Before dawn arrived, the blond young man walked alone through the desert.
The darkness at the horizon receded little by little, like a curtain slowly being lifted to reveal the vast, desolate land beneath.
Wind blew in from afar, carrying fine grains of sand and tracing flowing patterns along the crests of the dunes.
Naruto's steps were steady. His feet sank slightly into the soft sand, but he had long since grown used to the sensation.
He wasted no extra effort with any step.
He had not found Orochimaru where he had originally left the Flying Thunder God Mark. Presumably, Orochimaru had already left.
The kunai was still lodged in a crack in the rock. There were no signs of a fight nearby, nor had any message been left.
Naruto crouched and touched the end of the kunai's handle with his fingers. A thin layer of sand covered it.
"So you left."
He spoke softly, then pulled out the kunai and put it away.
After leaving Sunagakure, Naruto had planned a new itinerary.
His next stop was the Rōran Ruins in the Land of Wind. He needed to find the dragon vein there and travel back to the Ancient Kingdom of Roran.
If he could return to the period when Minato Namikaze had sealed the dragon vein, he would most likely be able to obtain more of the Uzumaki Clan's Sealing Jutsu from Kushina.
This world was different from the shinobi world he knew. He also needed to learn more about it.
He had already found out where Rōran lay. With a ninja's physical capabilities, he estimated he could reach it in another two days, provided he did not get lost.
The Land of Wind was vast, with desert covering most of its territory. Oases were like scattered jewels, precious