"This is it."
Deep beneath Rōran, Yagami drew his blade and cut a clean diamond-shaped opening in the stone floor.
Through the gap, they could see it clearly—
A massive underground factory.
Gigantic steel pipes snaked across the cavern.
Steam engines hissed, churned, and spat out clouds of vapor.
Puppets were being assembled in rows, each one carried away along mechanical rails.
It wasn't just a workshop.
It was a puppet-production fortress.
"In order to build weapons… Mukade enslaved all these people!?"
Sārah's voice trembled with horror and rage.
Below them, around the largest steam engine, corpses were being shoved into the machinery like fuel.
Workers—thin as skeletons—struggled under the weight of chains.
These were her people.
Her citizens.
And she, their queen, had been blissfully unaware while they suffered like this.
"Husband…"
The woman who had begged Yagami earlier finally spotted her husband.
Her breath broke, tears spilling instantly.
He was barely recognizable—skin clinging to bone, eyes hollow and lifeless.
"Yagami-san, please take me down. I have to save them."
Sārah turned to him, desperate.
The opening Yagami cut was over ten meters up; she couldn't descend alone.
"I'll do it!"
Naruko stepped forward before Yagami could answer.
"I can handle something this simple too, y'know!"
She huffed proudly, then hugged Sārah tightly.
She clearly didn't want her dad touching another woman—especially one clinging to him for help.
Yagami blinked, confused.
What's with this jealousy…?
Tap—tap—tap—tap
Naruko and Sārah dropped through the opening one after another, chakra guiding their feet as they bounded down the vertical wall and landed safely below.
"Please, take me to the Ryūmyaku seals of this factory! If we can shut the power source down, the production will stop!"
Sārah hurried to the metal fence separating them from the giant engine.
Her eyes scanned the surroundings anxiously.
If the factory lost power, the enslaved workers might finally be saved.
"Okay!"
Naruko lifted her again and sped off toward the formation point.
The woman searching for her husband, after a quick blessing from future Kakashi, ran straight toward the laborers.
"Kakashi—protect them both."
Yagami instructed, eyes fixed on Sārah and Naruko disappearing deeper into the factory.
This was his future daughter.
There was no way he'd let anything happen to her.
"Yes!"
"Yes!"
Two voices answered at once.
Both Kakashis stepped forward simultaneously.
Cough! Cough!
Future Kakashi immediately faked a violent cough after realizing he'd responded with his real voice again.
The younger Kakashi gave him a suspicious side-eye before leaping after Naruko.
Cutting the Factory's Power
"By the authority of the Queen… The power of the Ryūmyaku shall stop—now!"
Standing before the formation's seal, Sārah chanted softly.
Slowly, she lowered her hands onto the glowing array.
The inscription pulsed...
Then began collapsing inward.
One by one, the seals folded into the center, like an eye shutting itself.
Within moments, the formation closed completely.
Click—click—click…
The pipes stopped vibrating.
The steam engine let out one final gasp of vapor—
And fell still.
Sigh…
Sārah exhaled, relief washing over her.
"It's done. The factory's power source has been completely shut down."
Mukade Appears
"Mukade is here!"
Yagami's voice snapped sharply through the chamber.
He had never stopped using Kagura's Mind's Eye, and the moment a strong chakra signature appeared, he reacted instantly.
Everyone turned toward the watchtower.
Kacha—
The iron gate behind it groaned open.
Rumble…
A robed man with a long beard stepped out, each footstep echoing across the steel platforms.
"Mukade!"
Sārah gasped from below the seal.
She raised her head—
And saw him standing on the observation deck, staring down at her.
"Your Majesty."
Mukade placed one hand over his chest and bowed politely…
Then rose with cold, emotionless eyes.
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