Chapter 356: Chakra Tech Company
One day, Jiraiya, having mostly recovered, suddenly told Orochimaru that he wanted to go out and see the ninja world.
Naturally, Orochimaru refused. Jiraiya's research was ongoing in a secret room. Not only did Orochimaru not want the Inspectorate to know about Jiraiya's condition, but he also hadn't fully figured out Jiraiya's situation yet. How could he let him leave with such a lame excuse as "seeing the ninja world"?
Seriously, this was the lamest excuse he had ever heard, even worse than the trashy novels Jiraiya wrote when he was alive.
Then, the next morning, Orochimaru woke up to find the Cursed Seal he left on Jiraiya appearing 200 kilometers outside Konoha.
He had no idea how Jiraiya got out. Leaving aside the obstacles he set up in the underground chamber, how could Jiraiya walk out of the new Root base without anyone stopping him?
Even I can't get out that easily!
Orochimaru's main body was still in Konoha; as a person of interest, he couldn't leave easily. The white snake coiled around Jiraiya was just a modified clone substitute—a unique technique exclusive to Orochimaru in the entire ninja world, and his ultimate escape skill.
However, the white snake had almost zero combat power, so it couldn't force Jiraiya back.
Jiraiya strolled leisurely through the forest, curious about everything—towering trees, fruit-laden bushes, colorful mushrooms—all piqued his curiosity.
When hungry, he picked fruit; when sleepy, he slept in trees. He didn't use ninja travel methods, moving only slightly faster than an ordinary person.
"Idiot! That mushroom is poisonous! Don't eat it!"
Jiraiya tossed away the mushroom he was about to eat.
"What exactly are you trying to do? Do you know which direction you're going?"
Jiraiya continued walking, staring at birds in the trees. "To see... this ninja world..."
The snake sighed. Jiraiya was restless even when alive, leaving the village frequently for months or even a year. He suspected this defective resurrection product had awakened some old habits, leading to this "see the ninja world" nonsense.
"Do you remember who killed you? It was Yotsuki Dana. He is now the Consul of the entire Cloud-Thunder Federation. If you are discovered, who knows what will happen!"
Jiraiya murmured, "Yotsuki... Dana... I remember... Con...sul? What is that?"
"The Consul is the administrative head of the Cloud-Thunder Federation! Very powerful!"
Orochimaru felt like he was coaxing a child, amused and annoyed. Yet he was helpless. He even suspected Jiraiya's current state wasn't necessarily smarter than a child.
"What is... administration?"
".....Administration is....."
Orochimaru patiently explained, their Q&A echoing through the forest.
Jiraiya walked in the forest for two days. He encountered a tiger trying to eat him, easily dealt with it, ate the meat, and skinned it.
Orochimaru's clone talked until his mouth was dry, but Jiraiya wouldn't listen. So he gave up, hiding in Jiraiya's bosom and playing dead. He decided that since Jiraiya was already far from Konoha, if discovered, he would deny everything. This white snake clone could be abandoned anytime.
As for why he didn't leave and abandon Jiraiya now... he couldn't say.
On the third day, Jiraiya encountered a village. He sold the tiger skin for some money, food, and a set of clothes.
The villagers thought he was a mountain hunter and didn't pry.
With money and food, Jiraiya resumed his aimless journey.
Carrying a ragged cloth bag bought from a farmer, with a big white snake in his bosom.
Amidst the snake's cursing and complaining, he strode forward.
The multi-departmental cooperation to set up experimental fields outside Cloud City didn't attract much attention.
Mainly because few people cared about agriculture. Ninja really didn't pay much attention to farming.
The whole process took only three days. Dana visited on the first and last days; progress was smooth.
Next was the waiting game. Without using chakra to interfere with crop growth, harvest wouldn't be until August or September. The work afterward was just monitoring, recording, and maintenance.
Spirit Rice, or Chakra Rice, was known to very few people. Dana had issued a gag order to everyone present, strictly forbidding leaks, and repeatedly instructed the First Research Institute to maintain secrecy.
After all, the research results were far from mature, and rashly announcing it could cause chaos.
Dana didn't want people from various clans running to him saying their grandson, son, nephew, or sister was naturally intelligent and just lacked a chance to cultivate chakra.
Yes, chakra aptitude was far less rare than natural energy aptitude, but not everyone had it.
Among civilians, maybe 1 in 10 children had the aptitude to refine chakra. In ninja clans with generations of inheritance, this number might be 50-50.
Meaning even in powerful ninja clans, half or more were ordinary people without the chance to cultivate chakra.
For example, it was common for a strong ninja to have a child without chakra aptitude. Many cases of children inheriting their father's profession were just survivor bias.
Once news of Spirit Rice leaked, even without a final product, Dana estimated the Cloud Spire would be packed with people.
Especially those ninja clans; their hearts would be itching like crazy.
Fortunately, the ninja community had high confidentiality standards. When they said secret, they meant secret. Days passed without a ripple.
But in contrast to the calm agricultural plan, another matter was spreading like wildfire within the Federation.
Accurately speaking, spreading like wildfire in Cloud City.
With the continuous advancement of civilian chakra energy applications, relying on Yoshitoki's "Bionic Metal," the Third Research Institute produced many civilian products.
After careful consideration, Dana decided to gradually introduce these results to the market.
For a new technology to develop quickly, it must have application scenarios and receive continuous feedback, especially technology intentionally developed for civilian use.
Simply put, these things were to be sold.
Since they were to be sold and put on the market, they needed a backing entity. Considering the "United Iron & Steel Company" had become a behemoth with terrifying influence, Dana didn't plan to stuff civilian chakra technology into its framework. Instead, he planned to start a new stove.
Thus, a commercial entity named "Chakra Tech Company" quietly appeared in the Cloud Spire.