NARUTO: Ninja World Scientific Revolution

In less than a month, Roran had undergone drastic changes. The number of incoming merchant caravans had suddenly surged, and the queen's personal guards had all been replaced. The once approachable queen hadn't made an appearance for almost a month.

The roads leading out of Roran were now heavily guarded, and anyone wishing to leave had to obtain special permission from the queen. Yet, when they attempted to request an audience with her, they found it impossible to see her. 

The tall tower in the center of Roran occasionally emitted a purple beam of light that shot straight into the sky, causing the common folk to feel increasingly uneasy. If it weren't for the merchant caravans selling large amounts of cheap food, vegetables, fruits, and some novelty computer games to the Roran civilians, there would likely be an uprising. In that case, a few who managed to escape could make their way to Sunagakure or Konoha, potentially disrupting Hyuga Mirai's mission to rescue his past self.

Nightfall

Another purple beam shot up from the tower, reaching high into the sky. Queen Sara, confined in the palace, saw the light from her balcony and couldn't help but feel anxious again. 

The importance of the Dragon Vein was undeniable, and from the very first ancestor who settled in Roran to her, Sara had always borne the responsibility of guarding it. But now, those who came to Roran were far too powerful and easily took control of her country. Sara had tried to resist, but there was nothing she could do.

She had lost contact with her closest guards, and her movements were now confined to the bedroom and the balcony. No matter how many plans she made, without any power, Sara couldn't act on them. 

After the purple beam, a burst of invisible magnetic force radiated from the Dragon Vein, spreading outward. 

*Zzzzz~! Zzzzz~!*

Under the magnetic surge, all mechanical guards, except for Unit 18, a bio-nano enhanced modification, were severely damaged to varying degrees. Fortunately, the surge wasn't strong enough to target them specifically, so Unit 18's mechanical guards remained mostly intact. 

"Unit 18, did we locate Lord Mirai?" Ayaka Uzumaki looked around in a hurry but couldn't find Hyuga Mirai's presence, becoming increasingly anxious.

"Ayaka, stay calm when you encounter trouble. If you use the Kagura Mind's Eye, you would sense my position," a familiar voice called from above. 

Ayaka, hearing the voice, eagerly looked up, and, as expected, saw the familiar figure. 

Hyuga Mirai descended from the top of the tower, his face slightly pale. He continued, "But thank you, Ayaka."

"It's no problem. For Lord Mirai, it's the least I can do," Ayaka said, her heart racing. She moved closer to Hyuga Mirai, her hands nervously twisting as she giggled.

However, as she got closer, Ayaka realized that Hyuga Mirai's complexion was very pale. Through the Kagura Mind's Eye, she could sense his chakra was much weaker than usual.

"Lord Mirai, are you injured? Please bite me. My blood is the best for healing," Ayaka urged in concern.

"It's nothing, Ayaka. I just overused chakra and suffered some aftereffects from the space-time travel," Hyuga Mirai reassured her. "Unit 18, was there anything special that happened while I was away?"

There were many mechanical guards both inside and outside the tower, and Hyuga Mirai didn't know how many days had passed, so he was eager to know the current situation.

"Everything is in order, sir," Unit 18 reported, walking calmly to Hyuga Mirai's side. Though her expression remained composed, her eyes scanned him from head to toe twice.

As Unit 18 spoke, Hyuga Mirai gradually learned what had transpired during his absence.

Orochimaru had encountered Root and was hunted for a while. The Uzumaki Trade Association had suffered an attack from Root, with three branch leaders being taken away. Sunagakure, noticing an increasing number of personnel from the Keikou Trade Association, had attempted to investigate, but Rasa's attention was diverted by another deal. Meanwhile, Roran had fallen under Unit 18's semi-forced control.

Other than these events, nothing major had occurred. After all, he had only been gone for a little over a month, and with the war in the ninja world having just ended, most nations were still in recovery, with only minor skirmishes persisting in a few regions.

Hyuga Mirai stroked his chin thoughtfully. "So, Konoha is letting its mad dogs loose again now that they're looking to regain power, huh? Has the Uzumaki Trade Association been significantly affected?"

Seeing Hyuga Mirai's gaze shift to her, Ayaka Uzumaki panicked slightly, looking around nervously. "Um... I'm not too sure about that. You should probably ask Unit 18."

Unit 18 answered directly, "No significant impact, sir. Moving forward, all we need to do is hand over the sales of computers to others while the Uzumaki Trade Association focuses solely on building the data network."

If Danzo continued his actions, he would inevitably antagonize the other noble families in the Land of Fire—leading to his downfall.

Hyuga Mirai clapped his hands. "Alright, let's go. Time to meet the Queen of Roran."

He had to secure Roran. Beyond the immense energy of the Dragon Vein, the magnetic field here could potentially trigger time-space travel. That alone was reason enough for him to take control.

Shortly after, Hyuga Mirai and his companions arrived outside Queen Sara's chamber. They made no effort to mask their footsteps, so Sara was well aware that multiple people had come to see her.

Knock, knock.

The sound of knocking made her heart skip a beat. She instinctively gripped the chakra dagger at her waist but forced herself to remain composed. "Come in," she called out.

Hyuga Mirai, Unit 18, and Ayaka Uzumaki stepped inside.

"Queen Sara, I sincerely apologize for the disruption caused to Roran," Hyuga Mirai said with a gentle smile as he entered, taking a seat opposite her.

"It was out of curiosity that I unknowingly got caught up in the Dragon Vein. My subordinates, in their search for me, caused quite a commotion in Roran. For that, I will provide ample compensation to both the people of Roran and Your Majesty."

This queen, having survived the Anrokuzan incident, held considerable influence in Roran. Gaining her support would greatly facilitate his peaceful takeover of the Dragon Vein.

Hyuga Mirai began by taking responsibility for the incident, then offered compensation. His sincere attitude and warm demeanor gradually put Sara at ease. Her grip on the chakra dagger loosened, and as she reflected on the situation, she realized that if the man before her had truly been malicious, he could have simply killed her and taken Roran by force.

"This was inevitable. A loyal subordinate worrying about their leader is only natural. Since you acknowledge your mistake, I can pretend this never happened," Sara said.

She wasn't foolish—she knew the real issue here was the Dragon Vein. But the power difference between them was too vast; Roran could never compete with him. All she could do now was test the waters.

"Since you've returned safely, what are your intentions regarding Roran?" she asked cautiously.

"I'm glad you brought that up, Queen Sara," Hyuga Mirai said, a chuckle escaping his lips. "If you wish, I can withdraw all my subordinates tonight."

He watched the young queen's hesitant expression and continued, "In fact, we could even engage in a more comprehensive exchange. I've done some research on this ancient kingdom of yours. To avoid the chaos of war, Roran has remained largely isolated, with merchant caravans being its only connection to the outside world. Am I correct?"

"That's because—"

"The decision of past queens, I assume?" Hyuga Mirai interjected before she could justify it. "I hold no ill will toward them, Queen Sara. On the contrary, I deeply respect their efforts to shield Roran's people from the horrors of war. However, I fear that history may judge them harshly for this choice."

After admitting his fault, offering compensation, and now expressing admiration for her ancestors, Hyuga Mirai was steadily winning Sara over.

"But Queen Sara, the war is over. Shouldn't we consider making changes for the sake of your people? Shouldn't we allow them to live better lives? Shouldn't we let Roran's youth learn about the wonders beyond these walls?"

"Exotic seafood, fruits from the Land of Fire, even the most cutting-edge computer games—many of Roran's people have never seen such things in their lifetime. Queen Sara, for the sake of your beloved citizens, wouldn't it be a simple decision to adjust the policies of your predecessors?"

With each carefully crafted argument, Hyuga Mirai led Sara further down the path of contemplation. Doubt crept into her heart—was it truly right to let her people suffer just to protect the Dragon Vein? Could she still call herself a worthy queen?

"If you seek the opinions of the Roran people, they will undoubtedly support you. Whether you choose to maintain the status quo or usher in a new era of prosperity, they will stand by you, Queen Sara. Because you are their queen. Because they love you."

Would she really forsake her people just to uphold the responsibilities left behind by past rulers?

Sara's heart wavered.

"Then... what should I do?" she murmured, visibly shaken.

At this moment, she no longer cared that the man before her had just skillfully manipulated her thoughts. Right now, all she wanted was for someone to place a decisive weight on the scales in her mind—to tip them in one direction.

Hyuga Mirai's lips curled slightly as he saw her hesitation.

"Your Majesty, based on my observations, within ten years, the encroaching desert will engulf all of Roran," he said, his voice low and measured. "You must have noticed the growing threat of the sandstorms."

He leaned in slightly, his tone turning even softer. "And we have the means to prevent it."

Then, his voice dipped to a near whisper.

"Queen Sara, you wouldn't want to see your people forced to abandon their homeland because of the advancing sands, would you?"

(End of Chapter)