The group entered the desert of the Land of Wind. Guided by locals, they finally arrived at the ruins of the ancient kingdom of Rōran.
Over a dozen years had passed. The wind and sand had buried all traces of its former prosperity. Only a few broken walls and scattered ruins hinted at how glorious and thriving it once had been. But under the relentless destruction of nature, this place had become nothing more than a wasteland.
There were still some people living nearby, though not within the ruins themselves. Their settlement seemed to have been part of Rōran long ago.
"Check it out."
With Hinata around, there was no need to painstakingly search for enemies. Letting her look was enough.
Everything within a kilometer radius fell into Hinata's sight.
She gasped softly.
"Kiyosuke-sensei, beneath all this sand lies an incredibly prosperous city!"
Beneath their feet stretched rows of towering buildings, some tens or even hundreds of meters tall. Roads crisscrossed in perfect order, the city planning remarkably advanced. Everything she saw told her how beautiful this place once had been.
Kiyosuke nodded.
"Yes. The ancient kingdom of Rōran thrived because of a Dragon Vein. The amount of chakra flowing through it made them far more prosperous than present-day Konoha. But later, the Fourth Hokage sealed it away. Our mission isn't just to capture Mukade—it's also to protect that seal."
He asked, "Do you see any large amount of chakra?"
Hinata shook her head.
"No. But… I do see a seal, buried beneath the ground up ahead."
She pointed toward the location.
"Good. Let's go. I'd bet Mukade is after the Dragon Vein. We'll know once we get there."
Just as Kiyosuke spoke, Hinata suddenly warned him.
"I see Mukade! Kiyosuke-sensei was right—he's heading straight for the Dragon Vein. And that's… puppets! A whole group of puppets is charging this way!!"
Her words had barely fallen when a mass of puppets burst out from beneath the sand. They were different from the ones Sunagakure used—not wooden, heavier, bulkier. But they still carried sharp claws and weapons, and they lunged toward the group.
"Use chakra blades to cut their chakra threads! You kids take them. Yamato and I will stay back and watch."
Kiyosuke gave the order.
As the six youngsters rushed forward, Yamato frowned.
"Senpai, isn't this a bit lazy of you?"
"How can you call it lazy? This is giving the young ones a chance to train. Yamato, you've still got a lot to learn."
Kiyosuke patted him on the shoulder. Slacking off was an art Yamato hadn't mastered yet.
"…I understand, Senpai."
In no time at all, the kids had taken down the puppets.
Kiyosuke clapped his hands.
"Good. Now, let's go capture Mukade!"
Led by Hinata, the group headed toward the Dragon Vein. Kiyosuke smashed through the ground with a punch, opening a path to an underground tower. Yamato built a wooden bridge, and they descended into the depths.
The walls were lined with murals and decorations, filled with artistic elegance. Passing through the corridor, they entered the buried city—and were struck speechless. They hadn't expected a metropolis of towering buildings hidden beneath the desert sands.
Still, they couldn't linger. They had a mission.
At the city's center stood a great tower. They walked through a dark corridor, pushed open massive doors, and found themselves facing a vast pit. At its bottom stretched a single road leading to a lone high platform.
At the platform's center, a trident-like kunai stood embedded, the seal spreading outward from it in all directions.
"That must be the Fourth Hokage's sealing technique."
Tsunade and Kiyosuke had already explained before they left: the Dragon Vein had been sealed by the Fourth Hokage, and their mission was to guard it at all costs, preventing Mukade from claiming its immense power.
On that high platform stood a tall, gaunt, bald middle-aged man. He sneered at them.
"Konoha's response is so slow. Soon, the power of my puppets will flow into this Dragon Vein. Once I grasp this power, not just the Five Great Nations—the entire world will bow to me!"
Kiyosuke sighed.
"You people are always the same—obsessed with ruling the world. But you never think about what comes after. That's why you're never the true final villains."
Couldn't anyone come up with something new? How many world-domination speeches had he heard by now?
"What nonsense! Once I obtain the Dragon Vein, my success is certain!"
"Stop deluding yourself. There's no way you can break the Fourth Hokage's seal," Yamato said firmly.
"Hmph. Then watch closely!"
"What are you trying to do?"
"I'll just destroy the seal along with it!"
Mukade formed hand seals, pressing both palms on either side of the kunai the Fourth Hokage had left behind. Purple chakra surged into it. In an instant, chakra erupted, ripping his clothes apart as glowing purple markings spread across his skin. With a cruel smile, he gripped the kunai and yanked it upward.
"No! Stop him!"
Naruto leapt forward, but Kiyosuke held him back.
"Don't rush, Naruto. The surprise I mentioned is about to show itself. The rest of you, stay calm. Yamato, link us all together with Wood Release."
"Yes!"
Though confused, Yamato obeyed.
By then, Mukade had already pulled the kunai free. The Dragon Vein's overwhelming chakra burst forth, surging upward in a massive purple pillar of light that spread in all directions. They had no time to escape. All were swallowed within it.
When Kiyosuke came to, he found himself standing on a bustling street. Tall buildings rose on all sides. The sky was a flawless blue, the air crisp and clean.
Trees lined the roads, green and full of life.
"So… this must be Rōran from more than ten years ago. Interesting."
Kiyosuke chuckled. Time travel wasn't something just anyone could do. When Sasuke and Boruto had traveled, it was only thanks to a relic of the Ōtsutsuki clan.
If only I had my hands on that thing…
Maybe someday, he thought, he'd look for it.
For now, he planned to solve the problem at its root without interfering with history, avoiding future trouble.
Sensing carefully, he found that Hinata and the others had been scattered across the city.
"They got split up, huh? No matter."
Just then, he froze.
A group of puppets had surrounded him.
He opened his hand, conjuring a flaming spear, and smirked.
"Looks like this city's welcome ceremony is a bit unusual."
He hurled the spear. It struck a puppet dead-on, exploding in fire. In a few swift strikes, he smashed the rest.
Dusting off his hands, he called out,
"Come out. I can already sense you."
The moment his words fell, three mysterious figures appeared around him, surrounding him on all sides.