Chapter 11: Repercussions of Dimensional Travel I
Chapter 11: Repercussions of Dimensional Travel I
Few days before Kushina's kidnapping, the sun shone in Konoha with an eerie calm. The usual bustle filled the streets, but for Minato Namikaze, that day carried with it a feeling of discomfort, something he couldn't shake. It was more than the daily routine; It was Kushina's absence, which had left a palpable void in the air.
Kushina was not one to disappear without saying anything, much less miss her morning training.
Minato knew this better than anyone. There was a bond between them that didn't need words to understand; They knew that, in one way or another, they were connected. But that day, Kushina's sparkling energy was absent, and Minato couldn't ignore it anymore.
"It's not normal," he muttered to himself, clenching his fists.
Making a sudden decision, Minato left the village, ignoring warnings not to leave without permission. His heart was pounding, as if something was screaming at him that every second counted. With every step he took towards the outskirts of Konoha, worry became a tighter knot in his chest.
It wasn't long before Minato found the first sign.
A lock of red hair, barely visible among the fallen leaves. He bent down and picked it up, holding it between his fingers. The texture was unmistakable.
"Kushina," he murmured hoarsely.
He looked around, searching for more clues, and soon found irregular marks on the ground, as if someone had been dragged. Cold anger washed over him as he imagined Kushina in danger. She wasn't just a teammate, or even just a friend. It was more than that, although he had never dared to say it out loud.
Frowning, Minato followed the trail, moving towards a nearby river. What he saw there left him cold. Along the bank, several trees had been knocked down, as if a fight had taken place.
Something big had happened, but the most worrying thing was the silence that filled the place.
There was no trace of life, only scars on the landscape.
—Damn... What happened? —he murmured as his eyes searched for something, anything that would give him a clue.
And then he saw it. In the center of the river, something was shining underwater. Wasting no time, Minato jumped into the water and swam towards the rock where a metal cylinder rested. He pulled it out with difficulty, feeling the weight of urgency in every movement.
Opening it, he found a sealed scroll. It wasn't just any message; It bore the markings of a high-level ANBU mission. A shiver ran down his spine as he read the contents.
Kushina had been kidnapped. An ANBU team had been sent to retrieve her, but they had not returned.
The message said: get Kushina back from the infiltrated ninjas and don't let anyone find out.
Minato remembered the night before feeling something strange so he followed a strange trail that led him out of Konoha only to be stopped by an Anbu ninja saying he couldn't pass.
To which Minato gave up and let the ninja continue with his work thinking that everything would be fine.
"I can't sit still," he murmured, clenching his fist around the cylinder.
He stood up abruptly, his feet moving before his mind could process the next step. He ran towards Konoha, feeling the weight of responsibility. Every second that passed without him acting could be one in which Kushina was further away from being saved, or worse, hurt.
Arriving at the gates of Konoha, his heart almost stopped when he saw Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru gathered near the entrance to the village. There was no time for formalities or niceties.
—Jiraiya-sensei! —Minato exclaimed, breathing heavily, interrupting their conversation.
Jiraiya raised an eyebrow, surprised by the urgency in his pupil's tone. Minato rarely lost his composure.
—Minato, what's happening? he asked, his teacher's usual smile disappearing as he saw Minato's serious expression.
"Kushina has been kidnapped," he said quickly, extending the cylinder towards them. The ANBU tried to bring her back, but they haven't returned.
Silence fell among the ninjas. Jiraiya exchanged a meaningful look with Tsunade and Orochimaru. They knew what it meant to the village and, above all, to Minato.
"This is more serious than I thought," Tsunade murmured, her jaw clenched. His gaze went to the scroll Minato was holding. We can't waste time. If the ANBU failed, we can't trust this to resolve itself.
"Minato," Orochimaru interjected, his tone colder and more calculating. Where did you find the cylinder?
Minato pointed east, towards the river.
—There were fallen trees and traces of fighting. "I think that's where… it happened," he said, his voice shaking with suppressed frustration.
"Let's investigate," Jiraiya said, his eyes shining with determination. Tsunade, you organize patrols to cover the nearby areas. Orochimaru, you and I are going to inspect the place where Minato found the trail.
—There is no time to waste, Jiraya replied.
Minato took a deep breath as he watched his superiors take control of the situation. The relief of not being alone in this was palpable, but the desperation to find Kushina was still rumbling in his chest. He would go too. Even though he knew that the Sannin were more experienced, he couldn't stand by and do nothing.
High Tsunade stopped them we can't put up a commotion so quickly if what happened is true I think we should inform the hokage first.
The air in the Hokage's office was tense, charged with endless emotions that pulsed like a storm about to break out. Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at his team, each with renewed determination, but also with the weight of fear on their faces. They couldn't afford to fail. Kushina's life was at stake.
The information about Kushina's disappearance and that a group of Ambus not mobilized by him had been eliminated was not something that was easy to deal with, as well as the damage to the place.
"Minato," Hiruzen began, his voice firm as steel, "once they get out, they must act quickly. It all depends on your ability to remain silent and not arouse suspicion. Any mistake could cost us more than we are willing to pay."
Minato nodded, worry forming a knot in his stomach. "We won't stop until we find her. "I will do everything I can to bring her back."
"Remember," Jiraiya interjected, his tone lighter but with the gravity of the situation echoing his words, "we are not alone in this. Danzo may be secretly making his moves again and we cannot underestimate his resources. "We need to be cautious."
"Caution is not enough," Tsunade replied, her voice hardening. "If he is behind this, we need to confront him directly. "We cannot allow it to continue operating in the shadows."
Orochimaru, who was staying a step back, watched carefully. "It's not just Danzo we should fear. Those who took Kushina will not be easy subjects to find if they had the courage to kidnap the jinchūriki in Konoha.
With one last glance between them, the four headed for the exit, the urgency of their mission shining in their eyes. As they crossed the threshold, Minato paused for a moment, his heart pounding. Every step they took brought them closer to the truth and the possibility of losing Kushina forever.
Minato led the group towards the river area, where he had found the cylinder. The normally calm road now seemed laden with dark omens. The shadows of the trees lengthened, as if the forest itself were warning them of imminent danger.
"What do you think happened here?" Jiraiya muttered, breaking the silence as he examined the felled trees. Minato responded, "This doesn't seem like the work of just any group of ninjas."
"It's not," Orochimaru responded, his voice strained and excited about something. "This has the mark of someone experienced with a powerful fire jutsu, something very peculiar without any trace of mana."
As they approached the river, Minato felt a pang of anguish. They stopped at the shore, where the water flowed calmly, a disturbing contrast to the turmoil within. The battle marks were evident, but there were still more questions than answers.
"Let's go look for clues," Tsunade ordered, her voice sharp like the wind blowing through the trees. "Orochimaru, stay alert for more surprises. Jiraiya, examine the area for any traces of chakra. I will check the ground."
While each took on their task, Minato stood on the shore, mind buzzing with memories of Kushina. She had always been a ray of light in his life, and now that light had disappeared, it came like a bolt of lightning into his life and disappeared into the wind without a trace.
This is the end of chapter 11.
I will be posting the chapters twice a week.
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