That's how things settled.
Kakashi stayed behind in the village, enjoying the luxury of air conditioning.
Meanwhile, Yamato took Naruto and Sakura into the desert to track down Mukade.
Kakashi clapped his hands together. "Alright, it's decided! Yamato, you guys get ready and head out."
Naruto, ever impatient, was already bouncing on his heels, ready to go. Yamato and Sakura, on the other hand, had to go through the proper procedures and request leave.
Yamato sighed. "More work, less pay. Typical."
Mufasa shifted his attention elsewhere.
Rōran.
Twenty years ago, Rōran had been a thriving city in the middle of the desert, adorned with towering structures and advanced technology. The people of Rōran had mastered the art of clay puppet technology.
Combined with the vast energy of the Dragon Vein, they developed impressive techniques—the Golem automation technique, intricate chakra piping systems, and other innovations.
And Mufasa wanted all of it.
As for the idea of time travel? He scoffed at it. There was no point in dwelling on the past when he had already built an empire in the present. Why start over from scratch when his foundation was already so solid?
Still, this was an opportunity.
Mufasa removed his helmet. The walls of the spherical brainwave enhancement chamber lit up, displaying countless images flashing across his metallic arm.
"Altair," he murmured. "Absorb the data first."
The glowing figure of Altair remained motionless, absorbing the information in silence. With one last glance, Mufasa left the chamber, the lights fading behind him. Only Altair and the flickering images on the walls remained.
Yamato and Sakura's leave requests were swiftly approved.
With their mission set, Yamato took Naruto and Sakura across the desert in an off-road vehicle, heading toward the sealed Dragon Vein.
Unbeknownst to them, Mufasa and Kurotsuchi were flying stealthily above, following closely.
Originally, Mufasa had intended to go alone, but Kurotsuchi had shown up unexpectedly. There had been no time to explain, so he had simply taken her along.
Kurotsuchi peered curiously at the three traveling below. "My lord, what exactly is this Ryūmyaku they're searching for?"
Mufasa answered, "A powerful natural energy source."
She raised an eyebrow. "And you're not stopping them?"
"Why should I? I plan to follow them."
Mufasa turned to her with a warning. "When things get strange, don't make a sound."
Kurotsuchi gave a small nod, sensing the seriousness in his tone.
Yamato, Naruto, and Sakura finally arrived at the ruins.
In the middle of the desert, an ancient, crumbling structure loomed before them. Within the ruins, a deep chasm led underground. That's where they found him.
Mukade.
Before they could engage, Mukade unleashed an army of puppets against them.
But that was merely a distraction.
At that moment, Mukade reached the ancient seal that contained the power of the Dragon Vein.
As soon as he made contact, the seal shattered, releasing an overwhelming surge of chakra.
A vortex of energy erupted.
Naruto and Yamato rushed to stop him, but it was too late. The force pulled them in.
Sakura, standing just outside the vortex's range, could only watch in shock as her teammates disappeared.
Above, Mufasa grabbed Kurotsuchi and dove straight into the vortex before it vanished.
When the Dragon Vein exploded, its energy bent time and space, hurling them all back twenty years into the past.
"Hey, wake up."
Mufasa shook Kurotsuchi lightly. The disorienting effects of time travel had knocked her unconscious.
She stirred but didn't wake.
Mufasa sighed, then casually lifted a hand. His fingertips crackled with lightning as he prepared a little… encouragement.
Just as he was deciding where to apply the shock, Kurotsuchi's eyes fluttered open.
"Ugh… my lord?"
She blinked, taking in their surroundings.
Towering structures loomed around them, encased in a massive dome. There was no sun, only an eerie glow emanating from the towers themselves. The entire city had been built on top of the Dragon Vein, its people crafting a self-sustaining ecosystem within the artificial sky.
Kurotsuchi's eyes widened in realization. "Wait a second… is this—"
Mufasa grinned. "Welcome to twenty years ago."
Her jaw dropped. "This is Rōran… from the past?!"
He nodded.
For a moment, Kurotsuchi looked around, her mind racing with possibilities. Then, excitement gleamed in her eyes.
"Oh! That means I can go to Iwagakure and finally get some of Grandpa's famous stone-cooked meals! He never lets me have the good stuff!"
Mufasa stared at her, unamused. "You traveled through time… and your first thought is food?"
She shrugged. "A girl's gotta eat."
Mufasa sighed, rubbing his temples. "We have more important things to do."
Kurotsuchi straightened up. "Like what?"
"Find where the Rōran people stored their technology and take whatever we can."
Mufasa surveyed their surroundings, then picked a direction at random. "Follow me."
The two of them moved silently through the streets, keeping to the shadows between the towering structures.
Eventually, they came across two patrolling puppets. Mufasa wasted no time, swiftly incapacitating them with a well-placed strike. After stripping them of their cloaks and masks, he and Kurotsuchi disguised themselves and made their way toward the city's center.
That's where the palace was.
And that's where the most valuable information would be stored.
They arrived at the palace gates. Two puppet guards immediately took notice, stepping forward to block their path.
Mufasa moved in a blur, appearing behind them in an instant. A jolt of chakra-infused electricity surged through his palms, striking both puppets at once.
Their internal mechanisms short-circuited. They froze in place, lifeless.
"Let's go," Mufasa said, leading Kurotsuchi inside.
She hesitated. "Aren't we going to find Naruto and the others?"
Mufasa shook his head. "No need. They have their own mission."
As they walked deeper into the palace, they turned a corner—and suddenly stopped.
Standing in the hallway ahead were three masked figures.
One of them had bright yellow-blond hair.
Mufasa's eyes locked onto him immediately.
Namikaze Minato.
Beside him stood Aburame Shibi and Akimichi Chōza, all dressed in Konoha ANBU attire.
Minato was mid-conversation when he suddenly turned, his sharp gaze meeting Mufasa's.
Their eyes locked.
For a brief moment, neither side moved.