Want to read ahead? Join my Patreon for only $7 to get early access to upcoming chapters!
> > Patreon.com/NegativeTranslations <<
----------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 34: Uzumaki Honoka
[Uzumaki Honoka.]
"Uzumaki Honoka?" Konan repeated softly, frowning as she searched her memory.
After a brief pause, she shook her head. "Never heard of her."
In all the intelligence Akatsuki had gathered over the years, that name had never once appeared.
Alex explained, [I found her name in Shinnō's remaining research notes.]
He had heard of Honoka before, but never knew her exact location.
Unexpectedly, Shinnō had once infiltrated that very island—and even recorded its coordinates.
[Konan, do you know the Land of the Sea?]
Konan nodded slightly. "Yes. It's a small country out on the ocean. Its people live scattered across a few islands."
She looked up at Alex. "You're saying Uzumaki Honoka is there?"
[That's right—on one of the islands known as Summoning Island.]
Alex remembered it well—Summoning Island, also called the Isle of Forgetfulness, was home to countless Summoning Beasts.
Honoka had apparently been captured by researchers there, forced to use her sealing techniques to help develop the so-called Ultimate Summoning Beast.
He wasn't sure whether that creature had been completed yet… but once it was, those researchers would likely all die—and Honoka's fate would be sealed along with them.
Although the outcome was uncertain, Alex had already decided. He would go find Uzumaki Honoka first.
Compared to infiltrating heavily guarded Konoha to reach Naruto—or tracking down the elusive Karin—finding Honoka would take far less time and effort.
Konan agreed without hesitation. "Then once the Sky Fortress rises at nightfall, we'll head straight for the Land of the Sea."
[Mm. That's the plan for now.]
[You should rest and restore your chakra. I'll go check on the Sky Ninjas' progress.]
"Be careful," Konan reminded gently. "Let me know immediately if something happens."
She closed her eyes, focusing on chakra recovery.
Alex gathered his paper body around him and drifted out of the room.
When he entered the backup energy chamber, five Sky Ninjas were already there, holding strange devices as they inspected the energy pool.
"Greetings, Lady Leader!"
The five immediately straightened and saluted the moment they saw the floating cluster of white paper.
They didn't know whether their leader could hear through it, but they knew it was one of her jutsu—likely meant to observe their work.
Alex gave no reply. After confirming the Zero-Tails core was operating normally, he turned the paper swarm and drifted away toward the control hall on the lower floor.
The place was bustling with activity. About thirty Sky Ninjas were working hard, adjusting and repairing complex machinery.
After scanning the room and finding no issues, Alex continued onward, floating through the corridors until he emerged from the gaping mouth of a massive stone statue—out onto the surface.
All remaining Sky Ninjas were gathered there.
Under the command of a black-cloaked captain, they were demolishing the bizarre sculptures that littered the fortress deck, working fast and rough.
"Move faster!" the captain roared. "This is the first order from our new leader! I want it done perfectly—no mistakes!"
Dozens of Sky Ninjas toiled in silence, using their jutsu to shatter towering stone figures and haul the debris to the edges.
From the west came the rumbling sound of collapsing statues.
The deck was rapidly becoming open and spacious again.
Now that's more like it, Alex thought with satisfaction. A sky garden should be grand and unobstructed. All those statues were just blocking the view.
The black-cloaked commander noticed the paper cluster approaching and immediately performed a Body Flicker to appear beside it.
"My lady, do you have any instructions?" he asked, bowing deeply, a nervous smile plastered across his face.
When the paper didn't respond, he hurriedly continued his report.
"My lady, the sculptures on the deck will be cleared soon. Including the repair work, everything will be ready before nightfall. All systems have been checked and are functioning properly. We're now making final adjustments—once the energy's sufficient, the fortress can take off again."
The paper swarm bobbed slightly up and down in acknowledgment.
Seeing that small reaction, the commander exhaled in relief. He glanced up cautiously and asked, voice trembling,
"My lady… how long will the fortress remain airborne? Our stores of food, water, and supplies might not last more than three days."
They usually restocked once a month, and it was nearly the end of the month now—just before they could make the next supply run, their former leader Shinnō had been killed.
Alex paused. He hadn't actually considered that problem.
Nearly a hundred Sky Ninjas lived on the fortress—their daily consumption of resources was enormous.
They'd need to restock before taking off, or they'd be stranded in midair with nowhere to buy supplies.
He formed his paper into an arrow pointing toward the direction of Amaru's village.
The commander blinked in confusion, then realized there was a small village there.
His expression brightened, thinking he'd understood the order.
"Understood, my lady!" he declared. "I'll send a squad to raid that village right away! We'll make it quick and clean!"
A cruel glint flashed in his eyes—finally, a chance to vent all the frustration bottled up inside.
Slap!
A sheet of paper smacked him square across the nose.
The paper fluttered back into the swarm—its meaning clear. No.
The commander froze, stunned. The fierce look vanished instantly from his eyes.
Wait… did I misunderstand?
Then, as if struck by inspiration, he grinned nervously. "Ah—I get it! You mean we should sneak in quietly, right? No noise, no traces?"
Alex was speechless. This idiot… does his brain only know how to steal?
Has he ever heard of buying things? With money?
Of course, that was where Alex's thinking didn't quite align with this world. In the shinobi world, money was useful—but only when both sides had equal power.
For a group like the Sky Ninja—hiding in the shadows—raiding a small, defenseless village was routine.
Paying for goods? What a joke.
Ordinary villagers with no chakra couldn't resist at all. Refuse to hand over supplies? They'd be slaughtered without a second thought.
Even rogue ninja, or disgraced shinobi from the Five Great Nations, usually just took what they wanted. Paying was rare.
In a world where life was cheap, the weak had no right to bargain.
Smack!
Alex slapped him again—harder this time—sending the commander spinning through the air before crashing onto the ground.
A sheet of paper fluttered down, scooping up the coins that had fallen from the man's pouch and holding them right before his face.
If he still didn't get it now, his brain truly was mush.
The commander wasn't stupid—just used to taking things by force.
Seeing the money dangling before him, he scrambled up, holding his bruised face with both hands and grinning awkwardly.
"My apologies, my lady! I misunderstood your intentions! I'll go purchase supplies from the village properly—with money!"
Terrified of another slap, he added quickly, "And I'll make sure to pay a fair price!"
The paper swarm bobbed again, indicating approval.
A powerless little village had narrowly escaped annihilation.
But such was the way of the ninja world—cold, brutal, and drenched in blood.
The destruction of villages and even nations was nothing unusual here.