October 2041 – five years after the final rift was sealed, the Eternal Bridge had become more than a portal. It was a living artery, pulsing between worlds, carrying people, stories, goods, and now—curiosity. The children of the bridge, now young adults and teenagers, had begun to push its boundaries. The system had evolved with them: new rifts no longer threatened destruction but offered doorways to uncharted realms, each one a test of the next generation's readiness.
Ammar Thorne-Khan, sixteen years old, stood at the threshold of a new rift in the Whispering Dunes. His silver-streaked hair was tied back in a warrior's knot; wolf-scales along his shoulders and forearms caught the desert sun like polished obsidian armor. At Level 22, his status screen glowed with hard-earned power:
Name: Ammar Thorne-Khan
Race: Chaos Wolf-Hybrid (Chaos High Human × Wolf-kin)
Level: 22
Class: Pack Guardian (Advanced)
Stats: Strength 48, Agility 55, Intelligence 38, Endurance 60, Luck 32, Chaos Affinity 45
Skills: Howl Tempest (Area Wind + Morale Burst), Scale Aegis (Group Defense Aura), Verse Call (Poetic Mana Channel), Rebel Charge (Inherited from Jhansi Rani – Mass Inspiration), Lion Command (Inherited from Ranjit Singh – Unity Leadership Aura)
Today's rift shimmered differently—narrow, vertical, edged in crimson and shadow. When Ammar placed his hand on it, the system pinged:
Rift Destination Detected: Realm of Hidden Shadows
Classification: Ninja World (Parallel Variant)
Threat Level: High
Quest Triggered: Shadows of the Hidden Leaf
Objective: Investigate the rift, locate the source of instability, establish first contact or neutralize threat.
Reward: New Class Evolution Path, Legendary Ninja Technique Fragment, Bridge Reputation +500
Ammar turned to his mentors.
Bulleh Shah lounged against a dune, turban tilted, eyes twinkling. "A world of shadows and secrets? Sounds like ego in disguise. Go break it, pup."
Dulla Bhatti stood beside him—sword across his back, rebel grin wide. "If there's tyranny, cut it down. If there's people to protect, stand tall."
Rani Lakshmi Bai of Jhansi—sword in hand, eyes fierce—nodded. "Fight like a man, die like a legend if you must. But come back alive."
Maharaja Ranjit Singh, one-eyed and lion-hearted, placed a heavy hand on Ammar's shoulder. "Lead like a king. Unite, don't divide."
Ammar exhaled, scales rippling. "I'm ready."
Behind him, the rest of the family watched from the dune crest: Ahmed and his wives, Zara (fourteen, Illusion Trickster Level 18), Liyana (thirteen, Frost Sage Level 16), and the younger siblings cheering. Ahmed's voice carried clear:
"Go with heart, beta. The bridge is in you."
Ammar stepped through.
The world on the other side was alive with green and shadow.
He emerged in a dense forest—trees taller than any in Punjab or Elandria, leaves so thick they filtered sunlight into green-gold shafts. The air smelled of pine, damp moss, and something metallic—blood, perhaps, or steel. In the distance, a massive mountain loomed, carved with faces of stone guardians. A river rushed nearby, fast and cold.
Ammar's wolf senses flared: multiple heartbeats, rapid movement, the scent of sweat and intent.
Ninjas.
From Ammar's perspective: "This place feels… sharp. Like everyone's holding a knife behind their back. But the trees are old—older than Abba's orchard. They remember things."
He moved silently—wolf-kin stealth blending with High Human grace. His howl was held in check; he didn't want to announce himself yet.
A patrol appeared—three shinobi in dark cloth, leaf headbands, moving like water over stone. They froze when they saw him—scales, silver hair, glowing chaos aura.
One spoke, kunai already in hand: "Outsider. State your purpose. This is Hidden Leaf territory."
Ammar raised both hands—slowly. "I come from the Eternal Bridge. My name is Ammar Thorne-Khan. I'm here to understand this world… and seal any instability."
The leader—a woman with sharp eyes and a scar across her cheek—narrowed her gaze. "Bridge? Never heard of it. You're not shinobi. You're… something else."
Ammar smiled—wolfish, but warm. "Something else is exactly what I am. But I don't want to fight unless I have to."
She studied him. "You smell like wolf… and something ancient. Like the Sage's chakra."
Before she could respond, the ground shook.
A massive chakra beast erupted from the earth—Riftborn influence, a twisted Nine-Tails echo, nine shadowy tails lashing, eyes void-black.
The shinobi tensed.
Ammar's chaos affinity flared. "That's not from your world. That's from mine—unstable echo."
He howled—Howl Tempest—wind + morale burst slamming into the beast, staggering it.
The woman nodded. "If you can fight that thing, you're welcome here. For now."
Ammar charged.
From Ammar's perspective: "It's like fighting shadows again—but bigger. Angrier. I feel Dulla's sword in my hand, Rani's fire in my chest, Ranjit's command in my voice."
He activated Rebel Charge (from Jhansi Rani)—a burst of inspiration surging through him, boosting nearby shinobi morale. They joined the fight—kunai flying, jutsu exploding.
Ammar howled again—Lion Command (from Ranjit Singh)—uniting the shinobi into a coordinated pack. They moved as one: fireballs from one, water walls from another, earth spikes from a third.
The beast roared—shadow tails lashing.
Ammar leaped—Scale Aegis active—taking a direct hit, scales absorbing the impact. He countered with Verse Call—reciting Bulleh Shah:
"Bulleh ki jaana main kaun?
Tu ki jaana tu kaun?"
The words became a questioning wind—stripping the beast's form, forcing it to confront its own non-existence. It faltered.
The lead shinobi shouted: "Now!"
Combined jutsu—fire, wind, lightning—struck the core.
Ammar finished it: Howl Tempest + chaos mana spear—piercing the heart.
The beast dissolved—rift closing behind it.
Silence.
The woman approached—kunai lowered. "You fight like no shinobi I've seen. Who taught you?"
Ammar grinned—wolfish. "Legends. And family."
She extended a hand. "I'm Kurenai Yuhi. Welcome to Konohagakure. You just saved our patrol. The Hokage will want to meet you."
From Ammar's perspective: "Konoha? Like the Hidden Leaf? This is… insane. But they're people—just like us. Scared. Brave. Fighting. I think Abba would like them."
He took her hand. "Lead the way."
The chapter closed on Ammar stepping into a new world—mentors' voices in his heart, family waiting on the other side, bridge stretching further.