The moment he landed, Naruto sensed something was wrong.
"There's a life force, very weak, right beneath that pile of ruins."
With his Observation Haki enveloping the area, the group naturally didn't need to search inch by inch like the Roran's cavalry.
Hearing Naruto's words, everyone acted without hesitation, starting to clear the ruins.
Many hands make light work. The stones and rubble were quickly moved away by the group using various methods.
Then, a staircase leading downward appeared before everyone.
"Be careful, follow behind me."
Naruto took the lead, with Sasuke and Karin close behind.
The group filed through the passage until they reached a stone door, where everyone assumed combat stances.
The stone door was surprisingly sturdy, and even Karin's wing slashes left no marks on it.
"Let me."
Sasuke walked over from the side, glanced at Karin, and placed his hand directly on the stone door.
Instantly, Calamity Flames covered the entire door.
Pure Calamity Flames had little effect on living beings, but worked exceptionally well on non-living matter.
After being scorched for just a moment, the previously extremely hard stone door showed signs of weathering and cracking.
Then, with a gentle push from Sasuke's hand, the four or five overlapping stone doors crumbled as if made of sand and powder, easily creating a large hole.
Behind the door was a circular plaza resembling an altar.
Good news: Sara's daughter was still here.
Bad news: There was no trace of the masked man.
A young girl dressed in attire similar to Sara's stood vacant-eyed, looking like a puppet.
"It's a Genjutsu," Sasuke said after examining her.
It was clear the masked man's Sharingan's Genjutsu skills were quite advanced, enough to control someone of the Mizukage's caliber for so many years.
It took Sasuke some effort to dispel the Genjutsu.
Sara's worst fears hadn't materialized here.
The masked man didn't need any interrogation, as with Genjutsu control, the Princess hadn't lasted even a second.
Once freed from the Genjutsu, the Princess immediately collapsed, but Sasuke caught her in time.
"She's weak from long-term lack of food and water."
This outcome didn't surprise Naruto, and it seemed the masked man had succeeded two days ago.
"So, has that Ryumyaku's Chakra been absorbed by the masked man?"
B scratched his head and walked over to the spot in front of where the Princess had been standing. There was a small eye-shaped stone carving there, its 'eyelid' currently half-open.
"Worse, probably."
At that moment, Naruto gently touched his empty palm, then looked up at everyone.
Before he could continue, the Roran's Princess woke up.
"Ah-"
Seeing so many strangers around her, the Princess couldn't help but cry out.
But when her eyes met Sasuke's, who was holding her, her cry suddenly changed tone.
Admittedly, Sasuke's cool demeanor was quite lethal to girls the Princess's age.
No wonder many girls in Konoha still pined for 'Sasuke-kun'.
After receiving water and treatment, the Princess slowly recounted what had happened.
After being captured by the masked man, she was first taken to a strangely styled environment.
From her vague memory, it was a place filled with giant cubic stones.
She wasn't kept there long before being brought out.
When she emerged, she was here.
Then, under his control, she revealed everything she knew about the Ryumyaku.
At this point, whether from realizing her grave mistake or simply from malnutrition, the Princess turned pale.
"Those two... they also made me open the Ryumyaku."
The young Princess covered her mouth, speaking painfully.
"Where are they now?"
Sasuke asked impatiently.
Hearing Sasuke's voice, the Princess struggled free from her painful state and haltingly recounted her vague memories.
According to her description:
After the Ryumyaku was opened, a massive amount of Chakra surged up from underground.
"Perhaps because I haven't fully inherited the power to control the Ryumyaku from my mother, it only stayed open for a moment before showing signs of closing," Tthe Princess said, unsure whether to feel relieved or ashamed.
Because of this, seeing the Ryumyaku beginning to close, the two didn't hesitate and jumped into the Chakra Torrent.
Then, their figures disappeared from the underground space as the Ryumyaku completely closed.
Left without commands from her controller, the Princess could only stand there, enduring for two full days until rescued.
"Disappeared?"
Jiraiya stroked his chin, puzzled.
Having heard the entire account, Naruto slowly walked before everyone, scanned them, and said,
"I think things might be more troublesome than we imagined."
As he spoke, he handed a confused Kousei to the caretaker duo.
At that moment, Kousei seemed to realize something, instinctively reaching into her small bag.
"The masked man likely traveled back to the 'past'."
Naruto shared some key points he'd learned from the Nature Will with the group.
"Time travel?! Is that even possible?"
Roshi's face showed disbelief, and the other Jinchuriki reacted similarly.
Even the usually talkative B stayed silent.
They could all feel Naruto's unusually serious mood.
"That's right. He knows he can't snatch the Jinchuriki from under my nose anymore, so he wants to go back to an earlier time, obtain the Chakra of all Nine Tailed Beasts, and completely change reality."
"And it's very likely they've already succeeded."
The power of time was too profound and obscure, making this hard for everyone to grasp.
"Naruto, are you planning to..."
Haku, holding Kousei, asked uncertainly.
"Next, I'll also use the Ryumyaku to go back to the past and stop the masked man's scheme."
Hearing this, B was the first to step towards Naruto, but Naruto stopped him with a raised hand.
"Wait."
The others looked at him, confused.
"This matter is ultimately my grudge with the Akatsuki, with the masked man."
After saying this, Naruto slightly bent his knees into a half-crouch, performing a chivalrous bow of gratitude.
"Thank you all for your help these past days, and for the time you've spent."
"B, Yugito, Roshi, Fu, Gaara."
Naruto looked at the five Tailed Beast's Jinchuriki and said slowly,
"You have your own villages to protect. Now that the masked man is no longer in this era, his threat is gone."
"So, please return to where you belong."
Hearing this, Gaara subconsciously clenched his fist.
'What was this?'
'He unilaterally restricted me, and now he was setting me free.'
A deep sense of frustration rose in Gaara's heart.
It wasn't that he had developed a deep friendship with Naruto in this time.
But he could genuinely feel Naruto's concern when he said these words.
That only made him more irritated.
"None of us have any experience with time travel. It might very well be a one-way trip."
Naruto turned his gaze to Haku and Zabuza.
"While I'm gone, I entrust Kousei to you."
"No!"
Kousei's voice, tinged with tears, cut through Naruto's speech that sounded like last words.