After understanding that the Rouran royal lineage possessed an innate control over the Dragon Vein energy, Anrokuzan had sought an alternative path. He planned to seal the Dragon Vein within his own body, forming a relationship similar to that between a Jinchuriki and a Tailed Beast.
Due to the presence of the Jinchuriki seal, Seramu would lose control of the Dragon Vein energy, and he would be able to utilize it better.
However, because of the Rouran royal family's natural affinity with the Dragon Vein energy, it was very difficult for him to access it.
Coercion? The Queen of Rouran, manipulating the Dragon Vein energy, could crush him with a mere thought. Coercion was purely a dead end.
Since coercion failed, he could only turn to enticement. That was why he had painstakingly poured his heart and soul into helping the Queen of Rouran build up the nation.
Only by dazzling the Queen of Rouran with one "cake" after another could he obtain more Dragon Vein energy.
Only by controlling enough Dragon Vein energy could he seal the main body of the Dragon Vein within himself, replace the Queen of Rouran, and take over control.
But now…
When his thoughts were voiced by that bastard, Anrokuzan understood that it was all over.
The Queen of Rouran was no fool. After understanding his scheme, she would definitely not allow him to control the Dragon Vein energy any longer.
Hearing this, Seramu's expression darkened, and she directly severed the connection between the Dragon Vein energy and Anrokuzan.
"Lord Anrokuzan, please answer me, is what Lord Naruto said true?"
"Does it matter if it's true or not, my Queen?" Anrokuzan smiled miserably upon feeling his connection to the Dragon Vein energy severed.
He had already resigned himself to his fate. He didn't think he could defeat that bastard without his puppet army.
Moreover, after such a long period of comfort and privilege, he had long since lost the daring and ruthlessness that belonged to a ninja.
"…I understand." Seramu nodded slightly upon hearing this. "The death penalty may be spared, but punishment is unavoidable."
"Anrokuzan, you harbored unfathomable intentions to usurp the Dragon Vein energy. I hereby dismiss you from your position as minister."
"However, considering your contributions to Rouran this past year, I would like to appoint you as Rouran's Puppet Technique Instructor. Are you willing?"
Rouran's rapid development this past year was inseparable from Anrokuzan, and even more so from the puppet techniques he provided.
Although many people of Rouran had learned puppet techniques this year, they were ultimately beginners.
With Anrokuzan's continued guidance, she believed they could master puppet techniques faster and better.
"As compensation, I will still allow you to control a portion of the Dragon Vein energy," she promised.
Anrokuzan's expression froze upon hearing this. He glanced at the silent bastard beside him…
So, I don't have to die!
"Are you willing?" Seramu asked.
"Willing, willing." Anrokuzan nodded frantically.
As the saying goes, it's easy to go from frugality to luxury, but difficult to go from luxury to frugality. This past year, his status as a minister of Rouran had allowed him to truly experience what it meant to live in opulence.
His dream of dominating the shinobi world was unattainable, but living on as a freeloader seemed pretty good too. Compared to fighting for his life on missions, days where food and clothing were served to him were simply too comfortable.
"You must be tired from today's numerous affairs, Lord Anrokuzan. Go back and rest well." Seramu's tone took a sharp turn, completely devoid of its earlier coldness.
If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, Anrokuzan would find it hard to imagine that the woman speaking to him in such a tone had wanted to kill him just a minute ago.
"…" Anrokuzan glanced at Naruto beside her.
They both came from the future. He had every reason to believe that this fellow's desire to kill him was definitely stronger than the Queen of Rouran's.
Holding the general trend of the era, coupled with his own formidable strength—if he doesn't become the most powerful person in the world, even heavenly principles would find it hard to tolerate.And he, who also grasped the general trend of the era, had become a variable in that ascent to the top.
Putting himself in the other's shoes, if their roles were reversed, he would absolutely kill the other person who knew the truth in the first instance.
Meeting his gaze, Naruto immediately understood his thoughts. If he truly couldn't return to his original world, he would indeed kill Anrokuzan. But unfortunately, he already sensed his own return. Killing Anrokuzan held no meaning for him.
He longed to battle the strong, but he would not kill wantonly.
Those who kill for the sake of killing ultimately become Asura…
To this day, he still couldn't forget the Demon of Hatred that the Sculptor had transformed into, controlled by the desire for slaughter.
Anrokuzan seemed to understand his thoughts and, like a wisp of smoke, vanished from the hall.
"Lord Naruto, thank you," Seramu said, bowing in gratitude. "Without you, I truly wouldn't know how to limit Anrokuzan's authority."
"…Is there anything else?" Naruto asked. He couldn't be bothered to get involved in their muddled affairs. He had left that wooden stick back then more out of gratitude for the mother and daughter's care.
"It's like this…" Seramu explained the matter of the ninja invasion.
"I will deal with those ninja." Naruto nodded upon hearing this. Without waiting for Seramu to say more, he directly sensed his Flying Thunder God formula and vanished from the spot.
"Phew…" Back in his own room, Anrokuzan couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief.
How had that bastard's aura become even more terrifying? At the beginning, when the Dragon Vein was sealed, he still dared to look that bastard in the eyes. But just now, merely glancing at that fellow made him feel like he was teetering on the brink of life and death…
A voice suddenly echoed from a corner of the room.
"Anrokuzan."
Hearing this voice, Anrokuzan's body trembled, and he shakily turned to look.
Didn't he say he wouldn't kill me?Why is he here again?Is he playing with me?
"Lord Naruto, wh-what can I do for you?" He forced a smile onto his obese face.
"Do you have any premonition about when you will return to your original world?" Naruto asked, leaning against a wooden cabinet.
"Re-return?" Anrokuzan was aghast.
"No premonition?" Naruto frowned. Could it be because his strength is too weak? As time passed, that feeling of impending return to his original world was growing stronger and stronger.
"Naruto, carefully sense the chakra on his body," Kurama's voice suddenly sounded in his mind.
Naruto paused, then re-sensed Anrokuzan's chakra. A moment later, he suddenly turned his head towards the direction of the Dragon Vein.
"So that's how it is…" His eyes lit up.
"What's wrong?" Now Anrokuzan was truly confused.
Without explaining to him, Naruto directly vanished from the spot.
"Gone? He's gone?!!" Watching his suddenly disappearing figure, Anrokuzan's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.
Could someone please explain to him just what was going on?
At the base of the high tower where the Rouran royal family resided.
Naruto sensed the Dragon Vein energy below, sensing that faint energy that was somehow connected to him.
Having been reminded by Kurama just now, he had carefully sensed Anrokuzan's chakra and suddenly discovered something strange.
Anrokuzan still had a connection to the Dragon Vein energy.
Mind you, this connection had just been severed by the Queen of Rouran.
But upon closer observation, Naruto discovered that the Dragon Vein energy on Anrokuzan was not the Dragon Vein energy whose connection had been cut by the Queen of Rouran.
Naruto then sensed the chakra on his own body and found that he too was connected to a faint, almost imperceptible Dragon Vein energy.
It was important to note that since arriving in this world, he had never come into contact with this world's Dragon Vein energy.
So, where did the Dragon Vein energy on him originate from?
There was only one answer.
The Dragon Vein energy on him was the Dragon Vein energy from his original world—the energy that had allowed him to descend into this world.
Perhaps the Dragon Vein energies of the two worlds had some kind of unknown connection.
After the Dragon Vein energy in his original world was unsealed by him and Anrokuzan, its sudden eruption had deepened this connection, forming some sort of channel that allowed them to arrive in this world.
But this world was instinctively rejecting the two of them as outsiders.
The reason he could sense his impending return to his original world was that the repulsive force on him was far greater than that on Anrokuzan.
It was like the same truck carrying 50 tons of cargo versus 1 kg of cargo; the energy consumed was not on the same level at all.
The same Dragon Vein energy.
Perhaps it could support Anrokuzan staying in this world for five or six years. For him, it could at most support a year. His and Kurama's chakra was too 'heavy.'
That Dragon Vein energy could not support their extended 'travel' in another world.