The path to the Uzumaki Clan's main compound was littered with chaos and destruction. Aiko, Kousei, and the Hoshigakure team pushed forward, cutting through waves of mercenaries. Aiko's fury, paired with the skill of her comrades, ensured no enemy stood in their way for long.
As they neared the Uzumaki residence, Aiko led them through a hidden back passage, nearly invisible to untrained eyes. With a swift sequence of hand seals, she revealed an entrance carved into the mountainside.
"This way," she ordered, her voice firm and unwavering.
Inside the compound, they found Aiko's parents, Tadashi and Keiko Uzumaki, alongside a red-haired girl named Misaki.
"Father! Mother!" Aiko cried, rushing to embrace them.
Tadashi and Keiko returned the hug, though their faces were tight with worry.
"Aiko, what are you doing here?" Tadashi asked, eyes darting to the Hoshigakure shinobi.
"Eizen warned me about the attack," Aiko explained, her tone sharp. "I came to get you out. We're taking as many Uzumaki as we can to Hoshigakure. It's the only safe option."
Keiko's face softened, though worry lingered in her green eyes.
"The strongest in the clan are holding the invaders back. Konoha should be sending reinforcements, but, "
"Konoha won't make it in time," Aiko interrupted, her voice heavy with certainty. "We need to leave. Now."
Tadashi shook his head, resolve hardening his features.
"We can't abandon the village, Aiko. We're elders of the clan. Our duty is here, defending our home."
Aiko's hands clenched into fists, frustration bubbling to the surface.
"That's not duty, it's suicide! You can't, "
Her words were cut short by a thunderous explosion. The ground trembled as half of the Uzumaki compound collapsed in an instant, sending debris flying in all directions. The shockwave hurled Aiko against a wall, her vision swimming as darkness momentarily swallowed her senses.
When Aiko regained consciousness, her face was streaked with blood from shallow cuts, and dust clouded the air. Groaning, she pushed herself up, eyes scanning for familiar faces.
"Kousei!" she shouted, spotting him struggling to stand, clutching a bloodied arm.
Without hesitation, Aiko bit into her thumb, activating a healing seal on her wrist. She pressed the glowing mark against Kousei's mouth, channeling the restorative chakra into his body. The wound sealed rapidly, color returning to his face.
"Thanks," he muttered, still breathless.
Aiko didn't reply. She was already moving, checking on the other shinobi. To her relief, her parents were unconscious but alive. She exhaled shakily, wiping sweat and grime from her brow.
"We're getting out of here," Aiko commanded, voice brooking no argument. "Now."
With practiced efficiency, they moved. Aiko and two shinobi carried Tadashi and Keiko, while Kousei hoisted Misaki onto his back. Their path led underground, through a narrow, winding tunnel known only to the Uzumaki.
The air grew damp and stale as they navigated the labyrinthine passage.
"Where does this lead?" one of the Hoshigakure shinobi asked, voice tense.
"Outside the village," Aiko replied without looking back. "It's the only route that guarantees survival."
Above them, muffled explosions and distant screams reverberated, but the tunnel remained secure. For now.
The exit opened into a dense forest, far from the burning ruins of Uzushiogakure. The group ran for what felt like hours, finally seeking refuge in a moss-covered cave nestled among jagged rocks.
Aiko immediately set to work, tending to the wounded. Her hands trembled from exhaustion, her reserves nearly depleted after healing multiple shinobi and her own wounds. Yet, she pressed on, ignoring the ache in her limbs.
Her mind drifted to the elder and the children they had encountered earlier. Did they escape? Are they safe? The unknown gnawed at her, but she forced herself to focus.
Morning light filtered through the cave's narrow entrance as Tadashi and Keiko stirred, groaning softly.
"Where are we?" Tadashi rasped, struggling to sit up.
"Far from Uzushiogakure," Aiko replied, wiping sweat from her brow. "You were unconscious. I had no choice."
Tadashi's eyes narrowed, anger flaring beneath the exhaustion.
"You dragged us from our home? We fled like rats?"
"Father, the village is gone!" Aiko snapped, voice raw with emotion. "If we had stayed, you'd be dead!"
Keiko, ever the peacemaker, placed a gentle hand on her husband's shoulder.
"Tadashi," she murmured, "what did you expect her to do? Leave us behind, unconscious and defenseless?"
Tadashi's fists clenched, but the fight drained from his face. His pride was wounded, but Keiko's words rang true.
"She saved us," Keiko continued softly. "Be grateful."
The tense silence was broken by one of the Hoshigakure shinobi, his expression grim.
"Konoha won't come. They knew about the attack."
Tadashi's head snapped up, disbelief flashing in his eyes.
"How can you say that? Kushina Uzumaki was taken to Konoha months ago! She's the next Nine-Tails jinchūriki. Our alliance with them is ironclad!"
The shinobi crossed his arms, face unreadable.
"Hoshigakure was briefed because we're small, expendable. If we knew, Konoha definitely knew. They must've decided it wasn't worth the risk."
"Kushina…" Tadashi whispered, face paling. "They wanted her safe while the rest of us fell."
Aiko's breath caught. If Konoha had abandoned the Uzumaki, nothing was truly safe, not alliances, not promises.
"So what now?" Keiko asked, squeezing her husband's hand.
"We go to Hoshigakure," Aiko said, determination hardening her gaze. "There, at least, we'll have time to regroup and plan."
Tadashi studied his daughter for a long moment before nodding slowly.
"Fine. But don't expect me to stay silent about this betrayal."
Aiko offered a tired, bittersweet smile.
"I'd never expect that from you, Father."
As they prepared to move, Misaki, the young Uzumaki girl they had rescued, approached Aiko, clutching a scroll emblazoned with the Uzumaki crest.
"Thank you for saving me," she murmured, eyes glistening. "My parents… my home…"
Aiko knelt, squeezing the girl's shoulder gently.
"It'll be okay," she promised, voice firm despite the turmoil in her heart. "You're an Uzumaki. Our clan lives on through you."
[Author's Note: This story is purely a personal project, no reincarnation, no overpowered system, just an attempt to fill in the gaps that never made sense to me in the original lore. This arc reflects how I imagine the fall of the Uzumaki Clan might have unfolded. And it doesn't end here. Remember when Nagato mentioned that Konoha was responsible for starting the Second Great Ninja War? The motives were never fully explained. This is my way of exploring that missing piece.]