Chapter 242: I Want to Divorce Minato Namikaze

"Kakashi, we can't just say things like this ourselves!"

"Let Zepyr know—just mention that Kizaru's child is about to be born."

"Then, tonight, get Zepyr a bit tipsy—don't get him too drunk—and send a woman his way."

"He'll probably start stressing out next, which would be good for us whether it's Garp or Kuzan involved."

"And the best part? We didn't even have to ask him to do anything."

Raijin glanced at Kakashi, feeling like this guy's thinking was becoming less flexible. Ever since they arrived here, Kakashi rarely used his brain anymore.

He was practically slacking off, almost becoming like Luffy. Raijin could imagine the day Kakashi would ditch his mask, pick his nose with one hand, and laugh carelessly—a terrifying thought.

Kakashi’s mind seemed to be aligning with Garp’s. Back in the day, Kakashi used to give Raijin advice, even helping to scheme. But now, whenever there’s a problem, Kakashi just asks him.

The Kakashi of the past wasn’t like this—at least he had some dignity as a former Leaf Jōnin. Now? The guy had no dignity left. He was just thinking about living peacefully in Dressrosa.

He used to view the world through Obito’s eye, living for the sake of his fallen comrades, Obito and Rin. But ever since returning from Konoha, Kakashi was living just to slack off.

"Don't give me that disdainful look! I'm done with this dirty, exhausting work."

"Want me to get Yamato back? He used to be in the Root Division; he's perfect for doing the kind of stuff that makes enemies."

Kakashi scratched his cheek, a bit embarrassed. After all, Zepyr was now the chief instructor of Dressrosa, no longer alone, and soon to have a child. His kid would surely attend school in Dressrosa, and if they offended Zepyr, what if he made life difficult for his child?

So, Kakashi had to think not just about himself but also his future child.

"You handle this. If you can’t, let Shikaku Nara or Elder Hoshino take care of it."

"And stop lazing around all day. Once the Kage from each village are resurrected, you'll lead them at the ninja academy."

Raijin waved him off, helpless about Kakashi. This guy wasn’t refusing to work—he just didn’t have the same drive as back in Konoha. Maybe life here was too comfortable.

"Understood!"

Kakashi nodded and turned to leave. Dressrosa’s environment was getting better and better, and Kakashi didn’t feel the need to return to Konoha. He was growing fond of the ocean.

"Come in."

At that moment, Raijin spoke to the large figure lingering outside the door. If he hadn’t noticed, he’d have to be blind. It must be Kushina Uzumaki, who had just been resurrected yesterday and was likely being shown around Dressrosa by Tobirama Senju. But to Raijin’s surprise, she had come to his palace.

She probably wanted to see Naruto.

"Didn’t expect you guys to be scheming against an old man, huh?"

Kushina Uzumaki knew about Zepyr, though she didn’t know the details of their plot. But she could tell that the Konoha crowd hadn’t changed—they were still scheming, even resorting to something like a honey trap!

"Kushina, what brings you here?"

Raijin didn’t answer her directly, asking instead.

"Uh, I’ve realized how vast the sea is. I want to go explore!"

Kushina’s expression quickly shifted into a smile as she approached Raijin, full of excitement at the thought of experiencing freedom. She longed to feel true freedom, something she never knew in Konoha.

"Explore the sea?"

Raijin was a bit taken aback, contemplating the idea.

"My strength is more than enough now, and I’m not the Nine-Tails’ jinchūriki anymore."

"I spent all those years in Konoha, never even visiting another nation in the ninja world."

"I hate the feeling of being trapped. I just want to roam freely on the sea."

Kushina clenched her fists, recalling her time in Konoha. She still hadn’t forgiven Hiruzen Sarutobi, who had imprisoned her there and betrayed their trust. They had entrusted Naruto to Sarutobi, believing in him.

But what did Sarutobi do?

Thinking back to the vision Raijin had shown her, Kushina’s blood began to boil.

"Put those fists down! Are you going to hit me if I say no?"

Raijin glanced at Kushina, worried she might cause trouble in Dressrosa. Kushina’s temper was as fierce as Tsunade’s, if not worse.

"Ahaha!"

Kushina laughed awkwardly, unsure how to respond.

"It’s not out of the question. Minato Namikaze is being cloned right now and will soon be resurrected."

"You two could explore the seas together. I have no objections."

Raijin considered it, thinking of Minato's Flying Thunder God technique—no, Tobirama's Flying Thunder God. Tobirama was so protective of his intellectual property that this would definitely be an issue to keep an eye on.

They could improve the technique, maybe even create teleportation arrays across the sea. If successful, it could change the entire seafaring landscape.

"Minato? No! I’m not going out with him. I want a divorce!"

Kushina’s face darkened, surprised to hear that Minato was also being revived. She didn’t care how Raijin broke the Reaper Death Seal, but after everything that had happened with Naruto, there was no way she could stay with Minato.

Minato only ever cared about the village, never about his family.

Raijin had no idea about Kushina Uzumaki’s inner thoughts and didn’t bother digging into them. He simply assigned her two people. While Genma Shiranui had important duties in Dressrosa, they needed someone to explore the seas and gather more information.

Moreover, they still needed Genma to help map out the territory. So far, they had only opened up the East and North Blue, along with a few islands in the New World. The rest of the sea remained unfamiliar to them. Expanding their map was crucial for laying out a strategy to dominate the seas.

"Grandma Mito? No problem!"

Kushina’s eyes lit up with excitement. She hadn't expected to hear about Mito, and the thought of her resurrection made Kushina eager. She had always felt a deep attachment to her, and the chance to reunite brought her joy. Kushina had thought that seeing Mito again was impossible, but now, being out at sea, it seemed like a real possibility.

"You can ask Tobirama to take you to Orochimaru’s place. You might even get to witness Mito’s resurrection in person," Raijin said with certainty.

This was a rare opportunity, and Dressrosa had grown much stronger. Raijin needed more talents to assist him, and someone like Uzumaki Mito, skilled in sealing techniques, was not to be overlooked.

"I’m going right now!"

Kushina, unable to contain her excitement, dashed off to find Tobirama. Raijin watched her leave, a slight hesitation crossing his face.

"Master Raijin, are you worried about the Uzumaki clan? Should I keep an eye on them?"

A shadowy figure, Uchiha Izumi, appeared next to Raijin. Like a ghost in Dressrosa, she seldom appeared in public but was always following someone.

"The Uzumaki clan’s sealing techniques are impressive, but sealing the ocular jutsu I planted in them is nearly impossible."

"My Mangekyō Sharingan is close to evolving into the Rinnegan. My ocular powers are beyond their ability to resist," Raijin pondered aloud. He could feel his Rinnegan gradually developing, though it would take some time. Even without the full evolution, there was no way Uzumaki Mito or anyone else could remove the jutsu he had planted.

"I was just considering whether to send more people out."

"The seas have become a bit too peaceful, and I’m worried they might get too comfortable," Raijin mused.

Uchiha Izumi sighed. When it came to anything involving the Uchiha clan, Raijin always hesitated.

"You haven’t taken a break in a while. You’ve been guarding Dressrosa constantly. How about joining me to explore the sea?"

"I’ve been here for so long and haven’t really taken the time to appreciate the beauty of this world," Raijin suddenly asked. He was well aware of Izumi’s feelings for him, which had once been directed at Itachi Uchiha and turned into hatred, then shifted to love for Raijin out of gratitude. Raijin had never deliberately avoided her, but the age difference had always held them back. Now, for some reason, he felt the need to compensate her.

"Can we? When do we leave?"

A smile bloomed across Izumi’s face, her teardrop-shaped birthmark enhancing her innocent expression. It was like the carefree smile she had back in Konoha—something Raijin hadn’t seen in a long time. Since arriving in Dressrosa, Izumi had rarely smiled.

"In a few days. I just need to finalize Dressrosa’s development plans before we go."

Raijin patted Izumi’s soft hair, feeling the need to show care for the people who had followed him to this sea.

"Then I’ll get ready!"

Izumi hesitated for a moment before leaving the palace, leaving Raijin to work on documents alone.

That night, Shikaku Nara visited the ninja school and silently observed Zepyr’s lessons all day. He even took some notes, occasionally showing a thoughtful expression. The literacy program in Dressrosa had long since ended, and now the school was filled with actual children.

Zepyr noticed Shikaku and knew he was there for a reason.

"Class dismissed! You can go find Kuzan later. He’ll teach you all the Six Powers of the Navy. Make sure you train hard—the Six Powers push your physical limits."

Zepyr glanced at Shikaku and walked out. Shikaku followed closely behind, not even acknowledging his son.

"Spit it out. Raijin sent you, didn’t he? What does he want me to do now?"

Zepyr took a sip from a bottle of liquor. He worked diligently in Dressrosa, always helping Raijin with any task. Garp, on the other hand, had become little more than a mascot, and finding him was usually impossible. As Zepyr’s reputation grew in Dressrosa, he had become Raijin’s go-to person for important matters.

"No, Dressrosa has been peaceful lately. There hasn’t been much happening. Even when pirates attack, Uchiha Tetsuo alone can handle it."

"He’s one of your best students, isn’t he? Aren’t you proud of him?" Shikaku chuckled as they walked toward a nearby restaurant.

"Oh? Lord Shikaku! The usual?" Teuchi greeted him with a smile.

"Yes, but we have a guest tonight. Bring out a few more dishes."

"Ah, Zepyr! I’ve heard a lot about you. My daughter even attended the ninja school for a while."

"Thanks to you, Zepyr, my daughter met some top Navy chefs who taught her many new recipes. If it weren’t for you, we’d still just be making ramen!"

Teuchi laughed proudly. Though his daughter was young, she had learned a lot over the years, and the Navy chefs had helped her expand her culinary skills, allowing them to open a larger restaurant in Dressrosa.

"Are you Ayame’s father?"

Zepyr was momentarily surprised to realize he was at Ayame’s family restaurant but said nothing more as he followed Shikaku into a private dining room.

"This is Dressrosa. You two aren’t married yet! If that’s the case…"

"Take Genma Shiranui with you. His Flying Thunder God technique and the powers of the Door-Door Fruit will let you travel freely between islands."

"And Uzumaki Mito will be resurrected soon, so you’ll have some company!"