The Flying Thunder God kunai struck the ground with a metallic ring.

  As Minato Namikaze wove through hand seals, countless inscriptions spread outward from the kunai's position like ripples in water. The massive dragon-shaped energy convulsed, fractured, and finally dissolved into nothing.

  "That's incredible," Sarah breathed, her eyes wide with wonder.

  She wasn't a ninja, but she'd heard tales of their power. Nothing had prepared her for this—watching a force as terrifying and unstoppable as the dragon veins crumble so completely.

  Minato wiped sweat from his brow, exhaling slowly. "All clear."

  Sealing a dragon vein—something comparable to a tailed beast—was no trivial feat. He'd never attempted it before, and frankly, he hadn't been entirely certain it would work. The real gamble had been using the Flying Thunder God kunai as an anchor point, binding the dragon vein to the platform itself rather than trying to contain it within a person.

  The dragon vein's lack of consciousness had been his saving grace. It couldn't resist. It couldn't fight back.

  A distant roar shattered the moment—Mukade's final detonation. Smoke and debris swallowed the landscape whole.

  Hanekawa's eyes snapped open. He activated his enhanced vision, scanning the chaos for any sign of Tsunade and Kurenai. Nothing but dust and rubble.

  "I'll assess the situation," Minato said, his form already shimmering.

  The space twisted. When it settled, Minato had returned—and he wasn't alone. Tsunade and Kurenai stood beside him, both intact.

  Hanekawa's shoulders dropped with relief.

  Without the dragon vein's regenerative power, Mukade was nothing. Tsunade and Kurenai would have handled him easily.

  Then he noticed it.

  A strange white luminescence clung to Kurenai's skin, and beneath it, he could sense the unmistakable distortion of space-time energy.

  "The dragon vein's sealing appears to have triggered a temporal reversion," Minato observed thoughtfully. "The distortions in your body are normalizing. You'll return to your original timeline soon."

  "Will my other teammate experience the same effect?" Kurenai asked, a note of concern in her voice.

  "Yes," Minato confirmed after a moment's consideration. His expertise with space-time jutsu made this assessment straightforward.

  "That's a relief," Kurenai said, turning to Hanekawa with a soft smile. "We still have time. Let's talk."

  "Who's your Brother?" Hanekawa couldn't resist the jab, though he walked toward her anyway.

  "Don't tell him anything about the future," Minato said seriously. "The moment you speak it aloud, history shifts."

  Kurenai nodded in understanding.

  They stepped away from the others.

  If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  "You hid things from me because of what Minato-senpai said, didn't you?" Kurenai asked, her expression thoughtful.

  "Partly," Hanekawa admitted with a slight smile. "Also, you're not staying. What's the point?"

  "True." Kurenai reached out and ruffled his hair. "Still, it's nice seeing you like this. So young."

  "Stop doing that," Hanekawa said, turning away with obvious irritation.

  "It's a rare opportunity," Kurenai laughed, undeterred. "You used to do it to me all the time."

  Karma is real, Hanekawa thought grimly. And it works fast.

  "It's almost time," Kurenai said softly, glancing at the white light intensifying around her body.

  They returned to the others without another word. Hanekawa didn't feel sad—neither did Kurenai. They hadn't lost anything. They'd see each other again in their proper timeline. This was just an unexpected detour, nothing more.

  Minato began forming seals, his hands moving with practiced precision. He aimed at Kurenai first, then Sarah. Finally, himself.

  Hanekawa felt the sealing technique wash over him—and then something unexpected happened.

  His memories remained intact.

  What? He blinked, running through the sensation again. His recollection of everything was crystal clear. Why didn't it work?

  Then understanding clicked into place.

  His A-Rank ability, Lurker, kept his true memories hidden beneath a layer of false ones. Minato had only sealed the surface layer. The real memories stayed buried where they couldn't be detected.

  An interesting development.

  This meant that in a few years, he'd travel through the dragon veins to the Six Paths era. And there was the centipede to consider—the one that shouldn't arrive for at least two decades.

  Unless...

  Oh.

  There was only one logical conclusion. He would find the centipede and guide it to the dragon vein ahead of schedule. The timeline was already set. If he didn't do it, something catastrophic would occur.

  And becoming the Sage of Six Paths? That had a certain ring to it.

  "Is the mission complete?" Tsunade asked, confusion flickering across her face. The details felt fuzzy, like trying to remember a dream.

  "It is," Hanekawa confirmed, gesturing to the kunai. "Minato-senpai sealed the dragon vein."

  "Indeed," Minato said, though he looked faintly troubled. Something nagged at him—a sense of incompleteness he couldn't quite place.

  "Thank you all," Sarah said, bowing respectfully. "You've saved Loulan from Mukade and restored our kingdom's stability."

  Hanekawa raised an eyebrow. Her memories had been preserved more thoroughly than the others'.

  "It's our duty," Minato replied with his characteristic warm smile.

  They ascended from the dragon vein chamber. Most of Loulan's palace lay in ruins from the battle, so Sarah led them to a hotel instead. After a night's rest, the three Leaf Village ninja departed without lingering.

  ---

  Back in Konoha, Minato offered to submit the mission report. Tsunade waved him off, too eager to claim her reward and head straight to the casino.

  Hanekawa had other priorities.

  He purchased lollipops and takoyaki, then made his way to Maruboshi Kosuke's residence.

  Kurenai was practicing water jutsu when she spotted him. She abandoned her training immediately, rushing over with undisguised delight.

  "You came to find me first?" she asked, her smile radiant.

  "I guessed you'd be here," Hanekawa said, reaching up to ruffle her hair—payback for all those head-pats from her future self.

  "Call me brother," he said, producing the lollipops and takoyaki.

  "Absolutely not!" Kurenai refused instantly. She'd always dreamed of being a Sister, not the younger sibling.

  "Not even for takoyaki?" Hanekawa tempted, holding up both treats.

  Kurenai's resolve crumbled. After a few seconds of internal struggle, she relented. "Just once. Brother Hanekawa."

  "You're adorable," Hanekawa said, unable to suppress his smile.

  Now we're even.

  "That doesn't make it okay!" Kurenai huffed, snatching the snacks. But as she opened the takoyaki and offered him one on a wooden skewer, her irritation melted away.

  Some debts, it seemed, were best repaid with kindness.