Chapter 40: Sand Sea Mystic RealmThe moment the mystic realm appeared, the winds of the entire Ninja World seemed to suddenly freeze.Within the borders of the Hidden Sand Village, teams from various factions rushed over, and dozens of groups had already gathered on a small stretch of beach.The Five Great Ninja Villages occupied the front lines with an absolute presence, but particularly eye-catching was the unfamiliar team among them...Windmill Village."What nameless little village is this? They dare to take the lead?""Don't the Five Great Ninja Villages have any objections?""You know, when the Kumogakure mystic realm opened last time, they kept it all to themselves, and in just a few days, dozens of Kage-level experts emerged..."Naruto stood at the very front of the team, with Naruto on one side and Su Youwei and Cang Chaoon the other.As core leaders of Windmill Village, the two followed closely by Naruto's side.Although the team's numbers weren't the highest, they exuded an air of calm that could not be underestimated, firmly rooted among the powerhouses of the Ninja World.To the side of the team, the leaders of the Hidden Mist Village and Iwagakure cast their gazes directly toward Naruto, raising their hands to gesture slightly to him with expressions of courtesy and respect.In the days before the mystic realm officially opened, these two great Ninja villages had already caught wind of its appearance, following the public announcement by Kazekage Rasa.The two villages immediately sent people to find Naruto, specifically to ask for guidance on the Moonwalk technique.Naruto didn't hold back either, selling the Moonwalk technique to the Hidden Mist Villageand Iwagakure for the low prices of 100 million and 200 million respectively.The core purpose of the Five Great Ninja Villages' efforts to obtain Moonwalk was to significantly reduce their Ninjas' casualty rates in the upcoming mystic realm exploration.After all, this unknown mystic realm was dangerously unpredictable; in the vast Ninja World, only Kumogakure had experience exploring a similar mystic realm.What kind of dangers were hidden within the mystic realm remained unknown to the other villages, making Moonwalk a major reliance for them to face peril and ensure their safety.Up ahead, Raikage A let out a sudden, thunderous roar:"Lariat!"Vigorous Lightning Release Chakra exploded, and the last exotic beast shattered under the violent thunderous punch.As all ten exotic beasts were slain, the entire sandy plain suddenly shook violently, the ground rumbling and sand billowing.A massive stone gate engraved with ancient secret patterns slowly rose from the ground, standing majestically before everyone.Everyone's gaze sharpened, the heavy breathing from slaying the beasts vanished instantly, and the atmosphere became tense to the extreme.Sand and stones slid down as the stone gate rose higher and higher, its mottled and menacing ancient marks gleaming coldly in the sunlight.Vague, obscure Chakra fluctuations flowed between the patterns, as if a being that had slept for thousands of years had finally awakened.Raikage A stood with his fists withdrawn, the lightning around him not yet dissipated. His heavy breathing gradually stabilized as he looked up at the towering stone gate and said in a deep voice:"This should be the true entrance to the mystic realm."The Ninjas from the surrounding great Ninjavillages gripped their weapons tightly and unconsciously moved closer.The teams from Konoha, Sunagakure, Hidden Mist, and Iwagakure were each on guard, their eyes darting between the stone gate and the others; everyone knew that the real struggle was only beginning now.Naruto stared at the mysterious stone gate, a burning fighting spirit igniting in his eyes as he unconsciously took a step forward:"What a powerful aura... there must be something incredible hidden inside!"Su Youwei frowned slightly, a faint light glowing at her fingertips as if she were sensing the dangers behind the stone gate:"The Chakra behind the stone gate is very chaotic and carries a fierce aura; it won't be easy to enter."Cang Chao stood half a step in front of Naruto, his gaze sharp as a blade:"Lin... the various Ninja villages are all restless. Should we move closer first to seize the initiative?"Naruto was in no hurry to move; he just gazed calmly at the rising stone gate, the corners of his mouth curling slightly.It seemed the rumors of Kumogakure having mystic realm experience weren't groundless.Slaying the exotic beasts was merely the key to opening the door.He spoke calmly, his voice not loud, yet clearly reaching the ears of those beside him:"No rush. Let them scout the way first. The real danger is still waiting behind the door."Before he had finished speaking, a ghostly blue light suddenly lit up in the crack in the center of the stone gate.The heavy stone gate slowly opened inward amidst a rumbling sound.The grating sound of the heavy stone gate was extremely ear-piercing, the rumbling echoing across the entire Sandy Dust Plain as dust and rubble cascaded down.The ghostly blue light expanded along the crack, turning into a light barrier that completely enveloped the stone gate.Once the stone gate was fully open, an aura mixed with wildness and decay rushed out, carrying a pure Chakra so dense it felt solid.It was entirely different from the Chakra of the outside world—thick and carrying a wild power; just one breath caused the Chakra within many Ninjas to become restless.Behind the light barrier was a hazy, chaotic space where the outlines of continuous ruined buildings could be vaguely seen, with the deeper parts shrouded in total darkness.The Lightning Release Chakra around Raikage Asurged again, lightning crackling. He waved his hand and gave a sharp command to the Kumogakure Ninjas behind him:"Form up and follow me in! With our prior mystic realm experience, this opportunity should rightfully be Kumogakure's first!"As his voice fell, the Kumogakure Ninjas responded in unison, marching toward the stone gate's light barrier with resolute steps.Seeing this, how could the other four villages let Kumogakure take the lead? The leader of Sunagakure immediately waved his hand, and his Ninjas moved forward quickly using Sand Release;In the Konoha camp, Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze darkened as he signaled Kakashi to lead the team and follow closely.The leaders of the Hidden Mist and Iwagakureexchanged glances and also led their teams to follow, fearing they would miss out on the ultimate treasure if they were a step too slow.In an instant, the forces of the Five Great Ninja Villages and various small factions scrambled to pour into the stone gate's light barrier, their figures instantly swallowed by the chaotic light.The once crowded beach quickly thinned out, leaving only a few Ninjas staying behind and the Windmill Village team led by Naruto.Su Youwei watched the various village forces pour in and couldn't help but tug at Naruto's sleeve:"Big Brother Naruto, if we don't go in now, all the good stuff will be snatched up! We know Moonwalk too; we can definitely keep up with them!"Cang Chao shook his head slightly and said softly, "Don't be anxious. Brother Lin is right. Even with experience, Kumogakure is still being so hasty.""The treasure must be deep within the mystic realm, which is why Kumogakure and the others are acting so rashly."Naruto nodded, his gaze falling on that ghostly blue light barrier, his eyes calm and undisturbed.He could clearly sense that behind the stone gate, besides the chaotic fierce aura, there was also a faint yet powerful pressure, far beyond what those exotic beasts could compare to. Charging in blindly would only turn them into cannon fodder.Just then, a series of shrill screams suddenly came from inside the stone gate, followed by the sound of dense Ninjutsu explosions.The Chakra light of lightning, water blades, and earth shields faintly shone through the barrier, mixed with the panicked cries of the Ninjas.Clearly, the great Ninja villages that had entered first had already run into the mystic realm's first deadly trap.A faint smile played on Naruto's lips as he slowly walked toward the back of the stone gate:"Let's go, it's time for us to head through the back door...""The back door?"
