The changes were truly monumental. If no one had said anything, who would've believed that just a few years ago, the capital of the Land of Fire was still a semi-feudal settlement? Now, it rivaled the metropolitan grandeur of New York in Marvel's America.
The capital had expanded, merging with surrounding acropolises. Dozens of towering skyscrapers had risen in recent years. Unless one was observing from a great height—like Kain—it was nearly impossible to grasp the full scale of the city.
No, it was no longer just the capital of the Land of Fire. Four years ago, after annexing the Land of Lightning, the nation officially rebranded itself as the Federation of Fire, and this place was renamed its capital.
Roughly estimated, the distance from the city center to the outer edge spanned at least 60 to 70 kilometers, making the full city diameter about 150 kilometers. It had become the most prosperous place on the entire Ninja Continent.
"Nawaki and the others really did a great job."
Kain nodded in approval, then flew toward the Daimyo's residence. He had visited the Ninja World countless times—but only to spend time with his family. Even though Nawaki knew Kain was in the Daimyo's Mansion, Kain had never brought up political matters.
He had made a decision long ago: he would never involve himself in politics. If those around him were interested, he would support them—but never take the reins himself. Overseeing five or six worlds? Even if he didn't collapse from exhaustion, he'd die of boredom.
Besides, Kain's children were already grown. Naruto, unfortunately, showed no promise as a successor—always impulsive, having fully inherited Kushina's fiery temperament, and constantly being toyed with by Yoko.
Still, among Kain's four children, only Naruto could assume the role of daimyo—not because he was the most qualified, but because he was the most charismatic speaker, and also the weakest compared to his three younger sisters.
Thanks to Kain's speed, he quickly arrived at the Daimyo's Mansion.
It remained in its original location.
Though high-rises surrounded it in the distance, the mansion was shielded by protective spells and barriers. Even those with Byakugan couldn't see inside, which is why it hadn't been relocated.
No Earth Style technique could penetrate the protective enchantments—unless one possessed spatial abilities like Kain's Kamui.
"Huh? So many people are missing. Where did everyone go? Oh, Kushina's here."
After sensing her presence, Kain used Kamui to silently appear behind her. He planned to surprise her with a hug—but just as he reached out, Kushina spun around and punched him squarely in the stomach.
He was sure she had used her tremor power—though she pulled back at the last second. Still, the raw strength of the blow was enough to make Kain feel genuine pain.
"Idiot! Don't sneak up on me like that—I thought you were an enemy!"
Kushina scolded him angrily, then began smoothing out the wrinkles in his clothes. But when she saw Kain still clutching his stomach in pain, a flicker of worry crossed her face.
Had she gone too far?
Kain had grown significantly stronger in other worlds. Kushina, who had been fooled by him since childhood, rarely saw him fight seriously in the Ninja World. As a result, she had no clear sense of his true strength.
Even though they had sparred once, she had continued to grow stronger afterwards—eventually gaining the power of vibration herself. Deep down, Kushina felt she might have already surpassed Kain.
"Does it really hurt?"
"Nah, it's fine. I just need to take it easy for a bit. I've got some magic tricks up my sleeve anyway."
Once Kain put on his "actor face," he could easily manipulate Kushina. Despite the pain, he forced a smile—but that only made her feel even more guilty.
"Let me call Miss Tsunade to check on you!"
"No need, Kushina. Just help me sit down and rest a bit. By the way, where is everyone else?"
As she supported him inside, she replied with another scowl,
"Today's Yoko's graduation ceremony. Sister Tsunade and Nono went there. That idiot Naruto and Kakashi were sent on a mission and suddenly lost contact. We still haven't heard from them."
Naruto and Kakashi...
Kain suddenly recalled something from long ago. Luckily, he had made preparations when he gave Naruto his birthday gift. There was no need to worry now.
"Don't stress about Naruto. I've already made arrangements. Remember when I mentioned that other Uzumaki we met early on? That was Naruto."
Kushina gasped, covering her mouth in surprise.
"Huh?! That was Naruto? I thought you were just messing with me!"
"Ouch... That's so hurtful. Didn't you always trust me? Ah—my stomach hurts again."
Kushina saw the genuine pain on his face and suddenly forgot all about the punch's strength. Flustered, she panicked.
"Ah! There must be some aftereffects—wait, I'll contact Tsunade right now!"
Kain gently caught her soft hand.
"No need, Kushina. I have another method."
Despite her fiery nature, Kushina's mature warmth and pure-hearted personality always comforted him. Ever since they met, she rarely felt sadness. Even during pregnancy, she smiled constantly. Being with her brought peace—so infectious, it was almost silly.
Kain reached out and hugged Kushina back. Her faint fragrance lingered in the air, and the soft fullness he felt at his fingertips added to the intimacy of the moment.
"Kushina, just rest with me for a while."
"I knew it—you're playing tricks again. You've been fooling me since we were kids. I should've known better than to believe you just now~"
"I am really hurt. But if I use that method, I'll be fine soon."
"What? No—absolutely not there! Aah~ you bad guy~ not there~"
That evening, when Tsunade and the others returned, they were greeted by the delicious aroma of freshly cooked food. But none of them thought much of it—the Daimyo Mansion had many servants, and it was about time for dinner anyway.
What did catch their attention was the sound of bickering echoing down the hallway—Tsunade and Yoko's voices rising and falling as they argued.
"You don't want to go here, you refuse to go there... The ninja world is so vast—fine! Do whatever you want from now on. I won't care anymore!"
"You've said that more than a dozen times already, but you always go back on it!"
"You stupid girl... Sounds like someone wants another beating!"
"You won't be able to catch me again!"
Then came a soft pop!—and in a flash of teleportation, Senju Yoko appeared in the dining room. She froze for a moment when she saw Kain, then rushed forward and hugged him tightly.
"Father! You're finally back! Mom's going to rebel! I swear!"
Tsunade came in right after. The moment she saw Kain, the fire in her eyes cooled significantly. She crossed her arms with a humph.
"You've been gone so long without a word!"
Nono, Yakushi Kira, and Nohara Rin entered behind her. Kira—a bright-eyed little girl—also ran toward Kain, but he gently caught her with a bit of magic before she could crash into him.
Among Kain's children, only Naruto was a boy. The other three were daughters. However, Uchiha Reina didn't live in the Daimyo's residence—she stayed with Mikoto instead.
Though all the children carried the "Pent" name, it was a rare surname in the ninja world. So typically, they used their mothers' surnames instead—something only the family really paid attention to.
Kushina came out of the house as well, drawn by the noise. But her steps were slightly awkward. Even if the Uzumaki Clan had remarkable resilience, it was hard to endure that kind of activity for so long... Luckily, her prior roughhousing helped cover up her current state.
Yoko and Kira didn't notice, but Tsunade and the others did. They exchanged meaningful glances before focusing their eyes on Kushina—who, embarrassed, buried her face in her rice bowl.
Kain, meanwhile, understood the quarrel between Tsunade and Yoko. According to Federation of Fire policy, citizens could choose a career path at age 15. Yoko had just graduated and didn't want to be shipped off across the continent. She preferred to avoid a life of routine assignments, paperwork, and climbing a bureaucratic ladder.
"Yoko," Kain said thoughtfully, "if you don't want to wander the ninja world, how about I give you a different kind of mission?"
He rubbed his chin, remembering that he had already selected a new world from the system panel. It didn't seem too dangerous, so he figured Yoko and Naruto could handle it together.
Now that he had the Holy Grail of the World, he didn't need to rely as heavily on the trading system's world coordinates. The Grail could lock onto another dimension and transport people freely between worlds.
Even better, the trading system was scanning faster and faster, though Kain himself was busier than ever—juggling several worlds simultaneously.
The Kain Chamber of Commerce was growing far too large for one man to manage. After all, it now operated across six different worlds.
Yoko's eyes lit up at his words.
"A mission? What kind of mission, Father?"
"Expanding the Chamber of Commerce. Tomorrow, head to the Kain Chamber of Commerce and begin training. If you pass the assessment, I'll take you to a new world to help expand our influence."
"A Chamber of Commerce? You mean... selling stuff?" she frowned. "But where's this new place?"
She hadn't been too excited at first, but the mention of a new world reignited her interest. After all, she was tired of bouncing around the ninja world and didn't want to be part of the Federation's system.
"Don't worry," Kain said with a smile. "You'll like it. But you have to pass the evaluation first. That's the condition. No slacking off—our main goal is to expand the Chamber's operations."
Taking into account the time needed to properly place the Holy Grail in the ninja world—and the one in the Pirate World—Kain decided to hand over New World expansion duties to Yoko and Naruto. Of course, they could also bring a few talented companions from the ninja world.
The Grail could be placed atop the Dragon Vein.
The more energy it absorbed, the stronger the projection. Otherwise, it would only allow simple shuttling and wouldn't be able to transmit abilities across worlds.
Fortunately, the Ninja World had both a Dragon Vein and a dormant Ten Tails. Kain recalled that there was still an Ōtsutsuki clan member lurking in the shadows—this world had basically become his back garden, and it was time to weed out the hidden pests.
Yoko nodded earnestly.
"Okay! Since it's you saying it, I'll start tomorrow. I'll try to pass within three months!"
"Good. We'll wait for Naruto to return and send him with you. Besides you two, I'll choose a few more capable people from the ninja world."
Seeing the curiosity in her eyes, Kain added:
"There's a lot to do. One person can't manage it all."