At the same time, both Nara Shikamaru and Akimichi Chōji couldn't help but look at Ryoma with renewed respect.
The opponent who had given them a massive headache earlier—someone they could barely restrain—had been erased by Ryoma as casually as stepping on an ant.
After killing Haido, Ryoma swept his gaze through the hall. His eyes landed on the faint shimmer leaking from the ceiling above—Farrel energy spilling through fractured stone.
"This is the energy that guy absorbed earlier."
He floated upward effortlessly.
Above, the Farrel energy had not yet crystallized. It floated in a viscous, liquid state, suspended unnaturally in mid-air like a shimmering sky-lake.
Ryoma extended his hand, touching the surface of the floating energy.
A vigorous surge immediately wrapped around his palm—life energy flooding through every meridian.
"This energy is completely different from chakra… For living organisms, its potential is far greater. If applied to agriculture or medicine, it could push entire fields into a new era."
There was no doubt—the harvest from this mission was enormous.
Returning to the ground, Ryoma noticed the ancient formation etched beneath the floor—the same one Elder Kahiko had tried desperately to destroy earlier.
He knelt and closely examined the engraved patterns.
"This looks like an ancient summoning formation… far more intricate than ordinary Summoning Techniques."
Elder Kahiko spoke softly beside him.
"Sir, this is a special psychic ritual formation. Only those with royal blood can form a contract with it."
"You know what this thing summons?" Ryoma asked without looking away from the array.
Kahiko swallowed.
"It summons the Cave of Time and Space… an endless void that devours everything."
"The Cave of Time and Space…"
Ryoma stared deeper at the formation, already memorizing every line of its structure.
"I need to study this later. If I'm right… this formation might connect to other worlds."
In the Naruto world view, Ryoma existed on a parallel Earth within the same solar system—same sun, same moon. The Ōtsutsuki clan were extraterrestrials. The world also contained numerous dimensional realms:
– The Pure Land of the dead
– The six realms of the Heavenly Palace
– Other pocket dimensions and sealed spaces
If Kahiko was correct, then this formation was likely a gateway to one of those worlds—or something beyond them.
Kahiko hesitated, then spoke,
"Lord Ryoma… this formation was meant to be destroyed by the royal descendants—to seal away the Farrel vein."
He paused, struggling.
"May I ask… how you intend to deal with the vein now?"
"Konoha will take over from here."
Kahiko opened his mouth, but Ryoma cut him off with a firm gesture.
"I know what you want to say. But I don't change decisions because someone pleads a little.
If you care this much, I can arrange for you to join the research group later."
Hearing that, Kahiko fell silent.
By all rights, he and Temujin should have fulfilled the duty of their ancestors—destroying this place. Yet their lives had been saved by Ryoma. And more importantly, neither Kahiko nor Temujin was remotely Ryoma's match.
Faced with someone who could destroy everything with a thought, they could only submit.
Perhaps… this man can guide this power onto the right path, Kahiko thought.
Ryoma created a wooden clone to guard the ruins, then led the others outside.
As they exited the cavern, the enormous Mobile Fortress Haido left behind came into view. A faint smile curved Ryoma's lips.
"You all might want to take a few steps back."
Shikamaru, Yamanaka Ino, and the others immediately retreated. They had no intention of standing anywhere near Ryoma when he was about to unleash power.
When they were a safe distance away, Ryoma raised his left hand.
Chakra gathered in a dense swirl at his palm.
The fortress gate was thick and reinforced, but Ryoma was confident he could break it without destroying the entire structure. He only needed to restrain himself.
Placing his palm lightly against the metal surface…
A colossal force erupted at point-blank range.
Ryoma didn't move at all.
The gate, however—
BOOM!!
In an instant, the steel gate buckled inward, the entire frame collapsing with a deafening metallic scream.
The shriek of twisting steel echoed across the clearing, making Shikamaru and Ino—standing over ten meters away—feel as though the fortress itself was mourning.
"Boom!"
When Ryoma withdrew his palm, the metal gate—already warped beyond recognition—broke free from its frame and crashed inward. Even the reinforced frame couldn't withstand the raw force; it shattered into countless fragments and scattered across the interior.
The passage leading deeper into the mobile fortress was now completely open.
Shikamaru immediately led the group inside. Their first priority was the chamber producing the armored soldiers. Under Shikamaru's direction, the team rescued the unconscious children one by one.
Meanwhile, Ryoma continued upward.
On the top floor, he found the Farrel Codex and the scientific data Haido had stolen from Temujin's parents. Schematics for the mobile fortress, blueprints for steel warships, methods of using Farrel energy to strengthen the human body—Ryoma collected everything.
Soon after, Gaara arrived to report the frontline situation. Ryoma ordered him to deploy forces to secure both the wreckage of the battleship and the remains of the fortress.
The mobile fortress could still operate with repair.
The battleship—though heavily damaged—contained valuable metal and technology.
None of it could be wasted.
A week after returning to Konoha, Ryoma had already mastered the newly acquired knowledge. Together with Orochimaru, he began refining the technology to develop a new mobile fortress and advanced military weapons.
Orochimaru, in particular, showed keen interest in the appearance of the Farrel Stone. With his ambition to master every ninjutsu in existence, longevity was an indispensable requirement.
"We can use the Farrel Stone as the basis for a life-extension serum," Orochimaru said, lifting his eye from the microscope. "Its activity level on human cells is extremely high. Properly processed, it should be able to extend a person's youth by… at least thirty years."
Ryoma twirled a pen between his fingers.
"But all of that depends on compatibility. Only adaptors can safely interact with Farrel energy."
According to the records, Farrel energy affected every individual differently. In small amounts, it could heal injuries—but beyond a threshold, its effects became unstable or ceased entirely.
Using Farrel energy directly, like Camellia and Rank once did, required extreme physical adaptability. For most people, the mortality rate was massive.
"Your potion might work for adaptors," Ryoma said. "But for the majority of ordinary people, it's impossible. At least for now."
Orochimaru nodded slowly.
"We need to lower the threshold… or suppress the more volatile traits of the Farrel Stone."
The two continued refining ideas when hurried footsteps echoed outside the lab.
The doors burst open.
"Ryoma! We have a problem—something happened in Takigakure!"
Tsunade strode in, her voice sharp with urgency.
"Chōmei… the Seven-Tails… it's broken free of its jinchūriki's seal!"