Chapter 100: The Land of the Sea

"The Land of the Sea!?"

In the Kazekage's office, Rasa, dressed in casual attire, was momentarily stunned by the report from his four subordinates.

He had nearly given up on tracking down Ryūchi Cave, yet now, an unexpected surprise had arrived.

"Tell me, what's the story?"

As the four explained, Rasa quickly grasped the situation.

With the increasing number of outsiders arriving in Sunagakure, various pieces of information had begun circulating. Rather than searching for Ryūchi Cave aimlessly, the four had decided to gather intelligence from the merchants visiting the village.

Surprisingly, their efforts had yielded a promising lead.

A merchant from the Land of the Sea spoke of a legendary island known as Forgotten Island, said to be inhabited by massive creatures. People had reportedly seen snakes as large as mountains, along with enormous eagles, centipedes, and other creatures.

"Forgotten Island, huh? Do these merchants know its exact location?"

The four men nodded, and their leader responded.

"They have a general idea."

"A general idea?"

"Yes, Kazekage-sama. According to these merchants, the island is surrounded by perpetual storms. Finding it isn't difficult, but entering is another matter. Only highly skilled navigators can make the journey safely.

Moreover, the merchants who have landed there claim that aside from its enormous wildlife, the island holds no valuable resources. Because of this, most merchants avoid it. However, the creatures there are said to possess mystical abilities. We're not sure if this is the place you were looking for—Ryūchi Cave."

Rasa pondered for a moment.

Clearly, this wasn't Ryūchi Cave since the legendary sanctuary of the White Snake Sage should only house snakes, not other creatures.

But he couldn't blame his subordinates. Even Rasa himself knew little about Ryūchi Cave, only instructing them to search for a place inhabited by giant snakes.

Still, he decided it was worth investigating.

First, from the description, it was clear that the island harbored many summoning creatures. This immediately reminded Rasa of the Summoning Path of Pain, which had summoned numerous creatures in the original storyline. Perhaps some of those beasts had originated from this very island.

At this point, Rasa was open to any opportunity to strengthen Sunagakure.

Second, aside from the summoning beasts, his scouting team in the Land of Demons had sent back reports about Mōryō, the legendary demon sealed there. Since he wasn't yet prepared to target the Tailed Beasts, absorbing Mōryō could be the next best option for enhancing his power.

With that in mind, Rasa issued an order.

"Negotiate with the merchants. See if they're willing to take us to Forgotten Island. Money is not an issue—but do not reveal our identities."

"Understood!"

The four immediately set off to carry out his command.

---

Though Rasa had spent most of the past month training in the Dragon's Oasis, occasionally, he returned to Sunagakure for a few days to handle village affairs.

Rasa sighed inwardly. Holding a high position meant never truly having time to relax. At this moment, he felt like he finally understood why Naruto seemed so exhausted in Boruto.

At least at night, when he was home, he could still unwind.

Especially with Karura, who had gone from being shy to taking the initiative. This change brought Rasa both physical and emotional satisfaction. He knew exactly why. Yeah, she wanted a child. Naturally, he was more than happy to cooperate, sharing a few passionate nights with her.

After leaving the Kazekage's Office, Rasa first visited Chiyo. As expected of Sunagakure's greatest medical expert, her skills were undeniable. After studying the five Sharingan eyes he had obtained, she had already begun attempts to clone them.

This was something Rasa had specifically requested. He remembered that in the original story, there had been a man obsessed with Akatsuki who had managed to mass-produce Mangekyō Sharingan through cloning.

Rasa wasn't aiming for something that extreme. He wasn't asking for bulk Mangekyō Sharingan—just mass-produced three-tomoe Sharingan would be enough. Combined with Uzumaki bloodline enhancements, this could make Sharingan transplants more viable, potentially allowing Sunagakure to artificially create its own Uchiha-like warriors.

Meanwhile, Hanabira had shown remarkable medical talent. In just a month, she was already assisting Chiyo with her work. Seeing how happy Hanabira looked, it was clear she had grown comfortable working with Chiyo. When she called her "Granny Chiyo", there was even a hint of playfulness in her tone. It seemed she had realized that beneath Chiyo's sharp tongue was a soft heart.

After leaving Chiyo, Rasa made his way to the orphanage. The moment he stepped in, he saw Karura, Nonō, and five female Sunagakure Chūnin, along with several ordinary caretakers, all running around busily. These five female Chūnins had been specially promoted to help manage the orphanage.

Strictly speaking, such a role didn't necessarily require ninja, but this was a political move—it gave Karura a trusted team of subordinates.

Despite only one month passing, the orphanage had transformed from an empty building into a lively home. The number of children had skyrocketed from a dozen to over a hundred.

This was proof of how chaotic the outside world had become compared to the relative stability within Sunagakure.

Seeing the Kazekage arrive, everyone was a bit nervous. Everyone except Karura, who was visibly delighted.

"How come you are here?"

"I came to see the kids… and you."

Karura's heart swelled with happiness, her bright smile impossible to hide. But she still pretended to be nonchalant.

"Then take a look at the kids. I have work to do!"

"Alright."

Rasa, emulating Hiruzen Sarutobi, adopted a gentle demeanor and spent some time playing with the orphans. The children were shocked and overjoyed, their eyes full of admiration and awe as they gazed at him. However, before long, Baki suddenly arrived at the orphanage, bringing urgent news.

Rasa's eyes narrowed slightly.

"I'll be going now. I'll be home tonight."

"Mm!"

Hearing that, Karura blushed slightly, as if something had come to mind.

Back at the Kazekage's Office, his assistant Sēramu was already waiting for him. But she wasn't alone.

Standing before Rasa was a large, muscular man wearing a Kirigakure forehead protector. He had long, waist-length orange hair, a massively obese frame, sharp shark-like teeth, and green face paint.

Strapped to his back was a massive sword wrapped in bandages.

As soon as Rasa arrived, the man bowed respectfully.

"I am Fuguki Suikazan, leader of Kirigakure's Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. It is an honor to meet you, Kazekage-sama!"