Chōmei had been flying over the ocean for two days. Though he wasn't the least bit tired, he was incredibly bored.
Chōmei: 'Kazuyama. Kazuyama..."
Chōmei: "I'm so bored..."
It was no surprise. There was nothing but endless water stretching as far as the eye could see. The vast emptiness made him wonder how Isobu managed to spend so many years in the ocean without losing his mind.
What's the point of the ocean...
Kazuyama didn't respond—he was sound asleep. Who said you needed a body to sleep? He was dozing away without a care in the world.
"Damn it! Kazuyama, you bastard!"
"I've really been screwed by you!"
"You..Huh?"
Suddenly, something appeared in Chōmei's line of sight. It was massive, covered in spikes.
Curious, he flew toward it. As he got closer, he realized it was even larger than he'd imagined—practically the size of a landmass.
"This can't be the Island Turtle that Qianshan was talking about… It's huge!"
"Geez, is this really a turtle?"
"Kazuyama! Kazuyama! Damn, you're sleeping so soundly I can't wake you up."
"Forget it, let me, the great Chōmei, check it out first."
With a sense of excitement, Chōmei descended onto the Island Turtle. Though its shell was covered in spikes, there were still plenty of places to land.
"It's pretty empty up here, huh? Oh, there are animals!"
"Quite a few species, too. Let the games begin!"
The creatures on the Island Turtle were much larger than those in the outside world, and to Chōmei, they were nothing more than playthings.
Before long, the massive green giant armored rhinoceros beetle was tearing across the island like a predator. The strength of a Tailed Beast was undeniable—whether it was a lion, a tiger, or a gorilla, none could stand against him.
As he played, Chōmei kept Yugito Nii tucked under his tail, using his chakra to release Scale Powder and keep her asleep. At the same time, he wrapped her body in chakra, preventing her from growing weak from expending energy without replenishment.
"Huh? Chōmei, what are you doing?"
"Where is this? Land?"
"Shit! Is this Island Turtle?"
Suddenly, Kazuyama woke up. It was mostly because Chōmei was having so much fun that his excitement directly jolted Kazuyama from his deep sleep.
Looking through Chōmei's eyes, he saw enormous animals roaming the area. It didn't take him long to realize where they were.
"Kazuyama, you still know how to wake up!"
"I've been flying over the sea for days! Days! Do you understand?"
"All I could see was water! It was so boring!"
Seeing Kazuyama awake, Chōmei suddenly dropped the gorilla he had been toying with and spat at him.
The gorilla, now free, wasted no time and bolted. At that moment, only one thought filled its mind: Run!
"Hahaha, I haven't slept this well in a long time. Sorry, Chōmei."
"Island Turtle, Island Turtle! Hahaha! This will be my territory from now on!"
"Chōmei, hurry, let me take over—I need to scout the area."
Island Turtle was a rare treasure, specially bred by Kumo. If Kazuyama wanted to claim it, he still had a lot of work to do.
"Fine, I've had enough fun these past few days. I'll leave the rest to you."
"Oh yeah, the Matatabi Jinchūriki—I gave her extra Scale Powder, so she'll probably sleep for another day. But you'd better prepare some food for her."
"Even if I protect her body with chakra, she's still just a kid."
Kazuyama nodded, and then he and Chōmei began to switch places.
Chōmei's massive form started to shrink little by little until he reverted to his human form. At the same time, with the Tailed Beast transformation undone, Yugito began to fall.
Kazuyama reacted quickly, catching her before she could hit the ground.
"Hehehe... Turtle Island... I wonder if Orochimaru-sensei will be shocked when he finds out I've claimed such a place."
"This is the perfect hideout…"
"Sensei… I'm just thinking of you. If you ever get tired of Konoha, this island is far better than the Land of Rice Fields."
"Shadow Clone Technique."
With a strange laugh, Kazuyama created a clone to carry Yugito before slowly making his way toward the giant turtle's head.
Island Turtle was unique—not only was it covered in trees and land, but the animals here were abnormally large. However, Chōmei's earlier rampage had left them all terrified. No matter how big an animal was, before a Tailed Beast, it was nothing more than an insect to be toyed with. As a result, none of them dared approach Kazuyama as he walked.
As he moved, he thought about his next steps.
He knew that as a Jinchūriki, he would eventually become a target for Madara and Black Zetsu. He had no intention of dying at their hands, so he had to prepare.
Although he wasn't weak, compared to Madara, he was as fragile as a newborn. Luckily, he still had time.
Securing Island Turtle was his first step. Having a place to hide was crucial, which was why he had even taken Yugito Nii.
Despite being a Jinchūriki, Yugito was still just a child—at an impressionable age. If handled correctly, she could become his right hand, helping him stand against Madara in the future.
In fact, he hadn't ruled out recruiting other Jinchūriki, but for now, Yugito was the only viable option.
That was also why he was even willing to let Orochimaru settle on Island Turtle. Of all his talents, Orochimaru excelled at manipulation. Just look at the Otogakure ninja from the original story—every one of them was fiercely loyal.
Of course, that was a plan for later. He still wanted to handle things on his own first. If that failed, Chōmei could always convince Matatabi's Jinchūriki to help.
After walking for an unknown period, Kazuyama finally reached the giant turtle.
Its enormous body was covered in rocky, moss-covered skin.
"Hehe... Big Turtle, you're mine!"
"Chōmei, suppress your aura. I'm going to invite the Snake Princess from Ryūchi Cave to assist me."
To sever Island Turtle's connection with Kumo completely, Kazuyama's first thought was Genjutsu. With it, he could bring the entire island under his control.
"Okay, I'll suppress my chakra."
Chōmei concealed his energy, and Kazuyama sat cross-legged, activating his Transparent Escape Technique to condense natural energy.
He muttered, "Coiling Serpent Technique…"
"Tagitsuhime, I need your help…"
...
(100 Chapters Ahead)
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