Naruto: Maelstrom Of The Uzumaki

Namikaze Minato and Nara Shikaku, who had been chatting happily, turned with joy upon seeing Uzumaki Raiden return.

"Raiden! You're back!" Minato exclaimed.

"If Kushina finds out, she'll be thrilled!" He approached Raiden and pulled him into a firm embrace, patting him on the back with excitement.

"I came back for exactly that reason," Raiden said, gently pushing Minato back, his expression turning serious. "Regarding my sister's childbirth, we can't risk doing it in the hospital."

"We need to prepare a hidden location for the delivery."

Raiden's solemn tone left Minato and Shikaku slightly confused. The two exchanged glances before Shikaku asked curiously:

"Raiden, I understand your concern for Kushina, but isn't this being a bit too cautious?"

"A hospital has all the necessary facilities, and with our top medical personnel on hand, everything should go smoothly."

Shikaku assumed Raiden's concern stemmed from his brotherly affection, worried Kushina wouldn't receive proper care. However, Minato, knowing the truth, realized that Raiden was already aware of the potential threats surrounding Kushina's pregnancy.

"Alright," Minato said, placing a reassuring hand on Shikaku's shoulder. "I'll inform the Barrier Corps and the Medical Corps to make the necessary preparations."

Shikaku, though still puzzled, nodded and quickly shifted gears. "Since that's the case, the barrier and medical teams should be put on standby."

"But," he added thoughtfully, "to maintain secrecy, it's best not to arrange the delivery within the village. Kushina should also reduce public appearances to prevent anyone from estimating her due date."

Raiden nodded, appreciating Shikaku's keen observations. "No need to inform the Barrier or Medical Corps—I'll personally select the delivery location and set up the barriers myself."

"I will also handpick the medical staff and guards. I'll take full responsibility for Kushina's safety."

Seeing Raiden's determination, Minato put aside his doubts and nodded. After finalizing a few strategic details, they moved on to discussing recent village developments. Meanwhile, Shisui and Itachi excused themselves, heading back to the Uchiha compound for a long-overdue reunion with their families.

Time passed swiftly, and soon, October arrived...

As autumn painted the village in hues of gold and red, the streets of Konoha buzzed with life. Under the warm glow of dusk, families strolled through the streets, and shops filled with patrons enjoying the peaceful evening.

In the Hokage's office, Raiden stood by the window, gazing at the sky with a contemplative expression. The date he had been preparing for had finally arrived—tonight was Kushina's due date.

Over the past month, Raiden had meticulously prepared eight different locations for the delivery. Each site was heavily guarded, with medical teams in place, and he had personally reinforced them with powerful barriers.

Among the eight sites, only one was the actual delivery location, while the others served as decoys to mislead potential threats.

With Minato's Flying Thunder God technique, pinpointing the real site would be nearly impossible for their enemies.

Swish!

"Lord Hokage, everything has been set up. No abnormalities detected so far," Kakashi reported, appearing in the office with his trademark silver hair and Anbu mask.

"Kakashi, has your sensei brought Kushina to the designated location?" Raiden asked calmly.

"Yes, Sensei has already transported Kushina to the base," Kakashi confirmed before vanishing again.

Raiden exhaled slowly, his gaze sharpening as he muttered to himself, "Come on, let's see what you're capable of."

Meanwhile, at the Senju compound...

In the courtyard, Senju Nawaki and Mariko sat together, with their baby cradled in Mariko's arms. The infant, a girl named Karin, cooed and waved her tiny hands in the air, while Nawaki wrapped an arm around his wife, playfully teasing their daughter.

Karin was born in June, just a month after Fugaku's second child.

"You're home early today," Mariko said softly. "Aren't you usually working until late evening?"

Nawaki smiled. "There's not much to do today, so I thought I'd come back early and spend time with my girls."

Looking around, he asked, "Where's my sister? Has she come back yet?"

Mariko shook her head. "Lady Tsunade has been coming home late these days."

Nawaki grinned, pulling Mariko closer. "That's good. More time for us," he whispered into her ear, making her blush as the warmth of his breath tickled her skin.

Just as Nawaki leaned in for another embrace, a chilling sensation shot through the air. Without warning, white, root-like tendrils burst from Mariko's body, rapidly wrapping around Karin.

"What the—?!" Nawaki jumped to his feet, alarmed, as the strange white spores engulfed Mariko, rendering her immobile.

"Water Release: Water Severing Wave!"

A sharp jet of water shot from Nawaki's mouth, slicing through one of the white creatures. However, despite being pierced, the strange growths persisted, tightening their grip.

In mere moments, the spores began dragging Mariko and Karin underground.

"Mariko!" Nawaki shouted, forming a series of hand seals.

"Earth Release: Earth Upheaval Palm!"

Slamming his hands into the ground, the earth cracked and crumbled, disrupting the spores' escape path. Dust filled the air as the spores were momentarily immobilized.

"Water Release: Water Prison Jutsu!"

With swift precision, Nawaki encased the spores in a sphere of pressurized water.

But a sinister voice echoed from within. "You wouldn't want to harm your precious child now, would you?"

A grotesque human face emerged on the surface of the spores, and in a cruel display, it revealed Karin's delicate form inside. The water pressure pressed dangerously against the infant's chest.

"Stop!" Nawaki, horrified, quickly dispelled the technique. In the split second of his hesitation, the spores burrowed underground with Mariko and Karin.

Before Nawaki could react, Raiden arrived in a flash of lightning.

"Damn it," Raiden muttered as he scanned the area. "That was too fast."

"The barriers I set up weren't triggered... why?" His mind raced through possible explanations, but there was no time to dwell.

Focusing his chakra, Raiden honed in on the tracking seal he had placed on Mariko.

"Got you!" Without hesitation, he vanished in a blur, pursuing the fleeing enemy.

For Konoha, Mariko's safety was of utmost importance. But Raiden knew this was only the beginning.

(End of this chapter)