Above the Hidden Sand Village, the night sky was lit up by a fierce battle.
A blond man rode atop a giant white clay bird, clashing with a red-haired shinobi hovering on a cloud of sand.
The blond was none other than Deidara of the Akatsuki. He molded clay from his pouch into various explosive creatures and hurled them directly at his opponent—Gaara, the Fifth Kazekage.
On a nearby sand dune just outside Sunagakure, Arakawa Zenkichi stood watching the confrontation from afar, an unreadable expression on his face.
The scene confirmed his suspicions—Shippuden had begun, and the Akatsuki had already started their hunt for the Tailed Beasts.
If things played out as they did in the original timeline, Gaara would be defeated and abducted by Deidara.
Though Gaara's power matched Deidara's, the environment put him at a severe disadvantage.
Their battle took place directly above the village. One misstep, and the resulting destruction would endanger innocent civilians and damage Sunagakure's infrastructure.
Because of that, Gaara held back, avoiding large-scale jutsu.
Deidara had clearly realized this. He rained clay bombs downward, forcing Gaara to divide his attention to protect the village.
Despite being surrounded by his subordinates, Gaara had no aerial support. Few shinobi in the world could fight effectively in the air.
Zenkichi observed the fight quietly, a faint smile playing on his lips. Then, in a flash, his body turned into golden light and shot upward.
A streak of brilliance pierced the dark sky, and Zenkichi materialized beside Deidara.
Deidara's eyes narrowed as he glared at the man who had suddenly appeared.
Zenkichi hovered effortlessly mid-air and spoke calmly.
"Speed is weight. Ever been kicked at the speed of light, kid?"
He slowly raised his leg. The sole of his foot glowed with a radiant golden cross.
With a single strike, Deidara was launched backward like a missile, crashing through multiple buildings in the Hidden Sand Village.
Gaara's eyes widened in shock. Then he glanced at Zenkichi with a complicated mix of wariness and gratitude.
Though he didn't know who Zenkichi was or what he wanted, the man had just helped save his village.
"…No. He used a clay clone."
Zenkichi's tone was calm as he looked toward the massive clay bird.
Moments before the kick landed, Deidara had swapped himself out with a pre-prepared clone hidden inside the bird's body.
Deidara burst from the bird's corpse, leaping into the sky as the bird exploded into countless white fragments.
"Be careful! Those are explosive!"
Gaara quickly shouted a warning.
"Hadō No. 63: Raikōhō!"
As the fragments surged toward him, Zenkichi raised his hand. A golden lightning cannon burst forth, detonating mid-air.
Deidara's clay had a critical weakness—it was highly susceptible to lightning. Even ordinary electricity, or chakra-generated lightning, could destabilize the bombs.
Zenkichi's thunder cannon engulfed the incoming projectiles and struck Deidara in mid-air.
Charred and smoking, Deidara's body fell limply from the sky.
Gaara extended his hand, sand forming beneath Deidara to catch him safely. The sand quickly wrapped around his body, sealing him tightly for interrogation.
"My friend, thank you for your assistance."
"If you don't mind, would you join me in my office?"
Gaara's voice was steady but respectful.
He was well aware that if Zenkichi hadn't stepped in, the outcome tonight could have been disastrous.
This mysterious man was powerful—clearly beyond the norm. Gaara had never heard of anyone by that name before. If Zenkichi was a rogue shinobi, perhaps he could be persuaded to join the village.
Having someone of that level would greatly benefit Sunagakure and strengthen Gaara's newly earned position as Kazekage.
Zenkichi accepted the invitation with a nod and followed Gaara to the top floor of the Kazekage Tower.
As soon as they landed, Gaara turned to his ANBU guards.
"Search the entire village. Double the patrols, and keep him under close observation."
He wasn't naïve. The fact that someone could infiltrate the village so easily meant the patrol system had flaws—and Zenkichi could be either a savior or a threat.
"Forgive me," Gaara said after a moment. "I don't believe I've heard your name before. I also don't recall any ninja as strong as you existing in the current world."
Zenkichi took a sip of the tea offered and replied casually.
"You haven't heard of me because the version of me in this world… died before he could grow."
Gaara stiffened. "…You died in this world? I don't understand. What do you mean?"
"It means I'm not from this world," Zenkichi said. "I come from another one."
"That world is much one, but also quite different."
"The key difference… is me."
"In that world, I didn't die in obscurity. I survived, I grew strong, and I ended the one-country, one-village system."
"There are no more wars there. No more divisions. All shinobi belong to a single organization. One united force."
"I came to save you. You can surrender to me, and together we'll build a better future. A unified shinobi world—under my leadership."
Zenkichi's words were clear and unwavering.
Gaara stared at him in stunned silence.
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