Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its character belong to Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I make.
Chapter 172: The Arrival
"Partnership?" Queen Julia repeated, her voice calm but cautious.
"Yes," Setsuna confirmed. "We are interested in forming an alliance. In exchange for sharing your technology with us, we will help boost your economy and improve the lives of your people."
Queen Julia tilted her head slightly, her expression puzzled. "I'm sorry, but what exactly do you mean by 'technology'?"
Setsuna didn't hesitate. "Don't act unaware, Queen Julia. We've seen it with our own eyes. This small settlement, hidden in the heart of the desert, somehow maintains a stable temperature, has a functioning drainage system, massive structures that protect it from the sun, and even supports agriculture. That level of advancement isn't normal—not for this region, and certainly not for a place that's been isolated for so long."
As he spoke, Setsuna subtly released a wave of chakra. It wasn't intended to harm her, but its presence was enough to strike fear into anyone not trained in the shinobi arts.
Queen Julia felt it instantly. Her body tensed, her breath caught in her throat. The weight of his chakra pressed down on her like a physical force, and yet, she remained standing. Though her heart pounded in fear, she didn't let it show. She was still the ruler of Roran, and she had a duty to protect her people—even from men like him.
"I understand what you're saying… but I must apologize. I cannot comply with your request," she said at last. Her voice trembled slightly, a clear sign that she was struggling to breathe under the pressure of Setsuna's chakra pressure.
Both Setsuna and Uzukage frowned. Kagami and Kirito, on the other hand, sat quietly, observing the tense exchange. For someone as clearly weak as Queen Julia, her refusal to yield mean there is something she is hiding. There had to be more to this story.
Setsuna turned his gaze toward Uzukage, who met his eyes and gave him a subtle nod—permission to proceed however he wished.
"Is someone preventing you from accepting our offer?" Setsuna asked, his tone more direct now.
Queen Julia's face grew pale. A line of sweat formed on her brow.
"N-no," she stammered. "No one is stopping me."
"Then why refuse us?" Setsuna continued, his voice calm but firm.
Unable to withstand the pressure any longer, Queen Julia gave in. She had no intention of putting her people in danger, and standing against the legendary Setsuna was a risk she couldn't afford to take.
"It's because of the Ryumyaku," she finally admitted, her voice quiet.
"Ryumyaku?" Uzukage, Kagami, and Kirito echoed, clearly caught off guard.
"Yes. The Ryumyaku is the true secret of this land," she explained. "It's the sealed chakra of a dragon. That power is what makes all this technology that available here possible. Without it, we wouldn't be able to maintain the cool temperature, grow crops, or even live here because this land are just a barren land."
"I see…" Uzukage murmured, a small smile appearing on his lips.
"You understand?" Queen Julia asked, unsure if that was good or bad.
"Yes. There's a strange energy source radiating from the west. I sensed it as soon as we arrived. It spreads throughout the entire region," Uzukage explained.
"So… even without me saying anything, you already knew," Julia said, her voice full of resignation. "That place you sensed is the Ryumyaku—the remnants of a dragon's chakra."
"Dragons actually existed?" Kagami and Kirito exclaimed at the same time.
"Yes," Queen Julia replied solemnly.
"I've lived a long life, but I've never seen one," Uzukage said thoughtfully.
"Me neither," Setsuna added. "So… where is this dragon now?"
Queen Julia looked down, silent for a moment before answering.
"The dragon itself is long gone. Dead, probably centuries ago. All that remains is its chakra—sealed deep beneath the city. No one alive today has seen the creature with their own eyes… not even me."
A heavy silence followed, as the truth settled over the room like a thick fog.
---The Seal---
"This is the location of the seal," said Queen Julia, raising her hand and pointing toward a glowing symbol etched into the stone. Just as she did, Princess Seramu suddenly appeared from around the corner.
"Mother, who are these people? Isn't this place forbidden to outsiders?" questioned Princess Seramu, her tone sharp and wary.
"Seramu, mind your manners. Show respect to our guests," Queen Julia gently reprimanded her daughter. Then she turned to Setsuna and his companions. "This is my daughter, Seramu. She will be the next queen of Roran. I apologize for her behavior."
"It's quite alright," said Setsuna, offering a calm smile. "We understand this is a secret place—one reserved only for the royal family."
"Thank you for understanding my daughter's reaction," said Queen Julia.
"It's not a problem," Setsuna replied. "But we do need to inspect the seal of the Ryumyaku."
Queen Julia sighed heavily. She was well aware she couldn't stop them—not without risking her people's safety. Reluctantly, she led them further in and revealed the seal embedded in the floor of the ancient chamber.
"This is the seal," she said, stepping aside to let them examine it.
All four of them approached the seal, observing it with keen interest.
"Magnificent," murmured Uzukage. The seal didn't contain traditional kanji characters. Instead, intricate patterns were woven into the stone, forming a design unlike anything they had ever seen. It was likely that, at the time of sealing, a written language was not yet developed—or perhaps the dragon's power shaped the seal naturally.
"There's no kanji… just patterns," noted Kagami.
Kirito remained silent, watching curiously. Fuinjutsu wasn't his area of expertise—he specialized in Taijutsu, so the intricacies of the seal were lost on him.
"This seal was created over a thousand years ago," Queen Julia explained. "Only those of our bloodline can control its power."
"It seems the seal reacts to your bloodline," commented Setsuna. His unique ability allowed him to intuit the meaning behind the seal's formation. Uzukage, meanwhile, was still trying to decipher the patterns on his own.
"If I'm not mistaken," Setsuna continued, "the chakra released from this seal has a limited range, correct?"
"Yes," Queen Julia replied. "I once tried to extend its influence to Sunagakure, but it only reaches a radius of about ten kilometers. That's the absolute limit."
"No wonder you couldn't assist Sunagakure or transform the desert into a livable region," said Setsuna, nodding in understanding.
Uzukage gave a quiet nod of agreement, while Kagami and Kirito remained observers, listening silently.
"Can we try altering the seal?" Setsuna asked suddenly.
Queen Julia bit her lip at the request. The Ryumyaku was the source of Roran's power—tampering with it was risky. Yet with Setsuna standing before her, she knew resistance would be futile.
"You may," she said at last, her voice firm but wary. "But if we lose the Ryumyaku's power, I want Uzushiogakure to take responsibility."
Setsuna looked toward Uzukage. The Uzukage gave him a silent nod, indicating his agreement.
"Very well," Setsuna replied. "If anything happens to Roran, we will compensate accordingly."
What Setsuna truly wanted was to determine whether the Ryumyaku was merely a chakra source—or something far more powerful. Perhaps a time machine. Or a gate to a parallel universe.
With that thought, he stepped forward and placed his hand on the seal.
---The Parallel Universe – 80 Years After the Founding of Konoha---
In this alternate timeline, eighty years had passed since the establishment of Konohagakure. The shinobi of this era had grown far too powerful for Urashiki Otsutsuki's liking. Realizing that a direct confrontation would be unwise, he made a drastic decision—to travel back in time and eliminate the obstacles before they could grow into threats. His plan was simple: defeat Naruto Uzumaki and eliminate all those who could potentially endanger the Otsutsuki Clan in the future.
Both Naruto and Sasuke were considered major threats to the Otsutsuki's dominance. If he could defeat them in their youth, the future would shift in favor of his clan.
To achieve this, Urashiki activated a mysterious device he had received from the Otsutsuki patriarch. It was known as the Kūkan Kōro (空間航路), which translated to "Spatial Navigation Route."
The Kūkan Kōro was believed by most Otsutsuki to be a time-travel device, allowing one to return to the past. However, the truth was known only to the patriarch who created it. In reality, it was not a time machine—but a gateway to a parallel universe. The patriarch had kept this secret hidden from the other members of the clan, allowing them to believe it could manipulate time.
Coincidentally, this ancient device was connected through chakra resonance to the Ryumyaku—the mystical Dragon Vein sealed deep within the land of Roran. The moment Setsuna laid his hand on the Ryumyaku seal, the latent chakra energy surged and triggered an unexpected reaction in the Kūkan Kōro.
As a result, Urashiki—who had intended to arrive in the timeline of Naruto's youth, during the days when Jiraiya was still his mentor—was instead transported into an entirely different reality: the present-day universe of Uchiha Setsuna.
Urashiki's body materialized amidst a swirl of energy. His eyes snapped open as he immediately attempted to sense the chakra signatures of Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha.
But they were gone.
Not a trace of their existence remained in this world.
A wide grin spread across his face, followed by a chilling laugh. "Hahahaha… I did it. I've succeeded!"
In his mind, he believed his plan had worked. What he didn't yet realize was that he had not traveled backward in time, but into a parallel world where the shinobi history had taken a very different path. And standing at the center of this world was not Naruto or Sasuke—but Uchiha Setsuna. A figure unlike any he had ever faced.
Urashiki's twisted satisfaction was short-lived, for the reality he had entered was one even more dangerous than he had expected.
(Hahaha 1600 words, I went all out in this chapter)
Author Notes: There are 30 advanced chapter, feel free to visit my patreon.
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