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My Journey as Fourth Kazekage 104
🕑 Added 2025-03-08 10:20:54 +0000 UTCChapter 104: The Ghost Ship and the Sea Monster
(AN: "The Cursed Ghost Ship" is episode 225 of the Naruto: Shippūden anime.)
Rasa never expected his luck to be this good!
When he stepped onto the deck, sure enough, under the night sky, amidst the misty and dim sea, a dilapidated three-masted sailing ship appeared, creaking as it slowly drifted toward them.
Everyone on the deck was visibly frightened. Even Sunagakure's Sand Eagle and Sand Lizard felt their hairs stand on end.
"It... it really is a ghost ship!"
"You’ve got to be kidding me! Are we really this unlucky?"
Thunder Blade and Wind Blade, equally tense, quickly moved to Rasa’s side.
"Kazekage-sama, we-!"
Before they could speak, Rasa stopped them.
"Don’t worry about me. Protect the employer first!"
"Understood!"
The two promptly returned to the employer’s ship.
Meanwhile, Ootsu, visibly panicked, spoke up.
"Rasa-dono, we can’t stay in these waters any longer. We need to leave immediately!"
Rasa, on the other hand, had other plans.
"Oh? Why not wait until the ghost ship disappears before we go?"
Ootsu, trembling, explained,
"Rasa-dono, you might not know this, but according to legends passed down among sailors, a ghost ship attracts sea monsters, which will drag any ship that has seen it into the depths of the ocean!"
"Is that really how the story goes?"
Sure enough, the ship belonging to Kawamatsu had already begun weighing anchor, preparing to leave the area.
Although Rasa was curious about the so-called ghost ship and sea monster, he had no habit of risking others' lives to satisfy his curiosity. More importantly, he didn’t sense anything unusual from the ghost ship approaching them.
"Sand Eagle, Sand Lizard, help Ootsu-san weigh the anchor!"
"Hai!"
The two, already on edge, sprang into action immediately. By this time, the ghost ship was almost upon them.
Rasa, intrigued, took a closer look. The ship appeared surprisingly modern. Though it was a wooden three-masted sailing vessel, its tall chimney and the glass windows of the captain’s cabin suggested it was also powered by steam.
The technology tree in the Naruto world really is all over the place, Rasa thought to himself.
Just as Rasa was about to lose interest and look away, he suddenly sensed something strange. At the same time, he thought he saw a boy in a sailor’s uniform appear in the captain’s cabin.
No... it wasn’t an illusion!
At that moment, he saw the boy clearly, and the boy seemed to see him too, waving at him.
(AN: Hishaku is the name of the boy.)
For a brief moment, even Rasa felt a chill run down his spine.
At the same time, Sand Eagle and Sand Lizard’s voices came from behind Rasa, sounding odd.
"Wh-what’s going on?"
Rasa turned around to see the two struggling to turn the windlass, trying to lift the anchor.
But the anchor seemed stuck. No matter how much strength they exerted, it wouldn’t budge an inch.
"???"
Seeing this, Rasa seemed to understand something. He walked to the edge of the ship and looked down at the sea below.
"So that’s it!"
Feeling the surge of natural energy rising from the depths of the ocean, Rasa shouted.
“Stop weighing the anchor! Something’s rising from the sea! Protect everyone at all costs!”
Everyone on both ships heard Rasa’s commanding voice.
Thunder Blade, Wind Blade, Sand Eagle, and Sand Lizard, all seasoned jōnin, reacted swiftly. Realizing they were under attack, they instantly appeared in front of their employer, shielding them with their bodies.
“Could it really be a sea monster?!”
Ootsu exclaimed.
No sooner had he spoken than long, crimson tentacles shot out from the dark sea, ensnaring both ships and reaching out to grab the living aboard.
The four jōnin on the ships were quick to act. With a flurry of kunai, they severed the tentacles in an instant.
“What kind of monster is this?”
Their question was soon answered.
As the sea churned, a massive crab, as large as a mountain and covered in grotesque barnacles, emerged into view. The red tentacles were extensions of the barnacles on its back.
“So it’s just a giant crab… though an exceptionally ugly one!”
The appearance of the colossal crab caused both ships to rock violently, teetering on the verge of capsizing.
Its enormous claws opened wide, as if intending to split the ships in two. Rasa, of course, wouldn’t let that happen.
“You four, protect the employer and Ootsu. I’ll handle this monster!”
“Hai!”
“Extend: Golden Dragon Staff!”
As the massive claw swung toward him, Rasa’s golden Golden Dragon Staff elongated in his hands, slamming into the crab’s underbelly with tremendous force.
BOOM!!!
The crab, as large as a hill, was sent flying back into the sea, creating waves several meters high.
Seeing such a colossal sea monster being effortlessly repelled by Rasa, the terrified crew on the deck erupted into cheers.
“Incredible!”
“As expected of a shinobi!”
“Such a huge sea monster, defeated so easily…”
Rasa, however, felt a twinge of regret. From the feedback he received through his Golden Dragon Staff, he could tell the crab’s shell was incredibly tough. If it were a summoning creature, its defensive capabilities would likely render even A-rank ninjutsu useless.
But it was just too repulsive.
At that moment, countless red tentacles shot out from the sea once more, this time targeting Rasa directly.
“Hmph!”
Rasa, sneering, tossed his Golden Dragon Staff into the air.
In an instant, it transformed into a sharp, spinning blade, controlled by his Magnet Release. Like a meat grinder, it sliced through all the incoming tentacles.
The giant crab monster let out a deafening roar. It raised its scythe-like claws, one aiming to strike Rasa while the other targeted the ship.
The crab’s sturdy shell deflected Rasa’s blade, sending it flying.
Rasa couldn’t let the monster destroy the ship—losing their vessel at sea would be disastrous. In a flash, he vanished from his spot, the speed of his movement creating a sonic boom.
When he reappeared, he was right in front of the giant crab.
BOOM!
With a powerful kick, Rasa struck the crab’s forehead, sending it flying once more. But this time, he didn’t let it escape. The Golden Dragon Staff returned to his hand, transforming into a long chain that coiled around the crab, binding it tightly.
The monster roared, its massive claws flailing, but it couldn’t break free. Rasa raised his right hand, and the Shukaku’s Spear materialized in his grasp.
THUD!
The spear shot straight into the crab’s gaping mouth. Crimson blood gushed out, and the giant crab fell silent, lifeless.
Cheers erupted from the deck once more. But Rasa’s gaze turned toward the ghost ship.
“Thank you…”
A soft voice of gratitude echoed as the mist began to dissipate. The massive ghost ship slowly faded from view, disappearing into the horizon.
(AN: As you can read, it is from a filler. Naruto encountered a young sailor, Hishaku, who lead them to a giant crab, Naruto defeated the crab and Hishaku revealed himself to be a dead spirit where he died along with his comrades with the rest of his crew. He thanked Naruto before vanishing away. Now, I have explained the filler. Cool?)
