---Ryouma's POV---
Although they hadn't spent much time together, Ryouma quite liked Naruto.
Since he didn't have the Nine-Tails inside him and Minato was still alive, it meant this kid probably lived a life in Konoha similar to Boruto's level of comfort. But unlike Boruto in his childhood, Naruto wasn't spoiled.
"Forget what I said before," Ryouma admitted with a wry smile. "That question caught me off guard, so I just blurted something out. The truth is, there will always be someone you love more than anyone else, and when you realize who that is, you should follow your heart. Don't get distracted by what others expect of you. Just be honest with yourself, and you'll know the answer."
In the final few seconds before Naruto returned to his own time, Ryouma suddenly realized he hadn't finished giving Naruto his emotional guidance.
Time was short, and that was all he could tell him. He just hoped Naruto would succeed.
Within a few minutes, all the Lost Mist that had spread across Rōran was pulled back, once again converging into the Ryūmyaku.
This misty blue city returned to its original state.
After completing everything, Sāra looked reluctantly at the stone statue of her mother. She took a deep breath, turned to Ryouma, and bowed.
"I'm sorry. Because of my selfishness, I caused everyone so much trouble. I'm truly, deeply sorry."
Ryouma waved his hand. As for reviving her mother, he couldn't really comment on that. But there was one thing he had to make clear.
"The one you should apologize to isn't me, but the people of Rōran. I don't know if you were aware of what Anrokuzan had been secretly doing in the past, but in the end, you're the queen of this country. You have a duty to protect your people."
"Yes. I will take responsibility."
Sāra's eyes were firm as she stared straight at his serious, chubby little face. Suddenly, she remembered.
"Oh right, the seal on your body still hasn't been undone!"
Ryouma let out a light sigh. This silly girl just noticed now? If not for the difference in time, Naruto and she would've been a perfect match.
Just as they were speaking, the space next to them began to ripple like a swirling vortex. Obito stepped out from it, his Mangekyō Sharingan glowing red, accompanied by Kakashi, Rin, and Shukaku.
No sooner had he emerged from the space than he shouted excitedly, "There was a shower of blue rain just now, and we suddenly turned back to normal… Eh? Why are you still in kid form?"
"Alright, alright, Obito," Ryouma replied, his eyes matching Kakashi's dead-fish look. "I get it, you're all pretty happy with your current lives."
"What do you mean, happy?"
"I'll explain in a bit," Ryouma turned away from him, no longer paying attention to him. "Please go ahead and lift the seal."
"Okay."
Sāra agreed and knelt once more before the Ryūmyaku's core, working to undo the Dragon Fate Reversal seal placed on Ryouma and others in Rōran.
Bits of blue starlight floated from Ryouma's body as his form rapidly grew. The strangest part? Somehow, his clothes grew with him, would have been embarrassing if not...
Anyway, he clenched his fist, feeling the chakra of the One-Tail, Three-Tails, Four-Tails, and Five-Tails inside him. He couldn't help but let out a pleased hum.
"Ah, this body really is the best."
The way he said it almost sounded like a villain seizing someone else's body. He rolled his shoulders and reached out with both hands to catch Shukaku as it leaped into his arms and landed on his head.
Nearby, Sasori felt his puppet body restored and immediately fired two high-pressure jets from his feet, launching into the air.
This time, he really had lost everything, his proudest human puppet was destroyed, and years of planning in Rōran had failed. He didn't expect the Ryūmyaku to have such a flaw. Clearly, the whole plan had been too rushed.
"Ryouma!"
Rin cried out in surprise. When she first arrived, she thought the red-haired kid was Sāra's younger brother.
"Let me use Kamui to shoot him down!"
Obito felt like if he didn't show off his Kamui soon, everyone would keep treating him like a taxi service.
"It's fine. He's not getting away."
Ryouma formed a single-handed seal.
---
Midair, as Sasori fled, he continued to reflect on the reasons for the mission's failure. After a while, he couldn't help but curse out loud.
"It's all that useless Mukade's fault!"
If it hadn't been for him insisting on secretly killing the former queen, it wouldn't have drawn Suna's attention.
"Hm?" He suddenly felt his body going numb. He raised his only remaining left hand and looked at it. "When did this happen?!"
In the blink of an eye, sealing marks spread all over his body. He lost control and plummeted from several dozen meters in the air, landing squarely in a rising cloud of sand.
Ryouma snapped his fingers, and the swirling sand formed into a ball, trapping Sasori with only his head exposed.
"Still trying to run? You think you can get away?"
"Mmph! Mmph!"
Sasori tried to open his mouth wide but found he couldn't speak. His eyes darted around wildly, but Ryouma showed no intention of paying him any attention.
With everything settled, the group returned to the central plaza of Rōran.
Sāra's appearance caused a brief stir among the citizens, but the chaos soon calmed down. After all, in this feudal era, no matter how oppressive the ruler might be, the people were naturally inclined to obey authority.
Ryouma looked around and clapped his hands.
Several handfuls of sand gathered into a giant hand, rolling forward to drag the unconscious Mukade's real body out from the sand pyramid he had created.
Upon seeing the bloated, middle-aged man, Obito clicked his tongue.
"This guy's still alive, huh?"
Sāra looked at Ryouma in confusion, not sure what he intended to do.
Ryouma pointed to the sealing jutsu on Mukade's body.
"I've placed a seal on him. The Ryūmyaku's energy inside him will keep him here for a while before he's pulled back to his own time. There's something I didn't have a chance to tell you. According to our investigation, the one who killed your mother… was him."
"What?!"
Sāra's eyes widened as she stared at the man she once trusted the most. Back when her mother died, if it hadn't been for Anrokuzan's help, she wouldn't have been able to shoulder the responsibility of ruling Rōran alone.
So much had happened in one day. She felt like she could barely control her own body.
Kakashi quickly stepped up to steady her, preventing her from collapsing.
Ryouma placed a kunai in her hand. "Your choice. Avenge your mother, it'll also give the people of Rōran the justice they deserve. Or let him live, and keep your hands untainted."
Am I becoming a bit more calculating?
Holding the somewhat heavy tri-pronged kunai, Sāra turned to look at the ragged citizens gathered in the square.
In the past, she had handed over all political affairs to Anrokuzan. Looking at it now, she felt deeply ashamed. She'd been queen for so long, yet hadn't even realized how her people were suffering in the shadows.
Taking a deep breath, she steadied her shaky steps and walked up to Anrokuzan, who was suspended by the sand hand.
The Rōran citizens around her immediately grew excited.
"Don't tell me she's really going to…"
"She's finally standing up for us!"
"Tch, I bet she won't actually kill him. If she does, I'll eat my dildo."
"What?!"
---
Ryouma exchanged a look with Kakashi, who immediately caught on and loudly addressed the crowd, "Just as you suspected, your Queen has uncovered Anrokuzan's crimes. From now on, you no longer need to fear being dragged into the factories as forced labor!"
Under the gaze of everyone present, Sāra raised the kunai with both hands and said softly, "I used to respect you greatly. But… I won't always be a girl who lets others pull the strings. Goodbye."
With that, she drove the kunai into Anrokuzan's heart with both hands. Clearly, the naive Sāra who had just become queen was gone.
Silently, Ryouma formed a hand seal and activated the curse mark left in Anrokuzan's brain, finishing him off. After all, Sāra was still an inexperienced rural queen, her assassination technique was far too immature.
As his eyes swept across the plaza, where citizens hugged each other and wept with joy, he felt satisfied. Though this mission had its ups and downs, the result was ultimately a success.
---
That day Ryouma left Konoha with Kakashi's team on a mission, a certain Root ninja, who had been quiet for quite a while, began to act.
"Ryouma has confirmed to have left the village."
Upon hearing the report from his subordinate, Danzō suddenly opened his squinted, solitary eye and called out,
"Tatsuma."
Tatsuma appeared instantly at Danzō's side with a body flicker.
Danzō stood up from his chair and began walking out while issuing a series of commands.
"Gather all personnel from Root who weren't placed on the surveillance list after the disbandment. Proceed according to the original plan."
"Yes!"
Upon receiving the order, Tatsuma and the former Root member who delivered the message disappeared on the spot.
The hidden fangs of Konoha's Root extended once more.
---
In the Uchiha clan district, as usual, Shiori was preparing to go out and train. She aimed to awaken the Complete Body Susanoo as soon as possible, so she could have a proper, exhilarating fight with Ryouma.
Seeing her packing her ninja tools, Homura felt the need to remind his foolish daughter.
"You know… pursuing a boy you like doesn't necessarily mean you have to beat him. There's a lot more nuance to it."
"This is my business. I know what I'm doing."
Shiori rolled her eyes. What would this drunken man know?
Without greater strength, even if she did fall in love, she'd only be the weaker side in the relationship.
Anyway, unless she had the strength to defeat Ryouma, she would never confess first. What if she got rejected?
On the other hand, if her strength was superior, even if he rejected her, she could just forcefully take him. When it came to initiative in a relationship, she had to hold it in her own hands to feel secure.
Homura was silenced by her words and could only sigh to himself as he pulled out a bottle of sake and began chugging. He genuinely hoped Ken's son could end up with Shiori, but his daughter's personality was just too difficult.
"Looks like I'll have to think of something from Ryouma's side instead."
To prevent his daughter from becoming the "loser" in love, he felt it was his duty as a father to come up with a plan.
After packing her ninja tools, Shiori walked out without looking back.
When she arrived at the training ground and was just about to warm up, her right eye's Mangekyō Sharingan suddenly activated on its own, triggering the ocular technique sealed within it.
At the same time, a voice echoed in her mind.
Danzō… plans to steal Shisui's Mangekyō Sharingan… in six hours… Shisui will be… controlled… Kotoamatsukami… targeting Ryouma… danger… take precautions in advance… location is…
This time, the message was longer than usual, but much of it was repeated, likely a deliberate act by her future self, worried that some key part of the intel might not come through.
Danzō... just like the clan leader warned. His hatred toward the Uchiha is irreconcilable. And now he wants to lay hands on the one person he absolutely shouldn't touch... Seems it's time to deal with him for good.
In just a few seconds, she made her decision: eliminate Danzō once and for all.
Her efficiency was terrifying.
She sealed her training equipment back into a scroll and let her body naturally fall backward. Like a drop of ink, she melted into the shadow realm and began moving swiftly through the village using the shadows cast by the sunlight, toward the location her future self had provided.
---
Inside an abandoned Root base, at that moment, Danzō had just arrived at his main base of operations.
Within minutes, Tatsuma brought twenty elite former Root operatives to assemble.
"Danzō-sama, everyone currently available is present."
Seeing only a handful of people before him, Danzō's expression turned cold.
"I never thought I'd see the day when even I would be left with so few usable forces."
"My deepest apologies." Tatsuma immediately picked up the cue, not letting the comment fall flat.
"It's not your fault," Danzō muttered. "It's all because of Hiruzen's weakness. If I had become Hokage, Konoha would have already unified the entire shinobi world."
It might have sounded arrogant, but he genuinely believed it.
In the past, all he wanted was for Konoha to retain its position as the strongest hidden village in the shinobi world. But ever since he'd gathered intel on all of Ryouma's battle achievements, he'd stopped being satisfied with that modest ambition.
This was a ninja whose power surpassed even the First Hokage and Madara. If Konoha had Ryouma on the frontlines, he couldn't imagine any other village resisting their advance.
Yet Hiruzen, despite having such a trump card, was content with this fragile illusion of peace. If Konoha lacked power, that would be one thing. But with power in hand and no will to conquer, who did he think he was?
The First Hokage?
Even he might have chosen to unify the shinobi world once his plan to use the tailed beasts for peace failed. What right did Hiruzen have to think otherwise?
"Indeed, I am the one most fit to be Hokage. Tobirama-sensei, watch me, I will lead Konoha to greatness once more!"
Getting increasingly fired up by the thought, he turned to Tatsuma.
"Has that mission intel been handed off to Shisui?"
"Yes. A comrade in the ANBU has already passed it to him. He didn't suspect anything and should reach the designated location in about five hours."
Hearing confirmation from his most reliable subordinate, a cold smile crept onto Danzō's face.
Seeing how excited his superior was, Tatsuma hesitated, then spoke, risking a reprimand.
"That person named 'Zetsu' also seems suspicious. His words might not be entirely trustworthy…"