Naruto: Maelstrom Of The Uzumaki

After receiving a report from his subordinates, Minato Namikaze immediately sensed the location of the Flying Thunder God Kunai. After comforting Hatake Sakumo, he activated the Flying Thunder God Technique and rushed towards Kakashi and the others.

However, as time passed and the sun rose, Minato did not return with Kakashi and the others, which made Sakumo increasingly anxious.

"Raiden, Minato has been gone for several hours. Normally, with the Flying Thunder God Technique, he should have reached Kakashi and the others instantly."

"Could something have happened? Should I take a team into the Land of Whirlpools to search?"

Sakumo, worried about his son's safety, made the suggestion to Raiden. Though Sakumo was the commander of one of the troops, Minato had handed over his army to Raiden before leaving. For such matters, it was better for both commanders to discuss the next steps.

"Your concern isn't unwarranted, but even if you lead a team into the Land of Whirlpools, it would be very difficult to find anything."

"The place where Kakashi and the others are trapped is a small town in southern Uzushiogakure, but we don't have detailed information."

"Minato was able to locate them using the mark left by his Flying Thunder God Kunai, but how would you search for them without a clear location?"

"Let's wait a little longer. If Minato doesn't return by afternoon, I'll take a team to investigate."

With that, Raiden stood, casually brushing off his clothes, and turned to Uchiha Fugaku. "Fugaku, send someone to contact the border garrison and ask for precise information on the location of the trapped Konoha team."

"Deploy a vanguard of 20 into the Land of Whirlpools. Report any anomalies immediately."

Fugaku nodded and left to carry out the orders. Soon after, he returned to Raiden's side. Seeing Fugaku's return, Raiden sat down again and reassured Sakumo, "Don't worry, your son is strong."

"Even if he's surrounded by Mist Ninja, he'll find a way to turn the tables."

"Also, trust Minato's abilities. If he hasn't returned, there's likely something delaying him."

Time rewound to a few hours earlier.

Minato activated the Flying Thunder God Technique after hearing the report from his subordinates, aiming to reach Kakashi immediately. With a swift spatial shift, Minato arrived at the designated location, but something was off.

"Where is this?"

There were no signs of Kakashi or his team. A ruined village stretched before him, and his Flying Thunder God Kunai was embedded in a broken wall.

"Crack." Minato pulled the Kunai free, noting dried blood on its blade.

"There was a battle here, but it wasn't large. No significant injuries on either side."

Minato quickly assessed his surroundings. The village was deserted, with long-abandoned buildings. However, fresh traces indicated a recent battle involving Kakashi and his team. Yet, they were nowhere to be found.

"This complicates things," Minato muttered, frowning. With no codes left behind, he could only rely on faint footprints. Though time had passed, he resolved to follow them, disappearing into the forest.

As the day turned to evening, Raiden and Fugaku led several jōnin across the strait into the Land of Whirlpools. Meanwhile, Sakumo remained behind, organizing the troops into a camp on the plains, awaiting updates.

Elsewhere, in the southeast of the Land of Whirlpools, Kakashi and Uchiha Obito darted through the woods. Though uninjured, their disheveled appearances betrayed their struggles. On Obito's back was Rin, unconscious and pale.

"Kakashi, Rin hasn't woken up yet. Shouldn't we stop and rest?" Obito asked, glancing at the girl on his back.

"No, we've come this far under the cover of our seniors. We must press on," Kakashi insisted. "We can't let their sacrifices be in vain."

Obito fell silent, guilt etched across his face. Days earlier, their patrol team had been ambushed by Mist Ninja. Most escaped, but Rin was captured. Against his team's advice, Obito pushed for her rescue. The patrol captain ultimately gathered survivors to support Obito and Kakashi's infiltration of the Mist Ninja camp.

Though successful, the mission alerted the enemy, resulting in heavy sacrifices. Their captain and 14 others stayed behind to buy time for their escape.

"Obito, the captain and his team gave their lives for us. We've been on the run for almost a day. You know what that means," Kakashi said gravely. "They didn't have to die, but they did—because of us."

"I couldn't just abandon Rin!" Obito retorted, his voice cracking. "But don't tell her what happened when she wakes up. She'll blame herself."

Kakashi nodded solemnly. At that moment, Rin stirred on Obito's back, letting out a faint sigh.

"Where am I?"

As her soft voice broke the silence, both boys froze.

(End of this chapter)

>>>>>>>

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

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