The ruins of the ancient kingdom of Loulan, situated on the borders of the Land of Wind, lay silent under layers of sand and time. Suddenly, the dormant dragon vein buried deep within the earth roared to life. A blinding surge of chakra shot from the ground, piercing the sky.
Moments later, as the radiant light faded, three figures emerged from the glowing rift, standing amidst the ruins of Loulan.
The first was a young man with spiky golden hair and striking blue eyes, his gaze darting around with excitement and curiosity.
Namikaze Menma.
Beside him stood a silver-haired man, masked as always, with a short sword strapped to his back. His demeanor was calm and calculating.
Hatake Kakashi.
The final figure was tall, with long black hair and cracks marring his otherwise youthful face. His red armor spoke of a bygone era.
Senju Hashirama.
"Where...?" Kakashi scanned their surroundings before glancing at the futuristic watch on his wrist. "The time display is back to normal. Looks like we made it out of the time tunnel."
"Where are we now?" Hashirama asked, curiosity dancing in his eyes. "Judging by the environment, is this the Land of Wind?"
His memory of the Land of Wind from the Warring States period matched this barren, sand-choked landscape.
Menma closed his eyes, sensing their surroundings. "I don't detect any chakra signatures at the Jōnin level or above within a dozen kilometers. We're clear."
He opened his eyes, his expression growing excited. "Based on the terrain, this matches the description of the Land of Wind before it was transformed by His Majesty's power. This place must be where the dragon vein of the original Loulan Kingdom lies."
Menma continued, "Also, the watch isn't receiving any satellite signals. That confirms it—we're no longer in our original world."
The thrill of discovery shone on Menma's face. "The parallel ninja world exploration plan really succeeded!"
Kakashi, typically calm, looked visibly shaken. "To think... His Majesty's plan actually worked."
Suddenly, all three of their watches began to beep. They immediately straightened, their expressions turning serious as they accepted the communication.
A holographic figure materialized from their devices—a man with an imposing presence and a calm, steady voice.
"Kakashi, it appears your team made it through first?"
"Yes, Your Majesty," Kakashi replied respectfully.
The man on the other end of the communication was none other than His Majesty Chang Ye, the supreme ruler who had unified their ninja world twenty years ago and ushered it into a new era of progress and peace.
"Excellent." Chang Ye's calm praise carried weight. "I will record your success. Remember to proceed carefully and ensure your own safety. I will notify Minister Minato to establish a stable space-time channel to your location as soon as possible."
Their mission was clear: confirm the existence of a parallel ninja world and secure a foothold so a stable passage could be built, allowing reinforcements to arrive.
"Your Majesty," Menma spoke up, his tone professional as he shared his analysis. "Based on my observations, this world likely doesn't have any Six Paths-level warriors. The terrain here is untouched—nothing like the modifications made to our world's environment more than a decade ago."
In their world, His Majesty had reshaped the very continents, altering the climate and environment with Six Paths-level power. If this world's Land of Wind remained a wasteland, it meant no such power had ever been used here.
"Don't be overconfident, Menma." Chang Ye's voice remained patient but firm. "This world may be underdeveloped, but even with your Super Kage-level strength, there are still those here who can pose a threat. And they are not few."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Menma acknowledged humbly.
Their entire exploration mission was motivated by a single purpose: preparing for the looming threat of the Ōtsutsuki Clan. His Majesty had ordered these reconnaissance missions to multiple parallel worlds to expand their understanding and strength.
Menma knew his participation in this expedition was due to his remarkable talent and potential. He couldn't afford to fail.
"Your primary objective is to gather intelligence on this world," Chang Ye continued. "Confirm its fundamental structure and try to establish contact with the ninja world's inhabitants. Kakashi, I trust you to lead this team effectively."
"I will not fail you, Your Majesty," Kakashi responded, his tone sincere and determined.
The transmission ended, leaving the three shinobi alone in the barren landscape. Kakashi took a deep breath before turning to his teammates.
"For now, our priority is gathering information. We'll avoid revealing our identities and try to blend in. Keep interactions minimal and avoid unnecessary conflicts." Kakashi's tone was steady and confident.
He glanced at Hashirama. "First Hokage-sama, do you agree with this plan?"
"Ah, me?" Hashirama scratched his head sheepishly and laughed. "You're the captain here, Kakashi. I'm just here to see what the ninja world is like without His Majesty's influence. After all, the era I tried to build has long since passed."
Hashirama's presence in this world was only possible because of the Impure World Reincarnation, a technique that had been refined and perfected in their era. Although he was technically dead, his will and personality remained intact.
"The textbooks say you were a pioneer who helped push history forward," Menma said seriously. "For us of the younger generation, you're someone worthy of respect."
Hashirama chuckled, but his smile held a touch of sadness. "Your history books also mention how I failed to overcome the limitations of my time. I made mistakes—big ones—that left hidden dangers for future generations."
He glanced around at the desolate landscape. "That's part of why I wanted to see this world with my own eyes. To see what became of the ninja village era I tried to build."
Kakashi nodded. "Well then, let's get started. We have a lot of ground to cover."
The three of them began moving away from the ruins of Loulan, each of them acutely aware that their journey had only just begun.