Carrying vital intelligence, Kakashi quickly followed the traces left behind, soon locating Minato, who was in the midst of a conversation with Naruto.
This marked the first meeting between Kakashi and Naruto across the divide of two timelines.
Meanwhile, Veigar continued to trace the Ryūmyaku's power flow through the pipelines, drawing closer and closer to the heart of Rōran. Eventually, he discovered a three-way junction, an energy convergence node for the Ryūmyaku.
"This is it," he murmured.
Glancing around and confirming there were no puppet soldiers in sight, Veigar immediately decided this was the ideal spot to absorb the Ryūmyaku's energy, to catalyze the fusion between himself and the Phenomenal Evil Power.
Wind Release: Phenomenal Evil Rasengan.
With the Rasengan in hand, Veigar severed the flow right at the intersection of the Ryūmyaku's conduits.
"Ngh…"
The moment the Phenomenal Evil Power made contact with the Ryūmyaku's energy, Veigar felt an overwhelming rush, like a shark scenting blood, or a cat stumbling upon fresh fish.
A surge of energy poured into his body, nearly forcing a moan from his lips. He had to suppress it with sheer will.
If Veigar's earlier absorption of Ryūmyaku energy was like sipping from a nearly empty glass, now he was being cast into a boundless ocean, free to drink his fill.
9%… 10%… 11%…
As he absorbed the Ryūmyaku's energy, the fusion between Veigar and the Phenomenal Evil Power accelerated at an unprecedented pace.
Crack!
Just as Veigar was reveling in the euphoria of the merging energies, with his eyes closed and body alight, the moment the fusion passed 25%, a loud crack echoed from the Phenomenal Evil Power icon embedded in his hand.
He snapped his eyes open.
A new fragment had appeared, another shard of the Phenomenal Evil Power symbol now rested in his palm.
The previous fragment had evolved into an independent sigil, and simultaneously, the Constant Ninjutsu: Rasengan embedded in his body underwent a complete metamorphosis.
It transformed from a controllable state into an automatic trigger form.
Veigar now wore the Rasengan like a suit of chakra armor, repelling all external threats.
However, this transformation came with a price, his chakra was being continuously drained.
Soon, the fusion rate passed 30%, and another complete shard of the Phenomenal Evil Power icon materialized.
Meaning… he could now inscribe a second Constant Ninjutsu.
Then, when the fusion reached 50%—
Veigar's gaze was drawn to the central plaza of Rōran, where a multitude of puppet soldiers were gathering in perfect formation, all moving toward the city's core.
There, at the center, stood a woman in regal attire, beckoning them forward.
"Queen Sāra of Rōran."
It didn't take much for Veigar to deduce her identity, she was clearly the current ruler of Rōran.
However, Veigar quickly realized that Sāra hadn't noticed that the throngs "welcoming" her below were not her people, but puppets under Anrokuzan's control.
Standing proudly at the platform's edge, Sāra beamed as she waved in response to the jubilant cheers rising from the square.
Having recovered from his earlier injuries, and now separated from Minato, Naruto had also arrived near the central plaza.
As he looked up and spotted the resplendently dressed Sāra, he instantly recognized her.
"It's that girl… from the cavern…"
Just as the words escaped his mouth, chaos erupted.
Sāra, standing unguarded, was suddenly pushed from behind by a puppet soldier.
"Aahhh—!"
She screamed as she plummeted from the high platform.
Veigar, observing the scene, immediately noticed Anrokuzan lurking in the shadows, smirking ominously.
Just as Veigar was about to act—
Naruto moved first.
Without hesitation, Naruto dashed out, swift as a lightning flash, leaving Veigar slightly relieved, as he was still focused on absorbing Ryūmyaku energy.
To Sāra, the fast-approaching ground felt like the end. Yet in that fleeting instant, she felt an eerie calm descend. Even in the face of death, she no longer feared.
She knew then, she had been betrayed, pushed deliberately from the platform.
But what disturbed her most was that her beloved citizens hadn't noticed. They kept cheering, oblivious.
As she braced for impact, the questions mounting in her heart, a sudden warmth enveloped her.
A strong, secure arm caught her mid-fall, whisking her away to the safety of a corridor atop an empty tower adjacent to the central spire.
Her savior, none other than Naruto Uzumaki.
Landing safely, Naruto gently set her down. Still shaken, he wiped the sweat from his brow, the close call clearly rattling him.
"Wh-Who are you?!"
Sāra, still gripped by fear, instinctively recoiled from the unfamiliar face.
Her reaction wasn't unwarranted.
She had just been betrayed and nearly killed. Her own people hadn't even noticed. Now, a stranger stood before her, even if he had just saved her life, trust was far from reach.
At that moment—
Whoosh~
A masked figure appeared beside Sāra, startling her once again.
"Ah!"
"Who are you?!"
Naruto stepped forward protectively, his voice sharp with caution.
The masked figure, Veigar, ignored him momentarily. Removing his animal mask, he revealed his young face and turned to Sāra with a gentle tone.
"You must be the current Queen of Rōran, yes?"
"Greetings."
"I am a shinobi from the Hidden Leaf. I'm here on an urgent mission and had no intention of trespassing into your land. Please forgive the intrusion."
Veigar's chakra had been nearly depleted from prolonged use. He needed to recover. But more importantly, this was the perfect moment to formally meet both Sāra and Naruto.
As he finished speaking, Sāra looked into his youthful face, and her fear eased.
Naruto, too, relaxed, his wariness giving way to curiosity and excitement.
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