Whoosh—!
A swirling mass of violet light erupted from Naruto's hand as he launched the Dragon Vein Chakra Rasenshuriken.
In a blink, three puppets were cleaved in half.
Yet the Rasenshuriken neither exploded nor dispersed. Instead, it calmly flew back into Naruto's palm.
He narrowed his eyes at the dismembered puppets, already beginning to regenerate.
"Simple constructs... mostly driven by Dragon Vein chakra," he muttered.
"Special materials... and they can combine with each other, too."
"That's clever."
Before he finished speaking, the previously halved puppets were fully reassembled.
And on a distant high tower, three more puppets appeared.
Naruto tapped his foot lightly—
Shunshin.
He vanished and reappeared on the ground below.
Whoosh—
All six puppets activated simultaneously. Jet nozzles on their backs fired up, propelled by a shimmering stream of Dragon Vein Chakra—a beam of purple light shooting through the air like a thruster trail.
"They're fast... not just puppets. More like chakra-powered drones," Naruto assessed, eyes sharp.
"Might be worth developing alongside Kurama's chakra."
"Mukade's tech isn't bad. It's better to capture them than destroy them."
No sooner had he finished speaking than all six puppets descended again, positioning themselves above Naruto.
The Rasenshuriken in his hand faded slowly into nothingness.
"Let's seal them for now."
He unrolled a storage scroll from his belt.
Whoosh—!!!
The six puppets attacked in unison—kunai whirled toward him, along with surging blasts of Dragon Vein chakra and writhing chakra threads like reinforced chakra strings.
Just then—
Flash—
A golden figure blurred into view.
"Watch out!"
A masked man with long blond hair reached for Naruto, trying to teleport him away.
But the moment he tried to activate Flying Thunder God, his eyes widened behind the mask.
"It's not working...?!"
The technique—one that had never once failed him—refused to trigger.
And in that frozen second, the puppets' attacks were almost upon them.
Buzz—!
The masked man turned on instinct, brandishing a three-pronged kunai to intercept.
But as the attacks neared, something unseen intercepted them.
All the kunai clattered harmlessly to the ground.
The chakra projectiles fizzled and dispersed.
"What...?"
"Partial Expansion Jutsu!"
A powerful voice echoed through the air.
Suddenly, a massive shadow loomed overhead.
Boom—!
A colossal palm came crashing down, smashing all six puppets into the ground.
Another masked figure appeared beside the first. He was broad-shouldered, carried a gourd on his back—and raised one hand.
From the gourd, a swarm of black insects burst forth.
"Ninjutsu: Mushidama no Jutsu!"
Whoosh—!
Countless kikaichū surged forward, drilling into the puppets' joints and mechanisms.
The puppets twitched violently, then fell still.
Tiny insects crawled from their bodies—having overrun their systems from within.
"What just happened?" Akimichi Chōza asked, turning to the others.
Minato Namikaze shook his head and removed his mask.
"I don't know. Maybe I was just... too tense."
Aburame Shibi removed his mask too.
"Minato, do you know that boy?"
Minato looked back at Naruto, scanning his face and spiky blond hair—so familiar, so much like his own.
He had a suspicion.
"Those puppets... they're reinforced with Dragon Vein chakra," Minato said at last.
"Be cautious."
Then, looking Naruto straight in the eye, he asked:
"You're a ninja from Konohagakure, right?"
"I'm a ninja from the Land of Konoha," Naruto replied evenly.
"Land... of Konoha?" the three masked ninja exchanged confused glances.
Deep beneath the surface—within the Dragon Vein—
The massive centipede stirred.
Its many eyes snapped open.
"So... my puppet army has been destroyed already?"
"Heh... that must be Uzumaki Naruto, then."
"Very good. The one prophesied to change the Shinobi World…"
"But he's a bit too late. Here in Rōran, I am invincible!"
Meanwhile...
Bang—!!!
A wave of celebration echoed through the capital.
The streets were alive with color and music.
Fireworks burst into the night sky.
"Your Majesty~!"
The people's voices rang out joyfully, cheering for their queen.
On the tallest tower of Rōran—where the Dragon Vein pulsed with power—
Queen Sara sat cross-legged within her royal chamber.
She softly hummed the melody her mother once sang to her.
Sara's thoughts drifted back to a distant memory—lying on her mother's lap in the quiet sanctuary beneath the palace, the very place where she had first met Naruto.
As she lingered in nostalgia, the heavy doors of the palace creaked open.
A voice called out, "Your Majesty Sara, what are you doing here?"
Sara turned around slowly. Mukade stood at the entrance, approaching her with calm, measured steps.
She quickly wiped the tears from her eyes.
Mukade offered a small smile. "The people are waiting. They're eager to cheer for you."
He continued, "All of Rōran—sings your praise, as they once did for your mother."
"Please, Your Majesty, come forth and show them your smile."
Sara nodded gently. "Understood, An Lushan."
She rose to her feet and dashed out of the palace.
By the time she appeared on the viewing platform, she had already changed into the formal robes of the Queen of Rōran. Two puppets in ceremonial guard attire flanked her from behind.
Sara stepped into view with a composed smile, raising a hand to wave to the cheering crowd below.
Though she couldn't see their faces clearly, she could hear their voices echoing up to her—so full of admiration and joy.
But in that very moment, a hand emerged from behind one of the puppet guards.
Snap—
Sara felt a firm shove on her back.
Her eyes widened in shock, and she let out a sharp gasp as she stumbled forward.
Her foot landed right on the edge of the platform.
CRACK—
What should have been solid stone shattered beneath her step.
"Ahhh—!!"
Her mind blanked out. Instincts took over as she screamed, plummeting toward the ground.
Not far away, Naruto glanced toward the commotion, standing beside a young Minato Namikaze, Akimichi Chōza, and Aburame Shibi.
Whoosh—
In the next instant, Naruto vanished.
He reappeared beneath the falling queen, catching her effortlessly in his arms.
As he looked at the stunned crowd below, he gently descended with Sara, bringing her safely to the ground.
She was curled tightly in his arms, trembling uncontrollably.
"You're safe now," Naruto said softly. "You didn't fall. You can open your eyes."
Sara slowly peeked, her gaze falling on the face of the boy who had saved her—strangely unfamiliar, yet deeply familiar at the same time.
Flustered and overwhelmed, she instinctively raised a hand to hit him out of panic.
"Take a look around before you act," Naruto murmured calmly.
The tension in her body eased at the sound of his voice. She suddenly realized how tightly she was curled up in his embrace.
No—she had wrapped herself around him, instinctively seeking safety.
Lowering her hand awkwardly, she whispered, "I'm sorry… Thank you. Thank you for saving me."
She took a deep breath to compose herself. "I am Sara, Queen of Rōran."
Naruto smiled gently. "I'm Uzumaki Naruto. We met earlier—in the underground chamber."
Sara blinked. After a moment, recognition lit up her face. She remembered.
Naruto slowly knelt down and let her feet touch the ground.
"Thank you~!" she said, her cheeks flushing pink at his thoughtfulness.
There was something about his presence—something strangely comforting and powerful. A familiarity that tugged at her heart.
She didn't want to let go. The feeling embarrassed her, but she couldn't deny it.
Naruto noticed, of course.
The influence of the Dragon Vein Chakra.
He had already mastered it in the future. Its resonance was unmistakable.
"Do you know why you fell?" he asked suddenly.
Sara turned her head away. "It felt like… someone pushed me."
"It didn't feel like it," Naruto said. "You were pushed."
"But…" she began, her voice rising with emotion.
Then she saw Naruto's calm, unwavering expression.
She turned away again, lowering her voice. "It's just… I don't believe anyone would try to hurt me."
"You saw it, didn't you?"
"The people who welcomed me so enthusiastically…"
Sara's voice trailed off, uncertainty clouding her eyes.
Naruto shook his head gently. "It's the truth. I know it's hard to accept. That's normal."
"After all, this entire situation... it was decided for you long ago. Just like your mother before you, you possess the power to control the Dragon Vein."
Sara's lips parted in protest, but Naruto raised his hand, cutting her off.
"I'll show you the truth soon," he said calmly. "But first—ask yourself this: are you certain the ones welcoming you were even human?"
Sara blinked. At first, confusion filled her gaze—but then her pupils contracted sharply, and her heartbeat quickened.
Her instincts screamed denial, but a gnawing unease had taken root.
Naruto didn't press her further. He simply gave her space to let the thought sink in.
Whoosh—
At that moment, Minato and the two other shinobi appeared.
The sudden arrival startled Sara, and she instinctively took a step back, hiding behind Naruto.
But as she looked closer and saw the masked faces clearly, her fear subsided. Slowly, she stepped forward.
"We've come to protect Her Majesty the Queen," one of them said calmly.
Minato stepped toward Naruto and gave a soft sigh. "I really didn't want to say it, but... there's no helping it now."
"We were dispatched from Konoha on a classified mission," he explained. "If I'm not mistaken… you're from the future, aren't you?"
Sara's eyes widened.
Minato continued, his tone cautious, "The reason I hesitated to say anything is because if people from the future become entangled with this era, the timeline could be irreversibly altered."
"This time period… it's about twenty years before your own."
Naruto crossed his arms and looked at him flatly. "Dad, do you think I'm an idiot?"
"I've seen my reflection. I look just like you."
Boom—
Minato froze when he heard Naruto call him Dad.
His breath caught. His eyes widened, and for a moment, he could barely speak.
Akimichi Chōza and Aburame Shibi were also stunned, though less shaken than Minato—they'd already suspected something after witnessing Naruto battle the puppets.
Minato finally nodded, a wry smile tugging at his lips. "So it's true."
"I'll erase my memory after this."
Naruto raised an eyebrow. "You're not planning to wipe mine too, are you?"
Minato nodded solemnly.
Naruto chuckled. "No need. You can erase your own. I'll be returning to the future anyway."
Minato and the others looked at each other, then nodded slowly. That made sense. As long as they removed their own memories, the timeline would remain intact. Naruto's knowledge wouldn't matter—he came from the future to begin with.
"Alright," Minato said, rubbing the back of his head with a sheepish grin. Then, growing serious, he added:
"It wasn't hard to figure out you're from the future."
"Because six years ago… another shinobi appeared the same way."
Naruto's expression shifted.
Minato's tone grew heavy. "That shinobi's name was Mukade."
"He appeared out of nowhere—just like you. So I suspected you both traveled through space-time due to some form of space-time ninjutsu… most likely tied to the Dragon Vein."
Minato's usual smile was gone now, replaced by a grim resolve. Even in silence, he still looked every bit the Hokage.
"If you defeat the centipede guarding the Dragon Vein's core, the rift in space-time will close," he said.
"The Dragon Vein lies dormant beneath Rōran. Mukade has been exploiting its energy to power his puppet army."
Naruto nodded, his eyes steady.
"I know."
"I came here… for the Dragon Vein's power."
"And for one person."
…
TN:
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