Naruto: Maelstrom Of The Uzumaki

"The enemy is coming!"

Orochimaru's words dropped like a stone into still water, sending ripples of tension through the cave.

Uzumaki Raiden and Tsunade, who had been bickering moments earlier, turned their attention to Orochimaru. Minato and Jiraiya, not far away, both wore serious expressions. Only Might Duy remained unaffected, his face calm and unreadable.

"Pursuers from Iwagakure?" Raiden muttered, activating his Kagura Mind's Eye to scan the surrounding area. His chakra quickly linked to the perception barriers he had previously set. Yet, at first, he found no sign of the enemy.

"I don't sense anyone," he said, his brows furrowing.

Orochimaru didn't respond to Raiden's words, his expression unreadable.

The Pursuers Appear

Moments later, multiple figures entered Raiden's perception field—dozens of Iwagakure shinobi rushing toward them. Raiden's eyes widened in surprise as he murmured to himself, "His range of perception is bigger than mine…"

He didn't have time to dwell on it. Instead, he turned to Minato, waiting for their captain to decide their next move. Despite Jiraiya and Tsunade's seniority, for Raiden and his team, Minato's orders held the most weight.

"Let's retreat immediately," Minato said decisively. "Duy, carry Jiraiya-sensei."

Duy approached Jiraiya to lift him, but before he could, Orochimaru stepped in, his hand firmly stopping Duy.

"Huh?" Duy looked confused as Orochimaru's cold gaze swept over him.

"Orochimaru, what are you doing?" Minato asked sharply.

Orochimaru turned, addressing the group with an unsettling calm. "We're in the middle of a war. Personal attachments cannot dictate our decisions."

"What are you talking about?" Minato's voice carried a hint of anger.

Orochimaru's eyes narrowed. "We can't all escape while carrying Jiraiya. He's slowing us down. I've sensed the Four-Tails Jinchuriki among the pursuers. If we try to retreat as a group, we'll be wiped out."

"You can't mean…" Minato's voice trailed off as Orochimaru pulled a kunai from his pouch.

"That's right. I'll kill Jiraiya here to increase our chances of survival."

Conflict in the Cave

Minato stepped in front of Jiraiya, shielding him with his body. At the same time, Raiden appeared beside Orochimaru, gripping the hand that held the kunai.

"You think sacrificing him is the only solution?" Raiden asked coldly.

Orochimaru let out a derisive snort, his piercing gaze boring into Raiden's.

Before anyone could act, the sound of explosions erupted outside the cave. The traps Raiden had set were triggering, and the mountain began to shake violently as Iwagakure's shinobi attacked in full force. Rocks and dust fell from the ceiling, and the atmosphere grew tense.

"They're trying to bury us alive!" Hiashi said, his Byakugan active.

Orochimaru sneered, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "You still don't understand the gravity of the situation, do you? Keeping Jiraiya here is a death sentence for all of us."

Tsunade's Stand

Before Orochimaru could make his move, Tsunade stepped forward, her voice sharp and unwavering. "If you dare lay a finger on him, I'll kill you."

Orochimaru's expression darkened, his usual calm giving way to frustration. Yet, he didn't move. Raiden, still holding Orochimaru's hand, noticed that despite the tension in the room, Orochimaru's killing intent was faint, almost nonexistent.

"You're bluffing," Tsunade continued. "Jiraiya's trust in you runs deep—so deep it probably terrifies you."

Orochimaru's eyes flickered with something unrecognizable, but the moment passed quickly. "How tedious," he muttered.

The Escape Plan

Before the argument could escalate, a massive boulder dislodged from the mountain and crashed into the cave floor. Dust and debris filled the air, and Raiden instinctively jumped back.

When the dust cleared, he saw Orochimaru and Tsunade supporting Jiraiya together, with Minato standing nearby, unharmed. The boulder had missed them by mere inches.

Raiden exhaled in relief. "Seems your murderous intent has vanished," he said dryly.

But there was no time for celebration. Explosions outside the cave grew more intense, signaling the enemy's advance.

"We can't waste any more time," Raiden said urgently. "Lady Tsunade, you and Lord Orochimaru take Jiraiya and retreat. The rest of us will hold them off."

"Retreat? You mean break through?" Tsunade asked, confused.

Raiden didn't answer directly. Instead, he activated a Four-Symbol Seal etched into the cave wall. A glowing rune appeared, and black water flowed across the rock face before a new exit opened behind them.

"Go!" Raiden shouted, motioning toward the new path.

The Rear Guard

Orochimaru didn't hesitate. Throwing Jiraiya onto his back, he followed Tsunade out of the cave. Hiashi, Fugaku, Duy, Minato, and Raiden stayed behind, bracing themselves for the incoming enemy.

The moment the others were gone, Rashomon, summoned by Orochimaru, disappeared, and the storm outside subsided just enough for them to see the enemy advancing through the haze of smoke and dust.

"Sorry, everyone," Raiden said, his voice steady despite the tension. "I made this decision on my own."

"We're a team," Fugaku said with a smirk. "No need to apologize."

"Let's give them hell!" Raiden shouted, summoning a massive army of shadow clones.

Facing the Enemy

The Iwagakure shinobi emerged from the smoke, their numbers far exceeding what Raiden's team had anticipated. But the Konoha ninja held their ground, Raiden's clones surging forward like a tidal wave.

"Attack the strong with the weak, huh?" Fugaku murmured, excitement gleaming in his eyes as he activated his Sharingan. "Let's see what we're made of."

Raiden's voice rang out, filled with determination. "Charge!"

(End of Chapter)

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