Off the southeastern coast of the Land of Fire.
Neither continental drift, tectonic movement, nor volcanic activity had ever lifted this unnamed island from the horizon. Yet, at this moment, it seemed to leap violently into the air before slamming back down.
The intense sound of the explosion was muffled beneath the earth's surface, but bursts of fire erupted from every natural and man-made crevice. Vegetation closest to the epicenter was instantly carbonized by the extreme heat, then pulverized by the shockwaves sweeping across the land.
Trees further away were invariably ignited.
In the blink of an eye, the tranquil island transformed into a smoldering, sulfurous peak, spewing thick smoke. The acrid smell drifted out over the vast, empty sea... Ignoring the intense chakra reaction just moments before, anyone witnessing this scene would assume a volcanic eruption had occurred.
"Ahem... This environmental pollution is a bit much. Isn't chakra supposed to be a clean energy source?" About fifteen minutes later, Habara finally returned to the surface, covering his nose and mouth. Seeing the billowing smoke, he couldn't help but mutter this complaint.
Chakra could indeed be considered "clean energy," but the issue was that the underground wasn't just geological structures; it concealed a massive artificial facility. The Sky Ninja had accumulated their belongings over many years. After setting it all ablaze, demanding it not produce smoke was rather unreasonable.
Considering the various experimental equipment, weapons factories, living facilities, and so on underground, Habara had essentially detonated a Tailed Beast Bomb inside a chemical plant, allowing it to burn incompletely beneath the surface. The result was predictable: the smoke rising from the island was as black as pitch.
Habara surveyed the scene, having no intention whatsoever of extinguishing the flames. Furthermore, considering the consequences of arson on a mountain forest, he immediately chose to flee the crime scene swiftly.
He had already secured the valuable data. As for the meaningless obsessions and lingering enmity left behind... one could only say that Habara, ever the kind soul, had bestowed upon them a precious gift capable of healing all wounds, a gift named "Transcendence."
Suffice it to say, although the island was currently black and smoking, it still couldn't compare to the blackness within some people's hearts.
The so-called artificial Tailed Beast was, ultimately, just a counterfeit product. It stood no chance against a genuine Tailed Beast. More importantly, this particular artificial beast was likely still in its early stages of development, lacking extensive iteration and refinement. Consequently, its self-repair capabilities and overall energy density were very limited. Facing Habara, it was like a son confronting his father.
Regrettably, even if the artificial Tailed Beast were fully developed, it would likely only possess enhanced self-repair abilities. Or, put more bluntly, the ultimate version might be incredibly resilient, perhaps regenerating even if cut into eight pieces like an earthworm. However, once killed, it would stay dead.
The ability to die and resurrect, retaining all original power upon revival, seemed to be a unique characteristic exclusive to the Tailed Beasts. Other chakra-based life forms clearly couldn't achieve such an outrageous feat. The artificial Tailed Beast merely mimicked the form, not the essence... The "original" Tailed Beasts were so special likely due to their connection to either the Sage of Six Paths or their "original body," the Ten-Tails.
In short, even among chakra creatures, "bloodline" mattered. Pure-blooded Tailed Beasts were supreme. It seemed all research attempting to replicate the Tailed Beasts' immortality had failed.
Habara's own situation, usurping the Nine-Tails' position, was an anomaly. Sadly, he was now afflicted by the curse of immortality and would, sooner or later, become truly undying, perhaps even manifesting a "Curse Ring" on his body. An endless expanse of time... the very thought was terrifying.
As a true animal welfare advocate, Habara chose to bear this burden for the Nine-Tails... Hmm, wait, he couldn't quite take it all, could he? The original Nine-Tails still existed.
Anyway, his heart was in the right place. Or at least, it was both black and in the right place.
In conclusion, though it might sound villainous, Habara had quite easily extinguished a flickering flame of resistance on this trip. It couldn't be helped. Given his current strength, if he couldn't effortlessly handle a novice-zone mini-boss like this, then something would be seriously wrong. After all, the enemies he'd face soon would be at least Nagato-level.
Habara returned to Shadow Leaf with his spoils. He handed over a portion of the data to Kushina Uzumaki for organization and research, aiming to further explore its feasibility. Naturally, all this would take time.
He hadn't forgotten his promise before leaving the city. After arranging matters on his end, he paid a visit that evening to the key figures of the Land of Fire Government: Kujo, Miyano, and Shimizuya.
And then he heard the topic that made him involuntarily suck in a sharp breath.
He remained silent for a long moment, looking from one man to the next, thinking, What does this have to do with me? Of course, the matter was extremely important, but why involve him? It seemed excessively troublesome.
After pondering for a while, Habara finally spoke, "Gentlemen, I understand your concerns. However, you cannot judge this situation using mundane perspectives and common sense. Ordinary women bear children typically between their late teens and early thirties, but Lady Hokage..."
The mental image was difficult, making it hard for Habara to describe verbally. He mentally reorganized his thoughts, trying to force some wrinkles onto a brain smoothed over by the shock of the topic, then continued, "In short, the current State Lord is exceptionally skilled in health preservation. You are aware of her medical prowess. Frankly, if she put in a little effort, living to be a hundred would be no problem at all. You needn't worry so urgently about the matter of a successor... Planning for a rainy day doesn't mean planning half a century in advance, does it?"
Unexpectedly, the old men seemed to misunderstand Habara's point slightly. After murmuring amongst themselves, old Kujo spoke up, "We certainly don't doubt Lady Tsunade's longevity, but... can she still manage it at sixty?"
Habara: "..."
Why are you asking me? How the hell should I know? I'm not even human anymore! Why must I endure this mental persecution?
He pinched the bridge of his nose, then decided to reset the conversation. "Let's take a step back and redefine some basic concepts... For instance, what constitutes a 'child'? What constitutes a 'successor'?"
His question left the other three men staring at each other, genuinely baffled.
"Alright, you don't understand... Let me explain further. To maintain the stability of the Land of Fire and the current Government-Konoha system, you need a successor to the current State Lord. This successor must possess physical characteristics consistent with and continuing from Lady Tsunade, have an inherited bloodline, preferably direct lineage, and ideally, possess abilities and intelligence levels comparable to Lady Tsunade's – essentially, a human child, regardless of gender. Correct?"
His rapid-fire explanation nearly overloaded the old men's circuits. They processed it carefully in their minds, seeming to grasp the gist but not entirely. When Habara met their gazes, they nodded almost instinctively.
"Alright then," Habara declared. "That's not difficult. Leave it to me. Sooner or later, you will hear good news."
"Sooner... or later?"
It seemed Habara had indeed said "handled," but was it completely handled? What did "sooner or later" mean?
Getting Tsunade to bear a child naturally was incredibly difficult. However, if the topic shifted to artificial humans and cloning, then possibilities emerged. In terms of medical biotechnology, there was no reason Tsunade couldn't achieve what Orochimaru could, provided she dedicated herself to the research.
Such technology might raise ethical questions, but if used to solve another, potentially worse ethical dilemma (like a succession crisis destabilizing the nation), the justification could be quite compelling.
Taken to its extreme, it was merely creating another version of oneself to handle work, shifts, overtime...
This wasn't about creating clones; it was about creating joy through ingenuity.
This approach seemed the most likely to succeed. As for other methods... Never mind that arranging Tsunade's marriage was tantamount to arranging one's own funeral. Even if they managed to find a suitable husband for the formidable woman and produced an heir, wouldn't they then have to worry about the "consort interfering in politics"?
Wouldn't the best solution then be to find her a husband, have her bear a child, and then, to avoid political complications, eliminate the husband immediately after the successor was secured...? Hmm, perhaps that crossed the line into truly reprehensible territory.
If Tsunade's DNA alone could solve the problem, it was best not to involve others. Life is precious, after all.
Having clarified the issue in his own mind, Habara wasn't eager to submit a "feasibility report" just yet. Why invite trouble upon himself? It was best to wait until Tsunade felt the pressure and atmosphere build, then propose the solution. There was no rush. As Habara had said, Tsunade had plenty of time, didn't she?
Quickly moving past that topic, since he was already here and rarely had the chance to converse with these figures, Habara brought up another matter. "Gentlemen, I hear that negotiations regarding Konoha's military budget have stalled with the Government?"
Hearing this topic, the three men immediately sat up straighter, adopting formal, businesslike demeanors, completely shedding their previous collaborative air.
"Jonin Habara, such matters cannot be resolved quickly, and there's truly no need for you to involve yourself in these entanglements, is there?" Kujo replied smoothly.
Habara chuckled. "For the new Hokage, increasing Konoha's budget is a necessity. I believe you understand the reasons clearly, and there's no need for a layman like me to lecture experts like yourselves."
Seeing someone about to retort again, he held up a hand, signaling them to let him finish. "Fundamentally, you are merely concerned that Konoha's expanding power will disrupt the balance between the government and the military. But this is something that can be exchanged."
"Exchanged? How?" Miyano asked, intrigued.
"Agree to increase Konoha's budget. In return, the Government can establish its own armed force to achieve balance with Konoha... Naturally, this armed force would also fall under Lady Tsunade's ultimate command, the difference being that Konoha is under the Hokage's control, while the new force would be under the State Lord's control."
It sounded like semantics, since Tsunade held both titles, but in practice, the structure would be significantly different.
Kujo's eyes flickered with interest, but he quickly frowned. "No matter how many troops we establish, we could never balance Konoha's power. The current Land of Fire Guard system already has numerous armed soldiers, but how can ordinary people compare to ninja?"
Habara revealed a mysterious smile. He then produced a blueprint, spreading it on the table before the three men. "Success isn't just about innate ability, but about making good use of tools... It all depends on human effort, gentlemen."
"This is..."
"A type of flight device, technology left behind decades ago by a group called the Sky Ninja. I believe you've also heard of Konoha's chakra transmission network? By installing chakra receivers on these flight devices, the Land of Fire's soldiers could become a flying legion... A flying legion. I trust you understand the implications. It also means ordinary people can wield chakra, albeit borrowed chakra."
Perhaps genuinely envisioning a flying legion, the officials' eyes lit up, practically drooling.
Seeing them take the bait, Habara added more incentive. "If you're concerned about chakra supply being controlled by Konoha, there's another technology we can integrate... the battery technology used by the Land of Iron's samurai. This isn't just about chakra; it would allow the Land of Fire's guards to directly wield Lightning Release."
"Imagine it: Chakra-Electric Hybrid powered flying troops! This is the technological trend of the modern world. A core armed force for the Land of Fire, separate from Konoha – isn't that something worth looking forward to? The price is merely increasing Konoha's budget by a tiny bit. It's a completely reasonable request."
After outlining the benefits, Habara began to subtly retract. "If the new Hokage didn't need to demonstrate tangible benefits to Konoha, concessions regarding military strength wouldn't be made so easily... Flying guards wielding Lightning Release might not necessarily lose to ninja."
Alright, that wasn't entirely bluster. After all, Land of Iron samurai could hold their own against average ninja, and their leader could even clash with the "demigod" Hanzo of the Salamander.
However, claiming this technology could truly balance Konoha's power was stretching the truth. Setting aside issues of quantity and average skill, while this new force relied on technology, Konoha's ninja were already beginning to receive performance-enhancing boosters on a large scale.
"Is this truly feasible?" Shimizuya asked, his voice laced with excitement.
"Of course," Habara confirmed.
"Can we obtain the Land of Iron's technology?"
"Yes."
"Then... what number of new guards would Konoha permit?" Kujo pressed.
Habara was actually happy to increase the Land of Fire's auxiliary military strength. Relying solely on ninja wasn't healthy. Besides, any new force created would inevitably remain under control; there were countless ways to ensure that.
So, he replied, "The new model will undoubtedly bring a qualitative leap to the Government's direct military forces. However, restructuring must proceed step-by-step. Training personnel cannot happen overnight, equipment must be manufactured piece by piece, and the preparations required are immense. Consider how much humanity yearns for the sky, yet how much acrophobia arises once they actually reach it. Therefore, considering everything, the initial authorized number for the new legion cannot be too large..."
Hearing Habara hedge like this, the officials, accustomed to speculation and negotiation, were already preparing to reject his terms. Without scale, it was meaningless. What good was a "flying legion" of only two or three hundred? To perform parachute demonstrations for the State Lord?
Then they heard Habara say: "...I believe ten thousand would be a relatively suitable number."
Zing! The old men shot up from their chairs as if high-thrust rockets had been ignited beneath them.
Habara chuckled inwardly. Ten thousand sounds impressive. Setting aside the resources and time needed to build ten thousand flight units, training ten thousand "flying samurai" would undoubtedly take years. The training difficulty might not rival fighter pilots, but it would be at least comparable to powered paraglider pilots. Let them train.
So, the proposed scale seemed large, but achieving it would certainly be a slow process.