In Kiri, the rational faction, led by Genji, had all gathered within his residence. Ever since the Third Mizukage was allegedly ambushed and killed by Kei, Kiri had become like a wild horse that had broken free of its reins.
It was charging recklessly down a path they could not comprehend.
First, Yagura sealed the Three-Tails within himself and suddenly became its jinchūriki.
He gained the support of the village's radical faction, ascended to the position of the Fourth Mizukage, and began a ruthless purge of the high-ranking officials who opposed him.
Then, while negotiating with Iwa and Suna about a joint attack on Konoha, Yagura was ambushed and killed by Kei.
Once again, it was Konoha.
Before they even had time to grieve the loss of two consecutive Mizukage, something even more unacceptable happened to the rational faction.
A woman named Hikari forcibly used genjutsu and brainwashing to control the majority of the radical faction's leadership.
She summoned tens of thousands of eerie white soldiers and violently suppressed all opposition within the village.
She then ascended to the position of the Fifth Mizukage.
The radicals, who seemed like fanatical believers, claimed that Hikari was actively preparing for an unprecedented war against Konoha. But who could say for sure that this wasn't all part of Konoha's grand scheme?
How could they ever trust someone with the surname Uchiha?
"Are we really going to do nothing?" Ao, whose Byakugan was still intact, was filled with resentment and frustration.
He had not originally been one of Genji's subordinates, but with more and more villagers becoming fanatical followers of Hikari, where else could someone with a shred of reason like him go?
"One day, the sunlight will pierce through the thick mist, dispersing the bloody haze. Perhaps the situation isn't as hopeless as you think."
Genji's eyes shone with wisdom.
Now that Hikari controlled the majority of the village's power, it was impossible that she hadn't noticed their presence.
Yet, she had not used her Mangekyō Sharingan to control them. Everything in this world follows a cause-and-effect cycle. Every move she had made so far had been highly purposeful.
If she had deliberately spared them, then there would surely come a time when they would have their role to play.
A few days ago, along with the news of Yagura's death, word had also arrived that Konoha proposed merging with Suna and Iwa.
If the three Great Ninja Villages truly merged, who could possibly oppose such a force?
Not Kiri. And not Kumo, which had already signed a ceasefire with them.
The road ahead seemed shrouded in darkness. But perhaps, this was merely the deepest darkness before dawn—the first light of sunrise would eventually break through the horizon!
Genji's trusted aides, including Ao and Kanbee, wore thoughtful expressions.
Meanwhile, Mei, who was around the same age as Kakashi but still just an innocent girl, blinked in confusion, struggling to grasp what was being said.
In the heart of the desert, a thousand towering spires stood tall.
Kei sat atop Pidgeot, shielding his eyes with one hand as he gazed toward this grand kingdom—a true miracle in the desert.
Rōran, a kingdom within the Land of Wind, was officially under the protection of the Wind Daimyō due to its royal lineage's centuries-old duty of safeguarding the Ryūmyaku.
However, the daimyō was a man of indulgence. He neglected even Suna, his own military force, frequently cutting their funds—so why would he ever care about Rōran?
According to Konoha's records, Rōran was supposed to be a poor and backward kingdom, constantly plagued by sandstorms and hardships. Yet, to be able to construct such a magnificent city...
Anrokuzan? Or should I say Mukade? That shouldn't be possible... Kei stroked his chin thoughtfully.
Although he had been busy integrating the power of the three Great Ninja Villages, he could not simply turn a blind eye to the Ryūmyaku forever.
Especially considering that [Multiversal Voyager] required a massive amount of energy. How could he possibly allow anyone else the opportunity to tap into the power of the Ryūmyaku in the future?
Wait a minute… Could it be that his future self deliberately sent someone back to build Rōran?
After all, a primitive tribe constantly buried under sandstorms—no matter how much he wanted to develop it, he couldn't possibly solve all of its problems with just Wood Release.
But if someone had already built the foundational infrastructure of the city for him… Then adding a few more Wood Release techniques…
"Who could it be?" Kei landed Pidgeot just outside the walls of Rōran.
As he observed the gates, he noticed several ordinary residents looking at him with expressions of faint fear. While taking in the layout of the surrounding buildings, he stepped into the city.
Click-clack, click-clack—
Standardized puppets moved through the streets, patrolling. Thin chakra threads connected through pipes running across the city, controlling these armed puppet sentries.
Unlike the bulky, heavy-built puppets in the original timeline, these ones had well-proportioned figures and graceful postures.
If not for their exposed joints and artificial faces, they would be nearly indistinguishable from real people.
And… Why did these things look more and more like those dolls that single men liked to use?
The ordinary residents of the city seemed completely used to these puppet sentries, who patrolled with movements more suited for a fashion show than security duty.
Vendors shouted in the bustling marketplace, and citizens haggled over prices as they moved through the streets.
Although most of the men were working underground in the city's "factory," the sensory ninjutsu feedback suggested that they weren't being oppressed or exploited.
Instead… It felt more like… a normal job?
Did I really send someone here? Kei found it hard to believe that the original timeline's Mukade would treat the people of Rōran this well.
Curious, he made his way toward the tallest and most luxurious tower in the city center. There, the current Queen of Rōran stood at the entrance, accompanied by many officials.
His gaze swept across the group behind her and immediately focused on one particular figure.
A girl dressed in Rōran's traditional attire, with heavy makeup on her face, long light-blue hair tied into twin tails, and a creepy puppet doll clutched in her arms—her style completely different from everyone else around her.
A flood of memories flashed through his mind as he quickly recalled a character in the original timeline who looked nearly identical to her.
The moment the queen saw him, her eyes lit up with intense admiration. It seemed like she was on the verge of rushing over to say something. But then, as if remembering something important, she puffed up her cheeks and restrained herself.
She obediently remained in place, her eyes blinked repeatedly as she threw flirtatious glances at him.
"Please, this way." She gave a graceful bow to Kei.
With a calm smile, she dismissed the officials behind her and gestured for him to enter.
"Uh… Queen Sēramu, you're too kind." He returned the gesture.
This situation… was completely different from what he had expected before coming here.