Naruto: Maelstrom Of The Uzumaki

The breeze was somber and bleak.

Uzumaki Raiden sat beside Might Duy's body and the unconscious Uchiha Fugaku, sighing softly. A faint smile lingered on Duy's face, as if he had entrusted the most important thing in his heart before passing away.

Gently stroking Duy's lifeless cheeks, Raiden's eyes brimmed with tears.

"It's my fault. If I had transferred you to my unit earlier, if I had refused the Third Hokage's decision to reassign you back then, this wouldn't have happened."

"Duy..."

Raiden murmured softly, his tears flowing freely.

After a long moment, rustling sounds came from the dense forest as twenty figures emerged, hurrying toward Raiden.

"Lord Raiden?!"

The leading Jonin gasped in surprise at the scene before him, nervously looking at Uzumaki Raiden. Just as Raiden was about to respond, a heart-wrenching cry echoed from among the group:

"Father!!"

A green blur darted past the Jonin and knelt beside Might Duy, calling out to him with a trembling voice. It was Might Guy. Despite his desperate calls, there was no response from his father, whose lifeless body lay still.

The Jonin who had come across Guy and his companions fleeing toward Konoha had guided them back to the battlefield. They hadn't expected to find that the fallen hero was the boy's father.

Seeing Guy weeping over his father's body, Raiden steeled himself, wiping away his own tears. He stood up and gave his orders:

"Clean the battlefield and hand over all valuable items to me when you're done. Summon Shikuro Aburame to lead the troops to the northeastern border and report to Jiraiya upon arrival. Once the battlefield is cleared, return to Konoha for rest."

The ninjas obeyed swiftly, gathering the bodies of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen and their weapons. Raiden glanced at Shiranui Genma and Ebisu, who were standing nearby, before ignoring them and moving to carry the unconscious Fugaku on his shoulders.

Guy remained kneeling beside his father, his anguished cries filling the air. Raiden did not disturb the grieving boy.

Soon, the Jonin finished their work. The bodies of the five fallen swordsmen were laid in a neat row, with their unique weapons—Blunt Sword, Long Sword, Thunder Sword, Explosive Sword, and Twin Sword Flounder—placed before Raiden. All other ninja tools were collected and stored in a scroll.

The Jonin, understanding the value of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen's corpses and weapons, ensured these items were handled with care, leaving Raiden to manage them.

"To think the Seven Ninja Swordsmen—such powerful adversaries—claimed Duy's life in the process," Raiden muttered with a heavy heart. He retrieved a scroll and carefully sealed the bodies and weapons within it.

"Missing the Samehada and Executioner's Blade... Is this fate?"

Raiden sighed. Despite his efforts to alter the course of events, Duy's death made him question whether the future could truly be changed.

"Let's return to Konoha."

Konoha Village

News of Uchiha Fugaku's team encountering a surprise attack by the Mist Ninja's elite force had already reached the Third Hokage. Just as he dispatched reinforcements, a scouting ninja reported that Raiden's unit was returning to the village.

That evening, Hiruzen Sarutobi finally received word of Raiden's arrival.

"Lord Hokage, Uzumaki Raiden has returned to the village with his team," an Anbu reported.

"What's the situation?" Sarutobi asked with concern. His priority was Fugaku's safety, given the Uchiha clan's status as Konoha's most influential family.

"Uchiha Fugaku is injured and unconscious. He was sent directly to Konoha Hospital upon arrival. However, one of our ninjas, Might Duy, died in battle," the Anbu explained.

Hiruzen was taken aback. "Might Duy? Why was he on the battlefield? And with Fugaku's team, no less?"

As he processed this information, the doors to his office swung open. Mitokadu Homura and Koharu Utatane entered together.

"Hiruzen, we heard Uzumaki Raiden has returned and successfully rescued Uchiha Fugaku from the Seven Ninja Swordsmen. Did he manage to capture any of them?" Homura asked directly, eager to confirm whether the legendary swords had been secured.

"I don't have the full details yet, but Raiden should arrive shortly to report," Hiruzen replied evenly.

Homura and Koharu exchanged glances before sitting down, waiting for Raiden to provide his account.

Raiden's team returned at dusk. With Might Guy's mother having passed away years earlier, Duy's death left Guy without any family to rely on. Upon returning to Konoha, Raiden ensured Fugaku was admitted to the hospital and dismissed the other ninjas to rest. Then, guided by Guy, he arrived at the boy's home.

"Lord Raiden, this is my house," Guy said hoarsely, standing before a modest courtyard on the village outskirts.

"I'm your father's comrade. From now on, just call me 'big brother.' Is there anyone else in your family?" Raiden asked, surveying the humble home.

"It's just been my father and me... and now, just me," Guy replied, his eyes welling with tears.

"I see." Raiden placed a reassuring hand on Guy's shoulder. "From now on, you'll stay with me. I'll take care of you."

Guided by Guy, Raiden entered the small home. He unsealed Duy's body from the scroll and gently laid it in the hall. Seeing his father's body again, Guy couldn't hold back his tears.

Suddenly, an Anbu appeared in the room, kneeling behind Raiden.

"Lord Raiden, the Hokage has summoned you."

Raiden nodded. "Arrange for someone to help this child with his father's funeral."

"My lord, protocol requires that fallen ninjas' bodies undergo examination by the autopsy team before burial," the Anbu reminded him.

"There's no need for Duy's post-mortem report—the enemy has already been dealt with."

Turning to Guy, Raiden said, "I'll be back soon."

With that, he left the house, heading to Hokage's office.

(End of this chapter)