Summoning Island, Trade

"Caw! Caw! Caw!"

On the sea more than a dozen nautical miles from Summoning Island in the Land of Sea.

Two Summoning Crows contracted to Yamanaka Kei stood on the ship's rail, flapping their wings and cawing up a storm.

Even without understanding bird language.

And without the Yamanaka Clan's secret technique for linking minds and conveying and sensing emotions.

Namikaze Minato could tell those two little fellows were cursing up a storm.

"All right, all right. I know those guys scared you. I'll beat them up for you later, okay?"

Yamanaka Kei rummaged through the small pocket of his Jonin Vest for a moment.

He took out a small handful of specially made pet jerky and held it out to the two little fellows.

After cursing for so long.

Hearing that Yamanaka Kei would avenge them, the two hesitated for a while before reluctantly nodding.

They hopped over and began wolfing down the jerky.

After scouting Summoning Island several times in a row.

The animals on the island, each more vicious than the last, had truly scared them senseless.

If their master hadn't been so skilled, pulling off wild maneuvers through the jungle and making all kinds of hairpin turns.

They would probably have long since been soaking in the stomach acid of some unknown bird of prey.

"How are things on the Third Hokage's end?"

After soothing the two little fellows, Yamanaka Kei turned to ask Namikaze Minato.

Before he and Minato came to Summoning Island.

Neither had expected that this not-so-large island, known by the locals as the Island of Oblivion, would have animals of such absurd average strength.

There were over a hundred creatures capable of matching a Chunin.

The leaders of several packs even possessed Jonin-level speed or strength!

With a little training, creatures like these would make qualified Summoning Beasts and could greatly enhance a ninja's combat power.

Yamanaka Kei had asked where Jiraiya was.

After learning that he was still in Konoha, he immediately decided to use Gamayu, the Great Toad of Mount Myōboku's stomach to pack them up and send them straight back to Konoha for a Summoning Beast auction.

Konoha would take thirty percent of the profits, he would take thirty percent, Minato twenty percent, and Jiraiya twenty percent.

"Lord Hokage has already sent people to clear out Training Ground Zero as a temporary place to keep them. Jiraiya-sensei is ready as well."

Namikaze Minato scratched his cheek. Talking about this always made him feel a little awkward.

It was his first time negotiating profit distribution with the village.

Having been taught the Will of Fire since childhood, he always felt that doing something like this was somehow inappropriate.

"Then let's begin."

After saying that, Yamanaka Kei leaped off the ship and landed on the surface of the sea.

Though he could see Minato's inner conflict, he said nothing.

Minato was simply too honest at heart.

The thirty percent profit given to Konoha was, bluntly put, a transaction.

It wasn't for something trivial like Konoha providing an auction venue.

It was to exchange those benefits for a great deal of prestige, using it as a ladder for the two of them to rise through the ranks and greatly accelerate their entry into Konoha's upper echelons.

So they could secure greater autonomy—or even leadership—in the war that might be coming!

Otherwise, given Yamanaka Kei's usual style, why the hell would he share money with the village?

With the ninja world as turbulent as it was now, where a great war could erupt at any time.

The higher-ups should be the ones paying him!

Minato couldn't see through all that, but the Third Hokage and the Council of Elders certainly understood it perfectly. Otherwise, they would not have cooperated by specifically clearing out Training Ground Zero.

"All right!"

Namikaze Minato followed closely behind Yamanaka Kei and jumped onto the sea.

Splash! Splash! Splash!

The two had run less than a kilometer.

When the waters not far away began to churn with undercurrents.

A shadow distinctly darker than the seawater rapidly approached them!

Without slowing down, Yamanaka Kei took a Sealing Scroll from the scroll pouch on the chest of his Jonin Vest.

With one hand, he quickly unfurled the scroll. With the other, he formed hand seals and pressed it against the storage seal marked with the character for "fish."

Release!

Ninja Art: Mind Transfer Puppet Curse Technique!

A fish-shaped puppet made from special materials, no larger than a palm, appeared.

Under the control of the Mind Transfer Puppet Curse Technique, it flicked its tail and plunged into the sea, where the undercurrents ran even stronger.

Only a few breaths later.

Yamanaka Kei and Namikaze Minato both came to a stop.

Beneath their feet, a Giant Swordfish more than ten meters long slowly rose to the surface under the control of the Mind Transfer Puppet Curse Technique.

Carrying the two of them onward toward Summoning Island!

Under Yamanaka Kei's control, the swordfish lashed its tail rapidly. In only a few breaths, its speed exceeded two hundred kilometers per hour.

And it was still accelerating!

"Riding the wind and breaking the waves! I'm almost reluctant to sell you now!"

Yamanaka Kei glanced down at the swordfish beneath his feet.

Suddenly, he felt that having a means of sea transport like this did seem rather nice.

But when he thought of how turning this Giant Swordfish into a true Summoning Beast would require training and breeding it to improve its intelligence and obedience.

As well as long-term feeding and care, and finding suitable grounds to keep it, he abandoned the thought.

It wasn't that he couldn't afford it. The cost-effectiveness was simply too low!

Even Mount Myōboku, which he was always complaining about, didn't make its contractors find bugs to raise their toads.

Splash! Splash! Splash!

After circling the sizable Summoning Island once.

The two powerful Sea Beasts hidden beneath the surface, provoked again and again by Yamanaka Kei, pursued the swordfish relentlessly.

"Minato, get ready."

Yamanaka Kei unfurled the Storage Scroll he still held in his hand a little farther.

Two specially made fish puppets, controlled by the Mind Transfer Puppet Curse Technique, shot like arrows into the heads of the two Sea Beasts.

Without exception, both were controlled by the Mind Transfer Puppet Curse Technique.

They obediently settled near the shore, joining the slowing Giant Swordfish.

"Toad Mouth Bind Technique!"

Namikaze Minato drew a little blood and performed the Summoning Technique.

Gamayu, the Great Toad of Mount Myōboku's stomach directly swallowed the three Sea Beasts gathered together.

Then it returned to Mount Myōboku with all three Sea Beasts inside.

"Roar!"

"Hiss!"

"Moo!"

The moment Gamayu, the Great Toad of Mount Myōboku's stomach vanished, beastly roars began echoing one after another from the dense forest.

Not just from the shore near Yamanaka Kei and Namikaze Minato.

But across the entire island, every creature seemed to sense the presence of a natural enemy at that moment.

Chaos, unease, fear, hostility...

The once-quiet island became a boiling cauldron in mere moments.

"Have we been discovered?"

Yamanaka Kei raised a hand to shield his eyes from the glaring sun as he looked toward the volcano at the center of the island.

The maximum range of his sensory ability was currently ten kilometers in diameter.

In other words, only five kilometers in radius around himself.

Their current location was a full eight kilometers from the laboratory at the island's center.

More than half beyond the range of his senses.

"We rode that swordfish around the island in a huge circle. If they still didn't notice us, they'd be seriously failing at their jobs."

Namikaze Minato also gazed into the distance.

After arriving in these waters last night, Yamanaka Kei had summoned the crows and had them secretly deliver his Flying Thunder God Kunai to the entrance of the laboratory at the center of the island.

If necessary, they could appear there immediately.

So he wasn't worried in the slightest.