The day finally arrived when the Third Raikage would visit Ron. Accompanying him were Dodai, Ay, and Killer Bee, as well as Ron's mother, Raiya, and his sister-in-law, Hana. Dodai, as the Raikage's assistant, was there to observe and document the results, following the Raikage's orders.
Ay and Killer Bee came out of curiosity and excitement, while Raiya and Hana, both skilled medical ninjas, were present in case of emergencies. More importantly, many of the medical formulas and treatments being developed for the clan and Kumogakure's ninjas were areas of their expertise.
Ron lived in the Raikage Manor, located near the village amidst a range of mid-sized mountains. The entire residential complex spanned multiple peaks, where not only Ron's family but also many of Kumogakure's elite ninjas resided. These mountains were interconnected not just by roads and pathways but also by sky bridges at higher elevations.
The Raikage family had ample space, including multiple training grounds and independent facilities. Ron's facility was connected to one such training ground. As they arrived, they found a room housing an elevator. Stepping inside, they descended underground a ride that, though only a few minutes long, felt like an eternity to ninjas.
They emerged a few feet below ground level, deep beneath the mountain, into an expansive underground chamber, approximately half a million cubic meters in size as big as a football field.
This vast space had been personally designed and constructed by Ron, funded entirely from his own wealth. Thanks to his significant shares in various products and technologies, Ron was arguably one of the richest individuals in the Land of Lightning, perhaps even the entire ninja world, of course, excluding clans, organizations, villages, and nations.
Waiting inside were Ron and Ed, in what was essentially their private lab. Until now, aside from the ninjas who had excavated the space, only Ron and Ed had worked here. For ninjas, transporting tools or large objects wasn't an issue, as storage scrolls made it easy. However, these scrolls were expensive, with most being single-use for sealing and unsealing items.
If not for this limitation, supply shortages on the front lines would never have been a problem, and ambushes targeting supply convoys would have been far less effective.
As everyone entered, Ron was momentarily surprised by the size of the group. His mother was the first to approach, lifting him up affectionately before everyone greeted him.
When his gaze landed on his father, Ron was taken aback by how unaffected he looked.
"Father, you look fine. Didn't you just come from training?" Ron asked.
The Third Raikage chuckled. "I did, Ron. But at my level, it's hard to exhaust chakra or feel tired. Even without using chakra, I can fight for a full day and night on sheer physical strength alone!"
Ron nodded, realizing his mistake. Then, with a confident grin, he said, "Don't worry, Father. I have the perfect thing to make you tired until you're completely exhausted."
The Third Raikage, Ay, and the others were intrigued by Ron's words. For experienced ninjas, training was a routine part of life, yet Ron spoke as if he had something entirely new to offer.
Only Hana seemed deep in thought as if piecing something together. Then, she asked, "Brother, did you really create that new sealing rune?"
Everyone's attention turned to Ron. He nodded with pride. "Yeah, I did. It took me a few weeks to figure it out, but after studying Iwagakure's Light and Heavy Jutsu and analyzing its records, I was able to create Gravity Seals. Though, I admit, there are still flaws in its application."
The Third Raikage raised a brow. "You mean Ohnoki's jutsu? The one that can make objects heavier or lighter, and even allow him to fly?"
Ron nodded. "Yes, Father. For now, the seal I developed can only be applied to stationary areas, and the surface must be strong enough to withstand the increased weight. That's why I built a training arena using fully refined steel. But covering an entire training ground with it is far too expensive."
"Another issue is that excessive gravity can cause the ground beneath to collapse. I have a few ideas for solutions and even other potential applications, but it'll take time to refine them."
The Third Raikage crossed his arms, intrigued. "Show me."
Ron smirked. "Of course. But, Father" He gestured toward one end of the chamber, where a separate area was cordoned off. "I must warn you. Once you step inside, you might not walk out as easily as you think."