That was the advantage of working under orders. Out of money? Just ask for more.
Kazuyama Gekkō happily pocketed the ten million ryō he had just received. You had to understand—he was a miser at heart. Any money that landed in his hands was bound to shrink by half right away.
But instead of rushing back to the Land of Earth, he went home to see his son first.
"Yo, Michihito, have you grown taller?"
"Hey, hey, Michihito! What are you doing? Put out the fire in your hands!"
The moment he stepped inside, Kazuyama's smile froze into horror.
What did he see? His son was happily playing with a fireball in each hand, while behind him stood Ebisami, her face smudged black with soot. The pomegranate tree he had planted was nothing but charred remains.
"My god… when I came back the other day, the house wasn't like this!"
"What the hell happened?"
Without a second thought, Kazuyama flung a water ball to snuff out the fireballs in Michihito's hands.
The moment his toys disappeared, Michihito wailed and burst into tears.
"Aunt Ebisami, what's going on?"
Holding his son, Kazuyama was stunned. His carefully built home was now dark and scorched, clearly burned.
"Hmph, your precious son is a genius!"
"A few days ago, he somehow started using chakra—and not just that, he can turn chakra into flames."
"Pakura was overjoyed. But with so many new students enrolling at the Academy after the war, she's been swamped, so the burden fell on me."
"And what do you know—this little brat's just like you were as a kid! Playing with fire! At least he doesn't wet the bed!"
"But listen, while his flames are extremely hot, they don't burn. They just leave things blackened and dry, stripped of moisture."
"Pakura said it's her Kekkei Genkai."
What? A one-year-old awakening a Kekkei Genkai?
Impossible? No. Kazuyama knew some people were born with incredible gifts.
Like Gaara, blessed from birth with his mother's protection, wrapped in the sand. Or Deidara, born with mouths on his hands—his innate ability, his Kekkei Genkai.
But he never expected his own son would join their ranks.
Speaking of Gaara… Kazuyama suddenly realized the future One-Tails Jinchūriki should have already been born. Maybe it was time for a trip to Sunagakure.
"Good boy, that's impressive!"
"Scorch Release, huh? No, wait! Don't tell me my genes aren't strong enough? You've got to awaken Transparent Release too! That's our clan's Kekkei Genkai!"
"No way. If that little brat Hayate Gekkō can't be relied on, then Transparent Release will vanish with us!"
"No, I can't let that happen!"
Transparent Release was what had made his name. There was no way he'd allow it to disappear!
Pakura… yes, it had to be Pakura. One child wasn't enough—maybe a few more would fix it.
With that thought, Kazuyama shoved Michihito into Ebisami's arms.
"I'm going to find Pakura. Michihito's in your care!"
Then he bolted out the door.
"Hey! Brat! Where are you going?"
"I'm going to find Pakura!"
Ebisami: ?????
...
Land of Earth, Kazuyama's temporary residence.
Pakura glared at Kazuyama, who grinned at her shamelessly.
"What are you doing? I was teaching!"
"Hehehe…"
"Can you stop smiling so creepily?"
"Pakura, Michihito awakened Scorch Release, and you didn't even tell me?"
Pakura blinked, then realized Kazuyama had already been home. She lifted her head, pride beaming across her face. Her son had inherited her Kekkei Genkai.
"Scorch Release is amazing! What's so great about your Transparent Release?"
"That's not the point! It's our family's bloodline. If we can't pass down Transparent Release, then what? So…"
Seeing Kazuyama closing in on her, Pakura immediately understood what he was after.
"Hey! It's still broad daylight!"
"It's fine. Close the door, draw the curtains—then it's night."
Pakura: …
And so, what started in the day stretched all the way into the night.
Later, the two leaned against each other, gazing at the moon.
"Hmph, you're such a bastard. Still, the Land of Earth has its own charm. Fewer plants, but a unique landscape."
Kazuyama chuckled, pulling her tighter into his arms.
"Michihito's Scorch Release is already taking shape. You need to guide him. Look at the burns he gave our house. It's black everywhere."
"He's just a kid. Let him play. Worst case, we rebuild."
Pakura didn't see it as him wrecking the house. Scorch Release was a deadly Kekkei Genkai, and only through constant use could he master it.
"Fine, fine, we'll do it your way. Just have Yamato renovate when he gets back."
"Yamato's out on a mission. He won't be back for a while."
A mission? That made sense. Yamato was strong enough now.
"I'll take you back tomorrow. I've still got work here, but I'll make time to come home and see you and our son."
"Yeah right. You're just using that as an excuse to see me. Hmph!"
"Hehehe…"
...
The next day, Kazuyama brought Pakura back to Konoha. Then, with money in hand, he returned to his plotting against Iwagakure.
He unloaded the seafood from the Land of Frost into his house.
"Chōmei, it's your turn. Add the Scale Powder, but use less this time."
"Iwagakure isn't as weak as Kusagakure. If they investigate, we can't risk being discovered."
He had used Scale Powder in the Land of Earth before—better to stay cautious. Who knew what Iwa would do after their defeat in the war?
"Relax, don't you trust me?"
"What kind of effect do you want? Or should I give you all of them?"
Chōmei looked at the massive fish in front of him and laughed like crazy. The more he spread poison with his Scale Powder, the more fun it became.
If anyone dared say his Scale Powder wasn't effective, he'd argue them into the ground!