The desert night was quiet, the wind carrying fine grains of sand that whispered across the dunes like the voices of ghosts. Neji stood at the edge of their camp, watching as the shadows of the fire flickered against the rough bark of the surrounding trees. His sharp eyes scanned the darkness beyond.
"Miss Izumi," he said finally, his tone calm but firm, "we'll rest here for the night. At first light, we continue our journey."
Uchiha Izumi, already laying strands of thin wire that glinted faintly under the moonlight, looked up and nodded. "Understood, Neji-sama."
Once their small camp was arranged, Neji sat cross-legged, chewing dry rations. His gaze lingered on Izumi, who worked silently, her hands practiced as she tied the last of the traps. Just as he was about to close his eyes, a ripple in the air made him stiffen. A sudden sensation—foreign chakra nearby.
Without a word, he sprang to his feet and darted into the dense forest.
A puff of white smoke burst open before him. From it emerged a golden-furred cat with curious, intelligent eyes. It padded forward, tail high, and raised its paw like a merchant making a demand.
"Meow! Fish box. Time to pay!"
Neji's expression twitched. "I don't have fish. Here, money instead."
The cat tilted its head, unimpressed. "Two thousand ryō, or no deal."
Suppressing a sigh, Neji handed over the payment. The cat, satisfied, placed a scroll into his hand before vanishing in another puff of smoke.
Unrolling the parchment, Neji's eyes narrowed as he read the words:
> "I searched clan records spanning more than three centuries. Nothing—no mention of a Hyūga Ichizoku ruling that era, nor any trace of a great war. If your intelligence is correct, then the Hyūga clan deliberately erased their own history. With my current standing, I cannot reach the deepest secrets. But when the chance arises, I will expose the truth."
Neji's hand tightened on the scroll. The Uchiha archives spoke of the Hyūga Ichizoku. Even the Yotsuki clan of Kumogakure carried legends of their rule. Yet within the Hyūga's own records—silence.
To erase history itself… what are they hiding?
---
The Loulan Trail
Several days later, deep in the forests of Grass Country, Neji's subordinate Katsushiro approached him with reverence. Bowing, the man presented a sealed map.
"My lord, the mission is complete. The location of the Loulan remnants has been confirmed."
Neji spread the parchment open. Inked lines marked a desert oasis—the wandering camp of Loulan's survivors. His lips curved faintly. "Well done."
From within his cloak, Neji withdrew a scroll. "Take this. Wind Release—advanced techniques. A reward for your loyalty."
Katsushiro's eyes widened. His hands trembled as he accepted it. "To serve you is an honor, Neji-sama."
"Good. But one more thing." Neji's gaze sharpened. "Any unusual movements within Kusagakure lately?"
Katsushiro frowned in thought. "Each year, squads are dispatched to guard Hōzuki Castle. None ever return. Other than that, little of note."
"Hōzuki Castle…" Neji's eyes narrowed. "Keep your focus there. Report everything."
---
Akatsuki Shadows
While Neji moved toward the Wind Country, two figures crossed the same land, their presence hidden beneath cloaks embroidered with red clouds.
Sasori, his body encased in the puppet shell of Hiruko, glanced sideways at his companion. The man walked with long white hair spilling over bandages that wrapped his scarred face.
"I still don't understand," Sasori said, voice cold. "Why would the leader support an experiment like yours?"
The bandaged man smirked proudly. "Because, Sasori, if my research succeeds, I will become the ultimate being. Even someone with the Rinnegan must respect that."
Sasori's wooden lips clicked. "Ultimate being? Hiruko, you're delusional."
This Hiruko had once been a mediocre Konoha shinobi, overshadowed by the Sannin. Where Jiraiya had found mentorship, Tsunade had inherited power, and Orochimaru had been born a prodigy, Hiruko had known only failure. His jealousy festered until he abandoned morality, turning to forbidden human experiments.
The technique he now boasted of—Kinjutsu: Chimera. By devouring the flesh of other shinobi, he could steal their kekkei genkai. Already, he dreamed of combining five at once: Swift Release, Steel Release, Dark Release, Storm Release, and Sharingan.
Few in history wielded even two. Five was madness.
Sasori snorted. "The body and soul must remain in harmony. Your method disrupts that balance. It will collapse."
"Perhaps." Hiruko's eyes gleamed. "But if I succeed, I will surpass even the Sannin. You'll see."
---
Oasis of the Fallen
The desert stretched endless beneath the scorching sun. Sandstorms howled, carving away at ancient ruins buried beneath dunes. From the top of a ridge, Neji and Izumi gazed down at an oasis glimmering faintly with moonlit water.
"There," Izumi whispered. "The Loulan remnants."
Neji's Tenseigan activated, vision piercing the night. He saw tents clustered around the water, ragged figures moving between them. Only three or four hundred survived of what had once been a prosperous city.
He exhaled slowly. "So this is what remains of Loulan… once a kingdom greater than Konoha, now reduced to nomads."
The Dragon Vein—Loulan's lifeblood—had been sealed decades ago by the Fourth Hokage. Without its power, the city succumbed to the desert's wrath.
"Neji-sama," Izumi said sharply, pointing. Four shinobi emerged from the oasis—Sunagakure ninja, faces grim. They vanished into the sandstorm.
"They're watching Loulan too," Neji muttered. "We'll wait until nightfall."
---
Sara, Princess of Ruins
Darkness cloaked the camp when Neji and Izumi slipped inside, their forms hidden beneath black masks. They moved like shadows, undetected as Loulan's weary people gathered around fires, sharing what little laughter they could.
At last, a young woman in faded royal garb entered a solitary tent. Her beauty bore the dignity of her lineage, though time and hardship weighed heavy on her shoulders.
Sara—princess of Loulan.
As she lowered herself to rest, a voice came from the shadows. "Princess Sara. We meet at last."
She spun, terror flooding her face. A hand covered her mouth before she could scream—Izumi's hand, soft but unyielding.
Neji raised a palm, signaling Izumi to release her. "Calm yourself. We mean no harm."
Sara's eyes darted between them, wary. "Who are you? What do you want?"
Neji's tone was steady, almost gentle. "It does not matter who we are. We come seeking… business."
"Business?" She frowned in disbelief. "Our people have nothing left to trade. Not even our caravans hold value anymore."
"You are mistaken." Neji stepped closer, eyes gleaming in the dim light. "Loulan still holds a treasure. One sealed beneath your fallen city—the Dragon Vein."
Sara stiffened. "The Dragon Vein… you want it?"
"Yes. To you, it is a curse. To me, priceless."
Her voice rose with rare defiance. "Never! The Dragon Vein is Loulan's soul. As long as it endures, so does my people's hope. I will not hand it over!"
A kunai spun in Neji's hand, its edge catching the firelight. His voice hardened. "Think carefully. Your people suffer in exile. Would you see them destroyed for the sake of a relic you cannot protect?"
Sara's heart pounded. The threat was clear. Yet she clenched her fists, refusing to yield. "The Dragon Vein's power is uncontrollable. Even if you could unseal it, it would consume you!"
"Whether I control it or not is irrelevant," Neji replied coldly. "Help me, and I will reward your people. Refuse… and you may lose everything."
The princess faltered. Her mind screamed at her to resist, but the faces of her people—children hungry, elders weary—flashed before her. Could she gamble their lives?
At last, her shoulders sagged. "If I agree… you promise not to harm them?"
"You have my word."
Sara's eyes betrayed her doubt. She knew shinobi promises were fragile things. But cornered, she had no choice.
---
Beyond the Desert
Far from the Loulan camp, the sea churned violently under a pale moon. A squad of Kirigakure shinobi cut through the waters, led by Hoshigaki Kisame. Blood dripped from his sword, Samehada, as he flung a slain Kumo-nin aside.
"Even here," he muttered, "their defenses stretch this far. Kumogakure grows more vigilant by the day."
At his side, Yanryu, a seasoned jōnin, studied the map. "We're behind schedule. If we don't hurry, we won't rendezvous with Utakata in time."
Kisame's gills flared as he breathed deep. "Then we swim faster. Kumogakure may now be the hardest village to face… even harder than Konoha."
With a sweep of his arm, his unit vanished beneath the waves, racing toward their next battle.
---
Back in the desert, Sara stared at Neji's masked face, her heart trembling between fear and fragile hope. She had bargained with a devil tonight, and though she could not know his true intent, she prayed only one thing—
That Loulan's last embers would not be snuffed out.
---
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