231. Time Travel

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Surrounded by towering buildings, Naruto felt as if he'd been transported to a modern metropolis.

Yet, the gloom of the sky, the steady drizzle, and the eerie stillness made the setting feel oddly reminiscent of Amegakure.

The first thing Naruto did was form a hand seal and shout, "Release!" to dispel any illusions. But nothing changed.

"Big fox?" Naruto called out to Kurama for confirmation.

Kurama's deep voice resonated in his mind. "This isn't an illusion. It's more like a powerful barrier. I can't contact the clones, the other half of my chakra, or even Shukaku and the others."

Naruto frowned. "I can't sense any of my Flying Thunder God coordinates either not even the ones in the Kamui space."

A dreadful possibility crossed Naruto's mind. 'Did I time-travel again?'

He forced himself to remain calm, piecing together the clues: the desert, the ruins, the sudden surge of chakra… it all seemed eerily familiar.

"Wait… isn't this that theatrical arc where I travel back to Rōran?" Naruto muttered to himself. "The one where the Dragon Vein is involved, and I meet my dad for the first time. But he seals everyone's memories to avoid messing up the timeline."

Thinking back, Naruto recalled how heartwarming and frustrating that experience had been. The audience had been thrilled to see Naruto meet Minato, but annoyed at how little they got to interact. Seriously, couldn't the writers have let us exchange a few more words?

Now, however, Naruto saw an opportunity. If this was Loulan, he could mess with his younger father and enjoy watching his reactions.

A puppet lunged at him, interrupting his musings. Naruto delivered a swift kick, sending it flying into two others.

The puppets had a strange, rounded design, quite different from Sasori's intricate craftsmanship. Some fired plasma-like energy beams, while others hurled kunai using chakra strings.

Their movements were jerky and mechanical, like primitive steam robots.

"These things are weak," Naruto muttered, weaving through the group with ease. "Iruka-sensei could probably handle two or three of these with a few shurikens and an exploding tag."

But Naruto's puppet destruction seemed to trigger an alarm. Within minutes, their numbers multiplied from a dozen to hundreds.

Naruto groaned. "Seriously? If you're going to gang up on me, at least let me call for reinforcements!" After smashing another puppet, he decided it was time to "shake some people."

At that moment, a blond ninja wearing a Konoha Anbu mask appeared in front of him. Naruto immediately recognized the chakra signature.

"You…" Naruto's eyes widened, but he didn't resist as the Anbu placed a hand on his shoulder and teleported them both to a nearby tower.

Moments later, two more masked ninjas arrived: a large man with "food" written on his mask and a more reserved figure with low visibility.

"Partial Expansion Jutsu!" shouted the large ninja, slapping away a dozen puppets with his massive hand.

"Secret Technique: Insect Sphere," murmured the other. Swarms of black insects engulfed and dismantled the remaining puppets.

Naruto leaned against the wall, looking at the masked figures with a smirk. "Do you guys really need masks? You're so easy to recognize."

The blond ninja, none other than Minato, ignored Naruto's jab, instead scrutinizing him. "You're clearly a Konoha ninja, and you seem to know us well. But I've never seen you before. And… you have my Flying Thunder God mark on you. Why?"

Naruto scratched his head. "Good question. Let me think of a good answer…" He hesitated, unsure if he should reveal the truth. Calling a 17-year-old Minato dad felt… awkward. Then again, it could be fun to mess with him.

Before Naruto could respond, the larger Anbu, Choza Akimichi, pointed out, "Minato, could this kid be your brother? He looks just like you!"

Minato shook his head. "That's impossible. I don't have any siblings."

Naruto grinned mischievously. "Actually, my name is Naruto Namikaze, your long-lost brother, big brother!"

Inside Naruto's mind, Kurama's irritation turned to amusement. He settled down, propping his head on his paws, ready to enjoy the show.

"Huh?" Minato blinked in confusion. "I don't remember anything like that."

"Of course not! I've been searching for you for years. To prove it, I even trained under Jiraiya-sensei and learned your signature techniques. Watch this!"

Naruto formed a Rasengan in his palm. "Recognize this?"

He dispelled the Rasengan and made a few hand signs. His hair extended to his waist. "And this! The Ninja Art: Lion's Mane Technique!"

Naruto finished with a triumphant grin. "Oh, and your future wife's name is Kushina, and your favourite food is Ichiraku Ramen."

Choza and Shibi Aburame exchanged glances. The ninjutsu demonstrations were hard to fake, and the personal details added credibility.

Minato, however, remained sceptical. He unsheathed a kunai, his tone turning serious. "You know a lot, but there are two things you may have overlooked.

"First, the Rasengan. Jiraiya-sensei only mastered it three days ago, just before I left for this mission. Second, Ichiraku Ramen opened on the same day, and I haven't had the chance to try it yet. So, how could I possibly have a favourite food I've never eaten?"

Naruto froze, his confidence faltering.

"Now," Minato continued, his voice cold, "Who are you, really? And what are you doing here?"

Choza and Shibi shifted into defensive stances, ready for action.

Naruto scratched the back of his head nervously. 'Crap. Did I just blow my cover?'

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