The wind and sand that had lingered in the Kingdom of the Wind for years could not blow away the thin, pale purple barrier that enveloped Lou Lan.
This small kingdom, standing in the desert, was different from the other nations in the ninja world governed by daimyos and nobles. The highest leader of Lou Lan was a frail-looking woman.
Standing by the window of the high tower, the young Queen of Lou Lan looked down at her subjects below, a gentle smile on her face.
Seeing the smiles on the faces of her people, who lived happily within the barrier, was the queen's happiest moment each day.
Lou Lan was not large, and its population was pitifully small. Including the queen, who was not one to put on airs, Lou Lan had a total population of less than a thousand.
With a small population, their defense capabilities were naturally not very strong. Besides the queen who could harness the power of the Dragon Veins to protect her people, the strongest guards were merely some warriors who could barely utilize chakra.
Fortunately, Lou Lan was located in the heart of the desert and did not need to cater to the whims of the great powers. Furthermore, apart from a seal whose existence was unknown, there was nothing else in Lou Lan that would attract the attention of the ninja world. Thus, this small independent nation had survived in the ninja world.
Its existence even predated most of the powers in the ninja world.
However, this small, peace-loving nation was visited by two uninvited guests today.
"Your Majesty, a ninja has arrived outside, requesting an audience with you."
The guard's announcement roused the Queen of Lou Lan.
Her long black hair swayed gently as the Queen of Lou Lan turned gracefully, her delicate brows furrowed slightly.
"A ninja?"
"How could a ninja find their way here..."
"Did he say which country he was from?"
The guard shook his head.
"That person wore no forehead protector from any ninja village, so I couldn't determine."
The Queen of Lou Lan pondered for a moment, then waved her hand lightly.
"Notify the citizens to temporarily halt all outdoor activities and return home to await further instructions."
"Gather all the guards, and we will go to meet this ninja together."
The guard acknowledged respectfully and turned to relay the message.
The queen clasped her hands with a hint of melancholy and slowly descended from the tower.
"Why would a ninja come to Lou Lan? Could it be..."
"Is it because of the Dragon Veins?"
...
"Apart from this pale purple barrier, everything else here seems so weak!"
Kurama glanced at the Lou Lan warriors gathered at the entrance, then poked the barrier before them with his paw.
This action immediately startled the warriors within the gate, who scrambled to draw their weapons, their faces filled with vigilance as they stared at the talking fox and the ninja beside it.
"Kurama, that's someone else's property. It's best not to touch it without their permission."
"They are all ordinary people. It's already quite difficult for them to live in this place."
"Strength is something unnecessary for those who have no desire for power and profit."
Orochimaru nodded kindly at the warriors within the gate, gently pacifying the restless Kurama.
"Esteemed ninja, thank you for your understanding of Lou Lan."
The frail figure of the Queen of Lou Lan emerged from within the gate. She waved her hand, dismissing the tense warriors by her side, and performed a graceful bow to Orochimaru across the barrier.
"I am Saya, the Queen of Lou Lan. Ninjas rarely appear in Lou Lan, so my people are a bit nervous. Please forgive our impoliteness."
Orochimaru chuckled and returned the bow to the Queen of Lou Lan.
"Your Majesty is too kind."
"It's natural to be nervous when faced with a stranger ninja; it's hardly impolite."
Seeing that Orochimaru was not an unreasonable brute, Saya secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
"Thank you for your tolerance."
"May I ask which ninja village you are from, and what brings you to a remote place like Lou Lan?"
Orochimaru glanced at the lingering barrier before him, knowing that without providing a reason, this Queen of Lou Lan named Saya would likely not let him in.
"My name is Kong Chen, and I am from the Hidden Leaf Village in the Land of Fire. This is my companion."
Orochimaru introduced them casually.
"As for the reason for coming to your esteemed country..."
"To be frank, I am here for the seal that Your Majesty guards."
Upon hearing this, Saya's expression changed instantly.
"What seal?"
"Esteemed ninja, I don't know what you are talking about."
"Lou Lan is merely a small country that seeks no conflict. We have no such seal as you speak of."
Orochimaru frowned slightly and was about to explain when Kurama, who was beside him, immediately grumbled in displeasure.
"Little girl, you're so unobservant!"
"You're already using the power of the Dragon Veins to create a barrier, yet you lie to my face."
"Kong Chen, sometimes being too lenient with ordinary people makes things more difficult for you."
Orochimaru nodded lightly, and a powerful surge of chakra emanated from him.
"Your Majesty, as my companion said, I could have broken through without any explanation."
"Considering Lou Lan's defenses, they wouldn't be able to stop me from doing anything I wished."
Saya's body trembled slightly, clearly startled by Orochimaru's words and the powerful aura he exuded.
Orochimaru slowly extended a dark chakra tentacle from his hand and gently swiped it across the barrier before him, creating a human-sized opening.
"As a ninja, not harming ordinary people is my principle..."
"But to achieve my goals, sometimes I have no choice but to act against my principles."
Saya trembled again. Orochimaru's threatening words, like the wound on the barrier, exposed her greatest concern to him.
Seeing her cowering, Orochimaru's tone changed, and he retracted the tentacle.
"However..."
"I can assure Your Majesty that I will not harm the Dragon Veins beneath the ground in the slightest. Once I have resolved some doubts, I will leave immediately and will not linger."
"What do you say?"
Saya struggled internally, but facing Orochimaru, who had effortlessly breached the barrier, she knew that no amount of Dragon Vein power could stop his invasion.
Moreover, his words had gone this far. If she refused again and angered this ninja who had initially been reasonable, what if he decided to kill, and Lou Lan's citizens...
"Esteemed Kong Chen, if you only wish to visit the Dragon Veins, then of course there is no problem."
Saya nodded with difficulty, choosing to compromise for the safety of her people.
"I only hope you will keep your promise and leave immediately after you have achieved your objective, and do not harm my citizens."
Orochimaru nodded with satisfaction and slowly withdrew his aura.
"A wise choice!"
"Your Majesty, please rest assured, I will offer appropriate compensation."