Noah reviewed Hana's father's diary page by page. There were drawings of landscapes, notes about customs, references to names that didn't appear on any map. He consulted archives in Konoha, spoke with merchants who had sailed through the area, even used his contacts in other countries. Nothing.
The island didn't exist in any official record. There were no trade routes mentioning it, no reconnaissance reports locating it. It was as if it had been erased from history.
—Something doesn't add up —Noah murmured one night in his laboratory, surrounded by maps and documents—. If it really lies between the Land of Fire and the Land of Whirlpools, it should have appeared at some point. Fishing boats, patrols, commercial convoys… someone would have seen it.
The area between the Land of Fire and the Land of Whirlpools was perfectly mapped. There were minor islets, yes, but nothing the size Hana implied. No solid land with winged inhabitants.
—This doesn't make sense —Noah murmured—. Either Hana's father was lying, or… the island is no longer where it should be.
—No —he decided—. I need to investigate myself.
Using the magic door, he transported himself to a remote coast of the Land of Fire. From there, he activated his mental powers and rose into the air. Flying with telekinesis was exhausting, but he had perfected the technique enough to stay in the sky for hours.
For two days, he combed the maritime area between the Land of Fire and the Land of Whirlpools. He flew in concentric patterns, descending to low altitude to inspect every islet, every crag, every rock formation that peeked out between the waves.
But in the end, he found no island. Only sea, sky, and occasionally some fishing boat.
Noah landed on a lonely rock, frustrated. He crossed his arms and looked at the horizon. The sun was beginning to set, tinting the water with orange hues.
—It can't be —he murmured—. I've covered the entire area between the Land of Fire and Uzushio. If there were an island here, I would have seen it.
He stood there, thinking, as the sun dyed the horizon orange and purple.
Then something clicked in his mind.
Hana's wings.
They weren't like those of an ordinary bird. They were too large and strong. Her father must have had them too. And if he had wings, maybe he didn't live on a sea island…
Noah looked up at the sky.
—Of course —he whispered—. It's not in the sea. It's in the sky.
Without hesitation, he propelled himself upward with all his strength. Telekinesis lifted him at dizzying speeds, piercing through clouds, ascending higher and higher.
Hours passed. The moon replaced the sun, and then the sun reappeared. Noah didn't stop and continued exploring the sky.
Finally, as the second day of celestial search began, he saw it.
A dark mass floated in the distance, silhouetted against the deep blue of the firmament. As he approached, the mass took shape: it was a gigantic storm cloud. And on top of it, like a ship on waves, rested a vast expanse of land.
Noah held his breath.
—Incredible —he murmured—. A floating island.
Without hesitation, he entered the storm. Lightning surrounded him, but his control over energy was absolute; he slipped between the discharges like a fish in water. He passed through the cloud layer and emerged inside.
The island unfolded before his eyes.
Forests of colossal trees covered most of its surface. Mountains rose in the distance, their peaks shining under a sun that seemed closer than on the surface. Rivers and lakes dotted the landscape. And in the air, birds of unknown species soared through the currents.
Noah descended slowly, landing in a forest clearing.
The trees around him were incredible. They stood over a hundred meters tall, their trunks so thick that it would take dozens of people to embrace them. The canopy formed a dense ceiling that barely let light filter through. The ground was covered with giant leaves and ferns the size of bushes.
He began to walk, exploring. There were no signs of civilization, only the distant sounds of insects and the crackle of wood under his feet.
After a few minutes, the ground trembled slightly.
Noah stopped and activated his perception. Between the trees, a gorilla emerged.
But not a normal gorilla. It stood at least ten meters tall, its back covered in grayish fur that seemed as thick as armor. It walked calmly, pushing branches aside with the backs of its hands, oblivious to everything.
It passed a few meters from Noah without noticing him.
—Colossal beast —Noah thought—. This place is full of surprises. Could it be one of those places like Ryuchi Cave and Shikkotsu Forest?
When the gorilla moved far enough away, Noah set out to follow it. But a faint noise in the bushes stopped him.
From the undergrowth, a figure leaped into the clearing. He was a dark-skinned man with spread black feathered wings and long braided hair hanging down his back. In his hands, two iron axes gleamed with sinister reflections.
Without hesitation, the winged man launched himself at the gorilla from the air and began to fight it.
The winged man flew with ease, attacking from different angles. His axes traced deadly arcs, seeking the beast's weak points. He was clearly an expert in combat.
The gorilla, for its part, relied on its brute strength. Its arms, the size of tree trunks, struck the ground creating shockwaves. But the man was too fast; he dodged the blows by centimeters, responding with precise cuts.
However, the gorilla's resilience was impressive. The axe cuts, though deep, barely seemed to affect it. Its skin and muscles were like hardened leather.
The tide turned when the gorilla, in an unexpected move, managed to grab the winged man's arm.
—Ugh! —the man grunted, struggling uselessly.
The gorilla slammed him into the ground again and again.
The impact was devastating. The man lay in a crater, with a visibly broken wing and blood pouring from multiple wounds. His left axe lay several meters away.
The gorilla approached to finish him off, its massive hand raising to crush him.
The winged man, lying on the ground, opened his mouth.
A small black sphere began to form inside it. It was tiny at first, but grew rapidly until it reached the size of a ball. Its color was that of absolute nothingness; it absorbed the surrounding light, creating a visual void around it.
The man launched it directly at the gorilla's chest.
The projectile pierced skin, muscle, bone, and detonated from within. There was no explosion sound. Simply, the gorilla's chest caved inward, as if a black hole had devoured its insides.
The beast fell to its knees, its eyes glassy, and collapsed lifeless.
The winged man breathed with difficulty. He tried to get up, leaning on an elbow, but his body did not respond. Blood continued to pour from his wounds, and the broken wing hung inert. His eyes closed and he lost consciousness.
Noah came out from the edge of the clearing, where he had observed the entire scene without intervening. He approached slowly, examining the bodies.
The gorilla was imposing even dead. The winged man, on the other hand, was surprisingly similar to humans, except for the wings on his back.
—Interesting. That final attack… it wasn't chakra. At least, not conventional chakra.
He made a decision.
He grabbed the winged man with one hand and the gorilla with the other, concentrating his mental power to levitate them. Then, he opened the magic door and crossed the threshold into his laboratory.