Naruto: Maelstrom Of The Uzumaki

"Lord Hokage?"

The sight of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, sitting casually in the living room left Uzumaki Raiden stunned. The sheer unexpectedness of his presence rooted Raiden in place, his exclamation hanging in the air as he remained motionless at the doorway.

"Raiden, why are you standing there? Come in."

Mito's warm voice pulled him from his stupor. She smiled at him and gestured for him to sit beside her. "Look, this is the ninjutsu teacher I found for you. Are you satisfied?"

Raiden hesitated, stepping into the room cautiously. Hiruzen greeted him with a kind smile, observing the young boy with interest.

"As expected of a child Mito-sama calls a genius," thought Hiruzen, his eyes lingering on Raiden's well-built frame. "Years of training have clearly paid off. His physical conditioning is exceptional. This boy must excel in taijutsu."

A Misgiving Disguised as Gratitude

Raiden sat across from the Third Hokage, his mind racing. "Why would someone as busy as the Hokage be my teacher?" he thought.

"Grandma Mito, I'm just a kid who hasn't even graduated from the Ninja Academy yet," Raiden said tactfully, his tone humble. "Wouldn't it be better to ask a Chunin to guide me? Lord Hokage must have far more important matters to attend to."

Hiruzen smiled kindly, brushing off the suggestion. "It's no trouble at all, Raiden. Mito-sama entrusted me with this task, and I take great pleasure in guiding the next generation. Cultivating talent is one of my responsibilities as Hokage."

Raiden's polite refusal faltered under the weight of Hiruzen's words. "I guess I can't push this any further," he thought. Declining a direct offer from the Hokage would only raise suspicion or cause offense—neither of which Raiden wanted.

Accepting the Teacher

"Hehe, Raiden," Hiruzen continued with a warm chuckle, "I'll take good care of you from now on."

Raiden stood up and walked over to Hiruzen. Sitting cross-legged before the Hokage, he bowed deeply. "Sarutobi-sensei, I will do my best to learn from you. Please take care of me."

Hiruzen's expression shifted, becoming solemn. He stood, returning the bow. "From now on, you are my disciple. I will teach you everything I know."

The formal exchange filled the room with a sense of weight and purpose. For Raiden, the act was more than just accepting a teacher—it was an acknowledgment of alignment with the Hokage's ideals and protection under his banner.

Mito's Approval

Watching the interaction from her seat, Mito smiled softly. "Good, good," she murmured. She had arranged for this meeting not just to find Raiden a mentor, but to ensure the Uzumaki siblings had a solid foundation in Konoha even after she was gone.

"Alright," Mito said, standing slowly. "Since the two of you have established your bond, I'll leave you to it. Raiden, study hard under your new teacher."

Hiruzen was quick to rise and offer his arm to assist Mito, but she waved him off. "Raiden, help me to my room," she said. Raiden rushed forward, guiding her gently out of the room.

As they left, Hiruzen sat back, his mind heavy with thoughts. "Even Mito-sama, as strong as she is, cannot escape the passage of time. If her health fails, the village will lose one of its greatest assets. We must be prepared for what's to come."

Training Begins

When Raiden returned, the Third Hokage was ready. "Shall we begin your training, Raiden?" Hiruzen asked, his warm demeanor brightening the room.

Raiden's enthusiasm ignited. "Yes, Sarutobi-sensei! Please teach me Thunder Release ninjutsu!"

Hiruzen chuckled. "Alright, but first, let's assess your chakra nature. Follow me to the training grounds."

A Public Spectacle

The two walked through the streets of Konoha together. Raiden quickly realized just how beloved the Hokage was. Villagers constantly stopped Hiruzen to express their gratitude or offer gifts, praising his leadership.

"Lord Hokage, thank you for taking care of my husband during his mission!"

"Lord Hokage, I brought you fresh eggs from my farm!"

Raiden watched in awe. The journey to the training ground, which should have taken ten minutes, stretched to half an hour as Hiruzen stopped to chat with nearly everyone.

"How could someone this respected possibly be as sinister as people claim in those conspiracy theories?" Raiden wondered, recalling his past life's online discussions. "His chakra feels warm and kind—surely someone like this can't harbor darkness."

The Chakra Test

At the training ground, Hiruzen handed Raiden a chakra test paper. "Let's start by determining your chakra attributes. This paper will react to your chakra and reveal your nature."

Raiden held the small, unassuming paper in his hands. Following Hiruzen's instructions, he channeled his chakra into it.

The reaction was immediate. The paper crumpled into a ball, then spontaneously burst into flames. Raiden yelped and dropped it, watching the ashes scatter in the wind.

"Incredible!" Sarutobi Shinnosuke, who was training nearby, exclaimed. "Fire and lightning? How is that possible?"

Kushina, who was practicing with Minato and Shinnosuke, rushed over. "Raiden, you never told me you had two chakra natures!"

Raiden scratched his head, confused. "I didn't know either."

"Actually," Hiruzen interjected, "the paper burning could indicate fire nature, but it might also mean you have an exceptionally high chakra output. We'll have to investigate further."

The First Lesson

"Let's start with something simple," Hiruzen said. "I'll teach you a C-rank Thunder Release jutsu: Lightning Pillar. It's a technique that generates a blinding flash to disorient enemies."

He demonstrated the jutsu with three quick hand seals. A brilliant burst of light erupted from his hands, flooding the training ground with dazzling intensity. Everyone instinctively shielded their eyes.

"Wow!" Kushina exclaimed. "It's like you turned into the sun!"

Raiden, still blinking away the afterimage, grinned. "Sarutobi-sensei, teach me how to do that!"

(End of Chapter)

>>>>>>>

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

Read up to Chapter 100 ahead on [Patreon.com/ggfanfiction]

For every 100 PowerStones I'll post an extra Chapter