101-105

Chapter 101: I Am Orochimaru’s Master  

Kazama wanted to check if Sasuke, who had been hit with Izanagi, had successfully awakened. If Sasuke could snap out of it on his own, it’d mean he’d finally untangled the obsession knotting his heart. But, to Kazama’s surprise, Sasuke was still trapped in the endless loop of Izanami. 

“This guy Sasuke! Looks like the knot in his heart isn’t so easy to undo. Fine, stay stuck here then!” Kazama sighed helplessly, then slipped out of Konoha without a sound, heading straight for Otogakure. 

Since he’d already tamed Orochimaru, Otogakure was basically his turf now. With no recent news about the Tailed Beasts, Kazama figured he’d swing by to check out his new domain. But what he didn’t expect was that the moment he stepped into Otogakure, a gang of rough-looking thugs surrounded him. 

“Hey, kid! What’s your business in Otogakure?” Their faces screamed trouble, and Kazama could tell they’d pegged him as an enemy. 

“I’m here to see Orochimaru. I—” 

“Punk! How dare you speak Orochimaru-sama’s name so casually!” Before Kazama could finish, the thugs charged at him. 

“Guess this is Orochimaru’s Otogakure, huh? The locals sure are fierce,” Kazama said with a cold smirk. He didn’t bother fighting back, just let them come at him. With his absolute defense, their attacks were about as effective as a breeze. 

“Haha, what’s wrong, kid? Scared stiff? Forgot how to run?” The thugs thought they had him, but to their shock, every single attack was blocked by Kazama’s body alone. Seeing his insane defense, the gang stood there, jaws on the ground. 

“Let me say it again. I’m here for Orochimaru. Since you’re his underlings, go fetch him. Now,” Kazama said calmly. 

“Quit yapping! Like Orochimaru-sama would waste his time on a nobody like you!” 

“Yeah, kid, don’t think your tough skin makes you untouchable! Fūma Zan!” One guy, looking like the leader, swung his weapon at Kazama again. But before he got close, a bone spike sent him sprawling, and a massive cleaver—Kubikiribōchō—rested against his neck. 

“Filth! You dare raise a hand against Kazama-sama? Tired of living, huh?” Out of nowhere, Kimimaro, Zabuza, and others appeared, surrounding the thugs. 

“Kazama? True Kazama?!” Hearing Kimimaro and Zabuza, the thugs started shaking like leaves. As Orochimaru’s lackeys in Otogakure, how could they not know Kazama’s name? The guy was Orochimaru’s master! 

“We’re late, Kazama-sama. Please punish us!” Orochimaru himself rushed over, bowing low. Seeing Orochimaru kowtow to Kazama, the thugs didn’t dare stay on their feet. They dropped to their knees, trembling, too scared to even look up. 

“You idiots! How dare you attack Kazama-sama!” Orochimaru hissed, ready to unleash Sen’eijashu to wipe them all out. The thugs, bawling with snot and tears, started begging Kazama for mercy. 

“Kazama-sama, please spare us! We were blind, thinking you were Orochimaru-sama’s enemy. That’s why we attacked!” 

“Please, give us a chance! Spare us, and we’ll climb mountains of blades or dive into seas of fire for you!” 

“Orochimaru, enough,” Kazama said, waving a hand to stop him. 

Chapter 102: I Can Help You Speed Up Your Training 

He naturally knew these people hadn’t acted out of malice earlier. After all, they’d never seen him before. Mistaking him for an enemy was understandable. 

“Hurry up and thank Kazama-sama!”   

“Thank you, Kazama-sama! Thank you so much!”   

After the crowd dispersed, Orochimaru immediately approached Kazama with a fawning smile.   

“Kazama-sama, you’re truly kind-hearted! Rest assured, starting today, I’ll have your portrait spread throughout Oto no Kuni. That way, no one will mistake you for an enemy again.”   

“Have you looked into the backgrounds of those who attacked me earlier?” Kazama asked. “I know Oto no Kuni is short on manpower, but we can’t just recruit thugs and riffraff.”   

“Don’t worry, Kazama-sama,” Orochimaru replied. “Those people have no major crimes to their names. They’re just wandering samurai from the nearby areas. I was concerned that Akatsuki might send someone after me, so I gave them strict orders to kill any strangers on sight.”   

“You should change that order as soon as possible,” Kazama said. “Otherwise, anyone willing to join Oto no Kuni will be scared off. Follow Konoha’s guard protocols instead—verify identities first, then decide whether to let strangers enter the village.”   

“Understood!”   

“And one more thing, Orochimaru,” Kazama added. “This Oto no Kuni of yours is way too rundown!”   

Looking at the chaotic, sparsely populated village before him, Kazama felt a pang of disappointment. This was far from the grand ninja villages like Konoha or Kumo that he’d imagined.   

“Uh, about that…” Orochimaru scratched his head awkwardly at Kazama’s comment.   

“I originally planned for this place to just be a hideout, so I didn’t put much effort into it. If you want to turn it into a super ninja village like Konoha, it’ll take time. And money—lots of it. Building a village, recruiting people, everything requires funds!”   

“Orochimaru!” Kazama chuckled, seeing Orochimaru play the poor card. “You’re one of the Sannin, for crying out loud. Don’t tell me you’re broke!”   

“I won’t lie to you, Kazama-sama,” Orochimaru said sheepishly. “I do have some savings, but they’ve all gone into my experiments, so…”   

Kazama shook his head in exasperation.   

“Zabuza!”   

“Here, sir!”   

“Didn’t I tell you to split Kado’s money from Nami no Kuni? Half for the people of Nami no Kuni, half for our reserves. How much is left?”   

“Not a single ryō has been touched,” Zabuza replied. “But as Orochimaru-sama mentioned, that amount is a drop in the bucket. It’s nowhere near enough for village construction.”   

“Exactly!” Orochimaru jumped in. “Building houses and walls is easy—just find some ninja with Doton skills. But to expand our ranks, we need serious money to attract wandering ninja. Oto no Kuni has no reputation yet, so no one’s going to join us just for the name.”   

“Reputation? That’s easy!” Kazama said confidently. “I can make Oto no Kuni famous right now!”   

“Doton!”   

With a swift hand sign, Kazama used Doton to construct two towering structures.   

“What’s this?” Orochimaru and the others stared, utterly confused, unsure how this tied to building Oto no Kuni’s reputation.   

“There are many ways to attract wandering ninja,” Kazama explained. “Money is convenient, sure, but it risks drawing greedy types who won’t be reliable in the long run. However, if word spreads that joining Oto no Kuni can rapidly boost one’s strength, I guarantee this place will be bustling in no time!”   

As he spoke, Kazama infused a massive ball of Yurei no Honoo—a mystical flame—into the base of one of the towers.   

“This flame is called Yurei no Honoo, known as the ultimate training cheat,” he said. “Anyone near it will see their strength skyrocket.”   

“Really? That’s incredible!”   

Orochimaru and the others were stunned, their jaws dropping at Kazama’s words.   

Chapter 103: It Can Also Keep You From Going Berserk  

They had no idea there was a flame in this world that could skyrocket someone’s strength so fast. 

“Believe me or not, that’s up to you. Go inside and see for yourselves,” Kazama said. 

“Alright!” Orochimaru, Kimimaro, Zabuza, Haku, and the others perked up with curiosity. They scrambled to be the first to enter the Fallen Heart Flame Tower. 

After about the time it takes to sip a cup of tea, Orochimaru and the gang came out buzzing with excitement. Everyone couldn’t stop raving about the Fallen Heart Flame Tower’s power. Especially Kimimaro and Haku, who were weaker compared to Orochimaru—they felt the boost from the Fallen Heart Flame even more. 

“Kazama-sama, this Fallen Heart Flame is unreal! We were in there for just a short bit, and I already feel a clear jump in my strength!” Kimimaro said, eyes wide. 

“Yeah, if we stayed in there for a year or two, wouldn’t we all be Kage-level shinobi by then?” Haku added. 

Kazama grinned and nodded at Orochimaru, Zabuza, and the others’ excitement. “Once word gets out about this Fallen Heart Flame Tower, you think we’ll have trouble getting people to join Otogakure?” 

“Exactly! This tower’s a goldmine. People will come flocking and probably trample Otogakure flat trying to get in!” Zabuza laughed. 

“Haha, you bet!” The group burst into laughter. 

“Kazama-sama, the Fallen Heart Flame Tower speeds up training, but what’s the other tower for?” Orochimaru asked, pointing to the second structure. 

Kazama gave a faint smile and channeled his Seiryū Earth Heart Fire into the other tower. “This is the Seiryū Earth Heart Tower. It’s for calming your mind. Those who train with the Fallen Heart Flame can get so strong so fast they risk going berserk—zouka no ma. If you or anyone else shows signs of that, send them into the Seiryū Earth Heart Tower. It’ll fix the problem.” 

“Brilliant! Kazama-sama, you’ve thought of everything!” Orochimaru said, clearly impressed. 

“Plus, the Seiryū Earth Heart Tower helps you relax. If you’re stuck on a ninjutsu, hitting a wall, or just stressed out, come to this tower to clear your head,” Kazama added. 

“Amazing! So we can power up fast and avoid going berserk!” Haku said, practically bouncing. 

“Kazama-sama, you’re incredible!” Kimimaro chimed in. 

At this point, Orochimaru and the others were practically worshipping the ground Kazama walked on. 

“Here’s the plan,” Kazama continued. “Anyone who joins Otogakure willingly gets one free visit to both the Fallen Heart Flame Tower and the Seiryū Earth Heart Tower. After that, they’ll need to pay or complete missions for Otogakure to get in again. This way, we’ll grow our ranks and boost Otogakure’s funds.” 

“Smart, Kazama-sama! Don’t worry, I’ll make it happen and guard these towers with my life!” Orochimaru said, thumping his chest. After all, their training now depended on these towers. If outsiders tried to mess with them, Orochimaru and the others wouldn’t wait for Kazama’s orders—they’d fight to the death. 

“The flames in these towers should last about a year or so. After that, I’ll come back to infuse new ones,” Kazama said. 

“Thank you, Kazama-sama! You’re the best! With your help, Otogakure’s gonna surpass Konoha and even the Five Great Shinobi Nations!” Orochimaru declared. 

“Absolutely! Otogakure will be the top dog!” Haku added. 

The whole crew was grinning ear to ear, pumped for what lay ahead. 

Chapter 104: Hundreds of Mokuton Villas in a Single Move 

“Kazama-sama, since you’re already here, why not stay a few days in Oto no Kuni?”   

“Yeah! This is your turf, so don’t be a stranger!”   

Hearing the enthusiastic invitations from Orochimaru, Kimimaro, and the others, Kazama didn’t want to turn them down. But Oto no Kuni was just too rundown—calling it a complete mess would be generous.   

“Compared to my Sanada clan’s stronghold, this place is…”   

Kazama gave a wry smile as the thought crossed his mind.   

“Forget it. I’ve got things to do, so I won’t stick around.”   

Orochimaru, sharp as ever, instantly picked up on Kazama’s meaning.   

“Kazama-sama, I know the living conditions in Oto no Kuni are a bit rough, but we’re strapped for cash to hire craftsmen. There’s not much we can do.”   

At those words, a lightbulb went off in Kazama’s head. If he used Mokuton, building houses would be a piece of cake, wouldn’t it?   

He grinned and said, “No craftsmen, so you can’t build houses? Really?”   

“Of course!” Orochimaru replied, sounding helpless. “We’re ninja, not carpenters!”   

“Alright then, watch this. Mokuton: Renchūka!”   

As Kazama pressed his hands to the ground, hundreds of wooden houses sprouted across the empty expanse of Oto no Kuni.   

The interiors were identical to those built by skilled craftsmen—actually, even better than their work.   

That’s the beauty of mastering Mokuton: a brand-new home, anywhere, anytime.   

Sure, he couldn’t yet pull off grand techniques like Shin Sūsenju or Chōjō Kebutsu, but something as simple as Renchūka? No problem at all.   

“Holy—! This… this is…”   

Orochimaru and the others were floored, their jaws practically hitting the ground.   

Sure, Kazama had just slapped Orochimaru in the face with this display, but this was one face-slap Orochimaru was thrilled to take. He’d long been fed up with Oto no Kuni’s dilapidated state but had no way to fix it since he didn’t know Mokuton.   

Now, seeing Kazama whip up hundreds of houses in an instant, Orochimaru was so excited he nearly passed out.   

Who doesn’t love a shiny new home, after all?   

“Kazama-sama, you’re… you’re just…”   

The group was so overjoyed they could barely string words together.   

“Getting excited already? It’s too soon for that! Mokuton: Jukai Kōtan!”   

Kazama unleashed another Mokuton technique, channeling his chakra as a source of life.   

Hundreds of towering trees sprang up from the barren soil surrounding Oto no Kuni.   

What was once a dusty wasteland was now encircled by a lush forest.   

“Whoa!”   

As the group gasped in awe, Kazama kept going, weaving Doton and Suiton techniques.   

Rivers and waterfalls began to flow around the village, filling the air with the sweet scent of flowers and the sound of birdsong.   

Sure, everyone there could use Doton and Suiton, but using ninjutsu to transform an environment like this? That had never crossed their minds.   

And even if it had, they didn’t have the chakra reserves to pull it off.   

But for Kazama, with his seemingly infinite chakra, no feat was too grand.   

“Spread the word to every passerby,” Kazama said. “Anyone who willingly joins Oto no Kuni gets a brand-new house for free, plus one free session in the Yurei no Honoo Tower and the Seiren Chishin Tower. With an environment this beautiful, I refuse to believe no one will show up!”   

“Absolutely, Kazama-sama!” Orochimaru said with conviction. “I guarantee you, within a month, Oto no Kuni will be bursting at the seams!”   

He wasn’t exaggerating.   

Oto no Kuni’s environment now rivaled that of Konoha and other great ninja villages. Add in the Yurei no Honoo Tower to boost strength and the Seiren Chishin Tower to prevent training mishaps, plus free deluxe villas—who wouldn’t come running? If no one showed up, it’d be a miracle. 

Chapter 105: Mocked by a Bunch of Nobodies 

“Haha! That’s perfect!”   

“Now that Oto no Kuni’s environment is sorted, the next step is wealth. A ninja village without money and power won’t last long.”   

“So, what do we do?”   

“Power will come with time,” Kazama replied. “As for wealth, I’ve heard there are plenty of bandits around here robbing and pillaging. You can seize their stashes to fund Oto no Kuni. I don’t care if you extort, blackmail, or kidnap—just make sure it’s aimed at the worst of the worst, the truly irredeemable scum. But if you dare use these tactics on innocent civilians, you’re dead!”   

“Understood! We’ll never harm the innocent!”   

After Kazama’s warning, Orochimaru and the others swore on their lives to follow his orders.   

“And I’ll find other ways to bring in funds for Oto no Kuni. So, do your part!”   

“Kazama-sama, you can count on us! We won’t let you down!”   

After spending one night in Oto no Kuni, Kazama set off to return to Konoha.   

But before he could even enter the village, Shizune, who’d been sent to track him down, dragged him straight to Tsunade’s office.   

“Yo, Shizune-neesan, what’s the rush?”   

“You’ve got a home and you don’t come back—where’d you crash last night? Tsunade-sama has an important mission for you!”   

“What’s so urgent? I was hoping to catch a nap!”   

Kazama let out a helpless sigh.   

“What?! Protect the princess of Hi no Kuni?”   

When Tsunade revealed the mission, Kazama’s heart skipped a beat with excitement.   

This was perfect—he’d just been thinking about how to fund Oto no Kuni.   

Protecting the princess of Hi no Kuni? With the daimyo’s wealth, the reward was bound to be massive.   

A grin spread across Kazama’s face.   

“Tsunade-sama, how much is the reward for this one?”   

“What’s with you?” Tsunade raised an eyebrow. “You’re usually not this hung up on rewards.”   

She was puzzled. Kazama, part of the Sanada clan—Konoha’s richest family—had never cared about money before. As a second-generation rich kid, he wasn’t exactly strapped for cash.   

“Well, I wanna test my earning skills,” Kazama said. “The Sanada clan’s a merchant family, after all!”   

Oto no Kuni was his personal operation, so using his family’s wealth to support it felt a bit off.   

“Alright, I’m not sure if you’re being straight with me, kid,” Tsunade said. “But this mission will definitely meet your expectations. The reward is dozens of times higher than an S-rank mission, and that’s before the daimyo’s personal bonus. You’ll be rolling in it by the end!”   

“Well, in that case, thanks for the hookup, Tsunade-sama! I’m in!”   

It turned out the princess of Hi no Kuni had recently been attacked by bandits. These weren’t your average thugs—their strength was unusually high, and the princess’s guard team had suffered heavy losses.   

That’s why the daimyo had requested Konoha to send ninja to protect the princess and eliminate the bandits.   

“Hold on a sec!”   

Tsunade called out to Kazama as he was about to leave for the mission.   

“These bandits are crafty. Your name’s already famous across Hi no Kuni, so if they know you’re guarding the princess, they’ll likely go into hiding. I’ve discussed it with the daimyo, and only he and I will know your true identity. Everyone else, including the princess, will think you’re just an ordinary genin. So, until the mission’s done, don’t reveal who you really are!”   

“Got it!”   

Before heading out, Kazama left kunai marked with Hiraishin seals at both his clan’s stronghold and Oto no Kuni.   

That way, he could zip back to Konoha or his base in an instant whenever needed.   

“Halt! Who are you?”   

When Kazama arrived at the Hi no Kuni palace, a group of guards immediately stopped him.   

“I’m a genin from Konoha, here to protect the princess!”   

Kazama replied politely, bowing slightly.   

“What? Has Konoha lost its mind, sending a genin to protect our princess?”   

“Look at you, kid—you’re so scrawny a fart could knock you over! You, protect the princess? Did a donkey kick you in the head or something?”   

“Haha! Go back home and cry to your mom, kid. You’re not cut out to guard the princess of Hi no Kuni!”   

The guards burst into mocking laughter, pointing at Kazama like he was a joke.