Bang!
The two forces collided, and a surge of dark purple energy spilled out, spreading in wild, sinuous patterns like a writhing python. Both energies clashed and crackled, consuming each other until they dissipated into the air, leaving the young man breathing hard, his face tense with concentration.
Just as he steadied himself, a faint purple glow caught his eye, flickering at the top of a distant building. He squinted, curiosity and frustration intertwining in his mind. How does the Dragon Vein repair these guards' armor so quickly? he wondered. The intricacies of the energy felt beyond him, yet he couldn't ignore its formidable power.
His gaze fell on one of the guards he had managed to defeat before the purple energy could restore him. The guard lay still, his empty, dark purple eyes staring blankly, devoid of any will or recognition. It was unsettling—those eyes held no fear, no awareness. They were like hollow windows, lifeless and yet alive.
In that instant, he felt it—a surge, a faint tremor of Dragon Vein energy pulsing through the guard. The resonance was there, connecting the guard to the source of the purple glow atop the building.
What is going on here? He wasn't sure. His father could have probably deciphered this situation in seconds, but analytical thinking wasn't his strong suit. Even so, instinct told him that the Dragon Vein's power was somehow possessing and controlling these guards. There had to be someone manipulating this energy.
Acting on a hunch, he formed a cross seal with his fingers, summoning three shadow clones. They appeared beside him, each ready for action. Two clones charged at the guard, one blocking a spear that suddenly came their way. The second clone leaped forward, grabbing hold of the guard, pinning him in place. The young man gathered chakra, focusing as he prepared his next move.
"Sage Art: Odama Rasengan!"
With the help of his clones, he launched the enormous Rasengan, smashing it down on the guard. The attack hit with tremendous force, and for a moment, they were locked in a stalemate. But the Rasengan finally overwhelmed the guard's armor, shattering it completely.
No sooner had he destroyed the armor than he sensed more guards approaching from every direction, their heavy footsteps echoing ominously through the ancient structures. Undeterred, he quickly formed another series of seals.
"Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Bang! A cloud of smoke exploded around him, and when it cleared, hundreds of clones stood ready, each one poised for the impending battle. The clones launched themselves forward, engaging the guards in a chaotic clash of fists and jutsu amidst the towering buildings.
In the midst of the turmoil, the young man darted toward the guard he had captured. He pressed his hand on the guard's shoulder, channeling natural energy to cloak both of them, effectively masking his chakra signature.
The dark purple energy above them pulsed, but the connection to this particular guard had now been severed, stopping the flow of energy in its tracks.
"Success!" he whispered, a triumphant grin spreading across his face. Though he didn't fully understand the mechanism, his plan had worked, severing the guard's connection to the Dragon Vein. For now, the guard was entirely out of their control.
His mind raced with questions. What had happened to Rōran? Why did it feel like a ghost town, devoid of life save for these hollow-eyed guards? If he was going to find answers, he'd need information—and the guard he had captured was his only source.
Securing a hold on the guard, he masked his chakra as best he could and slipped into the labyrinthine alleys, weaving his way toward the place where he had first arrived in this strange, empty city. In his perception, it was the only area not touched by the Dragon Vein's reach. Here, he could keep his chakra masked without burning through his natural energy reserves.
Once they arrived, he set the guard down gently, glancing around the familiar stone chamber. He had no idea how much time he had before the Dragon Vein's reach found them again, so he acted swiftly.
"Sorry, uncle," he said quietly, studying the guard's face. The man was middle-aged, perhaps in his forties, his face lined with a weariness that hinted at the struggles of a life in Rōran. His eyes remained shut, his breathing faint.
After a few minutes, the man suddenly stirred, his eyes snapping open as he gasped for air. The boy instinctively reached out a hand to steady him, but the guard's eyes widened in horror as he took in his surroundings. He looked around wildly before letting out a strangled cry.
"Ahhh!"
"Uncle, don't be afraid," the boy said gently, grabbing his shoulders in an attempt to calm him. "I'm not here to hurt you—I'm a ninja from Konoha. I came here because I was tracking down someone dangerous."
But the man continued to shake, his body trembling violently. His gaze had gone hollow again, as if he were slipping into some dark void. Suddenly, he collapsed to the ground, his body seized with convulsions.
"Uncle, what's happening to you?" the boy asked, alarm rising in his voice. He checked the man's pulse, his heart hammering as he watched the life drain from the guard's face. Though he confirmed that the man was still breathing, his pale skin and shallow breaths were unsettling.
The boy knelt beside him, deep worry shadowing his features. "What did they do to you?" he whispered, feeling a heavy weight of responsibility settle on his shoulders. He had hoped to save this man, to learn something from him, but instead, he seemed to have only added to the guard's suffering.
Thinking fast, he bit his thumb, drawing blood and smearing it across his palm before weaving a series of seals.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
He pressed his palm to the ground, expecting the familiar plume of smoke that would signal the arrival of a messenger. But nothing happened. Frowning, he tried again, pushing more chakra into the summoning.
"Come on!" he muttered, frustration mounting as the jutsu failed once more. "How can my summoning not work here? How am I supposed to get any help?"
He clenched his fists, feeling the sting of helplessness. The eerie silence of the empty city closed in around him, deepening his frustration. With no way to contact Konoha, he was truly on his own.
Elsewhere in the city, a figure cloaked in black stood in a shadowed hall, his face obscured by a large hat. He placed his hand on a stone pillar, his senses reaching out across Rōran.
"Mt. Myoboku's sage techniques… troublesome indeed," he murmured, irritation lacing his words. He could sense the young man's actions, the pulse of natural energy disrupting his control over the guards. "But you're only delaying the inevitable."
He performed a series of seals, activating the intricate patterns carved into the stone pillars around him. A faint purple glow radiated from each pillar, growing stronger with each passing second. For a full minute, he concentrated on amplifying the Dragon Vein's reach, forcing its influence into every corner of the city.
But when he finished, he was surprised to find the young man's energy signature gone.
"He vanished?" the man whispered, eyes narrowing in disbelief. He knew the sage mode couldn't last indefinitely, especially not when masking another person's energy. The boy should have been detected easily by now. Unless…
He paused, considering the possibilities. Could there really be a place in Rōran where the Dragon Vein's energy cannot reach?
A cold, bitter smile crept across his face as realization dawned. "So, you've hidden this from me, Your Majesty," he sneered, his voice dripping with disdain. The Queen of Rōran had left a pocket in her city, a hidden space that even the Dragon Vein couldn't penetrate.
"Let's see how long you think you can hide," he muttered, unconcerned. The boy was little more than an annoyance. The real threat would come from his father, should he ever arrive.
Just then, a nearby stone pillar flickered with a faint chakra signal, capturing his attention. He moved closer, placing his hand on its surface, and his face twisted with recognition and barely veiled resentment.
"So… he's really here," he murmured, his voice laced with jealousy and fear. For a moment, he felt his hands tremble, but he clenched his fists, forcing himself to steady his resolve.
"Judging by the timing, he can't be that much stronger than the kid," he whispered, a twisted smirk appearing on his face. "But if you're here, Fourth Hokage, I don't mind taking the opportunity to kill both you and your son in this era."
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