Chapter 93: Collecting the Dragon Vein
Neji-kun nodded impassively, then asked, "Earlier today, I saw a group of Suna shinobi arrive at the oasis. What was their purpose?"
Seeing Neji-kun change the subject, Sāra sighed inwardly, resigned. "Those Suna-nin came to collect a head tax from us."
A head tax?
Neji-kun's brow furrowed slightly. Collecting taxes wasn't typically a ninja's job. After a moment's thought, he deduced Suna's true intentions.
The Dragon Vein, a natural source of chakra comparable to a Tailed Beast—it was impossible for Suna not to covet it. But Rasa, the Fourth Kazekage, was a man who valued both reputation and substance. Simply stealing it was more Kumogakure's style. Furthermore, the Dragon Vein was connected to Konoha through Minato's seal; snatching it directly would be difficult to explain.
Thus, they needed a legitimate reason. Rasa was applying economic pressure, aiming to force the Rōran survivors into submitting to Suna. Once they did, Suna could take control of the Dragon Vein legitimately, and Konoha would have little ground to object.
Neji-kun suddenly asked, "Queen Sāra, why not lead your people to seek refuge in Suna? Surely it's better than wandering the desert?"
"Heh." Sāra let out a cold snort. "When has Suna ever truly cared about the lives of common people? Life wouldn't necessarily be better there. We're better off staying in the desert. It's harsh, but at least we have our freedom."
Neji-kun fell silent. During the Third Great Ninja War, Suna had been the first to attack Konoha and the first to surrender, looking utterly foolish. The enraged Daimyō of the Land of Wind had slashed their military funding year after year. Without the Daimyō's support, the village had to rely solely on mission fees, and its financial situation worsened daily. If Rasa hadn't been skilled at prospecting for gold dust, the Suna shinobi might have been reduced to eating sand.
The system of the shinobi world was absurd. Ninja with god-like powers willingly bowed to powerless nobles. The nobles relied on ninja yet simultaneously feared and distrusted them. Ninja brought endless suffering upon civilians, yet civilians had no choice but to hire them. Shinobi didn't engage in production, forced to take civilian commissions just to survive.
Neji-kun pushed these thoughts aside and looked at Izumi. "I'll leave things here to you."
"Understood." Izumi nodded and, under Sāra's watchful eye, transformed into her exact likeness.
Neji-kun then took the real Sāra, left the tent, and headed straight for the ruins of Rōran, quickly vanishing into the vast night.
The desert environment was treacherous; it was easy to get lost. Fortunately, the ruins were only about ten kilometers from the oasis. A few hours later, they arrived. Looking at the desolate landscape, Sāra's eyes filled with sadness. Rōran, once a highly urbanized city, arguably the most prosperous in the world, was now nothing but ruins.
Neji-kun watched her silently, not rushing her. Rōran rose because of the Dragon Vein and fell because of it. Its prosperity and decline were inevitable. Perhaps if Sāra had allied with Suna, Rōran's prosperity might have lasted longer, but once Suna took control of the Dragon Vein, the city's fall would have been just as certain.
"Let's go," Sāra said, recovering. She led Neji-kun into the ruins.
As they walked, Neji-kun focused his senses, searching for chakra signatures. Given the Dragon Vein's immense energy, he should have easily detected fluctuations. Yet, he sensed nothing unusual. The Fourth Hokage's seal was incredibly strong. No wonder neither Suna nor Konoha had made a move on the Dragon Vein in all these years. Firstly, they couldn't break the seal. Secondly, handling the Dragon Vein itself was a major problem. Thus, both villages had reached a tacit understanding to leave it alone.
Upon entering the ruins proper, Neji-kun immediately felt a terrifying pressure wash over him—a spiritual pressure, like a mouse encountering a cat. He activated his Byakugan, scanning the area. Although ruined, the city should have been a better habitat than the harsh desert, yet there were no signs of any other living creatures.
Soon, Sāra led him to the central platform where the Dragon Vein was sealed. Neji-kun stepped forward, examining the special Sealing Blade embedded in the center, his expression growing serious.
The Fourth Hokage had used three types of seals. First, an Eight Trigrams Seal, formed by layering two Four Symbols Seals. Second, a Contract Seal. The third, Neji-kun couldn't identify. Given Minato's history, it was likely a sealing technique learned from Jiraiya, originating from Mount Myōboku.
Sāra glanced at Neji-kun. "Can you break the seal left by Minato Namikaze?"
Neji-kun considered for a moment. "I can only break two of them."
"Two?" Sāra looked surprised. Suna had contacted her before about the Dragon Vein but had given up because they couldn't break the seal. "Then you can't take the Dragon Vein. Why don't you come back in a few years when you can break all three? I'll help you then." She felt a small sense of relief. If he couldn't steal it, maybe she would live.
"Just because I can't break all the seals doesn't mean I can't release the Dragon Vein," Neji-kun said, a faint smile hidden beneath his mask.
In the next instant, his hands flew through seals. "Eight Trigrams Seal: Release!"
The sealing formula on the platform shrank by a third. Neji-kun gave Sāra a meaningful glance, then formed seals again. "Contract Seal: Release!"
Less than a third of the sealing formula remained.
Sāra suddenly gasped, "I can feel the Dragon Vein's power!"
Just as I thought. Neji-kun's eyes narrowed slightly. Sāra, an ordinary person, could sense the Dragon Vein even better than he could. That wasn't normal. The Rōran royalty had guarded the Dragon Vein for generations; he suspected there was an unspoken contract between the Queen and the Vein. Minato's Contract Seal was meant to sever the connection between a ninja and their summon; he must have used it here to block Sāra's mental link. Neji-kun had brought her along precisely to utilize this connection to suppress the Dragon Vein.
"What's the Dragon Vein doing now?" Neji-kun asked calmly.
Sāra closed her eyes, sensing for a moment. "Its power is even stronger than before... It wants to get out."
RUMBLE!
As soon as she spoke, the platform shook violently. Sensing the weakened seal, the Dragon Vein instinctively began to push against it from within. A single layer of sealing wasn't enough to hold it. This was why Neji-kun was confident he could break the seal entirely just by removing the first two layers.
"Do you see?" Sāra panicked. "The Dragon Vein's power is too strong! Even Minato Namikaze couldn't control it, only seal it! If it gets out, it will bring disaster upon the world!"
"Having come this far, do you think I would give up now?" As he spoke, Neji-kun took the Amber Purifying Pot from his ninja pouch. With a puff of smoke, the container, resembling a pickling jar, appeared before them.
"What's this?" Sāra asked, confused.
Neji-kun activated his Tenseigan, focusing on the remaining seal. "This is the legendary Treasured Tool of the Sage of Six Paths, the Amber Purifying Pot. It contains its own internal space and can seal anything. When the Dragon Vein breaks free, you must suppress it with all your might and help me get it inside."
He had even brought a container; clearly, he was determined. Sāra knew she couldn't dissuade him and reluctantly agreed.
Neji-kun entered his Tenseigan Chakra Mode, radiating a pale green aura. A single Chakra Rosary bead emerged from between his eyebrows. With a flick of his finger, the bead flew slowly towards the Sealing Blade at the core of the final seal.
Crack!
The blade shattered, and the last of the Fourth Hokage's seals disintegrated completely.
The platform began to shake more violently. A fierce wind whipped up out of nowhere, flinging debris against the crumbling walls with dull thuds. A crack appeared on the platform, spreading like a spiderweb.
"It's coming out!" Sāra cried.
Neji-kun stepped in front of her protectively. Sāra instinctively grabbed his arm, wondering about his identity. To remain so calm in the face of such a disaster... perhaps only a Kage-level shinobi could do that.
As the Dragon Vein surged, the cracks widened.
ROAR!
Suddenly, Neji-kun heard a dragon's roar echo from the seal. An immense torrent of chakra erupted, coalescing into the shape of a dragon high in the air, shining as brightly as the sun.
Neji-kun was overjoyed. The Dragon Vein's chakra was even more powerful than he expected, and it pulsed with pure natural energy.
Then, a thought occurred to him, and his brow furrowed. He had chosen to collect the Dragon Vein at night to avoid attention. But its escape was creating a massive spectacle. The dragon-shaped energy lit up the night sky, visible for dozens of kilometers. Suna had coveted the Dragon Vein for years. They would surely notice this phenomenon and send a team to investigate soon. He didn't have much time.
Pop!
Neji-kun gently tapped the Amber Purifying Pot, and the lid flew off. He poured his Tenseigan chakra into it and shouted, "Seal!"
A brilliant light shot from the pot's mouth, and a terrifying suction force began pulling the Dragon Vein towards it. The Dragon Vein instinctively resisted, letting out a soul-shaking roar. The hurricane within the ruins intensified, pressing down on Neji-kun and Sāra.
More Chakra Rosary beads flew from Neji-kun's forehead, forming a black barrier to block the wind. He slowly raised his right hand towards the Dragon Vein, using his Tenseigan's attraction while shouting to Sāra, "Queen Sāra, lend me your strength!"
Sāra was dazzled by Neji-kun's endless array of techniques. Realizing he truly had the power to take the Dragon Vein, conflict warred within her. The Dragon Vein was the spiritual heart of Rōran. As long as it existed, Rōran existed. Now, it was being taken by an outsider.
But then she thought of her people, following her through a life of hardship in the desert. The hesitation in her eyes turned to resolve.
She stretched her hand towards the Dragon Vein and chanted, "Dragon Vein! By the Queen's decree, I command you: Submit! Quickly, as the statutes command!"
Something incredible happened. Sāra's words seemed to hold a magical power. The Dragon Vein's resistance suddenly weakened significantly, and the hurricane in the ruins began to die down.
'Just as I planned. Sāra may be ordinary, but she really can suppress the Dragon Vein.' Neji-kun rejoiced inwardly, pouring all his strength into pulling the Dragon Vein towards the pot. Subdued by Sāra, the Vein became docile, and the pot easily began to absorb it.
Time ticked by. After about twenty minutes, the last wisp of the Dragon Vein's chakra was swallowed by the Amber Purifying Pot. Sāra felt the spiritual connection sever, a look of sorrow on her face.
"Seal," Neji-kun commanded softly. The lid flew back onto the pot, and layers of sealing formula covered it.
He gently patted the Amber Purifying Pot, a grin splitting his face from ear to ear. He had obtained a Tailed Beast-level chakra source. From now on, he could use chakra with abandon in battle.
Suppressing his excitement, Neji-kun looked at the conflicted Queen beside him. "Queen Sāra, how was this Dragon Vein formed?"
Sāra snapped back to reality, hesitated, then pointed vaguely west. "If I said it flew here from the West, would you believe me?"
Neji-kun paused, then nodded firmly. "I believe you."
Sāra: "..."
The chant Sāra had used – "Quickly, as the statutes command!" – was clearly not native to the shinobi lands. It strongly suggested the Dragon Vein originated from the mysterious East.
Sāra suddenly looked sorrowful. "You have the Dragon Vein now. I hope that after you kill me, you won't harm my people."
Neji-kun couldn't help but laugh. Did he really look like a murderous maniac? Then again, considering Konoha's role in Rōran's downfall, it was no wonder she distrusted shinobi. And killing her would be the most direct way to keep his secret.
Neji-kun turned towards the direction of Suna. "Queen Sāra, let's leave this place first."
Sāra was taken aback. "What did you say?"
Neji-kun glanced at her. "If you're not coming, I'll go first." With that, he shot into the air.
Realizing he had no intention of killing her, Sāra let out a long breath and shouted, "Hey, wait for me! Come down!"
As soon as she spoke, a powerful attractive force lifted her into the air. Neji-kun caught her by the waist. "Queen Sāra, hold on tight."
Sāra opened her mouth to speak, but the rushing wind filled her mouth, making her cough violently.
WHOOSH!
The wind roared past their ears as the landscape blurred below. Neji-kun flew at full speed, returning them to the oasis in less than half an hour.
By now, the first hint of dawn was breaking. Most of the Rōran survivors were still asleep.
Neji-kun looked at Sāra, her hair disheveled, sipping warm water. "Queen Sāra, news of the Dragon Vein's theft will reach Suna soon. This place is no longer safe. It would be best to leave the Land of Wind quickly."
"What?!" The Queen was shocked, only now realizing the gravity of the situation. Her people had been allowed to live in the Land of Wind because the Dragon Vein acted as a protective talisman. Now that it was gone, Suna would soon investigate. The consequences were unthinkable. Even setting aside Suna's potential wrath, without the Dragon Vein's protection, the fate of her people looked bleak.