Chapter 122 - Island of Oblivion

On the azure sea, a pristine white sandy beach.

Colorful shells shimmer more brilliantly under the dawn's first light.

Occasionally, a couple of red-haired crabs would be pushed onto the shore by the undulating waves.

As time passed, a thin mist began to spread over the sea due to the temperature difference between day and night.

This made the isolated island in the sea appear dreamlike and mysterious.

Tōshirō, who had the rare opportunity to sleep in, peeked through a gap in the tent to observe his surroundings.

The main reason he chose to rest directly on the beach yesterday was for safety; an open area could better avoid some dangers.

If they encountered land predators, they could escape directly into the sea. If amphibious creatures from the sea came ashore, they could head towards the island's interior.

Amphibious creatures generally weren't fast on land.

The only troublesome threat would be avian predators. However, usually, no birds of prey come out to hunt at night.

But at this time, who knows!

Seeing the mist arise over the sea, Tōshirō was momentarily startled but didn't pay it much attention.

After ensuring that his surroundings were safe, he came out and collected the warning devices he set up the previous night. These weren't expensive but needed to be used sparingly.

In the upcoming half a month, he was likely to spend most of his time on this island.

Even if it turned out not to be the place he was looking for.

After tidying everything up, Tōshirō went down to the shallow waters and caught some common seafood to prepare a unique breakfast for himself.

He had to explore the island soon; how could he do it on an empty stomach? But it all had to wait until the mist cleared.

After breakfast, he did some simple warm-up exercises on the beach. By around seven o'clock, when the sunlight became more radiant, Tōshirō looked at the island still partly hidden in the mist and headed inland...

As he ventured deeper, Tōshirō discovered that the island was quite expansive.

Standing atop a towering coconut tree, he couldn't see the end of it from a distance.

The island stretched from north to south, shaped like an ordinary jujube pit. The north was mountainous, and the sightline was blocked by a colossal volcano.

To the south was a vast plain. Various trees and rivers crisscrossed, resembling a tropical rainforest.

As the mist slowly dissipated, the island's full appearance was revealed entirely in front of Tōshirō's eyes.

Looking at the towering figures in the sky, even from a distance, Tōshirō felt a surge of excitement.

The giant predatory birds hunting in the sky gave him considerable confidence.

It seemed like he had hit the jackpot this time!

He actually found this place on his first try!

It seemed that the million ryo spent was not wasted!

Tōshirō's guess was correct; this island, located in the sea between the Land of Whirlpools, the Land of Iron, and the Land of Hot Water, was indeed the place he was looking for.

Originally, the Uzumaki clan was responsible for handling the giant summon beasts here that often caused trouble.

In the original story, Might Guy, Naruto, and the others from Konoha passed by this island while sailing. Might Guy was caught by a giant bird and brought to this island to be fed upon, prompting Naruto and the rest to follow and thus uncovering the island's mystery.

Before Naruto and his friends arrived, people had discovered this island and its giant summon beasts unique to its environment.

Some utilized these beasts in combat.

However, the growth of these summon beasts couldn't keep pace due to the war's toll. This led to the establishment of a research institute aiming to create the ultimate summon beast.

Unfortunately, the research gradually spiraled out of control. The Uzumaki clan member Hinoka Uzumaki and her mother were specifically invited to suppress the results.

However, they ultimately failed. All researchers, including Hinoka and her mother, were devoured by this 'ultimate' summon beast.

Naruto's arrival triggered the chakra left by Hinoka Uzumaki, guiding them to deal with the beast, which only had the instinct to eat.

Using her Bloodline Limit, 'Adamantine Sealing Chains,' manifesting through the chakra she left, Hinoka was able to drag the summon beast into the magma, thereby resolving the issue.

As Tōshirō continued his exploration, his confidence grew, feeling that he had indeed found the right place.

Giant mantises standing ten meters tall, spiders the size of houses, centipedes extending dozens of meters...

One by one, the giant summon beasts were discovered by Tōshirō. If it weren't for his excellent hiding skills, he wouldn't have had the confidence to move around here.

These summon beasts were enormous and abundant. A single misstep could cost him his life.

The summon beasts weren't intelligent; if they discovered an intruder in their territory, they'd attack directly without giving a chance for communication.

If this happened, the commotion would be significant. If it sparked a chain reaction, causing many summon beasts to pursue, even ten Tōshirōs wouldn't escape unscathed.

"This should be the place."

As time passed, Tōshirō found a relatively safe spot where he planned to settle for the next month.

He spent an entire day, almost exploring the whole island, to choose this spot for himself.

It was a relatively inconspicuous small mountain, not very tall, without any special features, but it had a water source.

A branch of a small stream, not very visible, ensured safety without harm, with no summon beast lurking around.

To secure this spot, Tōshirō had to go to great lengths. The survival environment on this island was incredibly harsh. A large number of giant wild animals crowded on one island created immense pressure for survival.

Merely feeding oneself wasn't a simple task.

The island witnessed dozens of large-scale, gruesome hunts every day...