"Sorry to keep you waiting."
Minato paused briefly before continuing, "We'll proceed to meet the Queen of Rouran now."
"There's no need to rush."
Kitazawa shook his head calmly.
"Anrokuzan hasn't made a move yet. Let everyone rest first—we'll prepare as well."
"…Thank you."
Minato's voice carried genuine sincerity.
Being able to reunite with Naruto—himself and Kushina—was largely thanks to Kitazawa.
More importantly, Kitazawa had taken exceptional care of Naruto.
"It's nothing." Kitazawa smiled and didn't dwell on it. He leaned back on the sofa and casually extended his hand.
Cold mist gathered in his palm, instantly crystallizing into ice.
"That's amazing!"
Hinata, who had just sat down beside him, widened her eyes in wonder.
With a flick of his wrist, the ice reshaped itself into a small popsicle. Kitazawa handed it to her without ceremony.
"…It doesn't really taste like anything." Hinata tilted her head after licking it.
"That's because it's pure ice," Kitazawa replied with a chuckle.
"If you want flavor, I can add some."
He had plenty of seasonings stored away in his summoning scroll.
"No, this is fine."
Hinata shook her head, then asked curiously,
"Is this the same Ice Release as Haku's?"
"Yes," Kitazawa said casually.
"It's formed by combining Wind Release and Water Release."
"Kitazawa-sensei really can do everything…"
Admiration flickered in Hinata's eyes.
"You'll be incredible too when you grow up."
Kitazawa reached out and gently patted her head.
"Mhm!"
Hinata nodded earnestly.
"I'll work hard!"
An hour later, the brief rest ended.
Kitazawa's group and Minato set out together toward the Royal Palace of Rouran.
Despite being called a country, Rouran was little more than a single city. The palace wasn't far, and they arrived quickly.
"We're surrounded."
Shibi narrowed his eyes.
"There are puppets stationed all around us."
"Anrokuzan isn't foolish," Minato said with a faint smile.
"He must have sensed us long ago. It seems he plans to capture us all at once."
With the Flying Thunder God at his disposal, Minato wasn't worried in the slightest.
Even if Rouran fell, he could evacuate Naruto and the others instantly.
And frankly—he didn't believe Anrokuzan stood a chance.
Five jōnin.
Six elite students.
And the young Kakashi Hatake.
At that moment, Chōza stepped out from within the palace.
"How is the Queen?" Minato asked immediately.
"She's safe," Chōza replied.
"Anrokuzan attempted to meet her yesterday, but we stopped him outside."
"Well done." Minato nodded. "Let's go in."
Led by Chōza, the group entered the palace's main hall.
The Queen of Rouran sat at the head, with Sara beside her. Nearby stood the young Kakashi Hatake.
The moment he saw Kakashi Hatake, the younger Kakashi stiffened.
…Why does he look exactly like me?
Kakashi met his gaze for a split second—then deliberately looked away.
Seeing his younger self only reminded him of Minato, Obito, and Rin.
Some memories were better left undisturbed.
"Your Majesty."
Minato stepped forward and produced a scroll.
"This contains our findings on Anrokuzan over the past two days."
"Thank you for your efforts."
The Queen accepted the scroll without questioning Kitazawa or the others.
Right now, understanding Anrokuzan's true nature mattered most.
Anrokuzan had arrived six years ago, diligent and orderly—almost exemplary.
But everything changed when he proposed exploiting the Power of the Dragon Vein.
By then, he had already gained immense prestige and political backing, forcing her to concede.
That was how Rouran's puppet army came to be.
She never imagined his ambitions extended beyond Rouran—toward the entire Ninja World.
After reading the report, the Queen's expression darkened instantly.
All the recent disappearances… Anrokuzan was responsible.
Abusing the Dragon Vein. Capturing civilians.
By Rouran's laws, this was a capital crime.
Heavy footsteps echoed through the hall.
A formation of towering puppets marched in—far larger than the ones Kitazawa had encountered before.
At their head stood Anrokuzan.
"Anrokuzan!"
The Queen rose to her feet.
"What do you think you're doing?!"
"Your Majesty," Anrokuzan replied smoothly, "I heard Konoha ninja intended to harm you. I came to rescue you."
His gaze swept over Minato and the others.
"Arrest them."
The puppets immediately advanced.
"Stop! I invited them here!"
The Queen shouted, hurling the scroll toward him.
"Anrokuzan, explain yourself!"
"There's nothing to explain."
Anrokuzan glanced at the scroll, then tore it apart.
"Anyone who obstructs Rouran's development must die."
"You are the one obstructing Rouran's future!" The Queen snapped. "I hereby strip you of your position as minister!"
"Genjutsu is truly frightening," Anrokuzan sighed.
"Your Majesty, you've clearly been deceived. Don't worry—I'll save you."
"What shameless nonsense!" Minato barked.
"Enough talk." Anrokuzan waved his hand coldly. "Kill them."
His earlier command had been to capture them—but now that Anrokuzan had openly severed ties with the Queen of Rouran, there was no need for pretense.
"Choza—Kakashi—escort Her Majesty out of here!"
Minato issued the order instantly.
"Yes!"
Both Kakashis answered at the same time.
"…Ahem."
Minato turned his head and corrected himself.
"You—stay and help."
Kakashi Hatake froze for a split second before realizing the misunderstanding.
The younger Kakashi wanted to ask questions, but with no time to spare, he swallowed his doubts and immediately followed Choza.
"Attack!"
The moment the word left Minato's mouth, a Flying Thunder God kunai flew from his hand.
He vanished—reappearing directly in front of Anrokuzan.
Chakra surged.
A Rasengan slammed down.
Anrokuzan reacted a beat too late.
His clothes were shredded on impact, exposing a grotesque, puppet-like body beneath. Purple chakra rippled across his surface as the Rasengan struck—
Boom!
Anrokuzan was blasted backward several steps.
And yet…
Not a single wound appeared.
"Hahahaha!"
Anrokuzan threw his head back in manic laughter.
"I am no longer human! With the Power of the Dragon Vein, I am an immortal, indestructible puppet!"
Hinata felt an unsettling sense of déjà vu.
Satori.
Mōryō.
The Zero-Tails.
All of them had once claimed immortality—before becoming nothing more than sealed weapons.
"Watch out!" Naruto shouted.
Anrokuzan opened his mouth and spat out a massive sphere of purple flame, roaring straight toward Minato.
"I'm fine."
Minato's body flickered—and he was gone.
The fireball smashed harmlessly past him.
Flying Thunder God.
Unless the kunai themselves were destroyed or deflected, there was no reliable way to counter it.
"Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Naruto slammed his hands together.
Hundreds of shadow clones burst into existence—but instead of charging blindly, they formed ranks in front of Minato and the others.
"Wind Release: Shuriken!"
Naruto infused wind chakra into a shuriken and hurled it forward.
Every clone followed suit.
In an instant, a storm of razor-sharp shuriken engulfed Anrokuzan and his puppets.
Clang! Clatter!
One puppet after another was shredded and blown apart.
"…That chakra is monstrous."
Shibi couldn't hide his shock.
This was his first time witnessing Naruto fight firsthand.
Most jōnin couldn't even maintain a dozen shadow clones—let alone hundreds.
Minato, having seen it once before, wasn't surprised.
Only proud.
That overwhelming chakra… It was unmistakably Kushina's legacy.
Lightning suddenly split the battlefield.
Sasuke, Three-Tomoe Sharingan blazing, charged forward.
Thunder roared as he swung the Thunder God Sword, lightning swallowing everything in its path.
Puppets collapsed in smoking heaps.
After finishing a wide arc, Sasuke glanced sideways.
"Worthy of being my lifelong rival."
Naruto grinned and flashed a thumbs-up.
"I can feel my youth burning!"
Multiple Arrows!
Hinata and Neji fired in unison, finishing off the puppets stunned by lightning.
Shibi's lips twitched.
Seeing it with his own eyes, he realized Shino hadn't exaggerated at all.
These "students" were terrifying.
"Hmph… you do have some skill."
Anrokuzan spoke calmly—even though more than half his puppets lay destroyed.
He raised a hand.
The entire royal palace shuddered.
"What's happening?!"
Naruto shouted.
"Is it collapsing?!"
BOOM!
The palace walls exploded outward on all sides.
Endless ranks of puppets poured in, completely surrounding them.
"This is my Puppet Army!"
Anrokuzan spread his arms, laughter echoing through the hall.
"You are the first ninja who will die by their hands. Consider it an honor!"
Minato vanished again.
Rasengan!
He reappeared before Anrokuzan, driving the spinning sphere forward.
"Puppet Transformation: Spinning Assault!"
Anrokuzan had already anticipated this.
A harsh metallic screech rang out as spinning blades erupted across his body.
The blades pierced the Rasengan and lunged straight for Minato.
Minato flickered away at the last instant—reappearing at his original position, brows furrowed.
The Flying Thunder God combined with Rasengan was terrifying…
But it had a fatal flaw.
Minato's offensive options were limited.
If Rasengan failed, he had no immediate follow-up.
And now—
With Anrokuzan fully merged with the Dragon Vein, boasting terrifying regeneration and defense— The Rasengan… Wasn't enough.
In truth, it wasn't just the Rasengan.
Even in the original history, Uzumaki Naruto's Wind Release: Rasenshuriken had failed to finish Anrokuzan. In the end, it took the combined strength of father and son—and the Taiji Rasengan—to bring him down.
"Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Naruto created another hundred shadow clones in an instant.
"Wind Release: Shuriken!"
Every clone hurled a shuriken at once, turning the battlefield into a storm of spinning blades.
Explosive Arrow!
Hinata drew her bow without hesitation and released an arrow wrapped in violent chakra.
The explosive arrow reached Anrokuzan first.
He caught it barehanded.
BOOM!
The explosion tore through the air—but Anrokuzan stood unmoved.
After all, he was no longer flesh and blood.
A dense rain of shuriken followed immediately.
With a casual wave, purple chakra surged outward, forming a solid barrier in front of him.
Clang! Clatter!
Every shuriken was blocked.
The puppets around him weren't so lucky—many were shredded apart by the wind-enhanced blades.
Yet compared to the seemingly endless puppet army, these losses were insignificant.
"Use Multiple Arrows!"
Neji shouted.
"Mm!"
Hinata immediately shifted her aim toward the surrounding puppets.
At the same time, Shino and Shibi raised their hands together.
A swarm of Kikaichū burst forth, flooding toward the puppet ranks.
Though puppets lacked life, their joints were still weak points. Under the relentless biting of the insects, many collapsed, their movements completely disabled.
A sharp cry pierced the air.
Kakashi Hatake and Sasuke charged in from opposite sides.
They had already realized Minato's dilemma.
While Chidori lacked the sheer destructive force of the Rasengan, its piercing power was far superior.
"Puppet Transformation: Dragon Vein Great Fireball!"
Anrokuzan tilted his head back, unleashing two massive spheres of purple flame.
Three-Tomoe Sharingans spun.
Kakashi and Sasuke dodged effortlessly, leaping through the firestorm.
Lightning screamed.
Their Chidori pierced Anrokuzan's body like twin blades.
"Get lost!"
Blades erupted from Anrokuzan's arms, slashing outward.
Both Kakashi and Sasuke retreated instantly, widening the distance.
Minato's gaze fell on the two gaping holes torn through Anrokuzan's body—and he exhaled in relief.
"Puppet Transformation: Hyper Regeneration!"
Purple chakra surged violently.
In the blink of an eye, the wounds sealed shut.
Minato, Kakashi, and the others felt their expressions darken.
This was bad.
"If we don't sever his connection to the Power of the Dragon Vein," Kitazawa said calmly, "he can't be defeated."
Minato froze.
Only now did he truly notice something unsettling.
From beginning to end, Kitazawa hadn't used a single ninjutsu.
That didn't mean he couldn't.
From Naruto's stories alone, Kitazawa was clearly at least an elite jōnin.
"We split up," Kitazawa continued.
"One group holds Anrokuzan here. The other goes to find the Queen of Rouran and shuts down the Dragon Vein."
"I'll stay," Minato said instantly.
Anrokuzan was the most dangerous enemy—and only the Flying Thunder God could restrain him.
"I'll stay too!" Aburame Shibi added.
"No."
Kitazawa shook his head.
"Minato-senpai and I will handle this."
Anrokuzan roared with fury.
"Do you think I don't exist?! None of you are leaving!"
The surrounding puppets surged forward.
"I'll take you there!" Minato said urgently.
"Only Flying Thunder God can break through—"
"No need."
Kitazawa's chakra flared.
Golden light surged over his body as Yang Release Chakra Mode activated.
He brought his hands together.
He had waited until now simply to give the students room to grow.
Once he acted… this fight was already over.
Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence!
The earth trembled violently.
Vines burst from the ground, shooting skyward and transforming into towering trees in an instant.
In less than a second, the shattered royal palace was swallowed by a primeval forest.
"Wood Release?!"
Minato and Aburame Shibi stared, shock written plainly across their faces.
Naruto and Shino had spoken of Kitazawa's teaching—but never of this.
"You're… Kitazawa?"
Anrokuzan blurted out.
As a former Sunagakure ninja, he knew that name well—the Wood Release user who shook the shinobi world.
He had never imagined meeting him here.
"So what if it's Wood Release?!"
Anrokuzan roared.
"I have endless Dragon Vein chakra! You can't defeat me!"
"Is that so?"
Kitazawa lifted a hand.
The forest responded.
Vines and branches lashed out, binding puppets by the dozens and freezing them in place.
Anrokuzan's pupils shrank.
"Fire!"
Purple chakra blasted outward, detonating among the trees.
The forest was torn apart—
—and regenerated in the next breath.
Anrokuzan's heart skipped.
But hope still burned.
The Dragon Vein was infinite.
Kitazawa's chakra was not.
"Kakashi! Shibi!" Minato shouted.
"Go now! Shut down the Dragon Vein!"
"Move!" Shibi barked.
Kakashi leapt away at once.
Anrokuzan tried to pursue—but Minato appeared in front of him again.
Forced to choose, Anrokuzan unleashed every remaining puppet.
Many were swallowed by the forest. Others chased after Kakashi's group.
But against Naruto and the others, they posed no real threat.
"Damn it!"
Anrokuzan finally stopped holding back.
"Puppet Transformation: Super Dragon Vein Great Fireball!"
A colossal sphere of purple flame—far larger than before—formed above him.
The forest ignited instantly.
Minato vanished, refusing to face it head-on.
The blazing mass crashed toward Kitazawa like a falling sun.
"Go!" Minato reappeared, reaching for him.
Kitazawa calmly formed seals.
Wood Release: Wood Dragon Technique!
A seed struck the ground—and transformed into a massive, horned wooden dragon.
It charged forward without hesitation.
CRASH!
The fireball shattered on impact.
The fragments were instantly absorbed by branches and vines.
Anrokuzan's expression twisted in disbelief.
The Wood Dragon lunged.
A crushing pressure slammed into him, freezing his movements completely.
Purple light erupted—then flickered… and faded.
Theoretically, the Dragon Vein was endless.
But against a chakra-absorbing Wood Dragon—It was locked in stalemate.
Minato stared as Anrokuzan flickered helplessly, like a lantern running out of oil.
"…That's it?"
The fearsome Wood Release lived up to every legend.
Yet Minato's confusion only deepened.
With power like this—
Why had Kitazawa been completely unknown in the past?
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