Chapter 77: New Member
Two months later.
Roran had transformed. Now a lush oasis blooming with greenery, its centerpiece was a crescent-shaped lake surrounded by flowering trees.
The residents had returned. Even without the Dragon Vein, the wind and sand could no longer threaten the region thanks to its thriving ecosystem.
Currently, a fierce training battle was taking place on Roran's edge.
"Wood Style: Hell's Chaos!"
"Wood Style: Thorn Barrage!"
Sarah and Uzumaki Nagato were sparring using Wood Release. Admittedly, neither of them had much experience with the nature transformation. Sarah had only recently become a ninja. Nagato, meanwhile, previously relied almost entirely on the Rinnegan's power.
Thus, both were figuring it out as they went. Even Ayaan himself didn't use Wood Style much—it didn't align with his usual combat style.
Ayaan had plans, though. He hoped to combine the Rinnegan, Wood Style, and the powers of his Yami Yami no Mi.
Nagato was trying to blend his Uzumaki vitality and the Byakugō Seal with Wood Style. Sarah was still in early development, learning the basics of chakra control and technique.
Among them, Ayaan progressed the fastest. Unlike rigid and formulaic ninjutsu, Devil Fruit abilities allowed for more creative development. It was hard to refine Wood Style, but modifying and fusing Devil Fruit powers with it was easy—especially for Ayaan, who had full system control.
Nagato was just beginning to make headway. In addition to training himself, he also doubled as Sarah's teacher, helping her build battle instincts while greening Roran through mock combat.
As the sparring ended, Sarah—still inexperienced—was deceived by a Wood Clone and captured.
"That's it for today." Ayaan clapped. "Sarah, your growth in the last two months has been impressive. You're officially a Kage-level ninja now. That's reassuring."
Although her strength leaned heavily on raw power and lacked battle experience or foundational training, these gaps could be fixed with time.
"You're leaving?" Sarah asked, frowning.
"Yep. I've collected enough Dragon Vein energy. No point in staying in this sand trap," Ayaan replied casually.
Sarah scowled. What do you mean 'sand trap'? Roran was known as the desert's pearl!
Nagato, for his part, nodded. Now that his burden was lifted, he had no problem leaving. Two months in the desert was more than enough.
"What about me? What if some ninja kidnaps me for Wood Style experiments?" Sarah asked worriedly.
Ayaan grinned. "Don't worry. The way I transformed you is indistinguishable from naturally awakening a Kekkei Genkai. They won't learn anything from you."
Sarah sighed in relief. Then blinked. "Wait—doesn't that mean they'll definitely try to dissect me!?"
...
"I've been tricked! I'm completely on your pirate ship now!" Sarah shouted angrily as they crossed the desert.
Ayaan smiled and ignored her. If Sarah had truly wanted to back out, she could've asked him to undo the transformation.
Though she was forced to leave her homeland and join a so-called terrorist group, Roran was saved.
With dense vegetation stabilizing the ecosystem, Roran would remain safe for decades unless devastated by man-made destruction.
In truth, Sarah's presence in Roran might have brought more danger to it. That's why she chose to leave.
"Alright, stop complaining," Ayaan said, glancing her way. "You're not really angry. This is your first time away from Roran, your first taste of real freedom, isn't it?"
Ayaan hit the nail on the head.
Though Sarah was called a queen, her life had always been like a gilded prison. An Roran's puppet plot had even replaced her subjects without her knowing.
After his downfall, she bore the burden of protecting her people. This was the first time in her life she truly felt free.
Of course, she wasn't going to admit that.
…
Underground Gold Exchange.
Kakuzu opened a hidden chamber and walked out with a suitcase.
But just minutes later, a figure appeared in his path—cloaked in black, with red clouds and a swirling mask.
Kakuzu narrowed his eyes. "Can you take off your mask so I can see your face?"
Uchiha Obito stiffened, recalling the black-shadow ninja who humiliated him.
"Why?" Obito said coldly. "Afraid of masks?"
"Not at all," Kakuzu said calmly. "But if I can't see your face, I can't tell what your bounty is. If I kill you and your bounty's high, I'll lose out by damaging your head. And if you're worthless, then I've wasted time I could've spent making money."
Obito was stunned. Even with Zetsu's intel, he didn't expect Kakuzu to be this greedy and direct.
Done with the conversation, Obito immediately formed seals:
"Fire Style: Flame Storm Dance!"
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