Even though she was terrified, Sara stood bravely before him to protect her people.
"Minister Anrokuzan! I already know everything you've done! As the Queen of Rōran, I command you—surrender immediately! ╰_╯"
Sara's words carried real authority, but unfortunately, Anrokuzan didn't take her seriously at all. Instead, he burst out laughing mockingly.
"Queen… hahaha… you're killing me here! ꉂ(ˊᗜˋ*)"
"You still think you're the queen?"
"Guess why no one's come looking for you all this time? Because I replaced you with one of my puppets!"
"A real puppet is so much easier to control than a living person! ( ˝ᗢ̈˝ )"
Sara clenched her fists, fury flashing in her eyes.
"Anrokuzan! How could you do something like this?! Murdering the queen is a capital crime!"
The monstrous Anrokuzan only laughed louder.
"Murdering queens? That's nothing new for me!"
"How do you think your dear mother died, huh? վ--0027ᴗ--0027 ի"
"If you really want to blame someone, blame her for being so stubborn. The kingdom was developing perfectly, yet she opposed my plan to keep using the Dragon Vein's power. I had no choice but to kill her! (σ≧︎▽︎≦︎)σ"
"Once she was gone, no one could stop me from claiming the Dragon Vein's power!"
"Now, I am invincible! Immortal! Hahahaha!! ୧⍢⃝୨"
As he shouted, Anrokuzan swung one of his massive spider-like limbs and slammed it against the vine shield protecting them.
"BOOM!!"
The shield trembled violently but remained firm.
Anrokuzan sneered arrogantly.
"Shinju, you're in there, aren't you?!"
"Who would've thought the genius boy from Konoha would end up crossing time with me! （ --0027▿ --0027 ）"
"But it's a shame—you arrived six years later than I did!"
"Over those six years, I've mastered the Dragon Vein's power. My strength is now incomparable! Even facing someone hailed as the God of the New Generation of Shinobi, I have confidence I'll surpass you! (๑•̀ㅂ•́)و✧"
...
Inside the vine shield—
"BOOM! BOOM! BOOM—"
Anrokuzan's blows rained down one after another, shaking the shield harder and harder.
Sara couldn't understand Anrokuzan's words, but she guessed the "Shinju" he mentioned must be referring to the red-haired boy before her.
"You…" Sara began uneasily.
Before she could finish, Shinju raised his hand, stopping her.
He asked calmly, "After this battle's over, what do you plan to do?"
Sara blinked, a little stunned.
"I'll seal the Dragon Vein completely, focus on governing the kingdom, and restore peace to Rōran…"
Her voice weakened at the end.
"But that's only if we survive… Against this monster Anrokuzan, I'm afraid… ＞_＜"
Shinju ignored her pessimism and said evenly,
"The Dragon Vein contains enormous chakra energy. Completely sealing it would be a waste."
Sara caught the hint in his tone.
"Wait… do you want the Dragon Vein's power?"
Shinju nodded. "You could say that."
In truth, he'd never lacked chakra. He just thought it was a waste to let so much power lie sealed underground. Besides—who would ever complain about having too much chakra? ╮(￣▽￣)╭
Sara hesitated for a moment.
"If you can really defeat Anrokuzan… then the power of the Dragon Vein can serve as your reward for this mission."
"But you have to defeat him first…"
Shinju nodded, showing no sign of being bothered by the monster outside.
"Don't worry."
As soon as he said that, the vine shield opened up, forming an entrance. Shinju stepped out calmly.
Chōza, watching from the side, gasped in surprise.
"It really is that red-haired kid!"
"He actually created such a huge barrier with Wood Release! ⊙▽⊙"
"Shh~" Minato pressed a finger to his lips, signaling for silence.
Seeing his teammates' puzzled looks, Minato whispered,
"I have a feeling this kid's about to surprise us even more…"
And indeed—he was right.
Once Shinju stepped out, his eyes turned a deep, blood-red!
Akimichi Chōza and Aburame Shibi froze in shock.
(´°Δ°`),Σ(っ °Д °;)っ
Chōza shouted, "The Sharingan?!"
"Why does he have the Sharingan?!"
Shibi added, "He can use Wood Release and has Sharingan eyes at the same time… what kind of bloodline is that?!"
Minato gestured for them to calm down.
"Easy… just calm down…"
Then, green chakra began to surge from Shinju's body.
It condensed into visible form—creating meridians, bones, and flesh.
Moments later, a half-body Susanoo emerged!
Minato, watching from the side, almost screamed.
ヽ( ຶ▮ ຶ)ﾉ!!!
"T-this… this is Susanoo, right?!"
"Chōza, Shibi—tell me I'm not seeing things?!"
Chōza and Shibi both wore the same stunned expression, their mouths open wide enough to fit an apple.
A man who could use Wood Release, Sharingan, and Susanoo…?!
"Is he really from our village? Since when did Konoha have a monster like this?" Minato's thoughts were spinning in disbelief.
Shibi murmured, "There's no one like him in the Uchiha clan…"
Chōza added, "And the Senju clan doesn't have anyone like that either…"
Minato's eyes widened.
"Then… he really is from the future!! (๑ʘ̅ д ʘ̅๑)!!!"
Chōza clenched his fists.
"I have to ask him what my son looks like in the future!"
...
Meanwhile, Shinju, controlling his Susanoo, raised the spiraling blade in its hand—completely ignoring the stunned trio nearby.
"Mukade," he said coldly, "surrender now, and I might consider letting your body stay in one piece. (o´Д`o)ノ"
Anrokuzan roared, "Mukade? I've long abandoned that lowly name! I am Minister Anrokuzan of Rōran!"
"I don't care what you call yourself," Shinju said, lips curling in disdain. "You're dying today! (′д｀σ)σ"
He commanded Susanoo to thrust its spiraling sword forward.
"WHIRRRR—"
The attack pierced straight through the head of the enormous spider-like monster that Anrokuzan had become!
The spiraling blade shredded the mud-like matter composing the creature's head into dust.
But as soon as Shinju withdrew the sword, the head miraculously regenerated!
Anrokuzan laughed arrogantly.
"So this is the famed Susanoo of the Sharingan?"
"Doesn't seem so impressive! （＾ワ＾）"
Shinju, with his keen chakra perception, immediately understood why.
Anrokuzan's body was made of clay and connected directly to the vast chakra of the Dragon Vein underground. Every time he took damage, he could use that chakra to regenerate almost instantly.
But Shinju wasn't one to believe in miracles.
"Let's see if you can regenerate from this—"
"Swish!"
White light gathered in his palm, forming a strange cubic construct.
"Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World Technique!!"