Five minutes later.
"Ow... Sensei, can you not hit me on the head..."
"If you keep this up, I won't grow tall..."
"And why does it hurt so much..."
Yugito had a huge lump on her head, tears welling up in her eyes as she looked at Gekko Chizan, her gaze filled with dissatisfaction.
At the side, Tagitsuhime had already returned to her human form. She floated in the air, eating snakeberries with a smile, completely at ease.
"Little Yugito, you're still so young. You just started training and you're already thinking of challenging that Chizan boy."
"You're far too green. I know that kid's deeds inside and out."
"He faced the son of the Raikage of Kirigakure head-on—A. And just now, I received word that this brat actually suppressed Sunagakure's new Kazekage, Rasa, on the battlefield."
"Tsk tsk, that's definitely Kage-level strength."
Hearing this, Gekko Chizan was slightly startled. He hadn't expected the news to spread so quickly.
He had only just left the battlefield in the Land of Rivers—how had Urokohane already spread the word?
Seeing Chizan's slightly surprised expression, Tagitsuhime laughed heartily.
"Are you thinking Urokohane is especially steady and reliable?"
"I'll tell you, you've been fooled. Urokohane, she's notorious for being a big mouth."
"Any news she learns spreads through Ryūchi Cave in no time at all."
"For example, when Manda adds more wives to his den, she's always the first to know."
Gekko Chizan: ...What the hell, that counts too???
Urokohane: Shh! No, I'm not! Don't slander me!
"What? The Raikage's son, A? He's an elite jōnin, and even a candidate for Raikage. His strength is already Kage-level."
"Sensei, you're really that strong?"
"As for Rasa, I've never heard of him. Wasn't the Third Kazekage someone named Zaimon?"
Yugito rubbed her head, eyes filled with admiration for the strong.
"Haneda Zaimon, he was pretty powerful. His Magnet Release: Iron Sand was said to be the strongest among all Kazekage."
"Unfortunately, even such a talent ended up dead."
Chizan couldn't help recalling that desert battle back then. If he hadn't first poisoned Haneda Zaimon, victory wouldn't have come so easily.
"Dead? I heard he just disappeared."
Tagitsuhime suddenly looked doubtful. Ryūchi Cave's intelligence about the ninja world was extremely sharp. They knew more or less everything, big or small.
The Third Kazekage, Haneda Zaimon, should have been listed as missing.
"Hmph, missing? How could someone that powerful just go missing? He's dead."
"I personally sent him to heaven with a Tailed Beast Bomb."
Chizan crossed his arms, a faint pride showing on his face. After all, taking down a Kage was no small honor.
Though nowadays, he didn't fear ordinary Kage anyway. As a perfect Jinchūriki, that was his true capital.
But this bold revelation left Tagitsuhime and Yugito stunned, shocked inside and out.
He killed the Third Kazekage? Heaven help them.
Yugito: So cool! That was the one called the strongest Kazekage, Haneda Zaimon, and he was taken down just like that?
Tagitsuhime: This brat keeps getting more mysterious. He actually killed Sunagakure's Third Kazekage... What other secrets is he hiding?
"There's no need to be so shocked. That was a small matter."
"But this time, I came back to take you out to relax a bit, Yugito."
"Training needs balance. Come on, I found a place that's perfect for you to train."
"Staying here forever isn't good. Let's return to the mainland for a bit."
The moment she heard this, Yugito perked up. Though she liked training, staying in one place for too long was exhausting.
"Where is it? Is it fun?"
"The Land of Birds. Ever heard of it?"
The Land of Birds? What kind of place is that?
Seeing Yugito's confused expression, Chizan chuckled.
"The Land of Birds is a peaceful country, located between the Land of Wind and the Land of Earth. It's perfect for your recovery and training there."
"And this country may one day face disaster. When that happens, I'll take you to lend a hand. Afterward, the Land of Birds may become our second territory."
That was exactly Chizan's plan. The Land of Birds would eventually undergo major upheaval.
Not only would the current daimyō die, but even the successor would perish.
They would have to rely on the strength of Konoha's shinobi. But if he laid out his plans in advance, eliminating all threats to the Land of Birds, then moving in would be the natural next step...
Such a prosperous land as a base... heh heh...
No one ever complains about having too much wealth.
"What? Disaster? Chizan boy, don't tell me you're like those toads, making prophecies?"
"Are you really a successor of Ryūchi Cave? Why do you look more and more like one of those toad shamans?"
As one of the Snake Princesses of Ryūchi Cave, Tagitsuhime knew all too well about the toads of Mount Myōboku. The most powerful, Gamamaru, had led the toads with his prophecy ability.
She found it utterly ridiculous and despised them deeply.
"Prophecy? No, I call this foresight, that's all."
"Let's go. I'll take you both to the Land of Birds."
The Tailed Beast Cloak surged again, five tails sprouting behind him. Chōmei was pulling his weight. After just a short rest, its chakra was fully recovered.
After all, a Tailed Beast Cloak was still a Tailed Beast Cloak. The chakra of a single tail was nothing for a beast with seven.
In its own words: I'm the Seven-Tails! Only one less than the Eight-Tails, only two less than the Nine-Tails!
In terms of chakra reserves, I'm third place!!!
...
Returning to the Land of Birds, Tagitsuhime once again transformed into a small red snake and coiled around Yugito's arm.
Her eyes widened slightly in surprise as she looked at the lakeside in the distance.
"A lakeside? It's actually quite pretty."
"Chizan boy, you've outdone yourself, finding such a secluded and peaceful country."
Chizan smiled faintly. Even under the night sky, with his Insect Eyes and Tagitsuhime's night vision, they could see the lakeside clearly in the distance.
Only Yugito stamped her foot in frustration at the total darkness.
"Why am I the only one who can't see it? I want to see too!"
"Tomorrow. What's the point of looking at a lake in the middle of the night?"
Yugito: ...Sensei, has anyone ever told you you're really stingy...
Back at the inn, Chizan arranged a room just for Yugito, telling her to rest well.
He too went to bed. After all, he was exhausted these past few days.
Mainly from beating Shukaku to a pulp.
He wondered what had happened to that beast by now.
Was it buried under the desert sands again?
Shukaku: I f****** hate you!!!