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Chapter 42 - Chapter 42: The Wind Rises in Loulan, Naruto and Minato's Fateful Encounter!“The light rising from the heights of Loulan…”

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"Mixed feelings…"

"The Dragon Vein must be protected."

"Blades are flying—look up at the sky."

"Dust and storms are coming."

"The dazzling sun..."

"Flowers are flying, beautiful..."

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A gentle, sorrowful melody echoed through the ancient ruins of Loulan.

Nestled in the rubble, a yellow-haired boy slowly stirred, awakened by the haunting tune. He rolled over and lay flat on his back, blinking open his brilliant blue eyes, gazing at the crumbled structure surrounding him with evident confusion.

His brows furrowed.

"Where... am I?"

Before he could gather his thoughts, the melancholic singing drew his attention. Entranced, he stood and carefully made his way toward the voice.

Amidst the shattered remnants of towering buildings, a young girl sat on a boulder. Her dark red hair danced in the breeze. She wore a pink long-sleeved top, black shorts, and matching stockings. Her eyes shimmered with tears as her voice carried a hint of sorrow, though its beauty was undeniable.

The boy hesitated, his instincts alert, but curiosity prevailed.

"Hey! Where is this place?"

His voice broke the silence. The girl jumped in alarm. She turned, eyes wide with surprise, then without a word, leapt off the rock and fled toward a nearby exit buried within the ruins.

"Wait, don't go!"

He chased after her, but just as he reached the stone archway, two large, ominous puppets emerged from the shadows, blocking his path.

"What are those…?"

Before he could even react, both puppets raised their arms. A series of purple flashes sparked at their fingertips—and kunai burst out, aimed directly at him!

The boy somersaulted backward, narrowly dodging the barrage. But before he could pursue the girl again, the exit sealed shut. Three heavy stone doors crashed down in rapid succession, completely blocking the way.

"...What the hell is going on here?"

His mind raced, struggling to piece together what had happened. He remembered being swept into a massive energy beam—and then… waking up in these ruins.

"Tch… It must be that guy, Baizu. Damn it!"

Despite the confusion and chaos, he didn't panic. As a trained ninja, he calmed himself, relying on instinct and skill. He examined the area, using the sunlight streaming through five holes high above to get a clearer view.

It appeared he was inside a massive tower, perhaps a hundred meters tall, though the exact location was unclear.

"There's no way I can figure this out by staying here…"

Without wasting another second, the boy braced himself and leapt upward. Using the cracks in the stone wall as footholds, he scaled the interior of the tower with agility. After about a dozen jumps, he reached the top.

Smash!

He broke through the glass and soared into the open air—landing on a stretch of green grass.

"Huh? Grass? Wait, don't tell me I was underground this whole time?!"

He looked up and gasped. The scenery before him was breathtaking.

Gigantic hexagonal towers rose into the clouds—ancient yet majestic, and unlike anything he'd seen before. Despite his travels and missions across the Five Great Nations, this scene left him awestruck.

"Incredible… These buildings are so tall…"

Shielding his eyes with one hand, he admired the landscape under the blazing sun.

But his moment of wonder didn't last long.

A shadow appeared overhead—at first a small black dot, then splitting into four. They were puppets! Flying puppets!

They descended rapidly and surrounded him.

Ssshhk!

One puppet's right arm morphed into a meat-grinder-like blade, while another's palm glowed purple and fired a beam of energy straight at him!

"What now?!"

The boy flipped forward mid-air, dodging the attacks.

The puppets weren't finished. The rings on their waists lit up, and dozens of kunai charged with purple energy shot out in all directions.

"Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Forming the Ram seal, he summoned a dozen identical clones. The clones shielded him, taking the hits while he repositioned.

From above, he observed the battlefield.

"Yep… they're puppets all right. And they're being controlled by chakra threads."

He noticed the faint glimmer of threads behind the puppets. That was their weak spot.

Reaching into his pouch, he pulled out a special kunai—one his father had made for him. It was embedded with Flying Thunder God markings, designed to conduct chakra.

Blue light surged from the blade as he infused it with his energy.

"Yaaah!"

He launched himself into the air, soaring above one of the puppets, and sliced through the chakra thread in midair.

The moment the connection was cut, the puppet crashed lifelessly to the ground.

The remaining three reacted instantly. Their speed increased, and with a click, the masks on their faces retracted, revealing menacing barrels.

BOOM!

A purple energy beam exploded from one of them like a laser cannon, tearing through the earth and sending the boy flying into a crater!

Crash!

Rocks crumbled around him as he lay groaning, blood dripping from his torn leg.

"Ugh—it hit me…"

His combat uniform was shredded. A deep wound above his left knee bled freely, exposing bone.

"Again?!"

He glanced up—more shadows falling over him. The three puppets hovered above, eyes glowing, preparing another attack.

Kunai burst from them again like rain.

But before they could reach him, a masked figure with yellow hair appeared beside him.

Poof!

They vanished in a flash.

The kunai rained down into empty space.

On the other side of the battlefield…

"Partial Expansion Jutsu!"

A massive arm appeared out of nowhere—belonging to a burly man with long red hair. His giant palm slammed down on one of the puppets, crushing it instantly against the wall!

Another figure, cloaked in black, stepped forward calmly.

"Insect Jutsu: Destruction Beetles."

As he spread his hands, a cloud of black insects burst from his back and swarmed the final two puppets.

Despite their mechanical resistance, the moment the insects covered them, they sputtered—and in mere seconds, their chakra was drained, and they collapsed.

Just like that, the crisis had passed.

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The yellow-haired boy, now safe, was panting heavily. His knee still throbbed, but his eyes were filled with awe.

"Those puppets… what the heck were they?"

"They've been enhanced by chakra drawn from the Dragon Vein," said the masked man who had rescued him.

The boy blinked.

That voice… It sounded so familiar.

"Wait... who are you?"

He squinted at the masked man suspiciously.

The man paused. Then, calmly, he removed his mask.

"We're Konoha ninja. Just like you."

"…Huh?"

The boy's jaw dropped. His heart skipped a beat.

Underneath the mask was a face he knew very well.

"DAD?!"

His voice cracked with shock.

It was his father—young, vibrant, and still very much alive.

Naruto's entire world spun as the truth began to dawn on him.

"What… what is going on here?!"

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To Be Continued…

Next Chapter: Minato's Mission, Naruto's Heart!

Will Naruto reveal the truth? Can they protect the Dragon Vein together?

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