On the vast deck of the fortress, Sakura gazed out at the island below. From this height, the entire island was visible at a glance. It wasn't large, densely forested, with a single mountain peak rising prominently from its center.
Beside Sakura stood the kindly middle-aged man, Klick. Nearby were Ranke, Temshi, and Kheshik, the latter watched closely by two guards.
"Thank you, Miss Haruno Sakura!" Klick said, his face radiating sincerity. "Thank you for providing the Chakra extraction method. You've truly done me a great service!"
"Think nothing of it. I still need you to arrange our passage home. Consider it payment for the ride," Sakura replied coolly, meeting the man's amiable gaze without warmth. So this was the 'Lord Klick' Ranke spoke of. His demeanor was certainly affable, but that meant little to Sakura.
"Ranke, prepare for landing," Klick instructed.
"Yes, my lord," Ranke acknowledged. She stepped forward and pressed a button on a nearby pillar.
A low rumbling sound echoed across the deck. Sections of the railing slid open to the left and right, and a large platform began to rise from the fortress's side.
Klick walked onto the platform first, followed closely by Ranke and Temshi. Kheshik was prodded forward by his guards onto the platform as well.
"Come on, let's go too," Sakura said to her teammates.
"Right." Neji and Karin followed her onto the platform.
The square platform hung suspended against the fortress's flank. It was spacious, enclosed by sturdy railings. A familiar sensation of weightlessness washed over them as the platform began its slow descent down the colossal metal wall.
Klick and his group stood on one side. Sakura leaned against the railing, observing the approaching island scenery.
"You're enabling murder!"
Sakura, lost in thought observing the island, was startled by the sudden, harsh voice beside her. She turned to see Kheshik, who had somehow moved closer to her group, the two guards watching him impassively from behind.
"What?" Sakura asked, confused.
"You have no idea what that place is! There's no Stone of Gelel there, only raw, unprocessed Gelel Power!" Kheshik hissed, staring intently at Sakura.
"What are you trying to say?" Sakura found his behavior odd. Why was he telling her this?
"This island is where Naelkui sealed the Gelel Power, yes! But this is the raw energy, before refinement! Processing it requires human lives – countless lives!" Kheshik continued urgently. "You likely already know about Naelkui's history. What I need you to understand is that we, the surviving Naelkui descendants, never intended to use this power to restore our empire! That's why we've guarded this secret so carefully. If they gain access to this raw power, many more people will die! Do you understand?"
"I understand," Sakura said with a noncommittal shrug. "But what does that have to do with me?"
"Urk..." Kheshik was momentarily speechless, taken aback by her apparent indifference. "Don't you realize," he stammered, "their next goal is to establish their 'Ideal Nation' on the Shinobi Continent? Your own friends, your family, could be endangered!" During his own interrogation, Kheshik had learned much – including that the Theocratic Nation had already fallen, overthrown by this very group, Ikarus. Realizing their ambitions, he felt compelled to warn these Konoha ninja against aiding them.
"Oh, is that so?" Sakura hadn't expected their target to be the Shinobi Continent, but she merely shrugged again, seemingly unconcerned. "And do you truly think they'll succeed?"
Kheshik paused, perhaps recalling the power shinobi wielded. He sighed heavily. "I just hope things don't escalate beyond repair."
"Don't worry," Sakura said, patting Kheshik's shoulder with an air of wisdom beyond her years. "What you fear won't come to pass."
Clang! With a final shudder, the platform reached sea level, docking beside a smaller boat waiting nearby. Everyone transferred onto the boat.
With the putt-putt-putt of its engine, the boat headed towards the island shore. The massive fortress could only anchor in deep water, necessitating the smaller vessel for the final approach.
Once they landed, Klick glanced dismissively at Kheshik. "Lead the way."
Kheshik didn't move. Temshi shoved him impatiently. "Hurry up! Don't dawdle, unless you want him to suffer!"
Resigned, Kheshik began leading the way into the island's dense jungle. He had never actually been here before, but he knew how to read the ancient Naelkui markers scattered across the island, guiding them towards the legacy's location. Klick could have ordered a grid search on an island this small, but forcing Kheshik to lead was likely more efficient – or perhaps served another purpose.
After winding through the jungle for some time, Kheshik finally stopped before the entrance to a dark cave.
"Is this the place, Kheshik?" Klick asked, his tone gentle.
"According to the Naelkui markers, this should be it," Kheshik replied sullenly, his face grim.
Klick nodded and led the way inside. Seeing the pitch-black entrance, Sakura turned to her teammates. "You two wait outside. If something goes wrong, I'll need you ready to provide backup."
Neji nodded seriously. Even Karin raised no objection; they were far from home, isolated and vulnerable if things went sideways.
A damp, musty odor hit them as they entered the tunnel. Their footsteps disturbed bats hanging from the ceiling, sending them fluttering deeper into the darkness.
After walking for an unknown duration, the tunnel suddenly opened into a vast, breathtaking cavern. Shafts of sunlight pierced through fissures high above, illuminating the space below.
"This... This is the legacy of Naelkui..." Klick breathed, his eyes wide with wonder and excitement. "Hahaha... I've finally found it..."
Even Sakura was momentarily stunned by the sight. In the center of the cavern stood a towering, artificial structure resembling a pyramid, its sides covered in intricate, unknown symbols and ancient murals.
Klick's expression turned ecstatic. He quickly pulled a worn book from his robes and began flipping through its pages.
Seeing the book, Kheshik gasped, horrified recognition dawning in his eyes. "That... That's the Book of Gelel..."
"Indeed it is! The Book of Gelel!" Klick confirmed gleefully.
"Then... you knew all along..." Kheshik whispered, his face paling further.
"Of course, I knew," Klick replied, his kindly demeanor returning like a mask. "Opening the Naelkui legacy requires two keys. One is this Book of Gelel..." He paused, then pointed directly at Ranke. "...and the other is her!"
"Could she be..." Kheshik stared at Ranke in utter shock. "Is she... of Naelkui royal blood?"
"Correct," Klick confirmed, turning to Ranke. "Come, Ranke. Take this book, place it in the recess over there, and open it."
Ranke still looked dazed, confusion clouding her features. "Lord Klick... what... what did you just say?"
Kheshik stood beside them, pale and silent, his hopes utterly dashed. He had led them here believing Klick couldn't possibly open the legacy without the proper Naelkui keys, but he hadn't counted on this...
"Ranke, you carry the bloodline of the Naelkui royalty," Klick explained patiently, his voice soothing. "Your lineage grants you an innate affinity for Gelel power, protecting you from its harmful side effects. I discovered your heritage long ago. Now, for the sake of the Ideal Nation, come! Open the door!"
Still stunned, Ranke numbly took the book Klick offered. Establishing the Ideal Nation was her life's goal. Hearing this revelation about her ancestry was incredible, world-altering, but she moved towards the pyramid base as instructed.
Reaching a section of the pyramid wall, she saw two indentations: one precisely the size and shape of the Book of Gelel, the other shaped like a handprint. She placed the book into its slot...
But just as she was about to place her hand in the second recess, a sudden thought made her hesitate. She turned back to Klick. "My parents... how did they really die?"
"Your parents? They were persecuted by the Theocratic Nation, of course! They died from Gelel contamination!" Klick replied instantly, without a flicker of hesitation.
"Ranke, he's lying!" Kheshik suddenly roared, as if grasping a final lifeline. "If you're of Naelkui royal blood, your parents couldn't have been harmed by Gelel contamination!"
Ranke looked from Kheshik back to Klick, her eyes filled with renewed confusion and dawning suspicion.
"Ranke, quickly now! Open it! We're just one step away! The Ideal Nation is within our grasp!" Klick urged, a manic gleam entering his eyes.
After two seconds of tense silence, Ranke slowly stepped back from the wall. She knelt before Klick. "Lord Klick... please, tell me the truth."
Seeing Ranke's defiance, a flicker of vicious anger crossed Klick's eyes, though he suppressed it quickly. "Stand up, Ranke," he said, his voice dangerously smooth. "I will tell you the truth."
Ranke slowly rose, looking at Klick, still lost and uncertain. Sakura, who had been watching the drama unfold, suddenly felt a sharp shift in Klick's aura.
Shink!
With a sickeningly swift motion, Klick drew a hidden blade. Ranke cried out as her right arm was severed cleanly at the elbow. Pain overwhelmed her, and she collapsed to her knees, unable to stand.
Klick calmly sheathed his blade, picked up Ranke's severed arm, and looked down at her, his face twisted in a cruel mockery of disappointment. "Why must you ask such foolish questions? Wouldn't it have been better to simply obey? I truly did admire you, Ranke."
Ranke gasped, clutching the bleeding stump of her arm, staring up at Klick in horror. "My... parents... How... how did they... die...?"
"Get out of the way!" Klick snapped, kicking her aside contemptuously as he walked towards the pyramid wall himself. He tossed a cold order over his shoulder. "Temshi, finish her!"
"Yes, my lord!" Temshi replied with a vicious grin, drawing his longsword and advancing on the fallen Ranke. "Hmph. I've disliked you for a long time. Any last words? Speak now."
Ranke lay bleeding on the cavern floor, her eyes utterly empty, her faith shattered. She looked blankly at the approaching Temshi, making no move to defend herself. Just let it end...
"Since you have nothing to say, then die!" Temshi raised his sword, his face contorted in a mask of insane fury.
Puchi!
Temshi's body went rigid. His face instantly drained of color. His grip slackened, the longsword clattering to the stone floor. He looked down, stunned, at the small, pale hand protruding from his chest.
"Wh..." Temshi managed only a single syllable before Sakura ripped her hand back out. With a flick of her wrist to clear the blood, she watched impassively as Temshi collapsed, lifeless.
First time killing someone with the Lightning Cutter, Sakura noted internally. Surprisingly effective. Now that I have the chakra for it, it's definitely worth using.
Ignoring the dead knight, Sakura moved to Ranke's side and knelt, pressing her hand over the severed arm to stem the bleeding with the Mystic Palm Technique.
Klick, who had reached the stone wall, heard the commotion and turned back, startled. "You choose to oppose us now? Do you no longer wish to return home?"
"Of course, I want to go home," Sakura replied, a small, dangerous smile touching her lips. "But I've just realized... I don't need you anymore. Ranke here can help us get back just fine!"
Cold sweat suddenly beaded on Klick's temples. His soldiers were all back on the fortress. Here, there were only the two guards Kheshik had, himself, and now... this unexpectedly deadly kunoichi and her teammates. He had completely underestimated the situation. He was isolated, vulnerable... He had been careless.