Asuna's mood immediately improved. With someone else taking on the responsibility of a tour guide, the rest wasn't a problem. She actually quite enjoyed discussing Wind Release techniques with Karura. Sunagakure was a traditional Wind Release ninja village, and most of its residents possessed a wind-nature chakra, unlike Konohagakure, where wind-nature was relatively rare.
Sunagakure's secret technique, which mimicked Shukaku's Magnet Release to allow ordinary people to manipulate sand, was a variation of Wind Release. Even Asuna, who had unique insights into Wind Release from her father, was surprised to see this ability to control sand by mimicking Wind Release.
At this moment, Asuna vaguely heard sounds from the kitchen. She listened for a moment and said, "Big sister is already back. Usually, I'm the one who comes home earlier."
"She came home very early today, even helping her mother cook," Fumori Masaki said, picking up the newspaper again.
"Why?" Asuna was a little surprised. She knew her sister was very diligent in her work, and the work in the research department was unlike other places; once you got engrossed, it was easy to lose track of time.
"Who knows? But she said she had good news to share. Perhaps, the reason she came back so early is related to that," Fumori Masaki smiled.
"Good news… Is there progress in the research of flying combat ninja tools?" After Fumori Masaki said that, Asuna immediately deduced, based on her sister Akemi's responsibilities in the research department.
"If that were the case, I'd be very happy. But your sister, she's being mysterious and insists on telling us at dinner," Fumori Masaki said.
"That means Big Sister is in a very good mood. She can even joke with Father. She must have truly made progress in the research of flying combat ninja tools," Asuna, who knew her sister's personality well, said.
"I think so too. We'll see if it's true," Fumori Masaki said, his gaze moving across the newspaper, looking at some unofficial private news. Although not necessarily accurate, it was a good way for him to understand the common people of Konohagakure. After all, as Konohagakure's territory grew larger and larger, even private visits were not so easy.
Leveraging the prestige and achievements of the Second Great Ninja War, Konohagakure took advantage of it to carve up a portion of the condemned nobles' territories, causing Konohagakure's territory to expand significantly once again. Releasing the laborers brought back from the Land of Whirlpools was still slightly insufficient. In the future, Konohagakure's territory should grow even larger.
If Fumori Masaki could fully gain political power in the Land of Fire, Konohagakure would become the political and cultural center of the Land of Fire. The current capital was at most an ancient city from the past. Although it had a rich historical heritage,
its political status was not as high as Konohagakure's.
After a while, Fumori Masaki and Asuna heard that dinner was ready. Fumori Masaki tidied up the pile of newspapers he had read and said to Asuna, "Go upstairs and call Kushina."
Kushina came back earlier than anyone else. Usually, Kushina would be upstairs reading scrolls and learning secret techniques, so engrossed that she often couldn't hear others. Asuna agreed and quickly went upstairs to call Kushina. Not long after, she accompanied Kushina downstairs.
Seeing Fumori Masaki, Kushina asked a little shyly. However, as she spent more and more time in the Kazemori household, she became more and more accustomed to her new life.
At the dinner table, Satomi and Akemi were placing dishes on the table and setting out bowls and chopsticks. Today's meal was very rich; even for a family of five, it seemed like there might be too much. Seeing this, Fumori Masaki felt that Akemi truly had good news for him, and his anticipation grew stronger.
"Come, try my cooking," Akemi said. "I made all of these myself."
"Really?" Fumori Masaki looked at Satomi. In the past, Satomi always did the cooking. Akemi was busy with her work in the research department and hadn't cooked much.
"Really, really. Akemi's cooking isn't bad. Although she hasn't been learning for long, and I helped her, she still managed to make this whole table of dishes," Satomi said with a smile.
"That's quite impressive then," Fumori Masaki also smiled and nodded.
"Akemi-nee made all of these? I thought Akemi-nee, like Asuna-nee, wasn't very good at cooking," Kushina said, looking at the dishes on the table.
Asuna, standing nearby, felt a little embarrassed, but what Kushina said was true, and she couldn't refute it. However, her sister Akemi, despite the research department being a very busy place, should logically not have much time to cook. Even with her mother's help, how did she get such good cooking skills?
Fumori Masaki served rice to everyone, placed it in front of them, and then sat down. He picked up his chopsticks and took a bite, nodding and saying, "Not bad, Akemi's cooking isn't bad. Have you been secretly practicing?"
"Yes," Akemi admitted without hesitation.
"Is the food in the research department's cafeteria not good?" Fumori Masaki asked.
"It's not that, it's just that Senior Orochimaru's eating habits aren't very regular, so I thought I could make some things when we're researching together, so at least it wouldn't affect our health," Akemi said.
Fumori Masaki paused for a moment, feeling that it would have been better not to ask; asking only made him feel more pained. But fortunately, he had a premonition and wasn't a sentimental person, so he immediately picked up his chopsticks again.
The others also started eating, agreeing that Akemi's cooking was indeed good. Satomi, upon hearing this, also felt a hint of something and glanced at Fumori Masaki, but saw him deep in thought about other things, not noticing her gaze.
"Akemi, what's the good news? You can tell us now, can't you?" Fumori Masaki said at this point.
Asuna immediately looked at her sister. Although Satomi and Kushina hadn't directly heard about Akemi's good news, seeing Akemi's good mood, they knew something good must have happened. What Fumori Masaki said now merely confirmed this point.
"Hmm, almost. Since Father wants to know, I won't hide it from you all," Akemi temporarily put down her chopsticks and said to everyone, "Actually, there has been a major breakthrough in the research of flying combat ninja tools in the research department. We have already produced the first prototype."
Although he had a vague suspicion in his heart, upon receiving Akemi's confirmation, Fumori Masaki still felt inner joy. Flying combat ninja tools were undoubtedly a groundbreaking advancement in the ninja world. Anyone who had fought against flying ninjas would know what a huge advantage flight was. It would directly transform combat from a two-dimensional plane into a three-dimensional space, which would directly lead to an improvement in the ninja world's military combat methods.
"How were the experimental results?" Fumori Masaki immediately asked.
"Currently, only Senior Orochimaru has tried it. With his Wind Release level, using it isn't particularly troublesome. But given that Senior Orochimaru is one of the few Wind Release masters, we need to continue collecting data and have other Wind Release ninjas use it as well," Akemi said.
Future flying combat ninja tools were meant to be popularized. If they were only elite equipment usable by a few, there wouldn't be much difference from a small number of flying ninjas. Although they could still become a certain powerful force, they wouldn't be able to bring about a revolutionary impact on the ninja village.
It's like there aren't no ninjutsu or tools that can unleash power similar to explosive cannons, but without exception, they all require a large amount of chakra or financial resources. Compared to explosive cannons, the cost is very high, and only a few people can use them. They always belong to a small elite, not a popularized tool.
"I want to see it for myself," Fumori Masaki said. "This thing will be very important in the future. If we have this, maintaining peace in the ninja world will be even more guaranteed."
A three-dimensional warfare model would certainly be something other ninja villages couldn't withstand at present. Konohagakure would gain a huge advantage. In Fumori Masaki's estimation, if there were a structured flying combat unit, not needing too many, just a few hundred people, it could deliver a major blow to the enemy.
A local battle might no longer require a month or even longer; it could be concluded in a shorter time. Fumori Masaki felt that if it could have been used in the Second Great Ninja War, the war's end would have been shortened by at least half, and in reality, it would definitely be more!
"I knew Father would want to see it with his own eyes. Don't worry, it's already prepared for you. We're just waiting for you to inspect it tomorrow," Akemi said with a smile.
"Such rapid progress all of a sudden? I remember it wasn't this fast before, was it?" Satomi asked.
"Thanks to the puppet technicians from Sunagakure. Although they didn't reveal many core secrets, just a portion of the technical exchange enlightened us," Akemi said. "Sunagakure truly has unique research in puppetry. We are indeed a bit lacking in this area. It might be a difference in design philosophy, but for us, it was like a window paper; we could easily pierce it, but we just couldn't find where that window paper was."
"And after talking with the Sunagakure exchange students, you found where that window paper was?" Asuna asked.
"Yes, that's all we were missing. The accumulation was already there, just a tiny bit missing. Once we leap over it, it's a vast ocean and sky," Akemi made a gesture, describing how little their research was lacking and how vast it became after they leaped over it.
"This shows that our decision to keep these Sunagakure exchange students was correct. Although it's inevitable that they will learn some secrets within the village, it doesn't matter. What they can know won't affect the overall situation, and it might even help solidify the cooperative relationship between the two villages. Compared to that, the benefits to us might be even greater," Fumori Masaki nodded.
"I don't understand this aspect, but I think Father is truly amazing. As long as these flying combat ninja tools can be mass-produced, they will definitely give other ninja villages the same surprise as the explosive cannons," Akemi said. Although she wasn't a professional combat ninja, her team member Orochimaru had personally experienced the Ninja War. Orochimaru immediately determined the role that flying combat ninja tools could play on the battlefield.
"Surprise, that truly is a surprise. Although I hope they don't have to see it, I guess that's unlikely," Fumori Masaki shook his head.
"Is it because of the Land of Lightning and the Land of Earth? Really, they were allies in the war, why isn't the Land of Lightning willing to join the alliance?" Satomi complained.
"Although the goal of the alliance is peace in the ninja world, the system is led by Konoha. High-ranking leaders like those in Kumogakure and Iwagakure, who have ambitions, are unwilling to accept such a result. Sunagakure's side is because the losses from the war were too severe, and Bunpuku also chose to accept reality, allowing the Land of Wind to maintain its status as a great nation. They can obtain resources in a better way; relying solely on war, they wouldn't get anything," Fumori Masaki said.
"Will there be another Ninja War in the future?"
"Maybe, maybe not. If it happens again, I hope it's the last time. And I have to admit, if there isn't enough powerful strength to deter others, it's unlikely to make them submit. The reason I am vigorously developing flying combat ninja tools is to be able to deliver unbearable blows to the enemy. And talk is useless; we definitely have to let the other side see it, let them know that the more severe the cost of war, the less they will dare to act recklessly."
For Asuna and Kushina, who had just experienced the Ninja War, knowing that another Ninja War might occur in the future made them feel heavy-hearted. Although Akemi hadn't experienced war, she also longed for peace. While she understood what her father said and spared no effort in researching flying combat ninja tools, she still felt a bit uncomfortable.
Noticing this, Satomi and Fumori Masaki exchanged glances, then changed the subject to something lighter, gradually easing the atmosphere.
The next day, Fumori Masaki and Satomi went to the research department together to witness the first prototype of the flying combat ninja tool developed by the department. The research department staff knew that Akemi would surely have spoken yesterday, so they were already waiting inside. The moment they saw Fumori Masaki, everyone immediately came forward to greet him.
"You all have worked hard," Fumori Masaki expressed his condolences to all the researchers involved in the flying combat ninja tool project. Then, led by the crowd, he walked inside.
In the testing ground, the prototype of the flying combat ninja tool was already placed there, about half a person's height, wider than a normal person's waist. Its appearance somewhat resembled the jetpacks from Fumori Masaki's previous life. Of course, its actual composition was much more complex, and its primary power source was not fuel, but chakra.
Fumori Masaki nodded slightly upon seeing this object. He already knew the working principle of this device from Akemi. By injecting wind-nature chakra through the circuits on the surface of the ninja tool, and according to the operation, it could achieve manipulation of airflow. In short, it replaced complex Wind Release manipulation with a tool, allowing the more advanced Wind Release technique, Wind Travel, which enables flight, to be used at a lower cost.