"You... you... you…"
Ding Zuo was stunned. He couldn't figure out how this arrogant young man knew him.
While the others were surprised, the masked ninja kept his gaze fixed on Morkel's red hair, deep in thought.
Then, the masked ninja said calmly, "This isn't the right place to talk. Let's go somewhere else and discuss things in detail."
Morkel nodded. He also wanted to know more about the current situation.
After saying goodbye to Sarah inside the cave, Morkel followed the masked ninja and his group out.
Inside the cave, Sarah blinked in confusion and muttered, "What a strange ninja... but he's really handsome. Oh right, the celebration is about to start. I'd better prepare quickly..."
---
Loulan City – A Quiet Corner
"You're a ninja from Konoha Village too," the masked man said, "but I heard the Third Hokage didn't send anyone to Loulan City."
The sight of Uncle Ding Zuo had already earned Morkel's trust, so he shared everything — including the strange experience of traveling through time.
"So... you're from the future?" The masked man asked, surprised.
Morkel nodded. "It seems so. But I don't know if I'll ever get back."
The masked man placed a comforting hand on Morkel's shoulder. "If what you say is true, there's always a way. I know a little about time-space ninjutsu. If we can defeat the ninja who destroyed the seal and reestablish it, you might just be able to return."
"I hope so," Morkel replied quietly.
After a moment, Morkel pointed at the mask and hesitantly asked, "Brother Mask... can you take off the mask? I feel like I've seen you before."
He had that feeling ever since he saw the man's kunai.
The masked man didn't hesitate. He took off the patterned mask.
A face with sharp, defined features came into view.
Morkel's eyes widened in shock. It was the Fourth Hokage—Namikaze Minato—the man carved onto the Hokage Rock in the village. Naruto's father!
No wonder he knew about time-space ninjutsu.
"You've seen me in the future too?" Minato asked with a smile.
Morkel nodded solemnly. "You'll become a great ninja. And your son… he will too."
Minato perked up. "Son? You know my son? Is he naughty?"
Morkel grinned. "Very."
After their short conversation, Minato and his team began preparing to leave.
"Whether you're from the future or not," Minato warned, "I suggest you leave Loulan during our mission. It's dangerous here."
As the group vanished, Morkel gave a wry smile.
"You're really cautious, huh?" he murmured, sitting cross-legged and closing his eyes.
Minato was right — to go back, he had to find the centipede that caused this. If he had traveled through the seal, then the centipede might have as well.
Morkel used his spiritual power to search all over Loulan, but found no trace of the centipede's chakra.
"Did that thing already escape Loulan?" he muttered, annoyed.
If that was true, he'd have to search the entire ninja world!
While deep in thought, Morkel heard commotion outside. He jumped to a tall tower and overlooked the city.
Fireworks bloomed. Giant puppets, colorful stalls, and cheering crowds filled the streets. Lights glittered as people shouted joyfully, "Long live the Queen!"
"Is it a festival celebration?" Morkel wondered.
On a high platform, Sarah appeared in splendid attire, smiling brightly at her people. Two massive puppet guards followed behind her.
As a traveler from Earth, Morkel couldn't resist joining in on the fun. He lay down on the rooftop, watching the celebration unfold.
Sarah raised her hands, signaling for silence. She spoke into a chakra-enhanced loudspeaker:
"My beloved citizens, I am Sha—"
Suddenly, her voice cut out. A loud crackle burst through the speaker.
Morkel's sharp eyes noticed her stumbling on stage.
With the instinct of someone who's seen too many anime rescues, Morkel thrust his hand forward.
"Crash!"
Under the effect of his Wood Style chakra, thick vines shot out from his arm and caught Sarah mid-fall.
---
In the Shadows
Minato was also watching. When Sarah began to fall, he moved to help — until he saw the vines.
He gasped. "Another Wood Style user?!"
He turned to his teammates. "He really is from the future…? Is Wood Style common there now?"
Morkel retracted the vines quickly, returning Sarah safely into his arms. She trembled like a frightened rabbit.
"I was so scared…" she whispered.
He didn't say anything. Just gently patted her back. "It's okay. You're safe now."
Then, Morkel's tone turned serious. "We should leave. Now."
Sarah looked up at his calm profile, confused but obedient. Then she followed his gaze.
Flying puppets hovered nearby.
"It's alright!" Sarah waved dismissively. "Those are the minister's puppets. They're here to protect me."
But before she could finish, the puppets' arms extended — firing purple chakra beams straight at them.
"Boom!!"
The tower exploded where they stood.
In shock, Sarah cried, "Why? Aren't they controlled by Minister An Lushan? Why are they attacking me?"
Hearing the name, Morkel's thoughts clicked. Before coming to Loulan, Tsunade had warned him: An Lushan was a traitor who once manipulated the entire kingdom.
"Could it be... Minister An Lushan wants to kill you?" Morkel guessed.
Sarah shook her head. "That's impossible! He helped me manage Loulan since my mother died. Without him, there would be no city!"
Morkel rolled his eyes. "Alright, believe whatever you want. I'm leaving."
"Wait! You can't go!" Sarah protested.
"Why not?"
She pointed to the approaching puppets.
Though confused about their betrayal, Sarah knew she owed Morkel her life.
He sighed. "I'm not your bodyguard. I have no obligation to protect you."
"You're from Konoha, aren't you? You accept missions there, right? Then let me hire you—"
Before she could finish, a massive puppet lunged at them.
"Help!"
"Sniff sniff… Boom!"
When the smoke cleared, the puppet was in pieces. Morkel stood there, chakra blade in hand.
"How do you plan to pay for my services?" he asked with a grin.
Sarah blinked. "I... I don't know the price for ninja help. You decide."
"200 million should do."
Sarah, unfamiliar with finances, simply nodded.
---
Back to the Palace
Morkel escorted Sarah back to the palace, knocking out every guard in their way.
"Now I understand what infiltration means," Sarah whispered, watching the red-haired ninja in awe.
While ascending the tower's spiral staircase, a figure appeared ahead. Morkel prepared to strike—then paused.
Behind the man was a group of civilians—old men, women, children. No guards. No weapons.
"Who are you? What do you want?" Morkel asked warily, shielding Sarah.
A woman stepped forward and pleaded to Sarah, "Queen Sarah, please return my husband to me."
Another cried out, "My brother disappeared days ago!"
"My son was taken! He just turned twenty!"
A little girl sobbed, "I want my daddy..."
Sarah was confused. "If people are missing, report it to the authorities. Why come to me?"
Their response was unified:
"Because they said it was your order!"
"That can't be true," Sarah insisted. "An Lushan has been in charge. I never gave that order."
One woman, crying, said, "They're building war machines... My husband was taken there!"
"I never ordered that either!" Sarah said, stunned.
Morkel sighed. "If you want to know the truth, go see it yourself."
Sarah hesitated.
"You're the queen," Morkel said. "The people are suffering. Are you going to keep pretending not to know?"
Their eyes met. Sarah saw the disappointment in his face.
She nodded. "Alright. I want to see with my own eyes."
The people didn't know where the war machines were built — until a chubby boy spoke up. "I heard they're underground."
Sarah bit her lip. Loulan was too big to search blindly.
"No problem," Morkel said, sitting cross-legged. He closed his eyes and focused.
He soon sensed a powerful chakra pulse — deeper and stronger than what he remembered from the future. War machines needed energy, and this chakra was coming from near the Dragon Vein.
"I've found a suspicious location," he said.
"I'm going with you!" Sarah said immediately.
"You'll just be a burden."
"I'm not completely useless. And I need to see the truth."
Seeing her resolve, Morkel agreed.
---
Meanwhile...
In a dark corner of his mansion, An Lushan sat rigidly, chakra threads covering his body like a spider's web.
"I've been planning this for six years… and now, those Konoha pests have returned."
"Morkel… no matter how strong you are, you can't defeat the power of the Dragon Vein!"
Back in the city, Morkel and Sarah descended into the sewers beneath a manhole.
As they went deeper, the energy of the Dragon Vein pulsed stronger than ever before.
What they would find below would decide not just their fate — but the fate of all of Loulan.