The desert sun glared above the ruined remains of Rōran, where ancient stone and fractured chakra veins baked beneath the wind. The ruins stretched far and quiet, broken by wind-scoured pillars and shattered dos, a mory of what had once been a thriving kingdom.
Sakura and Yamato stood at the edge of a collapsed chamber, their expressions anxious, their chakra depleted from the recent skirmish. Sai sat nearby, quiet and alert, scroll in hand, but his gaze frequently flicked toward the sealed stone blocking off the entrance.
Suddenly, the heavy slab groaned.
Stone scraped against stone as it shifted, not by jutsu or psychic power, but pulled, slowly and deliberately, by imnse strength. Fingers wrapped in silver gauntlets erged from the gap, and with one final heave, the entire seal was dragged aside and cast down in a thunderous crash.
The three inside turned, startled.
And then he appeared, Haji.
Clad in a suit of gleaming silver-grey armor, far bulkier and more refined than the one they had last seen. At 2.5 ters tall without it, Haji was already massive, but in this new power armor, with its reinforced pauldrons, integrated life support, and layered adamantine plating, he stood nearly 2.65 ters tall.
His helt glead with golden trim, the skull-and-wing motifs along the chest and shoulders a clear tribute to the Grey Knights etched in his mories. On his pauldrons, a stylized fla symbol had replaced the old markings, running from top to bottom like a vertical streak of divine fury.
Sakura took a half step back, her breath catching.
Even Yamato, a veteran ANBU, blinked in quiet awe.
"That's…" Sakura whispered. "New…"
Haji gave a faint nod as he stepped inside. The chainsword hung along his lower back, its chakra-forged teeth resting dormant. His bolter was magnetized to his thigh, and the halberd, a silent titan of psychic potential, was secured behind his shoulder.
"Report," he said plainly, his voice calm but modulated by his helm.
Sakura stepped forward. "Naruto is missing. When Mukade activated so sort of jutsu tied to the underground veins, it triggered a massive surge. Naruto tried to stop him, but… he vanished."
"He was pulled into it," Yamato added. "The energy collapsed a mont later. We've searched the entire periter, but there's no trace."
Haji turned toward the ruined core of the chamber. His gaze settled on the softly pulsing remnants of the Dragon Veins, natural, living conduits of raw chakra webbed beneath Rōran's foundation. The jutsu had been a trigger, not the true source.
He moved forward slowly, tallic steps echoing over the dust-coated stone. He knelt, placing a palm against the crystalline residue embedded in the earth.
The mont his skin touched it, the sensation flowed into his mind, an imnse web of energy, ancient and volatile, reaching not just through space but sothing else.
Ti?
No.
Not ti.
He opened his eyes, sharp and thoughtful.
"Not ti travel," Haji muttered. "This… is a parallel reality. A neighboring thread."
Sakura blinked. "A what?"
Haji paused, glancing over his shoulder. He saw the confusion on their faces and realized the terms ant nothing here.
He simplified: "He wasn't sent to the past. He was sent… sowhere else. Another place. Like our world, but not ours."
Yamato frowned, but nodded faintly. "Can you trace it?"
"Yes. I already have," Haji answered, standing tall again. "Naruto's chakra still resonates through the Dragon Veins. It's faint, but stable."
Sakura looked hopeful. "You can reach him?"
"I will," he said.
The crystalline light of the Dragon Veins began to react to his presence again. Not violently like before, but curiously, as if responding to sothing familiar in him. He didn't rush. He let his psychic field align carefully, probing gently, stabilizing the rift. The veins twisted into a spiral of soft light.
Haji turned to them again.
"Stay here. Guard this place. I'll retrieve him."
Sakura stepped forward. "Be careful. Please."
"I always am," Haji said, the smallest twitch of warmth in his otherwise even tone.
Then, in a flare of silver and white light, the portal reacted to his will, and Haji vanished, leaving only silence behind.
He erged not into ruins, but into the heart of the living city.
Rōran stood untouched, tall and radiant. Its chakra bridges pulsed with color, its towers glead beneath the sun. The city bustled with life, rchant stalls, noble avenues, and flowing fountains carved from sandstone and crystal.
But it was not safe.
A warning flickered in Haji's field. Armored soldiers, no, not n. Puppets. Chakra-fueled constructs crafted from desert stone and reinforced steel, marching in synchronized rhythm, their eyes glowing with violet fire.
They moved as one and charged the mont they saw him.
Haji's chainsword growled to life, chakra coursing through its tal teeth. No elental infusion, just raw energy. It spun to full speed with a screech, and when the first puppet struck with its blade, Haji sidestepped and cleaved it in half with one swing.
Stone exploded. Sparks flew.
Another puppet leapt from above, he caught it mid-air, slamd it into the ground, and bisected it cleanly. Each swing of his blade was controlled, deliberate, but overwhelming.
They ca in waves, and fell in pieces.
As the last puppet collapsed, twitching and flickering out, Haji turned slowly, sensing new chakra signatures arriving at high speed.
A golden flash.
Minato Namikaze, Yellow Flash of the Leaf, appeared instantly in front of him, kunai in hand, eyes narrowing.
He was not alone.
Behind him stood Shibi Abura, silent and calculating. Chōza Akimichi hefted his massive spiked club. Kōshi Sarutobi, the Third's nephew, was already weaving hand signs.
They surrounded Haji instantly.
"He's controlling the puppets," Kōshi muttered.
"He destroyed them all," Shibi corrected, "but that armor… It's not one of ours."
"Stay sharp," Minato warned.
In a flash, he struck first.
Kunai blurred, Rasengan began to form, but Haji moved with subtle grace, deflecting each strike with minimum motion. He didn't attack back, only blocked and shifted.
He had no desire to harm them, as he knows who they are.
More strikes followed, Chōza's club smashing down, Kōshi's Fire Jutsu spiraling. Haji let the heat wash over him. The armor held effortlessly.
And then
A loud voice rang across the plaza.
"STOP! WAIT! Don't attack him!!"
All heads turned.
Naruto sprinted toward them from the edge of the plaza, eyes wide. His jumpsuit was dusted from battle, but he looked unhard.
"That's not the enemy! That's Haji!!" Naruto shouted.
Everyone froze.
Minato hesitated. "You know him?"
Naruto nodded quickly. "He ca to find . That armor, it's his! It's just... stronger now!"
Haji finally lowered his halberd, nodding once toward Naruto.
"Found you," he said simply.
Naruto broke into a grin.
"Haji, I knew you'd co."
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