Talent System In The Naruto Universe

Led by Sara, the group made their way to the palace.

Kurenai glanced at Hanekawa while walking, organizing her thoughts.

Though the concept of time travel was foreign to her, Tsunade and the others had displayed enough inconsistencies to raise questions.

Tsunade didn't recognize the Hokage title, Minato looked younger, and the boy resembled a younger version of Hanekawa too closely.

Could it be an issue with time itself?

After a moment of contemplation, Kurenai decided she would confront Hanekawa—her companion from the present—after defeating Anrokuzan.

He must know the reason behind all this.

And if he didn't, then perhaps… it was the most unlikely answer of all.

Upon reaching the palace, heavy footsteps echoed around them.

Minato and the others immediately prepared for battle.

Moments later, puppets began to file in one after another.

"Stand down!" Sara commanded sternly. "I am the Queen of Roran!"

But the puppets continued their advance.

"Anrokuzan!" Sara's face turned pale as she shouted, "I know you're here!"

"It seems you've grown a little smarter."

The puppets parted, and Anrokuzan stepped forward.

"What do you mean?" Sara asked, clinging to a sliver of hope.

"Did you really think I was ever loyal to you and your mother?" Anrokuzan extended his hands, purple chakra surging forth. "All I've ever wanted is power!"

Sara stumbled backward in shock.

In her memory, Anrokuzan had always been upright, kind, and ahead of his time in knowledge. How had he become someone so unrecognizable?

"Before you die, let me tell you a little secret."

A sinister grin spread across Anrokuzan's face. "Your mother didn't die of illness. She tried to stop me from using the Dragon Vein, so I killed her."

"What?!" Sara's expression filled with disbelief.

"So naive." Anrokuzan savored her reaction, his grin widening.

"You're really Mukude, aren't you?" Kurenai, who had been observing, finally spoke.

"It's been a while, hasn't it, Konoha ninja?" Anrokuzan glanced around. "Where's your teammate? I was hoping to repay him properly."

"Are you hoping to get beaten into retreat again?" Kurenai retorted coldly.

"Do you think this is three days ago? I arrived here six years before you!"

Anrokuzan laughed maniacally, his eyes filled with obsession. "I've already mastered the power of the Dragon Vein. Defeating you? Conquering the entire ninja world would only take a flick of my fingers!"

Now confident, he no longer bothered hiding his ambitions.

"Six years?"

Kurenai froze, instinctively glancing at Hanekawa.

Mukude's early arrival confirmed that there was indeed a problem with time.

This likely meant Tsunade and the others were people from the past.

Tch!

This jerk even lied to me.

"Kurenai, I'll explain later," Hanekawa said, scratching his head.

"Call me Big Sis," Kurenai said, raising an eyebrow.

She still wasn't giving up on being the "big sister." If she couldn't achieve it in the future, she'd make it happen in the past.

But how was the future Hanekawa doing now?

Worry crept into her heart.

"Enough chit-chat."

Anrokuzan waved his hand dismissively. "After I kill you all, I'll go and conquer the ninja world."

Tsunade stepped forward and punched, reducing six puppets in front of her to dust simultaneously.

"That's all?"

Tsunade looked at Anrokuzan disdainfully. "You're not even a thousandth of my grandfather. Conquering the ninja world? What nonsense."

While she spoke, Minato and Kurenai also moved.

The sound of slicing wind filled the air.

Minato threw a barrage of kunai that scattered around the puppets.

In an instant, his body became like the wind, moving through the air.

Every time he appeared, a puppet was destroyed with a Rasengan.

Kurenai was less flashy.

She formed hand seals, using the Second Hokage Tobirama Senju's iconic Water Style techniques.

Water Style: Severing Wave!

During the Fourth Great Ninja War, this jutsu had been used by Tobirama to cut through the roots of the Divine Tree.

Kurenai unleashed a thin, sharp stream of water from her mouth.

Under her control, the waterline sliced through the puppets like the sharpest blade.

In mere moments, a third of the puppets were cut in half at the waist.

"As expected of Konoha's ninja."

Anrokuzan clapped his hands in mock admiration.

In less than thirty seconds, his puppets were almost completely annihilated.

Yet, despite facing such terrifying combat power, he remained calm—even smiling.

The group sensed something was wrong.

For Anrokuzan to be so composed, he must have a backup plan.

It could only be the Dragon Vein.

"Let me show you the ultimate puppet!"

Anrokuzan spread his arms wide.

His clothes suddenly began to bulge outward until they reached their limit and were torn apart by sharp metallic limbs.

In an instant, Anrokuzan shed his human form, transforming into a massive puppet spider.

The strange purple chakra enveloped him, exuding a suffocating presence.

"A Tailed Beast?" Minato's expression turned grim.

He realized that Anrokuzan's power now rivaled that of a jinchūriki.

"Hanekawa, take Sara and leave," Tsunade ordered sternly.

Anrokuzan's aura had grown too overwhelming, and Tsunade wasn't confident she could protect both Hanekawa and Sara during the battle.

"Yes," Hanekawa replied without hesitation, retreating with Sara.

His decisiveness stemmed from knowing how to defeat Anrokuzan—the key was Sara.

Only she could locate the Dragon Vein's core.

"Watch out!"

Minato hurled a barrage of kunai toward Anrokuzan.

The attack was ignored as Anrokuzan charged forward, reaching them in a flash.

The kunai struck his body but were instantly deflected.

Super Strength!

Tsunade's eyes sharpened as she clenched her fist and struck Anrokuzan.

Boom!

A massive crater appeared on Anrokuzan's enormous body, forcing him to slide backward under the sheer force.

Tsunade paused, frowning.

Why does he seem tough but not durable?

Before she could follow up, Anrokuzan's damaged body regenerated in an instant.

"I am immortal!" Anrokuzan roared, his purple chakra intensifying, glowing like the sun.

With another burst of speed, he lunged forward, his razor-sharp spider legs aimed at the group.

Water Style: Water Wall!

Kurenai slammed her hands on the ground, summoning a barrier of water.

But the wall was pierced almost instantly.

Minato quickly used the Flying Thunder God Technique, teleporting the three of them behind Anrokuzan.

"Together," Tsunade said, lifting her leg.

Heavenly Kick of Pain!

Concentrating chakra into her foot, she unleashed an explosive strike.

Anrokuzan's back shattered into pieces, splitting apart under the force.

Minato leaped into the air, extending his hand.

Rasengan!

The compressed, rotating chakra formed a blue sphere in his palm. He aimed for the crack created by Tsunade's attack, driving the Rasengan into Anrokuzan's body.

The combined force of the techniques tore through Anrokuzan, leaving a massive hole.

Kurenai wasn't idle—she formed hand seals.

Water Style: Severing Wave!

A thin, sharp stream of water shot out, following the crack and slicing Anrokuzan cleanly in two.

"Did we succeed?" Minato asked instinctively.

"No," Tsunade said grimly.

Kurenai's expression was equally serious.

Their combined attack was powerful enough to take down nearly any ninja.

"It's just a scratch!" Anrokuzan stood up once more.

His split body regenerated under the purple chakra, which grew even stronger.

"You don't understand the power of the Dragon Vein!"

Purple chakra radiated from Anrokuzan, forming explosive projectiles aimed at them.

The three ninja scattered.

Boom!

The ground shattered, creating a massive crater and a cloud of dust.

Minato couldn't help but gasp.

Though weaker than a Tailed Beast Bomb, the attack's power far surpassed ordinary ninjutsu.

If they were hit directly, death was certain.

To make matters worse, Anrokuzan's regeneration made him even stronger with each attack.

"The Dragon Vein must be sealed," Minato said solemnly.

At that moment, a voice rang out.

"Minato-senpai!" Hanekawa shouted. "In 15 minutes, use the Flying Thunder God Technique to find me!"

"It won't be that easy!" Anrokuzan snarled, his focus shifting to Sara.

After all, she was the only one who knew the Dragon Vein's core location.

"I understand!" Minato responded, flashing forward to block Anrokuzan.

Tsunade and Kurenai followed suit.

"Rise, my puppets!" Anrokuzan roared, sending waves of purple chakra outward.

The destroyed puppets revived under the chakra's influence, swarming toward Hanekawa and Sara.

"Sara, run ahead!" Hanekawa called, drawing his sword.

With a swing, his blade left a deep gash across the nearest puppet's abdomen.

But being non-human, the puppet pressed forward despite the damage.

Super Strength!

Hanekawa steadied himself and delivered a devastating punch.

The puppet froze, then crumbled into scrap metal around his fist.

Glancing toward the palace, Hanekawa could no longer see the others.

Lightning Style: Chakra Activation!

Electricity flickered across his body, boosting his attack, defense, and speed by 50%.

With a twist of his wrist, his blade became wreathed in lightning, slashing out like a bolt of lightning itself.

Boom!

The puppet didn't merely take a wound this time—it was completely severed.

Before Hanekawa could breathe a sigh of relief, nearby puppets raised their arms.

Purple chakra projectiles flew toward him.

Water Style: Water Wall!

Hanekawa, possessing the C-grade "Water Style Chūnin" talent, held nothing back.

A water barrier surged from the ground, shielding him from the incoming attack.

Without looking back, Hanekawa sprinted toward Sara's direction.

Earlier, he had asked Sara how long it would take to reach the Dragon Vein's core. She had said about ten minutes.

To be safe, he told Minato fifteen minutes instead.

Although he had added an extra five minutes, it still felt too short. He had to hurry.

A booming sound erupted from behind him.

Turning around, Hanekawa spotted two peculiar puppets with wings sprouting from their backs.

Reaching into the pouch at his waist, he pulled out four kunai.

With a swift throw, the kunai struck the puppets but were instantly deflected.

"Explode!" Hanekawa muttered.

The explosive tags tied to the kunai detonated, sending a wave of heat surging through the area.

The blast's immense force caused nearby buildings to collapse, burying the puppets beneath the rubble.

But within seconds, dust and debris scattered as the puppets emerged, continuing their pursuit.

Ahead, Hanekawa could finally see Sara.

Sheathing his sword, he formed a series of hand signs.

Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!

It was a Water Style jutsu he had secretly learned with only six hand signs.

Well, "secretly learned" wasn't quite accurate—it was Kurenai who had given him the Water Style scroll.

A water dragon surged forward, engulfing the puppets.

However, purple chakra flared brightly as countless sharp arrows pierced through the water dragon, shooting toward him.

Body Flicker Technique!

Hanekawa became a blur, leaving an afterimage in his place.

The purple chakra arrows struck the wall behind him, shattering the structure into rubble.

The puppets resumed their charge.

Suddenly, an idea struck Hanekawa.

He stood his ground, gripping his sword tightly.

Brilliant lightning crackled along the blade's surface.

Leaping into the air, he brought the sword down on the advancing puppets.

Thunderclap!

A fierce storm of lightning bolts struck the puppets, causing a massive surge of electricity to course through them.

As he landed, Hanekawa sheathed his blade and formed another series of hand signs.

Water Style: Wild Water Wave!

He leaned back and spewed a torrent of water.

When the water collided with the residual lightning, a violent reaction ensued.

The struggling puppets froze instantly.

Although they weren't human, their internal mechanisms relied on delicate components.

The combined forces of water and lightning had fried their systems, rendering them motionless.

The power of science, folks!

"Come on, get in!" Sara's voice called out.

Body Flicker Technique!

In an instant, Hanekawa appeared before her.

"Up ahead is the Dragon Vein's core," Sara said with a sigh of relief. "Once the puppets enter here, their chakra will be disrupted by the Dragon Vein, rendering them immobile."

Hanekawa nodded slightly.

The two descended further, leaving the passageway behind.

Hanekawa's eyes widened in awe.

They had arrived in a vast underground hall.

Massive streams of chakra, shaped like a dragon, coiled around the room.

In the original storyline, the Dragon Vein Naruto and the others encountered had already been sealed, making it seem far less impressive.

But now, in its unsealed, raw form, the Dragon Vein was truly magnificent.

"It's so massive. Can you even seal it?" Sara asked, her face filled with worry.

"It's not as big as it looks," Hanekawa replied, shaking his head.

This dragon was comparable to a Shukaku at best, and it wasn't nearly as massive as Kurama or the Divine Tree.

Sara couldn't help but gasp in amazement.

Is the world outside Rōran really this terrifying?

"Let's wait for Minato-senpai," Hanekawa said, sitting down to catch his breath.

Using so many jutsu in a short time had taken a significant toll on him.

A few minutes later, the air rippled.

Minato appeared, stepping out of the spatial distortion.

His tense expression eased as he saw the Dragon Vein.

"Well done!" Minato praised sincerely.

"How's the situation on your side?" Hanekawa asked, looking up at him.

"Not great. Anrokuzan is getting stronger the longer we fight, and the pressure on us is growing," Minato said.

After a brief pause, he smiled. "But now, it's time to bring this to an end."

(This will become more exciting from now on)

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