Snowflakes drifted down from the gray winter sky as the group soared through the air atop a giant hawk drawn by Sai's ink.
New Year's was almost here, and snowfall at this time of year wasn't unusual. Below them stretched a forest blanketed in white.
"This damned weather… Neji, how's it looking? See anything?"
Kiyosuke turned and called to Neji behind him.
Neji activated his Byakugan, eyes glowing pale as he pointed ahead.
"There's something buried under the snow over there—a kunai, I think."
"Oh?"
The hawk descended, wings slicing through the falling snow. Neji leapt down, brushed away the frost, and unearthed a kunai glinting faintly in the moonlight. A small bear-shaped charm dangled from the ring at its end.
"There's no mistake—this is Hanabi's kunai."
Recognizing it instantly, Neji rushed toward another patch of snow and soon pulled out a red scarf.
"This is the scarf Hinata knitted for Naruto."
Naruto, standing nearby, clenched the scarf tightly. His expression darkened.
"Damn it… I swear I'll bring Hinata back."
"Mm."
They took off again, following the trail over mountains and across rivers. After a while, Neji spoke up once more.
"There's a cave up ahead… and a glowing pool inside it."
"Really? Let's check it out."
The group descended into the cave Neji had found.
The air inside was warmer but heavy with moisture.
Klick!
Kiyosuke snapped his fingers, and flames appeared from thin air, illuminating the cavern walls.
Minato turned his head and noticed strange writing carved into the stone.
"This is the ninja script," he said. "It means 'beginning.'"
"'Beginning'? So… maybe the starting point? Neji, take a look."
"Right! Byakugan!"
Neji focused his sight on the glowing green spring before them—but his vision suddenly warped, something that had never happened before. He reported it at once.
"A place that can distort the Byakugan… looks like some kind of special barrier," Kiyosuke muttered. He crouched, dipped his hand into the spring, and frowned.
"This isn't water. It just looks like it. Doesn't even get your clothes wet."
He dropped a piece of paper onto the surface—it floated there, completely dry.
The group exchanged puzzled looks.
"Seems like we'll have to go down and see for ourselves," Kiyosuke said at last. "Everyone ready?"
"Yeah. Let's do it."
They all nodded, took deep breaths, and dove in.
The water—or whatever it was—was crystal clear. The sensation felt like swimming through liquid, but… different somehow.
After swimming for a while, they noticed another shimmering barrier below. Something was on the other side.
Without hesitation, they passed through.
The fluid remained the same, but now countless green spheres floated all around them.
Kiyosuke stared at one—and his mind was suddenly flooded with visions.
He saw himself at his wedding, scratching the back of his head awkwardly. Then the scene shifted—to the Great Ninja War, his first meeting with Mei Terumī, and countless other memories flashing before his eyes.
He sighed softly.
"So… this is a genjutsu. No, more like… a dream."
He opened his eyes again to find himself lying on top of one of those spheres in a space devoid of liquid. It was that very sphere that had drawn him into the illusion.
Nearby, Minato and Kushina were also regaining consciousness.
"So it was a dream," Minato said quietly. "All of it—just memories."
Kiyosuke nodded. "Same here. Interesting memories, but we can't linger."
He stood, then went around shaking the others awake.
"Up you get. We've still got a mission. This isn't nap time."
Sai and Neji woke immediately. Naruto groaned and rubbed his eyes.
"What… what happened?"
"What happened? You got caught in a genjutsu," Kiyosuke said dryly. "Honestly, you've got the Nine-Tails in you and still fell for it. Impressive in its own way."
Minato added, "It must've been a trap—an illusion cast on intruders to trap them inside their own memories. A very sophisticated genjutsu."
"Luckily, it didn't work too well on us."
"Let's move."
"Right."
They pushed forward through another water curtain.
Minato immediately sensed something—space-time fluctuations.
A faint pulse of energy resonated around them. Without his training in the Flying Thunder God Technique, he might have missed it entirely.
They were no longer where they had started.
After descending further, they passed one last barrier—and suddenly emerged onto solid ground.
"It's as I thought," Minato said, scanning the cavern. "A space-time ninjutsu. We've been transported somewhere else."
Kiyosuke frowned. "Then we might be inside the enemy's stronghold."
The cave around them was dim, filled with strange, human-sized bubbles glowing faintly.
"There's something off about this place…"
Each bubble contained an unknown liquid.
"Everyone, scatter!" Minato suddenly shouted.
They leapt apart just in time as a jet of water exploded from the ground where they'd stood moments before.
Clinging to the cave wall, Kiyosuke looked toward the source—a massive crab, its shell glimmering in rainbow hues.
"Get lost! I'm in the mood for roast crab! Fire Fist!"
Flames roared, illuminating the cave. When the blaze subsided, the brilliant crab had turned bright red—and smelled delicious.
Naruto inhaled deeply.
"Man, that smells amazing. Wonder how long it'd take to eat that thing?"
"Forget eating. Now's not the time. Let's get out of here."
They ignored the roasted guardian and headed for the exit.
Outside, Minato's eyes narrowed.
"As expected—it really was a space-time technique."
"But… where are we?" Neji asked.
Kiyosuke gazed upward.
"I doubt we're still on Earth. Look—the sun is way too close to the surface, and I can feel chakra in the air. That's… an artificial sun."
"If this isn't Earth… then what is it?"
"Who knows," Kiyosuke replied. "Could be the moon for all we know."
He looked across a vast, curved sea ahead.
"Let's head for that continent over there. Maybe we'll find some answers. Sai."
"Super Beast Imitating Drawing!"
Several ink hawks burst from Sai's scroll. The group climbed aboard and took to the sky once more.
They flew over forests and mountains until dusk, finally reaching an empty city.
Neji swept his gaze across it with the Byakugan—no signs of life.
Only architecture unlike anything on Earth.
"These buildings are… strange. Let's split up and search for clues. We'll regroup here after sunset."
"Got it."
Minato and the others scattered through the silent city.
Kiyosuke entered sensing mode, trying to locate Hinata—but no luck. Not even a trace of her chakra.
It seemed she wasn't here.
"Hm? That chakra signature… interesting."
Following the faint pulse, Kiyosuke started walking toward its source.
...