Chapter 392: Blaze Release Kekkei Genkai
After all the financial matters were settled, the meeting began its next agenda item in a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere.
Ishiro proposed that they take advantage of Kirigakure's current goodwill towards Iwagakure to quickly deepen the connection between the two villages, for example, by holding another joint Chunin Exam.
This was quickly approved. The ninja world had just gone through a wave of turmoil, and Iwagakure holding a joint Chunin Exam could also calm the hearts of its own people and the people of other hidden villages. It would announce to the entire ninja world that they did not want war to break out, that they were lovers of peace.
Next, Ishiro said, "In this incident, the ninja who provided the intelligence on the Konoha army's movements was very important. Give him an S-rank mission record."
No one cared about this. Compared to such a considerable income, the reward for one S-rank mission was nothing.
Ishiro then said, "After this incident, our relationship with some of the surrounding countries and hidden villages has undergone some subtle changes. This is worth analyzing."
"First is Sunagakure. Our relationship with them has always been complex. We have cooperated many times since the beginning of the Third War. Afterwards, for the sake of shaping our Land of Earth's international status, we have deliberately and repeatedly emphasized our alliance with them."
"Although there are outsiders who know the inside story, most people still see Suna as our semi-little brother."
"But Rasa has actually been trying to break free from our influence for a long time. Because of the incident with Pakura, he was used by us and had no choice but to cooperate with us on the surface."
"This time, it was also good luck that Suna did not go to war with the Akatsuki, but instead targeted Konoha together. So, for the time being, the outside world will not be too suspicious of our alliance."
"But it may not be the same next time. I think Rasa is probably already impatient to cut ties with us, just lacking an opportunity. So we have to be mentally prepared. Perhaps tomorrow, the entire ninja world will know that Suna has turned against Iwa."
"Fortunately, there is also good news. The addition of Kirigakure can replace Suna's role. For a short time, the Mist will not be too resentful of us being above them."
"At the very least, at present, only we know that both of Kirigakure's Tailed Beasts are in their revival period. The Mist certainly does not want to expose this matter yet."
"So, in terms of diplomacy, our future goal is: to vigorously manage our relationship with the Mist. While Suna has not yet completely broken away from us, we must hurry up and do more publicity and obtain more invisible benefits."
"For example, the small countries around us. I think it's time to send a large number of ninja to help them suppress bandits."
"This point in time is the peak of our Iwagakure's international status. Afterwards, with Suna's independence, our status will definitely decline. So I suggest we take down the surrounding small countries now."
Ishiro had said so much. At first, everyone was in a fog, but in the end, they understood what he meant. He was going to expand?
Everyone looked at each other. Of course, expansion was a good thing, but was this step a bit too big?
Saka swallowed. "Ishiro, you want to bring in all the surrounding small countries?"
Ishiro shook his head. "I'm not stupid. Doing so would only arouse the unanimous hostility of the other great powers. My meaning is, first, put on a show of a big move to attract everyone's attention, then quickly pull back. In the end, we will only choose one or two small countries for expansion."
"Phew~" A collective sigh of relief went through the office. Ikura asked, "Do you have a target?"
Ishiro smiled. "I do." He then took out a map and pointed to a certain location.
Everyone stretched their necks to look.
"The Land of Demons?" Megumi subconsciously read out the place Ishiro was pointing to.
Ikura thought for a moment. "Setting aside the truly small countries, among the medium-sized ones, the geographical location of the Land of Demons is indeed the most suitable."
"The other countries either directly border the Land of Fire or the Land of Wind. Only this Land of Demons is separated from the Land of Wind by the Land of Bears. Although annexing the Land of Demons will arouse the vigilance of the Land of Wind, it is still within a controllable range."
Bella also nodded in agreement. "That's true. And the people of the Land of Demons are simple, and they don't have a hidden village. It will be simple to handle."
But Ishiro shook his head. "The Land of Demons is not simple. Every generation of its Priestess has the mission of sealing a demon named Mōryō. So, to take the Land of Demons, we must help them get rid of Mōryō."
"But, to look at it another way, if we can help the Priestess break free from her curse-like entanglement with Mōryō, it will be much easier to annex the Land of Demons."
Saka nodded. "That's true. The Land of Demons has no Daimyo; the Priestess is equivalent to the Daimyo. The country has no hidden village; the Priestess's guards are equivalent to the ninja."
"The Priestess holds the dual duties of Daimyo and hidden village leader. As long as the Priestess agrees, there will be no internal obstacles to annexing the Land of Demons."
After speaking, Saka looked at Ishiro. "Ishiro, do you have a plan?"
Ishiro shook his head. "First, send people to make contact with the current Priestess of the Land of Demons. Let's see her attitude before we decide."
Kitsuchi and the others looked at each other, all grumbling inwardly: "From your commanding presence just now, we thought you already had a complete plan. Turns out you have no idea at all and were just talking big?"
"If you weren't the Tsuchikage, we'd all be scolding you to your face."
However, making contact with the Priestess of the Land of Demons was not a big deal. It was easy, so no one objected.
In the end, Ishiro assigned the mission of contacting the Priestess to Megumi. As the Tsuchikage's disciple and an advisor of Iwagakure, her status was equivalent to the Priestess's. And she was a woman, so it would be more convenient for the two of them to communicate.
After the meeting, Ishiro kept Megumi behind, gave her some instructions, and then let her leave with a strange expression on her face.
Ishiro had originally wanted to go himself, but at this time, the most important thing for him was to complete the development of Blaze Release. In his original plan, after returning from the Land of Snow branch with Sōkai, Chiga, and Ayumi, he was going to start developing it. Who would have thought that the incident in the Land of Rain would happen midway, so it was delayed for some days.
Now, Ishiro had no reason to delay any longer.
He handed his three disciples over to Ikura's care and began the fusion of the wind and fire natures.
This fusion was much simpler than the previous two times. First, Ishiro was familiar with the process. Second, there were the detailed materials and insights left by the pioneer, Ogura Saki. Third, the current Ishiro's chakra control ability was top-tier in the entire ninja world.
The whole process seemed to be a matter of course. The only trouble Ishiro encountered was the numb and itchy feeling during the process of his body's transformation.
A month later, Ishiro, who had been in seclusion at home without leaving, finally finished the development of Blaze Release.
The process was simple. Almost all the unexpected situations that arose had been considered by Ishiro and Ogura Saki.
"Master Ishiro, congratulations. You have finally completed the development of the Blaze Release Kekkei Genkai," the speaker was Ogura Saki.
While Ishiro was in seclusion, as the pioneer of the Blaze Release, Saki had been responsible for monitoring him and recording his condition.
"Phew~" Ishiro was a bit tired. Although his body and spirit were much stronger than before, the process of developing a Kekkei Genkai was still not pleasant.
"Ogura Saki, thank you. Otherwise, it would have been impossible for me to master Blaze Release so quickly."
Saki smiled faintly and didn't respond. She felt that she was the one who should be saying thank you. Without her, Ishiro would have been able to reach this step with a little more time. But without Ishiro, she would certainly have had no chance with Blaze Release, or even with becoming an elite jonin or a jonin.
But Saki didn't say any words of thanks. What needed to be said had been said long ago. The rest was to be kept in her heart.
She stood up, took a stack of documents, and handed them to Ishiro. "Master Ishiro, these are the documents that Lord Ikura asked me to give you. He said that they have handled everything that needs to be handled. These are the things you need to be aware of."
Ishiro nodded. He had ordered this before his seclusion. The decision-making power for all matters of the village, big and small, was to be handed over to the advisory council. They only needed to inform him after his training was over.
While flipping through the documents, Ishiro asked, "Saki, how is Shinya's Sage Art training?"
Ogura Saki and Shinya Matsutani were from the same cohort. Saki knew about Shinya's return to the village to practice Sage Art, and the two were in contact, so Ishiro directly asked her for information.
Saki smiled. "Shinya's Sage Art training is very fast. His affinity with natural energy is very high. Lord Ikura judges that it won't be long before he can try to enter the most initial stage of Sage Mode."
Ishiro was startled and blurted out, "So fast?"
Although he had long expected Shinya's talent to be high, it had only been a little over a month. How had he already mastered the basics?
Saki added, "There's one more thing. Little sister Kanako came looking for you. She seems to have become an elite jonin."
Ishiro was pleased. "Has her Paper Release taken another step forward?"
Ishiro had high expectations for Kanako. He had seen Konan's extravagance in the original story. If Kanako could also do it—no, even if she only had one percent or even one-thousandth of Konan's ability, Iwagakure would be rich.
Saki shook her head. "I don't know the specifics. She didn't mention it, and I didn't ask."
Ishiro nodded, thinking: "I need to find a chance to properly understand Kanako's training progress. But I didn't expect that among the six members of the third and fourth squads, it would be Kanako who was the first to become an elite jonin."
Kanako's talent should have been the worst of the six. No, this girl had no talent at all. She was just interested in origami.
However, Kanako's progress could very well be the progress of the entire village of Iwagakure, so even if it was just in his capacity as Tsuchikage, he had to go and see.
Seeing that Ishiro was fine now, Saki asked, "Master Ishiro, are you planning to train in Blaze Release ninjutsu?"
Ishiro shook his head. He had not developed Blaze Release to improve his combat effectiveness or enrich his fighting methods. So, Blaze Release ninjutsu was useless to him.
(End of Chapter)
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