novelraw Page 292
Page 292
The fluctuations came from deep underground, carrying a sense of restlessness, coldness, and even...
A hint of dislike lingered in the air.
"under……"
Naruto's eyes narrowed, and he immediately followed the ominous feeling.
He avoided the patrolling puppets and the occasional late-returning residents.
Finally, in an extremely remote corner on the edge of the palace complex, where discarded building materials were piled up, they discovered an entrance that was cleverly disguised as a ventilation shaft.
That unsettling fluctuation was subtly emanating from it.
Without hesitation, Naruto slipped inside like a slippery eel.
The ventilation ducts were dark and damp, filled with the smell of metal and dust.
As he continued downwards, that ominous feeling grew clearer and clearer.
After climbing for an unknown amount of time, a muffled mechanical roar could be faintly heard ahead, and the air began to feel hot.
He carefully pushed open the grille of a ventilation opening and poked his head out.
The sight before him made him hold his breath instantly, his pupils contracting in shock.
Below is a vast underground space that stretches to the horizon!
Completely different from the ancient ruins or secret chambers he had imagined, this was a giant, fully automated factory filled with futuristic science fiction!
Beneath the towering dome, thick energy pipes, twisting and turning like blood vessels, transport dragon vein energy that emits a ghostly purple light.
Countless automated production lines are operating in an orderly manner, with robotic arms precisely assembling parts.
What is being mass-produced is the same kind of pale gold-shelled "Dragon Vein Puppet" that he saw on the street.
But the puppets here are completely different from our compatriots on the ground who do harmless work such as moving and cleaning!
Their appearance is even more ferocious.
The arm was modified into a sharp, rotating blade.
A cannon that spews chakra energy, or a giant steel claw.
Their "eyes" gleamed with a scarlet light, scanning their surroundings with a menacing aura.
Each puppet exuded a chilling killing intent and a pure aura of war.
"These...these are all..."
Naruto felt a chill run from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.
Beneath Loulan lies a massively mass-produced mechanical army!
Their energy source is the dragon vein energy that has been introduced underground and seems to have been distorted and polarized by some kind of technology!
Upon closer inspection, he discovered a massive energy conversion device in the core area of the factory.
It beats like a heart, transforming the relatively peaceful energy of the dragon vein into this aggressive form.
Then the power is distributed to various production lines to power these war puppets.
A thorough investigation is necessary!
Naruto suppressed his shock and moved silently along the steel beams and pipes above the factory, like a gecko.
Trying to get closer to the core area might lead to the discovery of the control center or more evidence.
However, just as he was focused on what was below, a faint red scanning beam inadvertently swept across the shadowy area where he was hiding.
Beep—beep—beep—! ! !
The piercing alarm suddenly blared throughout the entire underground space without warning!
Instantly, all the puppets in the factory raised their crimson eyes and locked onto Naruto's location!
"Oh no!" Naruto thought to himself.
The next moment, countless gaps suddenly appeared in the factory floor and on each platform.
Like a beehive bursting forth, countless battle puppets surged out like a tidal wave!
They leaped along the walls, climbed steel frames, and even spewed short bursts of energy, flanking Naruto from all directions.
The speed is amazing!
"There's no other way! Shadow Clone Technique!" Naruto made a quick decision and formed hand seals.
Bang bang bang bang...!
Numerous shadow clones appeared, instantly filling the area where Naruto was, shouting as they rushed towards the mechanical torrent.
The battle breaks out instantly!
Naruto and his shadow clones engage in a fierce battle with the mechanical puppets.
Punches, kicks, kunai, and Rasengans continuously shattered and sent the charging puppets flying.
These puppets are indeed far more powerful than civilian models on the ground; their strength, speed, and defense have all been upgraded to a higher level.
But Naruto soon discovered an even more troublesome problem—
These puppets seem to possess some kind of "sharing" mechanism!
A puppet's chest was shattered by a Rasengan, exposing its core.
But the puppet next to it immediately extended a connecting wire, transmitting its own energy, and the damaged part was repaired at a speed visible to the naked eye!
Even some completely shattered puppet remains can be absorbed and reassembled by nearby puppets, allowing them to stand up again and rejoin the battle!
They are like an indestructible swarm of mechanical ants, relying on the infinite energy supply from the dragon vein and the sharing of energy/matter among themselves.
Constantly reborn and repaired!
"Damn it! This is never going to end!"
Naruto cursed under his breath.
He attempted to use the Giant Rasengan and even Tailed Beast Chakra for area-of-effect attacks.
But as soon as he gathered his chakra, he saw the intricate energy pipes and containers that might store dangerous substances below, and he forced himself to hold back.
If a massive explosion is triggered, the entire underground area of Loulan could be blown into the sky, with unimaginable consequences!
With this shift in power, Naruto and his shadow clones began to find themselves on the defensive.
The number of enemies did not decrease; on the contrary, it seemed to increase due to the continuous recycling of wreckage.
As the shadow clones were repeatedly destroyed and disappeared, the fatigue and pain that followed put increasing pressure on Naruto's main body.
He was forced back step by step, his space to move was constantly compressed, and the cold, sharp edge of the machine almost cut his skin several times.
"This can't go on like this!"
Naruto's forehead was sweating as his brain raced, trying to come up with a solution, but he was at a loss for what to do against this shameless swarm of machines and the limitations of the terrain.
Just as he was caught off guard and nearly hit by an energy cannon from the side, staggering backward, and then several spinning blades came slashing down from behind—
At this critical moment!
A golden light, like lightning piercing the darkness, flashed by at a speed beyond visual perception!
Naruto felt a sudden tightening around his waist, and an irresistible force pulled him backward.
The scene before my eyes instantly blurred and distorted.
The next moment, the cold metal walls and the crazed puppets all disappeared, replaced by cold rocks and dim light.
He had been taken away from the underground factory and appeared in a remote desert canyon crevice.
Naruto collapsed to the ground, panting heavily, still not fully recovered from the near-death experience and the sudden relocation.
He looked up and saw a tall, slender figure standing with his back to him at the entrance of the crack, cautiously observing the outside.
The man was dressed in standard Konoha ANBU attire and wore a simple fox mask, but what was most striking was his short, golden hair that shone like sunlight.
And... the incredibly familiar fluctuations of that space-time ninjutsu from just now.
"Flying... Flying Thunder God..."
Naruto muttered to himself, his heart pounding wildly.
In this world, there are no people who can wield the Flying Thunder God Technique with such unparalleled skill, as if they were teleporting instantly...
The man turned around, his gaze from behind the fox mask falling on Naruto, seemingly sizing him up.
It lingered for a moment, especially on the Konoha headband on his forehead.
His voice came through the mask, clear and gentle, yet carrying a hint of reproach and... barely perceptible concern:
"That's reckless. One person dared to sneak into a place like this, without even knowing the other party's background, and almost lost his life inside."
That voice... though slightly altered by the mask, still possessed a unique warmth and familiarity...
Naruto's eyes instantly welled up with tears, as if his blood was surging.
A surge of overwhelming excitement welled up inside him, and almost instinctively, he opened his mouth, the name about to slip out—
"Alright, Naruto."
In the space of consciousness, Minato's voice rang out just in time, gentle yet with an undeniable firmness: "Don't tell anyone that you know him."
"Why?!"
Naruto desperately protested in his mind, his emotions running high: "That's Daddy! It's Daddy who's alive!"
"He should... already have some idea."
The illusory soul of Minato spoke with a complex tone, tinged with a hint of regret and helplessness: "Look closely into his eyes."
Outside, Minato, wearing a fox mask, didn't miss Naruto's momentary loss of control and the syllable that almost slipped out.
His gaze deepened as he intently stared at Naruto.
Looking at his blond hair, so similar to her own, and the almost overflowing affection in his azure eyes, and...
In his perception, there was a fluctuation hidden within the boy's body that was strikingly similar in nature to his own chakra.
Combining the legend of spacetime disruption caused by dragon veins, and the fact that the boy before him clearly recognized him, and might even know his true identity...