The Dragon Vein was gone.
For Sara, this meant that the last tie binding her to the Land of Wind had finally been severed.
The Loulan remnants had always been nomads—moving from oasis to oasis when survival demanded it—so migration itself wasn't unfamiliar. Yet this time, leaving wasn't simply a matter of finding new land; it was abandoning their history.
Sara's soft voice broke the silence of the tent.
"Neji… if we leave the Land of Wind, where will we go?"
Neji Hyuga touched his chin, eyes narrowing in thought. The entire ninja world was still unstable. Wars flared across small nations like brushfires, leaving no corner truly safe. The Five Great Nations were the only places that could offer any semblance of stability—but moving there risked discovery. If any power learned the truth about Loulan and the Dragon Vein, disaster would follow.
After a moment, Neji's hand tightened into a fist and he declared, "I'll give you two options."
Sara looked up, startled by his sudden firmness.
"First," Neji continued, "I can lead the Loulan remnants north to the Demon Realm—and in exchange, pay a great sum for the Dragon Vein's protection."
"The Demon Realm?" Sara repeated, frowning slightly.
That place was shrouded in mystery, a distant land guarded by the priestess lineage—one that shared faint ancestral ties with Loulan. If her people went there, they might be protected under the priestess's blessing.
But the Demon Realm was too close to the Land of Wind. If the Hidden Sand Village tracked them down, even the priestess would be powerless to stop a full-scale attack.
Sara hesitated. "How much are you… willing to pay?"
Neji raised a single finger and replied evenly, "One hundred million."
Her eyes went wide. "One… hundred… million?!"
To a small, scattered tribe like hers, that was an unimaginable sum. Even if they sold everything they owned, they wouldn't come close.
Neji smiled faintly. "To you, the Dragon Vein may only be a symbol of faith. To ninja, it's a priceless treasure. A hundred million is nothing compared to its true worth."
Sara waved her hands in disbelief. "No, no, that's far too much already!"
She caught her breath, then asked nervously, "Then… what's the second option?"
Neji's tone softened. "The second choice is to follow me to the Land of Lightning. You and your people can settle there under the Hidden Cloud Village's protection. You'll live in peace, and the Loulan name will endure."
Sara blinked. "Wait… you're from the Land of Lightning?"
A faint smile crossed Neji's lips. "That's right."
For a moment, Sara said nothing, lost in thought as she took a sip of her tea. She had heard of the Hidden Cloud Village's reputation—strong, assertive, and unafraid to seize opportunities by force if needed. It made sense now; they had come for the Dragon Vein.
Still, the Cloud was the mightiest of the Five Great Nations, powerful enough to guarantee the Loulan remnants' safety. Unlike other villages, Cloud's leadership was united—there were no rumors of oppression or clan suppression under the Fourth Raikage.
Perhaps joining the Hidden Cloud was the most practical choice.
Her gaze lingered on Neji. The Dragon Vein follows him… maybe this is another way of preserving it—by keeping it in motion, not buried beneath sand.
Sara exhaled softly and said, "Then I choose the second option. We'll go to the Land of Lightning with you."
Neji nodded approvingly. "Good. Time is short. Tell your people to prepare and leave the Land of Wind immediately."
Without hesitation, Sara rushed out of the tent to give the order.
When she was gone, Uchiha Izumi, who had been standing quietly nearby, spoke up. "Are you truly taking them to the Land of Lightning?"
"Of course," Neji said simply.
Logically, he could have silenced Sara and vanished—no one would have known who stole the Dragon Vein. But Neji wasn't here to serve logic. He wanted to unite the fragmented world, to lay the foundation for an age where children no longer grew up under the shadow of war.
And such a dream could only be built on trust, not betrayal.
Moments later, the Loulan caravan began preparing for their long journey. Camels were packed, tents dismantled, and their small oasis city emptied. Sara ordered them to head northeast without naming the destination.
Neji watched the caravan disappear into the desert dunes, golden sand swirling behind them. Then he turned to Izumi.
"Izumi, escort them to the Land of Lightning. I'll stay behind and deal with the Sand's pursuit."
Izumi bowed slightly. "Understood."
---
Meanwhile – Hidden Sand Village
When the Sand's sensory division detected an anomaly in the skies above Loulan, the Kazekage's Anbu were immediately dispatched to investigate. Five hours later, they returned—carrying grim news.
Inside the council chamber, Rasa's face twisted with rage. His fingers dug into the table, veins bulging on his temples.
"The Dragon Vein… stolen?!"
He took a slow breath, trying to contain his fury, then turned toward the two elders seated nearby.
"Who could have broken Minato Namikaze's seal?" he demanded.
Chiyo clasped her wrinkled hands beneath her chin, her tone heavy. "Minato's sealing techniques were beyond comprehension. Even after years of study, we haven't replicated them. Yet someone just… undid it. That kind of skill…"
Ebizo interrupted coldly, "There's no need to speculate, sister. Only Konoha's shinobi could break that seal. Who else could it be?"
Rasa slammed his palm on the table. "Despicable Konoha! They monopolize the Dragon Vein, thinking only of themselves—how dare they!"
Chiyo sighed, her expression grave. "To unseal the Dragon Vein, they would have needed the cooperation of Queen Sara. If we track her down, we'll find our culprit."
After a pause, she added firmly, "If it truly was Konoha, I'll personally go to Hiruzen Sarutobi and demand an explanation."
Just then, a masked Anbu burst into the chamber.
"Kazekage-sama! The Loulan remnants are migrating northeast, showing clear intent to leave the Land of Wind."
Ebizo rose sharply. "Rasa! Dispatch a pursuit force immediately. We cannot allow them to escape our territory!"
Rasa nodded grimly. "Agreed. Send Pakura to lead the unit."
When the meeting ended, Rasa formed hand seals and called, "Summoning Jutsu!"
A puff of smoke filled the air, revealing a golden lizard perched on the table, the kanji for Sasori carved into its back. Rasa scribbled a few lines onto a scroll, rolled it up, and fed it to the lizard's mouth.
"Deliver this message swiftly," he ordered. The creature nodded and vanished into the sands.
---
Hidden Cloud Village
Inside the main administrative building, Samui entered quietly. To her surprise, the hall was packed—hundreds of elite jonin, all standing in silence. The air was thick with tension.
The Fourth Raikage's summons was rare—and always meant war.
She slipped to the back beside Darui and whispered, "What's happening?"
Darui shook his head. "No clue. Even the Kage Guards weren't briefed."
Moments later, the Raikage appeared, towering and broad-shouldered, his presence commanding immediate silence. Yugito, Tsuchida, Shisui, Fūki, and even Killer Bee stood nearby.
"The Mist Village has invaded the eastern coast of the Land of Lightning," Raikage announced, his voice booming like thunder. "Their attack began two days ago."
A ripple of alarm swept through the ranks. Hidden Mist Village—launching an invasion? It made no sense. For six years, after the Uchiha joined Hidden Cloud, the world had been slowly recovering. The nations rebuilt their strength. Everyone had expected the next great conflict to come from Konoha or Iwagakure, not the Mist.
Raikage raised his hand for silence. "Our scouts confirm that the invading force is led by the Six-Tails Jinchūriki, Utakata, and one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen—Kisame Hoshigaki."
A low murmur erupted. Samui frowned. "Just the Six-Tails and Kisame? That's hardly an army."
Darui muttered, "Maybe it's a probe. But if the Mist attacks now, Konoha or Iwa might seize the opportunity to strike us from behind."
Samui nodded slightly. "True. There's no reason for the Mist to start this war unless they've been pushed—or manipulated."
The Raikage's sharp voice cut through the chatter. "I will personally lead a counterattack with Yugito. We'll drive the Mist back into the sea!"
"Yes, Raikage-sama!" hundreds of voices thundered in unison.
Raikage's eyes swept over them. "You have one hour. Prepare for battle!"
Within moments, the rooftop emptied, leaving only the Raikage, Killer Bee, Yugito, Shisui, and Tsuchida.
"This invasion doesn't make sense," Raikage said darkly. "Be alert. If the Mist moves, the other great villages won't stay quiet. We must prepare for the worst."
For the first time, he understood what Konoha had endured—facing multiple fronts, surrounded by enemies.
"Killer Bee," he ordered, "guard the western border against Iwagakure."
Bee nodded. "Yo, bro, I got the flow—no rock'll roll past my patrol!"
"Shisui," Raikage continued, "the Hot Water Country line is yours."
Shisui bowed. "Understood."
"Tsuchida, go negotiate an alliance with the Hidden Sand Village."
The jonin saluted. "Yes, sir!"
As they departed, the Raikage looked toward the stormy horizon. "The world is shifting again… If Cloud triumphs this time, perhaps we can finally take that long-awaited step."
---
Desert, Land of Wind
Far away, Neji sat cross-legged atop a sand dune, holding the amber purifying pot before him. The air shimmered with heat as he drew the Dragon Vein's chakra into himself.
The energy was ancient—soaked in earth's natural essence after years buried beneath the desert. It carried traces of nature's own power, akin to sage chakra.
He couldn't absorb it recklessly. Without Sage Mode training, natural energy could be dangerous. So Neji carefully refined the Dragon Vein chakra, separating its natural essence and converting it into his Tenseigan chakra.
It was delicate, time-consuming work.
Finally, he opened his eyes. "My meridians are saturated… any more, and I'll overflow."
He stopped the absorption, letting his chakra settle. By his estimation, the energy he had gathered would last at least two hours if unused—or ten minutes in full combat.
That was plenty.
Even Ultraman only lasts three minutes, Neji thought dryly.
Just then, a sharp cry echoed overhead. He looked up to see a hawk circling—the Sand's scouting falcon.
"It's time," Neji murmured.
He was ready to test his new strength against the Sand's pursuit.
But before he could move, a puff of white smoke exploded beside him. Out of it emerged a beckoning cat—Maneki-Neko—holding a small notepad.
"Delivery fee, please. Two thousand yen," it said cheerfully.
Neji sighed, handing over the bills. The cat pocketed the money in its tiny pouch, then added, "Oh, and another two thousand. Today's a holiday—overtime rates apply."
"…Fine," Neji muttered, passing another wad of cash.
Once paid, the cat handed him a scroll and vanished with a poof.
Neji unrolled it, his expression tightening.
"The Hidden Mist has invaded the eastern border…?"
His eyes narrowed. "Obito… so you finally make your move."
In the original timeline, Obito had remained quiet for years after the Uchiha massacre—only revealing himself when the great wars reignited. But this time, six years after joining Hidden Cloud, Neji had expected trouble sooner or later.
Now, the storm was finally coming.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)