A gentle breeze stirred, carrying waves of yellow sand through the air.
Inside an abandoned, ancient structure somewhere in the Land of Wind, Hidan was crouched down, poking at a small hole in the ground with his black spear. Kakuzu stood nearby with his arms crossed, offering technical guidance. White Zetsu sat leisurely atop a rock, one leg crossed over the other, watching the two of them work with a laid-back expression.
"Ugh, why the hell is this thing so damn hard to push through? This is exhausting!" Hidan grumbled in frustration as he struggled with the task.
"Heh, I already knew your brain didn't work well, but are your hands and feet useless too?" Kakuzu mocked.
Hidan immediately snapped his head up, glaring at Kakuzu.
"Oi, what the hell did you just say? I'm doing this for you, you bastard! And this white-skinned guy over there is just sitting like some kind of noble, watching us work! What's with you two? Do you actually think I'm your damn errand boy? Let me tell you, I'm the top disciple of Lord Jashin—"
Ignoring Hidan's rambling, Kakuzu glanced at White Zetsu with a sidelong look.
White Zetsu, created from Hashirama's cells— or rather, a being born from the Divine Tree— had its own thoughts and consciousness. The one before them was particularly smug, acting as if he were their superior while Hidan and Kakuzu were the ones doing the hard labor.
But Kakuzu didn't comment further. White Zetsu's primary function was to facilitate communication between him and Black Zetsu, so he wasn't worth arguing with.
"You bastards... eating human food but not doing human work! I swear, I'm going to report you all to Lord Jashin—"
Before Hidan could finish his rant, there was a sudden thunk.
His black spear had finally pierced through the hole. A strange, deep sound echoed from below.
"Huh?"
Confused, Hidan leaned down, squinting into the hole to see what was inside.
And then—
"What the hell?!"
A surge of dazzling purple light erupted, engulfing the entire ancient building.
"Kakuzu, run!"
Panic flashed across Hidan's face as he instinctively tried to retreat, only to be yanked back by Kakuzu, who grabbed him by the collar.
Kakuzu's gaze remained fixed on the mysterious purple energy. It wasn't an attack, but rather a strange and unfamiliar force—something that stirred a vague sense of recognition deep within him, though he couldn't quite place it.
"What is this...? Why does it feel so familiar, yet I can't recall why?"
While Kakuzu was lost in thought, the purple energy expanded, swallowing them completely.
Whoosh!
The next moment, the energy vanished.
Along with it, Kakuzu, Hidan, White Zetsu— and the entire ancient ruin— disappeared without a trace.
When their vision cleared, Hidan's eyes went wide with shock.
"What the hell?!"
It wasn't that Hidan was ignorant—rather, the scene before them was simply beyond anything he had ever encountered.
Towering skyscrapers stretched toward the sky, their glass windows reflecting the sun's light. Streets bustled with people, laughter and chatter filling the air. It was an advanced civilization unlike anything seen in the shinobi world.
Even Kakuzu, usually calm and composed, was momentarily taken aback.
The sight before him didn't match anything he knew of the shinobi world. Even if he compared it to the future—assuming a scenario where the world advanced after the Fourth Great Ninja War—this level of prosperity would still take at least another fifty years to achieve.
"Where the hell are we? Hey, Kakuzu, I'm talking to you—"
"Shut up."
Ignoring Hidan's whining, Kakuzu strode forward. Something in the distance was drawing him in.
Below one of the towering buildings, a massive crowd had gathered, cheering with excitement.
People waved their arms and chanted as they welcomed their queen.
On an elevated stage, a striking woman with fiery red hair stood proudly. A golden crown sat atop her head, a symbol of supreme authority. She smiled and waved at her subjects, her expression warm yet laced with a trace of bitterness.
Though her people celebrated, the queen's heart was heavy.
She didn't know what the future held. She didn't know how to face her citizens. And yet, all she could do was force a smile and continue waving.
As she struggled with these thoughts, a hand suddenly appeared behind her—shoving her forward with force.
"Ah!"
Caught off guard, she stumbled past the protective railing and plummeted from the hundred-meter-high platform.
The queen's eyes widened in terror.
But then, her fear faded.
She closed her eyes, a single tear sliding down her cheek.
Is this the end?
Will my life end here? Will my kingdom fall along with me?
Countless questions swirled in her mind—questions that would never be answered.
But then—
She felt something.
Instead of free-falling, her body suddenly stopped, as if caught in midair.
Slowly, she opened her eyes.
What she saw was a tall, imposing figure—a hardened face, slicked-back hair, and an unwavering presence.
With a few swift jumps, Kakuzu landed safely on a stone ledge, still holding the queen in his arms.
Gently, he set her down.
The queen knew he had saved her, but she remained wary. As the ruler of this kingdom, she had never seen this man before. His attire was completely foreign—nothing like the style of her people.
"Who... Who are you?"
She raised a trembling hand to cover her mouth, her voice uncertain.
Kakuzu reached out—
And placed his hand on her cheek.
In that instant, the Queen's face flushed red.
In all her years, she had never been in such close proximity to a man before, let alone experienced such bold behavior. Yet this man before her had no hesitation—he simply reached out and grabbed her.
The moment the Queen realized what was happening and attempted to retreat, Kakuzu's lips curled into a faint smirk. Without warning, he pinched her soft, delicate cheek.
"Ah!—" The Queen let out a sharp cry.
But in this tunnel, no matter how loudly she screamed, no one would come to her aid.
Seeing that she had no chance of breaking free from Kakuzu's grasp, the Queen decided against struggling any further. Instead, she fixed her gaze on him, mind racing as she tried to come up with a plan.
Then, Kakuzu finally spoke.
"You… look a lot like someone I used to know."
"Really…?" The Queen asked, half-doubting his words.
Kakuzu let go of her and gave a firm nod. In his eyes, the Queen's image overlapped with that of an old acquaintance.
"Where is this place?" Kakuzu snapped himself out of his thoughts and questioned her again.
"This is… the Land of Roran."
"The ancient Land of Roran?" Kakuzu pondered, deep in thought. He was trying to figure out what kind of force existed in this so-called ancient Roran that could have pulled him into this space.
After a moment, he turned back to the Queen.
"My name is Kakuzu. I mean you no harm—at the very least, I won't kill you. What's your name?"
Hearing his way of introducing himself, the Queen seemed somewhat annoyed. She stomped her foot lightly, as if reluctant to answer.
She had no intention of telling him her name, but in this desolate place, she figured it was best not to be too stubborn.
"I'm Sāra."
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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