Chapter 108 — Stirring Desires
The Daimyō's library truly lived up to its reputation.
The vast chamber alone covered nearly three hundred square meters, and the entire archive rose five stories high. Shelves packed tightly with books filled the space, arranged meticulously by category. Every shelf was crammed with volumes—there wasn't an inch wasted.
After delivering Taichi to the librarian, the attendant relayed the Daimyō's order: Taichi was permitted to select ten ninjutsu-related books from the collection. With that, the attendant withdrew to wait outside the library doors.
Inside, the elderly librarian led the young ninja through the countless shelves. Surrounded by thousands upon thousands of books, Taichi felt as though he had plunged into an ocean of knowledge—each volume a crystallization of human wisdom accumulated over centuries.
Taichi's fingers trembled uncontrollably.
He wanted nothing more than to pack up the entire library and haul it back to Konoha—but he forced himself to stop.
Not yet… not yet. There will be chances later, he reassured himself.
---
Guided by the librarian, Taichi ascended the spiral staircase at the center of the building and arrived on the third floor.
Unlike the other levels packed wall-to-wall with shelves, this floor felt almost empty. Only a few antique rosewood bookcases stood at the center of the room.
"This floor contains ninjutsu manuals gathered by successive Daimyō from across the land," the librarian said reverently, gently brushing his hand along the edge of a shelf. "There aren't many, but every one of them is exceptional."
Taichi scanned the shelves. Each held forty or fifty scrolls and books, some so old their edges had yellowed with age.
On the top shelf, one scroll caught his eye—it was bound with gold thread and sealed with a talisman bearing a single character: "Secret."
"That," the librarian explained, following Taichi's gaze, "is a manuscript left behind by the Second Hokage during his travels through the Land of Fire in his youth. It's sealed, though—even I don't know what's written inside."
Taichi nodded in understanding and turned his attention back to the shelves.
He picked up Detailed Analysis of Fire-Release Chakra Nature Transformation. As soon as he opened it, the librarian hurriedly warned him, "Please be careful—this book is nearly a hundred years old."
"The library itself was founded during the era of the First Daimyō," the librarian continued proudly. "Every generation has sent people far and wide to gather rare texts. Like that book over there—Research on Earth-Release Defensive Techniques—was a gift left by the First Tsuchikage during his visit to the Land of Fire."
Taichi selected carefully.
In the end, he chose ten books covering chakra nature transformation, foundational sealing techniques, and physical training. Each time Taichi picked up a book, the librarian meticulously recorded it and repeatedly reminded him to take proper care—looking as though each book removed was a piece of flesh cut from his own body.
Just as Taichi finished selecting his ten and prepared to leave, his gaze drifted to the lowest corner of one shelf.
There, almost hidden from view, lay an unremarkable book.
Something stirred inside him.
Following that instinct, Taichi stepped forward and picked it up. The title read:
On the Transformation Between Chakra, Matter, and Energy
"Librarian," Taichi asked, holding the book up, "what's the story behind this one?"
"That book…" The librarian frowned, tapping his temple repeatedly. Nearly two minutes passed before he answered. "It's very old—older than the library itself, in fact. Anyone who's read it says it's nonsense. Over time, people simply stopped paying attention to it."
Taichi listened—but his eyes never left the book.
Something deep inside told him this volume was important.
Trusting that intuition, Taichi removed one of the taijutsu books he had already chosen.
"I'll return this one," he said. "I want On the Transformation Between Chakra, Matter, and Energy instead."
"You're sure?" the librarian asked again.
Taichi nodded.
With a sigh, the librarian led him back to the first floor, carefully wrapped the selected books, and solemnly handed them over.
"Please treat them well," he said earnestly.
Taichi accepted the bundle with care, feeling the weight in his arms. He knew that the knowledge within these texts might well be the greatest reward of this entire mission.
---
Outside the library, the same attendant escorted Taichi to the gates of the Daimyō's residence.
Before leaving, Taichi paused and said, "Please convey my thanks to the Daimyō. I won't disappoint him."
With that, he departed under the attendant's watchful eye.
Once he turned the street corner and the Daimyō's residence vanished from view, cold sweat poured down Taichi's face.
In mere moments, his back was soaked through.
He took several deep, ragged breaths before finally steadying himself.
That meeting had been far too intense.
While in the reception hall, his chakra perception had detected multiple presences equal to his own strength lurking near the Daimyō—along with over a dozen others slightly weaker, spread throughout the surrounding area.
One wrong sentence… one misstep…
I might already be dead.
"Damn it," Taichi cursed inwardly. Being a spy really isn't something humans are meant to do.
Still, the first hurdle was safely cleared. As long as he remained cautious, the rest could be managed.
As for what information to reveal—that was the Hokage's problem, not his.
With his emotions finally settled, Taichi walked briskly back toward the guest lodge.
Perhaps because his heart had lightened, even the lodge seemed far more welcoming than before. And truth be told, compared to Konoha's half-hearted accommodations, Kyoto's guest lodge truly deserved its reputation as the Land of Fire's public face.
Taichi tightened his grip on the bundle of books.
This is only the beginning.
The grounds alone covered an enormous area, and the decorations were lavish to the extreme. The moment one stepped inside, the prosperity of the Land of Fire could be felt in every detail.
When Taichi entered the small courtyard assigned to the three of them, the first thing he saw was Saori, seated on a stone bench in the yard.
The quiet girl was holding a book, reading with complete focus. She wore a white training outfit that made her look especially neat and capable. The night breeze gently lifted the strands of hair beside her cheeks; without lifting her eyes from the page, she absentmindedly tucked them back behind her ear.
The tranquil, almost painterly scene made Taichi stop at the entrance.
When did Saori become… this pretty?
Perhaps Taichi's presence disturbed her. Or perhaps his gaze lingered too long. Saori suddenly looked up, her bright eyes turning toward the doorway.
"Taichi—you're back!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with surprise and delight.
That single sentence snapped Taichi out of his daze.
"Yeah." His face warmed slightly. Realizing he'd been staring at a young girl for far too long, he quickly composed himself and walked over as though nothing were amiss. His gaze flicked to the book on the table.
Advanced Sealing Theory.
Feeling oddly guilty, Taichi glanced around and asked first, "Has Yōhei not come back yet?"
Saori shook her head. As she did, a lock of hair slipped free again and brushed her cheek. "Not yet. He's probably still out having fun. I heard the night market in Kyoto doesn't close until very late."
"Did you enjoy yourself?" Taichi asked. "Kyoto's nightlife is pretty lively."
"I wandered around for a bit, but it got boring," Saori replied calmly, turning another page. "It's just more crowded than Konoha. Nothing especially interesting. I figured I might as well come back and read."
A good girl. Hardworking and disciplined.
If she doesn't get stronger, who will? Certainly not Yōhei, wherever he's roaming.
"I've started learning sealing techniques too," Taichi said, pointing at her book. "If I get stuck, I might need your help."
Saori's eyes lit up instantly. She closed the book, excitement flashing across her face. "Really? Then we can study together! I've been working on nested multi-layer sealing structures lately, but I keep getting stuck where the nodes connect."
Taichi's ears perked up. That's exactly the hard part of the Multiple Lantern Array…
He sat down across from her and pulled a book from his ninja pouch—Detailed Analysis of Sealing Structures, one he had just obtained from the Daimyō's library.
"I think this might help," he said, flipping to a page marked in red. "Look at this triple-layer configuration—doesn't it line up with multi-nesting theory?"
Saori leaned closer to examine it, her hair falling over the page, carrying a faint, clean fragrance.
"I see it now!" she exclaimed. "If you write it like this, the structure shifts from planar to three-dimensional. That would allow for far more layers!"
As if struck by sudden enlightenment, she grabbed pen and paper and began calculating rapidly. Taichi didn't interrupt her—when her paper ran out, he simply handed her another sheet from his pouch.
As he watched her calculations, Taichi found himself learning from her thought process as well. He could feel his own understanding of sealing techniques steadily improving.
The two of them leaned close, discussing deep into the night. Outside the courtyard, the city gradually quieted. When Saori finally solved the problem that had plagued her for days, a familiar prompt appeared before Taichi.
[You are studying Sealing Techniques. Insight gained!]
[Sealing Techniques skill increased. Experience +100]
"That's it—I finally figured it out!" Saori grabbed Taichi's hand in excitement. "Taichi, thank you so much!"
Seeing her joy made Taichi smile. Then he suddenly slapped his forehead. "I almost forgot something."
He pulled out two sealing tags from his pouch and handed them to her. "I meant to give these to you before the mission, but things kept getting in the way. These are the enhanced Multiple Lantern Array seals I used during the last spar. They can save your life in an emergency."
Saori stared at them, fingers trembling as she traced the symbols. Even within her clan, seals of this caliber were rare—expensive materials, difficult construction, demanding maintenance, and extremely high technical requirements.
"These are too valuable…" Her voice was barely audible.
"Take them," Taichi said, smiling and pointing at her calculations. "Call it tuition."
"Just remember—every three days you need to infuse chakra into them, and once a week you must maintain the seal patterns. Otherwise, the techniques inside will fail."
"I know…" Saori whispered as she carefully stored them away. As she did, she noticed a smudge of ink on Taichi's sleeve and instinctively reached out to brush it off.
They both froze.
The night wind rustled the leaves between them.
Saori pulled her hand back as if burned, turned, and fled into her room. "I—I'm going to sleep!"
Taichi stared at the closed door, stunned, then laughed softly.
Maybe the body really does influence the soul… I'm actually admiring an eleven- or twelve-year-old girl now.
Shaking his head, he looked up at the night sky. The moon was already high, and even the distant night market had grown quiet.
"Why isn't Yōhei back yet…?" Taichi muttered. He sat back down on the stone bench, pulled out On the Transformation Between Chakra, Matter, and Energy, and began reading.
Time passed unnoticed. The moon crossed its zenith and drifted westward. The sound of pages turning grew quicker—louder.
Just as Taichi was about to go look for Yōhei—
Creeeeak.
The sound of a door hinge scraped loudly through the night.
The person opening the door froze, then immediately steadied it, slowly easing it open inch by inch, desperately trying to make no sound.
When the door finally opened, the intruder relaxed—only to stiffen completely.
Taichi sat calmly on the stone bench, staring straight at him.
"Uh… Taichi… I can explain!"
"Sneaking around."
"Out past midnight."
"No organization. No discipline."
Taichi stood and walked toward Yōhei, his presence forcing Yōhei to retreat step by step. Taichi circled him, nose twitching.
"You drank alcohol? Since when did my teammate turn twenty?"
A sharp, powdery scent reached Taichi's nose—cheap rouge.
Taichi spun around, eyes wide. "You went to a brothel?!"
"That's not what you think!" Yōhei panicked. "I—I was dragged in! I didn't do anything!"
"And what exactly were you planning to do?" Taichi hissed.
"I—uh—well—"
"Real body," Taichi asked suddenly, "or a transformation?"
"Transformation, obviously—!" Yōhei blurted out, then slapped a hand over his mouth and laughed awkwardly.
Taichi stared at him, then sighed. "Forget it. I can't control you. Just know your limits. A ninja who can restrain himself is a real ninja. Go sleep."
"You're not mad?" Yōhei asked nervously. "I swear I won't do it again!"
"As long as you think it's fine, I won't interfere. But remember—we're on a mission. Staying out this late breaks discipline."
"Yes, sir!" Yōhei immediately perked up. "Taichi, you don't know—those girls—"
"Get lost!"
Taichi raised his foot to kick him. Yōhei bolted for his room.
"Wait."
Two sealing tags flew into the room before the door shut. "For protection. Instructions are written down."
Yōhei stared at the seals in his hands. After a long moment, a quiet "Thanks" came from inside.
Taichi rubbed his temples.
How did I end up with a friend like this…?
He's not actually trying to emulate Jiraiya, is he…?
An image flashed through his mind.
In front: Konoha's old generation of "debauchery" laughing wildly.
Behind: the new generation bowing respectfully, taking notes.
A chill ran down his spine.
Taichi shook his head hard. No. At least Saori and I won't turn out like that.
At least… he hoped so.