Naruto: Maelstrom Of The Uzumaki

After breaking through the barrier, Roshi found no sign of Uzumaki Raiden and his team. Instead, he discovered that the Iwagakure forces had encircled a three-man Konoha team.

Frustrated and enraged after being outmaneuvered by Raiden's barrier tactics and having to endure his own Tailed Beast Bomb, Roshi's fury boiled over. Upon spotting Jiraiya and his team, he launched an immediate attack.

However, the Konoha trio proved their strength, evading his initial assault. Missing his mark only further infuriated Roshi. He let out a beast-like roar, his chakra spiraling out in violent waves.

"Roar!!!"

Three fiery tails formed from his chakra lashed out, targeting Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Tsunade, each blow laden with molten magma.

Jiraiya Protects Tsunade

"Tsunade!" Jiraiya shouted, immediately running toward her. As he ran, he rapidly formed hand seals. Just before the chakra tail reached them, a massive earthen wall erupted from the ground in front of Tsunade, shielding her. Jiraiya stood firm, positioning himself between Tsunade and the attack.

Not far away, Orochimaru had summoned Rashomon to block Roshi's attack. The violent collision left cracks on both defenses, and Jiraiya gritted his teeth, pouring more chakra into his wall.

"We've blocked it!" he muttered, his relief short-lived as the earthen wall suddenly crumbled. Two chakra tails broke through the barrier, their overwhelming force more than Jiraiya's Earth Release could withstand.

Jiraiya held his ground, trying to reinforce the defense, but Tsunade realized the imminent danger. Acting swiftly, she grabbed Jiraiya by the shoulders, yanking him to the side just in time to dodge the attack.

A Hidden Enemy Strikes

Before they could catch their breath, a hidden Iwagakure shinobi emerged from the ground, lunging at Tsunade with a kunai aimed for her heart.

"Tsunade!" Jiraiya reacted instinctively, turning to shield her with his body. The kunai plunged into his back, piercing deep. Blood soaked his clothes as he slumped into Tsunade's arms.

"Jiraiya!" Tsunade cried out, her voice filled with anguish. Fury surged through her, and she turned to the attacker. With one powerful punch, she crushed the Iwagakure shinobi into the ground, the impact so forceful it left a crater. Blood seeped from the enemy's body, pooling into the earth.

Orochimaru's Retreat

On the other side of the battlefield, Orochimaru noticed the dire situation. Without hesitation, he summoned Manda. Jumping onto the giant snake's back, Orochimaru quickly maneuvered toward Jiraiya and Tsunade, scooping them onto Manda as they sped out of the city.

To delay the pursuing Iwagakure forces, Orochimaru hurled kunai equipped with explosive tags behind him.

"Boom!!!"

The explosion rattled the city, obscuring their escape as the trio vanished into the darkness.

Roshi's Frustration

"Organize the troops and pursue them!" Roshi commanded, his voice seething with rage. "I want them dead!"

As his transformation faded, Roshi dropped to one knee, his body covered in burns from the corrosive effects of the Four-Tails' chakra. His once-imposing figure now trembled with exhaustion.

"Even after all this training, I can't sustain the Four-Tails' chakra for long. My practice is still far from enough," he muttered, his vision blurring as he tried to steady himself.

Raiden and the Others Rest

Dawn broke as Uzumaki Raiden and his team, having run all night, found a hidden cave to rest. They collapsed inside, grateful to be alive.

"Thanks to Raiden's barrier, we're still here," Fugaku said, sitting on a rock and munching on a ration pill. "That Tailed Beast Bomb… Without the barrier, we'd all be dead."

Raiden smiled at the compliment but knew their survival was as much about luck as it was strategy. "We owe it to the Iwagakure's own defensive barrier," he admitted. "It worked in our favor for once."

Minato, still guilt-ridden, stood and bowed deeply. "I'm sorry. My decision put us all in danger. Please forgive me."

The team exchanged awkward glances, unsure how to respond. Minato's humility, while endearing, felt out of place for a team captain and seasoned shinobi.

"Minato, enough of that," Raiden said, patting him on the shoulder and handing him a water bottle. "Let's focus on what's next. By the way, when you saw that Tailed Beast Bomb, what went through your mind?"

Minato scratched his head sheepishly. "Honestly? It was terrifying. Unstoppable. But the name… It's too bland. I'd call it something cooler, like Super Invincible Spiral Flash Zero Type."

Raiden stared at him, dumbfounded. "Uh… I meant, did it give you any ideas for new jutsu?" he clarified.

"Oh!" Minato perked up. "Not really. I'm just trying to figure out our next target. With someone like Roshi guarding Shuri City, it's off the table. We need to find another objective."

Raiden sighed, realizing Minato's mind was already back to strategizing. He sat down to rest but immediately jumped up as his sensory barrier was triggered.

"Someone's coming!" Raiden warned, his body tense.

"Did we fail to shake them off?" Hiashi asked, activating his Byakugan.

Raiden narrowed his eyes. "No, it's not a pursuit. Only three people are heading this way."

He quickly sent a shadow clone to investigate while readying his team for a potential fight. Moments later, the cave entrance darkened as three figures stepped inside.

(End of Chapter)

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