The northern frontier of the Land of Wind.
Endless yellow sand stretched beneath winds sharp as blades. The northern frontier of the Land of Wind was even more desolate than its other regions.
Tsunade and Shinichi had changed into clothing suited to the Land of Wind. Loose cloaks kept out the windblown sand, while the protective cloth wrapped around their foreheads was essential gear the locals used against sandstorms.
Originally, Shinichi had planned to follow their established route to the ruins of Rōran and explore the legendary power of the Dragon Veins.
But while crossing the northern frontier, he noticed something strange.
The air currents were unstable, chakra was fluctuating, and a faint, distinctive presence lingered in the air.
"Shinichi, why are you frowning?" Tsunade patted his shoulder and asked in confusion.
Shinichi narrowed his eyes and activated his Sharingan to examine the flow of chakra around them. "The air currents ahead are strange," he said gravely. "There's a dense concentration of natural energy there, even more complex than in Shikkotsu Forest... but it's extremely chaotic. It doesn't seem to be properly controlled."
Tsunade froze for a moment, then her gaze grew serious.
Natural energy was already extremely difficult to control. If it had run wild, that meant the area was either the site of some ancient ruins or a place where an unknown power had been sealed.
"...Want to take a look?" Tsunade flexed her fists, her fighting instincts leaving her eager to try.
Shinichi chuckled. "Obviously. What if there's something good in there?"
The two adjusted their goggles and face coverings, then quietly followed the desert's air currents toward the mysterious Land of Storms.
Before long, an enormous dune appeared before them, and beyond it—
Lay a restricted zone eternally shrouded in storms.
A massive vortex formed in