Naruto: Maelstrom Of The Uzumaki

The sudden arrival of Raiden Uzumaki was completely unexpected. In the large crater nearby, Raikage Ai slowly climbed out, joining Kirabi. His expression was solemn as he regarded Raiden and muttered:

"What overwhelming strength... even greater than mine!"

"And that speed—it can match my own attacks."

"The lightning armor surrounding his body... as the intelligence suggested. Could Konoha have succeeded in stealing the secret techniques of our village?"

Raikage Ai's chakra flared violently as he glared at Raiden Uzumaki. At the same time, in the burning forest behind them, a sudden surge of water extinguished some of the flames, blanketing the area in thick mist. Cloud Ninja emerged from the forest, quickly regrouping around Raikage Ai and Kirabi.

"Steal? Do you think techniques of this level require stealing? My lightning style is leagues beyond yours!"

"Leagues beyond? That's just my technique—improved!"

Raiden smirked at Raikage Ai's accusation before vanishing in an instant.

"He's coming!" Raikage Ai shifted into a defensive stance, his heightened senses attempting to track Raiden's movement. At such incredible speeds, ordinary vision was useless without specialized sensory techniques or abilities.

Kirabi, prompted by Raikage Ai's warning, stowed away his extra weapons, holding only one blade to defend.

Zzzt!

But instead of attacking Raikage Ai or Kirabi, Raiden appeared in the midst of the Cloud Ninja forces, unleashing a devastating assault.

"Attack!" Raiden's attack instantly eliminated more than a dozen Cloud Ninja. Without waiting for explanations, Hatake Sakumo and Namikaze Minato led their troops into the fray.

Chaos erupted as Konoha and Cloud Ninja clashed across the battlefield.

Seeing Raiden wreak havoc within his ranks, Raikage Ai wasted no time and charged at him.

"This guy is too powerful. Ordinary ninjas don't stand a chance against him," Raikage Ai thought grimly. "I can't let him rampage any further."

Raikage Ai had already gauged Raiden's capabilities from their brief skirmish. He knew this was no ordinary opponent. Raiden Uzumaki's name was well-known throughout the ninja world. Facing such a foe, Raikage Ai had no intention of holding back.

"Lightning Release: Lightning Pillar!"

As Raikage Ai dashed toward Raiden, the latter formed a quick seal. A blinding white light erupted from his hand, forcing all nearby—both Cloud and Konoha ninjas—to shield their eyes. Even Raikage Ai hesitated briefly, caught off guard.

Just as Raiden continued his assault on the Cloud forces, a figure dashed past Raikage Ai, blade drawn, heading straight for Raiden.

"Huh?" Raiden noticed the attacker's swift movement and was surprised to find them unaffected by the Lightning Pillar's blinding light.

A short blade surrounded by powerful Lightning Chakra slashed toward Raiden's neck. Reacting instantly, Raiden drew the Sakegari no Tachi from his waist to block. It was then that Raiden recognized his attacker—Kirabi.

Clang!

The blades collided with a sharp, ringing sound. When Kirabi's first strike failed, he spun mid-air, drawing another blade to aim at Raiden's face. Raiden tilted his head slightly to evade.

"I still have energy, the charm shines,

Kirabi Eight-Tails, rap divine!

Yeah! Huh! The battle's begun,

Here comes my fun!"

Kirabi broke into an offbeat rap as he spun rapidly. His bizarre movements drew more weapons from his arsenal, increasing the speed and unpredictability of his attacks. Raiden found his defenses increasingly strained against the onslaught.

"Am I supposed to be impressed by this circus act?!" Raiden muttered. With a cold gleam in his eye, he gathered chakra into his left hand and slammed it into the ground.

Boom!

The earth shattered, sending chunks of debris flying at Kirabi. Forced to slow his rotations, Kirabi skillfully deflected the stones but retreated cautiously.

Kirabi, now standing at a distance, flashed a confident smile despite the scratches and bruises on his body.

"This guy's insane," Hatake Sakumo said, stepping up beside Raiden. His eyes narrowed at Kirabi's unusual stance and unpredictable rhythm.

Minato soon joined them, holding a specialized kunai in his hand. The battlefield was littered with his Flying Thunder God markers, a clear indication of his preparation.

"Well done, Bee," Raikage Ai said as he approached Kirabi, a grin forming on his face.

Meanwhile, a Cloud Ninja whispered urgently to Raikage Ai, "The Heavenly Transfer Technique is ready. We can teleport at any time."

Raikage Ai's expression turned ferocious.

Cloud Ninja had meticulously prepared for their assault on Konoha, including tools for the Heavenly Transfer Technique to transport the Third Raikage directly into the village. However, upon confirming Raiden Uzumaki's presence, Raikage Ai decided to use the technique early to summon his father to the battlefield.

Even if they failed to breach Konoha, eliminating these elite Konoha ninjas—Raiden Uzumaki, Hatake Sakumo, and Namikaze Minato—would cripple Konoha's ability to mount a defense.

"Activate it now!" Raikage Ai ordered in a hushed tone.

Unaware of Cloud's plans, Raiden and the others noticed the shifting dynamics but couldn't hear the conversation.

Raiden's sharp instincts told him something was wrong. Reading Raikage Ai's intense gaze, he felt certain the situation was about to escalate. Without hesitation, he charged forward with the Sakegari no Tachi, Minato and Sakumo following close behind.

The three clashed fiercely against Raikage Ai and Kirabi. Being outnumbered, the Cloud duo quickly found themselves overwhelmed. Raikage Ai's Lightning Armor seemed ineffective against Raiden's relentless strikes, leaving him with numerous injuries.

Minato and Sakumo forced Kirabi to draw on the Tailed Beast Chakra just to fend them off, but even that wasn't enough to shift the tide.

As the battle tipped in Konoha's favor, a sudden white light illuminated the sky. A massive beam of energy pierced the ground, forcing Raiden, Minato, and Sakumo to retreat.

"What's happening?" Sakumo muttered, his hand tightening around his blade.

The light slowly faded, revealing an imposing figure. An elderly yet muscular man stood bare-chested, with a long beard and a lightning-shaped scar across his chest. Despite his age, his aura exuded immense power, casting a heavy pressure over the battlefield.

"Who… who is this?" Minato whispered, his expression tense.

Raikage Ai's ferocious grin widened.

"The Third Raikage!"

(End of Chapter)

>>>>>>>

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

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