voice resolute.

The other Iwa-nin, inspired by their leader, gripped their weapons and charged.

Raiden smirked. "So you're ready to die."

In a flash, he disappeared into the fray. The ground cracked beneath his attacks as his lightning-infused strikes tore through the enemy ranks. His Kagura's Mind Eye revealed every hidden foe, and no amount of stealth or camouflage could save them.

The battle was brutal but brief. By the end, nearly fifty Iwa-nin lay dead. Raiden stood among the carnage, his body drenched in blood, holding the lone survivor—the Iwa-nin leader—by the hair.

Rin and Obito, unaccustomed to such bloodshed, retched at the sight. Even Kakashi couldn't hide his unease.

"This one's the leader," Raiden said, tossing the unconscious man to the ground. "Obito, it's your job to extract information. Use your Sharingan."

"What?! Me?!" Obito stammered.

"Rin, perform the eye transplant for Kakashi. You're skilled enough to handle it," Raiden continued, his tone commanding.

Though shaken, Rin nodded. Tears welled in her eyes, but she obeyed, preparing the medical equipment for the surgery.

Raiden sighed. "I suppose I should soften my approach with kids."

As Rin worked on Kakashi, Raiden kept watch, reflecting on the young trio. They were still children, but this battle would shape them into the shinobi they were meant to be.

The operation took just over twenty minutes. When it was done, Raiden led the group away from the battlefield, the haunting scene left behind as a memory of the day they survived.

(End of this chapter)