Before setting out for the Land of Wind, Uchiha Gen first made a stop at the volcano where Homies resided.
From there, he used the Flying Thunder God Technique to reach the Land of Grass, then continued the journey across the skies on Homies' back.
Gen had never been to the Land of Wind before, so he hadn't left any Flying Thunder God marks there.
He wasn't about to march across endless desert and rocky wasteland on foot when he had alternatives. Kyouki was currently in the Land of Lightning, far in the northeast of the continent, while the Land of Wind lay in the southwest.
Even with the Flying Thunder God's speed, Gen wasn't willing to waste chakra running across half the world.
Pakura did carry one of his marks on her, but the distance was far too great, and the connection too faint to pinpoint.
Even Minato Namikaze himself couldn't establish Flying Thunder God coordinates across half the shinobi world, it had to be within a certain range.
Shuryu had grown again, now over twenty meters long. Its crimson scales were deeper and richer, its aura more commanding. A true beast of flame and majesty.
Riding atop it, Gen cut through the skies like a comet, crimson fire clouds streaming beneath its steps.
The sun blazed overhead.
Gen stood on Homie's head, hands clasped behind his back, his long black trench coat patterned with silver threads whipping in the wind. His expression was thoughtful.
The recent experience at Nanga Shrine, combined with the siege there, had driven something home; he needed a way to summon Shuryu and Kyouki instantly, no matter where they were. Otherwise, against a powerful enemy, having only part of his strength assembled could cost him dearly.
Naturally, the first thing that came to mind was the Summoning Technique.
A C-rank space-time ninjutsu, the Summoning Technique normally relied on a blood contract with the summoned beast, using fresh blood as the medium. But exceptions existed; there were summoning techniques for puppets, ninja tools, even the living and the dead.
That variety alone proved the medium didn't always have to be blood.
Shuryu, Kyouki, and Shizukamaru weren't creatures of flesh and blood in the ordinary sense. But what if a fragment of soul power could serve as the contract medium instead?
By modifying the blood contract into a soul contract, sealed with mutual fragments of soul energy, they could maintain a permanent bond which is stronger and more versatile than blood.
With his expertise in soul arts, space-time ninjutsu, and formula arrays, the improvement wasn't beyond him. And if he truly ran into a wall, Orochimaru would surely be able to lend a hand, this sort of modification was trivial compared to that man's pursuits.
Once complete, the technique would allow him to summon Shuryu and Kyouki from anywhere, keeping his combat strength whole and present at all times.
It would also let him spend more time with them, answering Shizukamaru's constant complaints about boredom. At the same time, Shuryu and Kyouki would still be free to grow stronger on their own when not summoned, striking a perfect balance.
And there was another benefit; his women, Pakura, Mikoto, and those yet to come, could each form their own soul contracts. They wouldn't summon Homies casually in daily life, but in desperate moments, the beasts could serve as their hidden trump card, a shield against disaster.
The more Gen thought about it, the more eager he became. His mind quickly began shaping the modification. Within fifteen minutes, he had a complete preliminary design.
To keep the details fresh, he had Shuryu slow its flight while he pulled a scroll from his pouch. In mid-air, he carefully inscribed his ideas, then ordered Shuryu onward again.
Along the route, he left Flying Thunder God marks at intervals, stringing together his own private highway across the skies.
By the time they reached the southeastern coast of the Land of Wind, evening had set in.
Gen landed in a remote uninhabited area and dismissed Shuryu.
Instead of heading straight for Pakura, he strolled into a nearby oasis town and spent the day wandering. The Land of Wind was harsh and barren, but even here, unique sights and small pleasures could be found.
By nine that night, his senses told him Pakura had stopped moving. Without hesitation, he activated the Flying Thunder God.
In the blink of an eye, Gen vanished from his luxurious hotel room. The next instant, he materialized inside Pakura's tent within the Sunagakure forward camp.
The sudden intrusion startled her. Instinctively, she lashed out with a sharp elbow strike.
Gen caught her arm with ease, his voice low. "Easy. It's me."
At the familiar tone, Pakura turned, surprise flashing before her features softened. "You scared me. How did you even get in here? Don't tell me Sunagakure's defenses are that pathetic."
Gen slipped an arm around her waist, smiling. "Your defenses are fine. But there are very few places in this world I can't get into."
She struggled lightly, then stilled in his grasp, letting him hold her. "So? Why did you suddenly come all this way?"
"What do you think?" he said warmly. "I missed you. And I wanted to celebrate the New Year with you. Once things heat up here, you won't have a single free day."
Without waiting, he bent and scooped her up, one arm hooked beneath her knees.
Pakura's eyes widened. "Hey! What are you doing? This is still the camp....put me down!" Her hands pressed against his chest in protest.
"I just wanted to hold you," Gen murmured, unfazed by her objections.
His words melted her resistance. With a small sigh, Pakura leaned into him as he sat down on her bed, cradling her in his lap.
"I'm grateful you came," she admitted softly. "But I have no time, Gen. Lately I barely sleep, too many orders, too many missions. Lord Kazekage hasn't even settled matters with the Mist, yet now he's provoking Iwagakure."
Gen's expression tightened.
So Rasa really had lost his mind? Did he think Iwa was still too weak from recent defeats to retaliate? Two-front conflicts were suicide, even small-scale ones. Sunagakure's treasury was already strained; a drawn-out campaign would bleed it dry.
He recalled the history he knew; Pakura sacrificed as a pawn to appease the Mist, her death used to secure support.
A Kazekage who sowed trouble himself and then used the blood of his heroes to quiet the storm. No wonder Rasa's reign was remembered as the darkest in Sand's history.
Gen exhaled slowly, his tone turning half-playful. "If you're so busy, why not just marry into Konoha instead?"
Pakura shook her head firmly. "No. I still want to serve my village. I want to prove myself. I'm not ready to live as someone's housewife."
Gen only smiled faintly. The more devoted you are now, the deeper the wound will cut when betrayal comes.
"Alright," he said, "I'll respect your choice. But remember, you're also my girlfriend. That role comes with obligations too."
As he spoke, he gently pressed her down onto the bed, his hands beginning to wander.
Pakura gasped, half-scolding, half-flustered. "Gen...wait, I haven't even showered yet!"
He blinked. "This late, and you still haven't?"
She sighed. "Water is precious here. Even high officers can't afford the luxury of daily baths. Once every two days is already stretching it."
Gen's smirk turned wicked. "That's fine. I don't mind."
"But I do," she retorted, pushing at his shoulder. "I won't let it be so hasty. And I have duties tomorrow. If I'm worn out, it'll affect my performance."
"I know Medical Ninjutsu," he countered smoothly.
"At least let me bathe first," she insisted.
"Do you think I don't have a way?" Gen shot back, teeth gritted.
Pakura laughed lightly, covering her mouth with one hand, her eyes curving into crescents. "I remember...you don't know Water Release. So you can't conjure water, let alone hot water. Nice bluff."
"If I conjure hot water," Gen challenged, "will you give in?"
Her laughter softened, turning warm. "Of course. I can't let you travel so far, all the way to spend New Year with me, and leave you disappointed. I really am touched you came."
Lying on her side, she cupped his face between her hands, smiling playfully.
"You said it," Gen replied, his voice low with meaning.
He left a Flying Thunder God mark on the bed, then touched her hand. In the next instant, both of them vanished from the tent in a flash of light…