The interior of the Raikage Building was stark and simple—exactly what you'd expect from the Raikage's hard-edged temperament.
"Tsk, tsk… look at this place. Now compare it to the Hokage's office building—there's no competition."
"Definitely got that tough-guy vibe."
Chōmei didn't share Kazuyama Gekkō's admiration. In his mind, nowhere could compare to his current home for comfort.
Kazuyama might not be the strongest in a fight, but when it came to hiding things or finding them, he was first-class.
Back in the day, with just his Transparent Escape Technique, he'd managed to sneak a peek at the Scroll of Seals, and even emptied the treasure vault in Ibuse's castle.
Now he was fully channeling the meaning of a tiger entering the mountain. His sixth sense was on high alert as he prowled through the Raikage's building.
Half an hour later, he was stumped.
Where was everything? Where were the Kinjutsu?
Why did this massive building not have so much as a storeroom?
"Idiot. You think it's like Konoha or Amegakure, where they keep everything at arm's reach?"
"Maybe he keeps it somewhere else entirely."
Kazuyama ignored Chōmei's jab. He was busy thinking about where that big fool of a Raikage would stash his forbidden techniques.
He'd searched everywhere except the Raikage's office. Surely, he wouldn't really keep them there?
Didn't seem likely. Knowing the Fourth's personality, if there was a choice between using the door and breaking the window, he'd smash the window every time. And in a building perched high on a mountain, with those winds? Wasn't he afraid his stuff would blow away?
Forget it—nothing ventured, nothing gained.
"Chōmei, get the scale powder ready. If the Fourth is inside and on edge, I'll have him sleeping for days."
"No killing—he's still useful in a fight. Brute or not, he's strong."
Kazuyama's teeth clenched at the thought of the Fourth. Two broken fingers—pain like that was unforgettable.
Once man and beast were ready, Kazuyama moved to the office door.
Pick the lock? As if.
He was a shinobi—he'd never use a method that obvious.
A Transformation Technique was all it took.
Shrinking into the form of a tiny insect, he slipped through the crack in the door… and there he was.
A mountain of a man sprawled out on the floor, snoring away.
Well, well. The term "brute" fit perfectly. Who just sleeps on the floor like that?
And without a blanket—wasn't he worried about catching cold?
The huge snot bubble inflating from his nose said otherwise.
"Chōmei—scale powder."
"Let's give him the deluxe ten-day sleep package."
Kazuyama didn't hesitate. His rule was simple: always be cautious. With the target right there, there was no reason not to strip away any chance of resistance.
Chōmei, already itching to act, flung a cloud of shimmering powder over the Raikage.
It covered him completely.
The two watched as the Fourth slipped into an even deeper slumber—snot bubble and all.
"That's it? No reaction at all?"
Kazuyama had expected more awareness. He'd even prepared a backup—Flying Thunder God at the ready, planning to teleport him out of Kumogakure entirely if needed.
But this guy? Out cold, no clue he'd just been hit.
"Kazuyama, I think he's just exhausted. Probably from trying to pay off those debts."
"You heard what those guards were saying. Kumogakure's not doing well."
Kazuyama nodded. That made sense. Still, the image of the Raikage grinding through missions just to pay bills… it made him want to laugh.
"Whatever. Let's start searching."
The office was big. Aside from the desk, a whole section was filled with weight training equipment.
On the opposite wall stood a massive bookcase.
Kazuyama's sixth sense prickled—this was it.
"Kazuyama, wait—"
"Yeah, yeah, I see it. Barrier seal."
He didn't need Chōmei to point it out—the chakra hum around the bookcase was obvious.
Keeping Kinjutsu in the Raikage's office behind a protective barrier—standard practice.
Too bad for them, Kazuyama was an expert in breaking such things.
Back when he used to slip into Orochimaru's lab for "supplies," the man had thrown every kind of seal and trap in his path. In the end, all it did was train Kazuyama into a master at breaking them.
Circling the bookcase, he found five talismans, each pulsing with chakra.
"Looks like a Five-Seal Barrier. Trigger it, and there'll be a chakra reaction—no idea what kind of effect, though."
"If you don't remove all five at once, it fails and the barrier activates."
"Not bad. A bit outdated, though."
Kazuyama smirked. Orochimaru's defenses were much more troublesome.
"Crystal Release: Barrier-Breaking Nails."
Five long crystal spikes formed in his hands, each infused with chakra. With precise control, he set them into position.
"Kazuyama, are you sure about this? Something feels off… Push those in and the whole thing might blow."
Chōmei's centuries of experience told him there was something wrong with this sealwork.
Kazuyama waved it off.
"Relax. I've broken more barriers than I can count. This is just a Five-Seal Barrier—I'll have it down in seconds."
Without a second thought, he drove the nails home.
Crack!
The sound was sharp—too sharp.
Kazuyama froze. "…That didn't sound right."
Chōmei sighed. "Told you so…"
The talismans tore under the crystal spikes, but almost immediately arcs of lightning began to dance across the bookcase.