Mechanical Fortress

"Welcome, honored ninja of Konoha."

The caravan's leader was an old man in his sixties or seventies. He personally led the caravan members to greet Yamei and the others.

"Ah, sorry for causing you trouble," Kakashi said as he stepped forward to negotiate.

"Haha, not at all. With honored ninja like you here tonight, we feel especially safe."

The group chatted idly until they reached the camp and sat down. The caravan members brought out all kinds of food.

"Eh, these two..." the caravan leader asked, seemingly casually.

"Oh, they're just our mission targets," Kakashi brushed it off.

"My apologies, I asked too much." The old man smiled apologetically.

"Your caravan must travel all over the world often, sir?" Yamei asked.

The old man nodded with a light laugh. "Yes, our caravan travels between different countries all year round to make a living."

"Then you must be very knowledgeable, sir. I wonder if you know about the Gelel Stone?"

Upon hearing Yamei's words, the old man's pupils suddenly contracted. He looked at Yamei, who wore a faint smile, then at Timsi. His expression gradually darkened.

"You came for the Gelel Stone?"

Everyone was startled. They had not expected such a casual question to uncover a clue!

Timsi and Lank also came to their senses. This old man actually knew about the Gelel Stone!

"No, not us. More precisely, them." Yamei pointed at Timsi and Lank.

The old man opened his mouth at that, then finally let out a faint sigh. "Why are you still searching for the Gelel Stone? This is something that should never be awakened!"

"Something that shouldn't be awakened? I only know that it is something we need." Timsi's gaze was firm. A faint glow emanated from his chest, followed by the projection of an oval stone.

Everyone was somewhat astonished at the sight of the stone.

The old man's pupils shrank as he suddenly sighed. "As expected..."

Kakashi and the others looked at one another. "So this is that Gelel Stone?"

The old man nodded gently. "That's right. This is Gelel's crystallization, the energy of the Source of Life!"

As he spoke, the old man looked at Timsi. "Only members of our clan's royal bloodline can form a symbiotic bond with the Gelel Stone! So you are kin to our people!"

"But why do you know nothing about the Gelel Stone... Could it be because the Book of Gelel was lost?"

Kakashi and the others were equally stunned upon hearing this.

Seemingly noticing their confusion and disbelief, a trace of reminiscence flashed through the old man's eyes. "No one knows how this kind of stone came into being."

"After our ancestors discovered this incredible mineral vein, they refined it into crystals and named it Gelel!"

"Using the Gelel Stone as its foundation, our ancestors built a vast empire. They created water sources that would never run dry and livestock that grew overnight! It brought us happiness!"

"But while it brought happiness, it also brought disaster. People began using the stone's power to wage war!"

"The vast empire was destroyed overnight! In the end, only a very small number of people survived."

"And those survivors sealed the Source of Life, the Gelel Stone's mineral vein, deep underground and swore never to awaken it again!"

Everyone was deeply shaken after hearing this. So such a terrifying thing existed!

"Why not destroy it completely?" Shino asked.

"We wanted to!" The old man sighed faintly. "But only our clan's royal bloodline can destroy it, and without our royal family... all we can do is guard it generation after generation..."

At that, everyone's gazes converged on Timsi.

"Destroy it? Heh, impossible!" Timsi sneered. "After hearing you, I feel even more strongly that... no matter what, I have to get it!"

"Do you still not understand how terrifying this power is?" Ino was extremely dissatisfied with Timsi's attitude.

"Hmph! Power is merely an object! What it does depends on the person using it!"

"I believe Lord Hyde can use this power well and build a peaceful, happy country without conflict!"

"Idiot."

"What did you say?!" Timsi glared at Yamei furiously.

"I said you're an idiot." Yamei looked him straight in the eye.

"What do you know?!" Timsi roared. "War brings nothing but misfortune! Without someone to lead them, wars will never end!"

"And Lord Hyde is that leader. He needs this power!"

"What a pathetic excuse." Yamei sneered. "If simply having another leader could resolve conflict, then... why was that ancient empire destroyed?"

"That was because the empire's leader was incompetent. If it were Lord Hyde, the empire would definitely have developed peacefully!" Timsi said disdainfully.

Looking at Timsi in his current state, Yamei really wanted to record this, then play it back for him when Heide personally made a move against him.

Rumble!

At that moment, the ground shook violently! A thunderous rumbling rapidly approached from the distance!

"Stay alert!"

Kakashi and Yūhi Kurenai shouted at the same time. Everyone rushed out of the tents and saw a shocking sight.

Under the moonlight, a Mechanical Fortress dozens of meters tall was rapidly approaching!

"Hahaha! Lord Hyde is here! You're finished!" A frenzied smile appeared on Lank's face!

For the past few days, she had been tied up even when eating, drinking, and relieving herself. She had long since had enough.

"Was it you who sent the signal?!"

Yūhi Kurenai's expression was grim. Their power had clearly been restricted, so how had they still summoned the enemy?

"Hmph! Scared now, aren't you? Let us go now! With your abilities, perhaps Lord Hyde might even give you a good job!" Timsi said repeatedly.

Everyone ignored him completely. Watching the massive fortress draw closer and closer, Kakashi quickly gave orders:

"Shikamaru, Ino, Sakura, take the others and evacuate!"

"Yamei! Sasuke, Choji, Kiba, Shino, Hinata, we'll hold off the enemy!"

"Yes!"

Upon receiving their orders, Kakashi and Yūhi Kurenai led the others toward the soldiers emerging from the fortress.

Ino and the others hurried to help the caravan evacuate.

Nearly a hundred soldiers charged across the ground! Kakashi's expression turned somewhat grim.

"Kakashi-sensei, use Wind Release with me." Yamei spoke as he formed hand seals.

Kakashi was briefly stunned, then immediately followed suit and began forming hand seals.

Fire Style: Great Fire Annihilation!

Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!

As Madara's signature ninjutsu, Great Fire Annihilation was fully manifested in Yamei's hands at this moment!

With one exhalation, surging flames rolled forth like waves upon the sea, flooding the land before them! The scorching heat made everyone cover their faces in defense!

Kakashi's Wind Release beside it was like a tiny bubble...

It was not that it provided no amplification... but it was pitiful...

"Wha... what..."

Kakashi's single eye widened enormously. Yūhi Kurenai, Sasuke, and the others stared blankly at the scene before them, feeling as though they had suffered a tremendous shock.