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The day after Naruto returned to Konoha, a mission was already waiting for them.
"Back for one day, and not even time to rest?"
Naruto and Sakura walked side by side down the village streets.
The Hokage's summons was… annoying. Mainly because he hadn't even had a chance to meet up with his friends yet before being thrown back into work.
They headed for the Hokage Tower.
Hokage's Office.
Hèshù's eyes scanned the mission scroll in her hands, reading ten lines at a glance. Her fingers tapped lightly on the parchment, her lowered eyelids hiding the deep thought in her eyes.
The power of Rōran's Dragon Vein had always been one of her targets. Now that the mission scroll had landed on her desk, the Dragon Vein was as good as hers.
As the Hokage, of course, she couldn't do anything personally.
So, this was the perfect time for Hanataki to make an appearance.
Having a shadow clone was really, really convenient.
Before Naruto and Sakura arrived, Yamato and Sai were already there.
Once the whole team was assembled, Hèshù laid out the mission.
"Your objective is to travel to the Rōran ruins in the Land of Wind's desert and capture the rogue ninja, Mukade. His target is the power of the Dragon Vein slumbering beneath Rōran."
"The Dragon Vein is a massive energy flow, sealed by the Fourth Hokage's jutsu."
Naruto's pupils dilated slightly at the mention of the Fourth.
His origins had been revealed to him by Hèshù a long time ago.
"What is the Dragon Vein?" Sai asked carefully. Without a concrete understanding, the mission would not go smoothly.
"The Dragon Vein is the collective term for the vast energy currents flowing underground. Simply put, it's an infinite source of chakra buried beneath the earth."
Hèshù's words made everyone's expressions shift.
The allure of infinite chakra for a shinobi was self-explanatory.
"The danger of an infinite chakra source falling into a rogue ninja's hands should be clear. Therefore, this mission must succeed." Hèshù's tone was serious. "Yamato will lead. Sai will provide support."
Considering Sasuke's importance to Naruto, Hèshù still avoided calling this a reformed Team Seven.
"Understood." Yamato's face was stern. Finally, he could escape the title of 'Konoha Construction Crew Captain' and perform a real shinobi's duty. Internally, he wept tears of joy.
Naruto and Sakura nodded. Sai's face maintained its gentle, slightly plastic smile.
"The Dragon Vein's power is immense, meaning this mission is inherently dangerous. To ensure your safety, I will send Xiao Qing with you."
Hèshù extended her hand. The little green dragon coiled around her wrist flew out and landed atop Naruto's head.
"Xiao Qing!" Naruto reached up affectionately to scratch its scales.
Xiao Qing haughtily raised its draconic eyes and gave Naruto's hand a light flick with its tail. How dare he! Was the body of Lord Xiao Qing something to be touched so casually?
"Xiao Qing will protect you at critical moments. If you encounter an enemy even it cannot handle, it can notify me, and I will come to your aid." After all, among the team going out was Naruto, the Nine-Tails jinchūriki. Hèshù had to add another layer of insurance. The Nine-Tails was also on the Akatsuki's hunting list.
"Yes, ma'am!" Yamato bowed, stepped forward to take the mission scroll from Hèshù, and led the team out.
Watching them leave, Hèshù began recalling this segment of the plot.
Guided by a logistics ninja, Yamato and the others collected their assigned weapons—chakra blades. Intelligence had crafted these specifically to counter Mukade's abilities.
Once packed, Yamato led them onto the road to the Land of Wind.
Elsewhere.
Amegakure.
Inside a lavish mansion on a village street.
Hanataki jumped off the bed and threw on his Akatsuki cloak. Golden flames slowly engulfed his entire body before he vanished from the spot.
Three Days Later.
Yellow sand filled the sky. The sun was a blazing white disc. The air tasted of dust.
Naruto waved a hand in front of his face, clamping his mouth shut to keep the grit out. "Yamato-taichō, are we almost there?"
Sai walked beside Yamato, posing the question. They'd been walking through the desert for nearly a full day.
"Almost!" Yamato sorted the route in his mind while subtly surveying their surroundings.
They walked for what felt like an eternity. Long enough for Naruto to feel completely encased in sand.
Finally, a city appeared on the horizon.
"What is…?" Sakura gasped in astonishment as the sandstorm subsided, revealing the city's true form. Towers that seemed to sprout from the earth pierced the clouds, dominating half the sky. Breathtakingly magnificent.
"This is the Rōran Ruins," Yamato confirmed.
"Then what are we waiting for?!" Naruto shook the sand from his cloak and charged straight in.
"Naruto!" Sakura wanted to scold him for recklessness, but knowing his nature, she just sighed and ran after him. Yamato and Sai followed closely.
They didn't notice a shimmer of golden light moving silently behind them.
The team ran purposefully towards the central, tallest tower.
"Whoa!" Naruto kept exclaiming as he ran.
Naruto. A different voice echoed in his mind.
"Kurama?" Naruto was startled. Why was the Nine-Tails speaking up now?
Someone's underground.
Naruto slammed to a halt. "Underground? A person? Mukade?" His eyes widened. He bolted for a staircase leading down, yelling over his shoulder to the confused Sakura and others, "Mukade's down below!"
Sakura and the others had no time to question how Naruto knew; they just followed him down.
The underground was a vast, palatial structure. A single path led straight to a central sealing platform.
The smile froze on Naruto's face when he saw the figure standing before the platform.
"Mukade!" he shouted, sprinting forward.
Yamato, catching up, was far calmer. "The Fourth Hokage's seal isn't something just anyone can break." His words made Naruto pause.
"Oh… right!" Naruto scratched his head.
However, Sakura's gaze remained fixed on Mukade. Something felt off. If this ninja dared to come here, he must have a plan for the seal.
Unfortunately, she didn't have time to voice her suspicion.
The ninja at the platform—Mukade—suddenly erupted with immense chakra. The seal left by the Fourth Hokage was… being drawn into his body, thread by thread.
"He's absorbing the energy!" Sakura's expression hardened.
A familiar blur shot past her vision. Naruto was charging towards Mukade, consequences be damned.
BOOM!
A violent purple pillar of light erupted from the ground.
It shattered the sealing platform instantly.
The ledge beneath Yamato and the others began to tremble and crumble.
"WAAAH—!" Naruto leaped between falling rubble, but his speed was no match for the collapse.
"Naruto!" Yamato's wooden tendrils shot out, wrapping tightly around the blond boy. Yamato let out a sigh of relief.
CRACK.
The relief on Yamato's face solidified into horror.
"AAAAH—!"
"WAAAH—!"
Their screams overlapped.
Sakura gritted her teeth and leaped after the falling pair. As she stepped into open air, Sai caught her. He had already drawn a flying summon the moment the platform collapsed.
"Naruto! Yamato-taichō!" Sakura and Sai watched from the back of the ink-beast, faces full of worry as the entire structure finished collapsing into the abyss.
"Don't worry too much. The Hokage's summon is with them." Sai smiled, trying to comfort her.
Sakura blinked, a little unnerved by that smile. He probably didn't know it looked… kinda creepy. She kept the thought to herself.
A split-second after the purple light vanished, a streak of gold shot through Sai and Sakura's field of vision and melted into the fading energy column below.
Darkness.
Then, faintly, a voice.
"Hey… are you okay?"
"Wake up."
"Are you hurt?"
A young boy's voice.
Naruto's eyes fluttered open. Pinpricks of light pierced the blackness. A handsome face came into focus.
Naruto thought he was hallucinating. He'd never seen this boy in the light purple robes before.
"You're awake!" The boy looked pleasantly surprised.
This was Hanataki, having used his cellular modification ability to adopt yet another appearance and physique.
"Who… who are you?" Naruto asked, bewildered, as the boy helped him to his feet.
The boy's smile was innocent. "I'm from the Kingdom of Rōran. You can call me Ryūka."
Naruto's eyes went round. "You… you're from Rōran?" But wasn't Rōran supposed to be extinct? He fought to keep the shock off his face.
"What's your name?" Ryūka asked curiously.
"I'm… Uzumaki Naruto."
"Naruto, what are you doing here?" Ryūka looked at him, puzzled. "Why haven't I seen you in Rōran before?"
"Ah… well… that's because…" Naruto scratched his head, scrambling for an answer.
Salvation came in the form of two hulking puppets lumbering towards them.
Instinctively treating Ryūka as a civilian, Naruto grabbed his hand and pulled him deeper into the ruins. Strangely, the puppets fell apart into components the moment they entered the main hall.
"Huh?" Naruto filed the oddity away. "Let's get out of here!"
Since Naruto had pegged him as a normal person, Hanataki—as Ryūka—had to play the part. A frightened, unsettled look appeared on his face. He nodded quickly at Naruto's words, seemingly terrified of being left behind.
Naruto flashed a sunny grin and looked up. A massive hole above let in shafts of sunlight. He hoisted Ryūka over his shoulder in a fireman's carry and leaped upwards.
Hanataki, suddenly dangling from Naruto's shoulder and unable to break character: "…"
"Whoa! This is amazing!"
When they emerged, an even more magnificent, vibrant Rōran spread out before them.
Hanataki's eyes also swept the scene. Compared to the desolate ruins, this Rōran in its prime was breathtaking. Tall structures, exquisite carvings and paintings. Every inch overflowed with astounding artistic style.
Towering spires surrounded them. Naruto couldn't stop looking around.
Even back on solid ground, Naruto didn't forget his 'civilian' charge.
Hanataki's gaze sharpened. Several puppet silhouettes had materialized not far behind them.
A violet energy blast roared down.
Naruto's expression tightened. He dodged, pulling Ryūka with him. Alone, he could have escaped easily. But with a 'civilian' to protect, he was slowed down.
HISS!
Naruto shoved Ryūka to the side. The purple blast grazed his leg.
He lost his footing and crashed to the ground. A deep, bone-visible gash marred his leg.
"Naruto!" Ryūka cried out, face full of worry.
"Ryūka, run!" Naruto gritted his teeth and shouted.
The puppets closed in. Another blast shot towards the defenseless Naruto.
"NARUTO!" Ryūka—with what seemed like reckless bravery—threw himself in front of Naruto, arms spread wide.
Naruto froze. His pupils dilated. His eyes stung. "Ryūka…"
Hanataki closed his eyes, trembling convincingly with 'fear.'
Suddenly, he felt weightless. He opened his eyes. A masked man with blond hair held him, having whisked him away from the blast. Meanwhile, two other masked figures had rescued Naruto.
Working in tandem, they reduced the puppets to scrap in moments.
"Who… who are you?" Naruto stared blankly at their masks.
Hanataki raised an eyebrow, looking at the blond masked man holding him.
Who else could it be?
Your dad.
"We are shinobi of Konoha, here on a mission," Aburame Shibi stated.
"Leave this place, it's dangerous," Akimichi Chōza urged Naruto and Ryūka.
Naruto's face scrunched in massive confusion. "Huh? But I'm a Konoha shinobi too!" He looked the trio over, scratching his head and muttering to himself. "That's weird… Sister Hèshù didn't mention sending other teams… Did she send them later? No, that doesn't make sense…"
Listening to the muttered ramble, the blond masked man holding Hanataki stiffened slightly. He looked at Naruto with sudden shock. His eyes took in the Konoha headband, the whirlpool crest on the jacket, before finally settling on the shock of blond hair and bright blue eyes.
Hanataki's gaze remained fixed on the blond man.
Would Minato Namikaze recognize him?
Would he recognize the boy before him as his future son?
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