Naruto: Maelstrom Of The Uzumaki

Yabuki Shingo's attack was swift and violent, with a powerful force stirring up gusts of wind. The intense attack made the members of the Shadow Guard watching exclaim in shock. Many could already foresee Uzumaki Raiden's miserable state in the next moment. 

"Oh!" 

A muffled sound echoed in the field. Yabuki Shingo, who was attacking Raiden with both fists, suddenly found that his strike could no longer advance an inch. A tremendous force pushed back against his arms, blocking his attack entirely. 

Lowering his eyebrows, Yabuki Shingo saw Uzumaki Raiden calmly extending one hand to catch his punch. What shocked him most was that Raiden's muscles didn't even seem to tense. The red-haired man had neutralized his attack effortlessly. 

"Ticklish?" 

Raiden whispered, then swiftly punched Yabuki Shingo's lower abdomen with his left hand. The impact made Shingo's body bend like a shrimp, and the force of Raiden's counterattack sent him flying. 

"Ugh!" The immense pain in his abdomen caused Shingo to retch, though only clear fluid came out. Unable to maintain his composure, he collapsed to the ground, half-kneeling before Raiden. 

Raiden released his grip, pressing lightly on Shingo's shoulder. Instantly, Shingo's knees hit the ground, creating cracks in the stone floor. 

"I don't like people looking down on me. Please remember that," Raiden said coldly, leaning slightly and whispering into Shingo's ear. 

"I am the vice-captain of the Shadow Guard! How dare you?" 

Yabuki Shingo struggled to stand, shouting angrily. However, Raiden's overwhelming strength kept him pinned, and the sharp pain in his knees brought him back to his senses. 

"You should be thankful that you're the vice-captain of the Shadow Guard; otherwise, you wouldn't be walking out of here upright," Raiden remarked. "Don't use your title to pressure me. Orders only count when I choose to follow them. Otherwise, they're meaningless. Understand?" 

As Raiden finished speaking, a black curse seal appeared on Shingo's shoulder, pinning him to the ground. Even though Raiden let go, Shingo remained immobilized. 

"What are you doing? Let me go!" 

The surrounding crowd parted suddenly as Hatake Sakumo approached, his stern expression silencing everyone. Shingo's pupils shrank as he looked at Raiden with serious eyes. 

"Uzumaki Raiden, what's going on here? Why did you suddenly attack your comrade? Explain yourself," Sakumo demanded, his tone sharp. 

Yuhi Makoto quickly interjected, "Captain, this is a misunderstanding. Raiden didn't mean anything by it." However, Sakumo ignored him, turning his attention back to Raiden. 

"Who struck first?" Sakumo asked. 

Raiden's expression remained calm. "I struck first. Vice-Captain Shingo seemed to like tickling, so I scratched him." 

Yabuki Shingo blushed at this but said nothing. 

"Shingo, explain," Sakumo ordered, turning to the kneeling man. 

"Captain, it's nothing serious. We were just joking around," Shingo replied smoothly, surprising Raiden. Despite his earlier anger, Shingo now seemed intent on diffusing the situation. 

"Huh?" Sakumo raised an eyebrow at Shingo's response but didn't press further. 

"Yeah, just messing around," Makoto added, stepping forward to block Sakumo's view. 

Sakumo glanced at the damaged walls and ground, then gave Raiden a sharp look before turning to leave. "I will not tolerate teammates attacking one another. Consider this your warning," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument. 

As Sakumo departed, the tension lifted. Raiden, however, felt the weight of Sakumo's presence and estimated his strength, concluding it was on par with the Third Hokage's. 

"Hey, if you don't release me, I'll report you!" Shingo yelled, breaking Raiden's train of thought. 

Raiden waved a hand, dispelling the curse mark. As Shingo stood and stretched, he looked unaffected by the earlier blow. 

"You're impressive, kid," Shingo said, grinning. "I respect capable people. My name is Yabuki Shingo, vice-captain of the Shadow Guard. If you ever need anything, come find me!" 

Shingo extended a hand toward Raiden, who hesitated before shaking it briefly. 

"This guy doesn't just have strange hobbies; I need to stay away from him," Raiden thought as he quickly pulled his hand back and walked away. 

Watching Raiden leave, Shingo touched his abdomen and smiled. Yuhi Makoto, on the other hand, hurried to catch up with Raiden, eager to leave the scene. 

Despite the incident, Raiden successfully completed his registration. However, he declined the Shadow Guard's armor, preferring to rely on defensive seals that wouldn't hinder his movements. 

After parting ways with Yuhi Makoto, Raiden shared his first day as a guard with Kushina at the hospital. The siblings enjoyed lunch, chatting and laughing together before Raiden headed toward the No. 2 training field on Konoha's outskirts. 

(End of this chapter)