Naruto: Maelstrom Of The Uzumaki

"Grandma Mito? It's you!" Uzumaki Raiden's tense posture relaxed the moment he recognized who had grabbed him. Only someone like Uzumaki Mito could evade his sensory abilities so effortlessly and appear right behind him.

"Grandma Mito, what's going on?" Raiden asked, his voice filled with confusion. Despite Kushina's kidnapping, his face betrayed no panic.

"Oh?" Mito raised an eyebrow, her eyes narrowing slightly as she observed him. "Have you figured something out?"

Raiden's composed demeanor and sharp gaze told Mito that this boy, barely four years old, had already pieced together parts of the puzzle.

"I wasn't entirely certain before, but seeing you here confirms my suspicions," Raiden began.

"The enemy broke into the house and kidnapped Sister Kushina far too easily. That kind of breach isn't a matter of personal strength—it had to be deliberate. Someone wanted her taken.

"And the only ones capable of orchestrating such a plan are the village higher-ups. Was this arranged by Lord Hokage?"

Raiden's confidence was palpable as he spoke, his logical deductions seemingly irrefutable.

Mito smiled, clearly pleased with his analytical skills. But then her expression darkened, a mischievous glint appearing in her eyes. She bent down, placing a hand on Raiden's head.

"Some of your guesses are correct," she said, her voice calm yet pointed. "But most are wrong."

Raiden blinked, his confidence wavering.

"Yes, I allowed the enemy to enter the house, but that's the only thing you got right. The enemy isn't some actor set up by the village. They're real—genuine shinobi from Cloud Village."

Raiden's face changed slightly as Mito continued, her tone growing more serious.

"You think your half-baked stealth skills fooled the enemy? If I hadn't been covering for you, they'd have discovered you in an instant. Your mind's eye is good, but it's not enough to make you invisible. Against seasoned Cloud shinobi, you'd have been exposed within seconds."

Mito's hand remained steady on Raiden's head as she explained.

"The Cloud ninjas you sensed are indeed jonin. Officially, they came here for peace talks and alliances, but their real mission was to kidnap Kushina.

"We knew their intentions thanks to our spies, and I allowed this to play out for a reason. This is all part of my plan."

Raiden listened, his mind reeling as Mito revealed her true motives.

"The point of this 'kidnapping' is to give Konoha a valid reason to initiate war. The tension between Konoha and the Cloud has been irreconcilable for some time. I aim to eliminate this threat while I'm still alive.

"Once they leave the village with Kushina, I'll strike. Their actions will serve as the perfect justification for Konoha to retaliate."

Mito's words were chilling, her calm delivery making them all the more unsettling.

For a moment, Raiden was frozen, his thoughts racing. He had assumed this was a ploy by the Third Hokage to orchestrate a "hero saves the beauty" scenario for Namikaze Minato to win Kushina's favor. But this—this was far beyond anything he'd imagined.

A plan to ignite war? A deliberate provocation under Mito's direction? It was both brilliant and terrifying.

Sensing Raiden's unease, Mito chuckled softly and ruffled his hair.

"Are you thinking I'm some kind of war criminal, child?" she asked, her voice teasing.

"Cloud Village brought this upon themselves. Their intentions were never pure. And if I don't handle this now, while I'm still alive, the aftermath will be far worse for Konoha after I'm gone."

Raiden remained silent. He understood war far better than Mito could have imagined. Living through countless historical examples in his previous life, he knew war was a beast no one could fully control. Once unleashed, it devoured indiscriminately.

But he didn't voice these thoughts. He was only four years old, after all. Who would listen?

"Grandma," Raiden finally said, his voice low but firm. "Let me come with you. I'm worried about Kushina."

Mito glanced at him, her sharp eyes softening. "Hmph. I suppose you won't be able to sleep without seeing it through. Fine, come along."

She wrapped an arm around Raiden's waist, and with a burst of speed, they dashed toward the village gates.

Outside the village, the four-man team from Cloud had just crossed the barrier. Moving quickly, they had traveled some distance when kunai shot out from the forest, striking the ground near them.

"Scatter!" the leader barked, and the team instantly dispersed, leaving Kushina's unconscious form in the middle of their formation.

Kushina's eyes fluttered open, and she glanced around. Realizing the group had been attacked, her fear was quickly replaced by excitement.

"Who's there?" the leader demanded, kunai in hand, scanning the forest. The other three ninjas closed in protectively around Kushina, their eyes darting for any sign of the attacker.

Under the pale moonlight, a figure stepped out from the shadows. A boy with golden hair, holding a kunai, his presence both youthful and determined.

"Minato?!" Kushina gasped. Her initial excitement turned to alarm. "Run! You're no match for them!"

The Cloud ninja froze momentarily, surprised by the child's audacity. But their shock quickly turned to amusement.

"Hah! It's just a brat," one of them sneered, cracking his knuckles. "Hey, kid, shouldn't you be in bed?"

"Go home before you hurt yourself," another jeered.

The team laughed, advancing toward Minato, their confidence evident.

"Boy," the leader said with a smirk, "let me show you just how cruel the ninja world can be!"

(End of Chapter)

>>>>>>>

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

Read up to Chapter 65 ahead on [Patreon.com/ggfanfiction]

For every 100 PowerStones I'll post an extra Chapter