The Dragon Vein had been connected to the energy pipeline two days ago.
Mufasa had personally gone to inspect the site, ensuring that everything was stable.
The energy flow was smooth, the containment fields were secure, and there were no anomalies detected.
Satisfied, he had left the researchers to continue their work on energy redirection and drainage.
But now—
Something was wrong.
A sudden crisis had erupted out of nowhere.
Was it an attack? A containment failure?
Mufasa didn't wait to find out.
He shot toward the Dragon Vein at full speed, his electromagnetic field crackling around him.
The wind howled in his ears as he pushed forward.
Behind him, Orochimaru followed, his single-rocket propulsion pack keeping pace.
He had no interest in heroics, but the researchers stationed at the Dragon Vein—including Kabuto, Kimimaro, and Jugo—were too valuable to lose.
Without them, much of his work would come to a halt.
If anything happened to them, it would be a disaster.
And Orochimaru did not tolerate failure.
Mufasa led the way. "Orochimaru, keep up!"
The two of them streaked across the desert, closing in on the chaos ahead.
As they neared the site, they saw dozens of workers fleeing in terror.
Their faces were pale, their screams lost in the roaring winds.
Neither Mufasa nor Orochimaru stopped for them.
They pushed forward toward the epicenter of the disturbance.
When they arrived, the sight before them was like a scene from hell.
The remains of the old ruins of Roran, the ancient city built atop the Dragon Vein, were completely engulfed in a vortex of destruction.
A massive black-and-yellow tornado raged at the heart of the site, swallowing everything in its path.
Pipelines, each weighing over a ton, were torn from the ground like twigs, whipping violently through the storm.
Excavators and cranes, which had been brought in for the construction project, were now nothing but shredded scraps of metal caught in the chaos.
Sparks erupted as twisted steel collided mid-air.
The remains of sand-burrowing creatures, their segmented bodies torn apart, were flung about like ragdolls.
And then, the sound—
"ROOOOAAAR!"
A deep, guttural roar thundered through the storm, shaking the very ground beneath them.
Mufasa's electromagnetic vision flickered, locking onto the source of the disturbance.
A towering figure—easily ten meters tall—stood at the center of the storm, its fists slamming into the earth with mindless fury.
The impact sent shockwaves rippling outward, kicking up sand and debris.
A giant.
Mufasa narrowed his eyes.
His electromagnetic senses scanned its skeletal structure, but its facial features remained obscured by the swirling sand and energy.
And then, he saw them.
Two figures caught in the storm—Kabuto and Kimimaro.
They were barely hanging on, their bodies battered and bloodied, trapped in the raging vortex.
Mufasa clenched his fists.
No hesitation.
"Orochimaru, stay back." His voice was firm. "I'm going in."
Orochimaru landed on a nearby rock, folding his arms. "Try not to die."
Mufasa shot forward, diving straight into the storm.
The tornado fought against him, its sheer force trying to rip him apart.
Metal fragments, shattered bones, and debris from the ruined site hurtled toward him at lethal speeds.
But he was ready.
"Electromagnetic Release: Magnetic Field Barrier!"
A shimmering field of repelling force surrounded his body, deflecting incoming projectiles.
The debris bounced away harmlessly as he pushed deeper into the storm.
First, he reached Kabuto.
The medic-nin was in critical condition.
His right shoulder to his right leg had been nearly crushed, his internal organs partially exposed.
Blood loss had turned his skin a sickly pale.
Mufasa cursed under his breath.
Kabuto had likely used Yin Healing Wound Destruction to mitigate some of the damage, but it wasn't enough.
He pressed his palm to Kabuto's chest, sending controlled electrical impulses into his body. "Come on, stay with me."
Kabuto's eyes barely flickered open before he passed out again.
No time to waste.
Mufasa secured Kabuto and shot his gaze toward Kimimaro.
The boy was just twenty meters away—but his condition was even worse.
Kimimaro's entire lower body was gone.
Only his upper half remained, barely held together by the bone armor he had instinctively created to stop himself from bleeding out.
Mufasa gritted his teeth.
These two were irreplaceable. He wasn't about to let them die.
But the storm made movement nearly impossible.
The winds were too strong, and the giant inside kept slamming the ground, disrupting his flight pattern.
Mufasa needed a different approach.
He reached out with his powers, seizing control of the metal debris around him.
Using magnetism, he linked the fragments together, forming a massive metallic arm.
With precise control, he extended the makeshift limb toward Kimimaro and pulled him in.
The moment Kimimaro was within reach, Mufasa grabbed him and secured him alongside Kabuto.
Now, he just had to get out.
Bracing himself, he shifted his weight and used the tornado's own force to propel himself upward.
The plan was working—until the giant noticed him.
With a thunderous roar, the monstrous figure lunged forward, leaping high into the air.
Its massive fist came crashing down.
Mufasa barely had time to react before the blow connected.
The impact sent him hurtling toward the ground like a meteor.
For a split second, he caught a clear glimpse of the giant's face.
Not the Hulk.
Something worse.
Its skin was inky black, its muscles grotesquely overdeveloped.
Every vein bulged with raw, unnatural power.
But what stood out the most were its eyes—burning with hatred, resentment, and unrelenting bloodlust.
Mufasa smashed into the ground, skidding across the sand before finally coming to a halt.
His entire body ached, but he didn't have time to dwell on the pain.
He looked down at Kabuto and Kimimaro—both barely clinging to life.
"Orochimaru!" Mufasa called out. "We need to treat them now!"
Orochimaru crouched beside them, his snake-like eyes scanning their wounds.
After a brief moment, he shook his head.
"It's hopeless. Their chakra reserves are nearly depleted. Even if I treated them now, they wouldn't last."
Mufasa clenched his jaw. "There has to be a way."
Orochimaru exhaled. "The easiest way is to clone them. I already have their genetic samples. We can create replacements."
Mufasa stared at him. "You want to just discard them?"
Orochimaru's expression was unreadable. "Their bodies are broken. The logical solution is to make new ones."
Mufasa shook his head. "No."
His hands sparked with electromagnetic energy as he reached toward the wreckage around them.
"I'll make one last attempt."
He raised his palm.
"Iron."
A deep, magnetic force surged through the battlefield.
Every piece of metal in the area began to tremble.
Even the storm itself seemed to take notice.
From within the tornado, a pair of massive hands tore through the winds, as the ink-black giant set its sights on Mufasa once more.