Encounters with People from the Past (1)
When he opened his eyes again, Naruto found himself suspended hundreds of meters above the sky.
Reacting instantly, he used Fūton: Kaze no Yaiba to slow his descent, gliding smoothly toward the ground. Below him lay a sprawling city shrouded in yellow sand—Loulan, still untouched by time, its grand structures standing tall against the desert winds.
Judging by the city's prosperity, the time-travel jutsu had worked. He had successfully arrived in Loulan's past.
Brushing the dust from his black cloak, Naruto adjusted his signature black fox mask and sprinted toward the city, recalling the events surrounding the Lost Tower.
In the original timeline, it was Mukade—later known as Anrokuzan—who traveled back in time, usurped control over Loulan, and manipulated Queen Sāra's mother using the power of the Ryūmyaku (Dragon Vein).
But this time, those who had been pulled into the past were different—Shimura Danzō, Nagato, and himself.
Danzō, though scheming, was physically weak. He wasn't the main concern. Nagato, on the other hand, wielded the Rinnegan, a power capable of warping time and space itself. If his abilities remained intact, the consequences of their presence in this era could be catastrophic.
A troubling thought crossed Naruto's mind, and he quickly checked his fūin jikan kūkan (sealed space).
His inner world remained, and traces of the Kyūbi's and Sanbi's chakra were still present—but Kurama's physical form was gone, as if he had never been sealed inside him.
Was this because two Kuramas couldn't exist in the same timeline?
Or was it because the Ryūmyaku's power had rejected Kurama's immense chakra from crossing over?
Frowning, Naruto pondered his situation. Regardless of the reason, without Kurama's full power, his strength had dropped drastically—comparable to that of Jiraiya in his prime.
If powerful enemies converged on him, survival in this distorted time would be uncertain.
Shaking off his doubts, he infiltrated Loulan, using Henge no Jutsu to blend in among the civilians.
His Kage-level strength allowed him to dominate most enemies, but without Kurama, he could no longer afford to be reckless. If he encountered Nagato now, he wouldn't stand a chance—assuming the Rinnegan hadn't weakened from time travel.
As the city guards changed shifts, Naruto cast a subtle Genjutsu on one of them, extracting key information.
It was the height of the Third Shinobi World War. Loulan thrived under the rule of Queen Sāra, with her influential minister, Anrokuzan, by her side.
Years ago, Anrokuzan had convinced the queen's mother to harness the Ryūmyaku, single-handedly constructing an army of chakra-powered puppets to fend off invaders from Sunagakure. This had led to Loulan's transformation into a modernized city.
Naruto's eyes narrowed.
Had Danzō assumed the identity of Anrokuzan to seize control of Loulan? Or was Mukade still present in this timeline, following the same path of rebellion?
After erasing the guard's memory, Naruto ascended to a balcony overlooking the city.
Unlike the sealed state he knew, the Ryūmyaku here was overflowing with raw energy, powering the entire metropolis. It was no wonder the Ryūmyaku had weakened so drastically in the present era.
Focusing his senses, Naruto pinpointed the tower housing the Ryūmyaku's core.
Just as he was deciding whether to investigate the palace or the tower first, he noticed several figures moving stealthily through the city.
Despite their Henge, their movements betrayed them as Konoha shinobi.
Among them, a blonde-haired ninja abruptly halted, turning slightly toward Naruto's direction. Though he scanned the area, he failed to detect Naruto's presence.
A masked, burly figure beside him spoke.
"Minato, did you sense something?" asked Akimichi Chōza. "Did you find the ninja plotting against Queen Sāra?"
Namikaze Minato shook his head. "I just felt a familiar chakra. But it was gone before I could pinpoint it… Its perception ability exceeds mine."
Chōza frowned. "If it's stronger than yours, then it's unlikely to be from another village's Kage—except maybe the Kazekage. But I doubt any of the others would concern themselves with Loulan."
Minato smiled faintly. "It wasn't an enemy Kage. The chakra was… calm, almost familiar. It gave me a strange sense of closeness. Maybe I imagined it."
Chōza chuckled. "Well, once we finish this mission, we should be able to finalize the treaty with Sunagakure. You might even be nominated for Fourth Hokage, Minato."
"I'm still far from that," Minato replied modestly. "Besides, Jiraiya-sensei would make a better Hokage than me."
"…" Aburame Shibi remained silent, staring at the sky, his hands tucked into his coat pockets. He hated unnecessary conversation.
—
After nearly an hour, Naruto finally encountered Minato's team.
While investigating Loulan's palace, Naruto had come across several Ryūmyaku-powered puppets. Far more advanced than Sunagakure's, these constructs rivaled Jōnin in strength.
Overwhelmed by their sheer numbers, Naruto was forced to destroy several of them, inadvertently drawing Minato's attention.
Their confrontation took place in a narrow alley.
Before him stood a younger Namikaze Minato, flanked by two seasoned Jōnin—Akimichi Chōza and Aburame Shibi.
Chōza and Shibi tensed at the sight of Naruto's black fox mask.
They could sense the immense chakra radiating from him—on par with the legendary Sannin. Who was this mysterious warrior, and why was he in Loulan?
After a moment of silence, Minato spoke.
"Why did you infiltrate Loulan and provoke its guards?" His voice was calm yet firm. "We need an explanation."
Naruto met Minato's piercing gaze. His voice was equally composed.
"This is the Land of Wind's territory, not Konoha's. Before questioning others, shouldn't you introduce yourself first, Kiiroi Senkō (Yellow Flash)?"
Chōza stiffened.
Minato, however, smiled and formally introduced himself. "We are Konoha shinobi, here on a mission to protect Queen Sāra. Your actions seem suspicious. If you're not our enemy, then tell us—why are you here?"
Naruto answered without hesitation. "My objective is different from yours. I came to kill someone, but my target isn't the queen. It's Anrokuzan, Loulan's minister. He's manipulating her."
Minato's eyes narrowed. "Anrokuzan is controlling Queen Sāra?"
He exchanged glances with his teammates, then turned back to Naruto.
"It seems our missions overlap," Minato admitted. "Perhaps we should work together."
Naruto considered for a moment before nodding slightly.
—
In Loulan's palace, the young Queen Sāra practiced royal etiquette under the guidance of her trusted minister, Anrokuzan.
After her mother's sudden death a month ago, she had ascended the throne. Though she was still learning governance, Anrokuzan had faithfully managed Loulan's affairs, just as he had done under her mother.
Everyone revered him. Even she saw him as a father figure.
Yet lately, he had changed.
He had become distant, constantly pressing her to unlock the full potential of the Ryūmyaku. His intentions were unclear—but it didn't matter.
As long as he ruled wisely, Loulan would continue to prosper.
—
In a hidden chamber nearby, the real Anrokuzan knelt before an elderly figure wrapped in bandages.
Shimura Danzō.
Having arrived in this era, Danzō had wasted no time. Using Kotoamatsukami, he had effortlessly seized control of Anrokuzan's mind.
Danzō's voice was low and commanding. "Anrokuzan, I sensed a disturbance in the Ryūmyaku. Explain."
Anrokuzan, his eyes gleaming with unnatural obedience, grinned madly.
"A ninja infiltrated the Lost Tower," he reported. "But the puppet guards drove him away."
Danzō frowned.
A foreign shinobi capable of breaching the tower?
This time-travel mission was becoming even more complicated.
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