*Chapter 245*

The look of disdain made the sensitive Sasuke feel a surge of anger!

But...

He didn't have the strength to respond right now, so all he could do was rage helplessly.

Even his ability to awaken the three-tomoe Sharingan was thanks to Raijin.

After all, his frail body wasn’t capable of activating the Sharingan on its own.

Starting the three-tomoe Sharingan at such a young age was a sign of talent, but it also caused significant damage to his body.

If things didn't go smoothly, his growth could be stunted in the future.

However, with Hashirama's bloodline and some other genetic factors, his body now had enormous potential and could bear the power of the Sharingan.

In the early years, awakening the Sharingan wasn’t a good thing for the Uchiha. To them, it was a curse.

That’s why Raijin had already injected something into the younger generation to enhance their potential.

“Hehe!”

Karin from the Uzumaki clan blushed, a little embarrassed.

She hadn’t expected to be praised by Lord Raijin for defeating Sasuke.

From now on, Karin had already made up her mind.

She would be ruthless towards Sasuke at the ninja academy.

"These two are your Uzumaki clan predecessors! Uzumaki Mito and Uzumaki Kushina," Raijin said, pointing to the two women.

“The Uzumaki... Clan?”

Karin didn’t show any excitement.

It was because of her Uzumaki bloodline that she and her mother had endured inhumane suffering in the Land of Grass.

Because of that, Karin didn’t feel any pride. If it weren’t for her bloodline being of use to Lord Raijin, she might have hated it, as it was the cause of their misery.

“They are masters of sealing jutsu. From now on, you’ll study sealing techniques with them.”

“You have a stronger power within you, and the Uzumaki clan’s Kekkei Genkai is well-suited for learning sealing jutsu.”

“Dressrosa will need some special sealing jutsu, so make sure you study hard.”

Seeing that Karin wasn’t interested, Raijin thought for a moment and issued an order.

Sealing jutsu was one of the most mysterious and difficult techniques in the ninja world.

For the Uzumaki clan, learning it came more easily.

“Understood! Lady Mito, Lady Kushina!” Karin responded respectfully, though with some reluctance, stepping forward to greet the two women.

As long as she could help Lord Raijin, Karin didn’t mind sacrificing herself.

“So, this is the disciple you’ve prepared for us? Learning sealing jutsu isn’t easy,” said Mito, turning to Raijin.

“When Kushina learned it, it took her a long time just to grasp the basics.”

“If you want this child to learn, it might take quite a while.”

Mito looked at Raijin.

Sealing jutsu wasn’t something that could be mastered quickly. It required years of study.

“No problem, they can stay with you and learn.”

“Kushina mentioned wanting to sail around a bit. Karin can go with you.”

“You can teach her on the ship, and if you need anything else, just let me know.”

“I’ve already arranged sailors for your trip, skilled warriors from the Kuja Pirates.”

“They’re familiar with the sea!”

Raijin wasn’t worried.

"???"

Tobirama’s face alternated between red and black.

He had also asked to go out and experience the sea breeze, but Raijin had immediately rejected him.

Now, this young Uzumaki girl had just arrived and already got permission, along with an entire crew.

“No, we’ve already discussed it with Lady Mito. We’ve got a general plan,” Kushina said, clearly happy with how thoughtful Raijin had been in preparing everything.

She went to hug him but hesitated, feeling it might be inappropriate. She awkwardly raised her arms, unsure of what to do.

“Haha, who would’ve thought that the hot-tempered ‘Red Hot-Blooded Habanero’ would become so shy after her revival?” Raijin chuckled, noticing Kushina's awkwardness, and pulled her into a hug.

He had eaten many meals at Kushina’s home back in the day!

---

Although his relationship wasn’t as close as that between Kakashi, Obito, and Kushina Uzumaki, he still received quite a bit of care.

Kushina Uzumaki wasn’t the type to reject him just because he was from the Uchiha clan.

"Then take your time sailing on the sea! If you need anything, find Shiranui Genma. He knows how to contact me.”

“Of course, if something unexpected happens, Dressrosa will intervene in your journey,” Raijin whispered into Kushina’s ear before letting her go.

Kushina’s face flushed red with embarrassment.

“Damn it!” she thought, frustrated at being teased by someone so much younger.

"Are you planning to leave Dressrosa for a while too?" Mito asked, deep in thought.

"That’s right! You guys haven’t experienced the ocean much, and I haven’t either."

“So, I’m planning to travel for a while,” Raijin said with a nod.

He glanced at Tobirama, and Kushina, along with Genma, left.

He brought Tobirama along, thinking it’d be better to have both of them with him. That way, if something happened, they could quickly respond.

After leaving the ninja academy, the group split up.

During this time in Dressrosa, countless ships had been built. But the best ones were actually commissioned from outsiders.

And by outsiders, he meant the Navy.

They had the Navy build a few ships the size of warships, outfitted with Seastone so they could pass through the Calm Belt without any issues.

Dressrosa’s shipbuilders were still developing and didn’t have the skills yet, but progress was expected in time. For now, they’d use the Navy’s ships to fill the gap.

“Lord Raijin, shouldn’t we assign more guards?” Nara Shikaku hobbled over to Raijin, noting that there were only about a hundred sailors on the ship.

Even though the warship could hold two thousand people, Raijin seemed set on traveling light, which worried some of them.

"Who on the sea could possibly hurt me? You should worry more about yourself than about me," Raijin said with concern, looking at Shikaku. "Can your body still handle an attack from Kuzan? That’s what really matters."

Shikaku’s health had been a problem for a while. His leg had been broken, and he had multiple injuries from the last fight, and now he had been injured by Zephyr as well. Raijin was genuinely concerned for him, but stopping this course of action wasn’t an option. This was the best way to strengthen the Uchiha clan.

"I’ve already asked Miss Shizune for some temporary medication to help me last longer," Shikaku said. "I’ll be alive to see you again."

The concern Shikaku had for Raijin quickly vanished as he swallowed his worries. These Uchiha guys are too blunt, he thought.

Garp and the others were still nearby, but Garp’s face showed no reaction, which made Shikaku feel better. If their plans were leaked, the success rate would drop significantly.

“That settles that, then,” Raijin said with a satisfied nod, but Garp’s eyelid twitched slightly.

Did they think he was deaf? Garp thought. They were speaking loud enough for him to hear every word.

Garp glanced at Zephyr, meeting his gaze before casually whistling as if nothing had happened. But his expression betrayed him.

Zephyr didn’t react much either. What did it matter if Garp knew? Zephyr didn’t care about appearances anymore, as long as he didn’t disgrace himself in the end. At his age, he just wanted to teach the next generation and raise some strong students, contributing to the world in his own way.

"Raijin, how about I join you on your trip? The sea is dangerous!" Garp said suddenly. "There are still some relics of the old era lurking around. If you encounter one of them, I can make sure you’re safe."

At this point, Garp didn’t want to stay in Dressrosa any longer. He felt like if he stayed, Zephyr would rope him into becoming a conspirator, and he had no desire to put his own students in harm’s way.

"If Zephyr causes trouble, it’s between him and Kuzan. But if I get involved, I’ll lose a student."

"Are there still strong people like that? Do you know where they are?" Raijin asked, intrigued.

"Ahem, we in the Navy don’t know their exact locations, but there are definitely some old pirates from the previous era still alive," Garp replied. "Like Shiki the Golden Lion, who escaped from prison, and the Red Count, who once rivaled Roger. Although their strength may have weakened over time, they could still cause trouble for you."

Seeing Raijin’s interest, Garp quickly added more details. He didn’t even want to worry about his two grandsons now, as they couldn’t leave Dressrosa anyway. Plus, with Zephyr and Kuzan around, not even the Red-Haired Pirates could get in or out unscathed.

Before Raijin and his crew left with Zephyr, Garp had positioned several vice admirals around Dressrosa to secure it. When Shanks’ crew and that old scoundrel Rayleigh tried to invade, they were forced to retreat.

“I trust Zephyr’s abilities to keep my grandsons safe,” Garp thought to himself.

“Since you don’t know their exact locations, there’s no need for you to come along! You’d just be backup anyway. Besides,” Raijin added with a serious look, patting Garp on the shoulder, “children need their family’s support. You should stay here in Dressrosa.”

Garp froze for a moment, unsure how to respond.

Raijin smiled, having made all the necessary arrangements for Dressrosa’s continued development. With the gold from Skypiea as a financial backbone and the people he’d brought from the Hidden Leaf Village, Dressrosa was now fully staffed.

He could issue commands, and the war machine that was Dressrosa would be up and running, even without his direct involvement. All he needed now was time for peaceful development. Give him a few years, and he’d become the next Yonko.

A warship arrived at Marineford, but it wasn’t flying the Navy flag—it bore the crest of Dressrosa.

The sight of the flag prompted the Navy to report it to the higher-ups immediately.

“Dressrosa? What are they doing at Marineford? Has anything happened recently?” Sengoku asked, furrowing his brow in confusion.

The Navy’s relationship with Dressrosa was good, but not to the point where they’d casually visit each other.

“Nothing much has happened. The seas have been quiet since your return,” Sengoku’s adjutant replied. “Even the pirates of the New World have been staying in their territories. The only thing remotely connected to Dressrosa is their recent alliance with Big Mom. Her child was just born.”

Sengoku nodded, slightly puzzled by the strange calm that had settled over the seas.

“Go find out what Dressrosa wants,” he ordered.

“Yes, sir!”

Sengoku’s adjutant left the office.

“Why are you so wary of Dressrosa?” Tsuru asked as she sipped her tea, enjoying the rare peace that allowed her some downtime.

Sengoku sighed. “Dressrosa has grown too powerful in just a year. Look at what they’ve become! And we don’t even know the size of their military.”

“It’s almost like they’re turning into pirates themselves. Fortunately, Zephyr is still there, keeping things from getting worse.”

Tsuru smiled faintly. “I trust Zephyr wouldn’t train his students to become pirates.”

Sengoku chuckled. “That’s true. Dressrosa will always be on our side.”

After some time, the adjutant returned with a strange report.

“You’re telling me Dressrosa sent someone to deliver gifts to Borsalino?” Sengoku asked, bewildered.

(End of Chapter)