"Naruto: My Ninja Skills"Chapter 208: Moving Bricks? Moving Mountains
"Fusion... fuse... found it..."
Yūshin spent three days in this secret archive and finally discovered what he sought—the method for creating Truth-Seeking Orbs.
Well, the Truth-Seeking Orb creation method wasn't the key point; the crucial aspect was how to fuse the seven chakra natures. Though Truth-Seeking Orbs weren't Kekkei Mōra, one must progress from zero to one before considering the leap from one to two.
His companion Ōtsutsuki Kogen had long since departed—after all, lingering alone in a rarely visited secret chamber for extended periods would appear highly suspicious.
Having found his target, Yūshin quickly perused the material, confirmed its accuracy, then hastily transcribed a copy, leaving his reproduction behind while pocketing Hamura's original... Ahem, with such rushed copying, what if he'd made errors somewhere?
The original was always superior.
As for whether the remaining copy would prove problematic—honestly, it mattered little either way. The script from a millennium ago differed significantly from contemporary writing; whether Hamura's descendants could even comprehend their ancestor's writings remained questionable.
With the material secured, Yūshin felt no urgency to begin research. He relegated this training to a lower priority, knowing full well the complexity of seven-nature fusion. He steeled himself for a prolonged, grueling campaign.
Materials safely stored, Yūshin's lunar business concluded temporarily. As space twisted around him, his figure vanished, leaving only the hollow promise of "just looking" behind.
Somewhere in Konoha, Yūshin's form materialized.
Returning to the surface felt excellent—no discomfort whatsoever. Yūshin regarded travel between Earth and moon as routine. He withdrew a notebook, checked off completed tasks, then reviewed his remaining agenda.
"Sage Techniques..."
"Shikkotsu Forest, Mount Myōboku, Ryūchi Cave... As expected, Mount Myōboku remains the simplest option."
The Sage Techniques transmitted by the Three Great Sanctuaries were essentially identical—all involved harnessing natural energy—yet each possessed distinct emphases. Purely from a learning methodology standpoint, Mount Myōboku held the greatest advantage and deserved highest praise.
Compared to the other two locations, Mount Myōboku could mass-produce sage users precisely because of this advantage... Mount Myōboku possessed toad oil, which assisted ninja in sensing, understanding, utilizing, and even dominating natural energy.
Nevertheless, Yūshin decided to visit all three sanctuaries.
Mount Myōboku for the toad oil, Ryūchi Cave to capture a snake, Shikkotsu Forest simply because visiting the other two while leaving one untouched felt unsatisfying... Whether this represented a collector's compulsion or obsessive-compulsive disorder remained unclear.
Ryūchi Cave was easily accessible—Yūshin had visited several times previously with Orochimaru's assistance. Now, with his Byakugan space-time ninjutsu, any location he'd visited once could be revisited with simple ease.
Regarding Shikkotsu Forest, its location could also be determined.
As for Mount Myōboku...
Jiraiya at this age had likely already visited Mount Myōboku once, though Yūshin needn't rely on children... The Three Great Sanctuaries maintained subtle connections; theoretically, locating one position equaled finding all three.
Compared to the mental effort required for researching materials on the moon, Yūshin searching for information in Konoha was equivalent to rummaging through his own home.
Shikkotsu Forest was linked to the Senju Clan, and according to the Second Hokage's policies, the Senju now "concealed themselves" within Konoha, making many of their secret materials direct public property of the village.
However, Konoha currently underwent a transitional period, shifting from Senju-dominated Konoha to Konoha-dominated Konoha. During this interval, the Senju Clan, actively diminishing their influence, couldn't simply abandon their various secret materials without oversight.
Handover issues remained—mounting the horse and seeing the rider off proved necessary.
Therefore, when Yūshin arrived at the Hokage Office Building's underground archive, an elderly Senju ninja stood guard—essentially serving as library security.
Not everyone possessed clearance to search these materials, and those with access still required proper registration when entering or exiting the archive.
The old ninja initially moved to halt the newcomer, then recognized Yūshin's appearance... Oh, Lord Yūshin of the Fireflies—no problem whatsoever.
Browse freely, examine anything, no restrictions.
Yūshin couldn't achieve unrestricted passage throughout the entire Shinobi World merely by showing his face, but unrestricted movement within Konoha posed no difficulty... After Hashirama, Tobirama, and Sarutobi Sasuke's generation passed away, who in Konoha could still control Yūshin?
According to Fireflies members' assertions, Konoha should have always been the Fireflies' Konoha—that is, Lord Yūshin's Konoha. You outsiders dare point fingers at Lord Yūshin? Shall we debate who truly represents Konoha's legitimate lineage?
Fortunately, Fireflies leader Hideyuki was actively suppressing such arrogant attitudes within the organization; otherwise, similar rhetoric would have already caused an uproar throughout the village... What could be done? The new Hokage appeared quite weak.
When someone displays weakness, it naturally highlights the strong—such is natural law.
Yūshin spent several more days in Konoha's archive and ultimately located his desired information. This time he needn't remove the original—merely geographical coordinates, easily memorized without transcription necessity.
"...Indeed, the advisory council is gradually transferring authority to me, but I've only just grasped the village's situation. Frankly speaking, I currently lack the talents of the First and Second Hokage and cannot manage the entire village. Discussing reforms remains premature... much less reforms involving core ANBU systems."
Yūshin felt pleased, having obtained his desired intelligence. Emerging from deep reading mode, he immediately heard two people conversing.
"But the current ANBU system genuinely has problems. All ninja are selected from various clans—their ideological purity is questionable, making absolute obedience uncertain, let alone absolute loyalty."
"Self-doubt? Entirely unnecessary. Since the Second Hokage's era, ANBU has operated excellently. This sharp kunai has never escaped the Hokage's control."
"But you differ from the Second. ANBU represents power belonging solely to the Hokage, requiring personal cultivation by the Hokage. Ideally, extend the cultivation period—select ANBU candidates from young ninja, then provide careful nurturing."
"Establish a new ninja training department? Based on your description, such a department couldn't integrate with Konoha's existing educational system?"
"Independent cultivation is essential; otherwise, it becomes meaningless."
"..."
Very well, Yūshin understood. These two certainly knew how to select locations for secret discussions. One was naturally the soon-to-lose-his-"acting"-title Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen. The other...
Unremarkable appearance, but bearing an "X"-shaped scar on his chin.
Indeed, Konoha's dark boss-level figure—possessing a life worth contemplating, ambitions exceeding his capabilities, placing personal interests above collective welfare, briefly becoming the Sixth Hokage without recognition, orchestrating the legendary "kunai stabbing Susanoo" performance art—Shimura Danzō.
Quite inadequate—didn't you sweep for surveillance before your secret meeting?
"Ahem!"
Yūshin cleared his throat lightly, instantly silencing their conversation.
"Who dares hide there!"
Followed by an indignant rebuke. Honestly, addressing Yūshin with such attitude suggested ignorance of mortality... Fortunately, Yūshin was magnanimous and disinclined to quibble with such individuals.
Or more directly stated, ninja of this caliber simply weren't worthy of Yūshin's attention... Consider Uchiha Madara's class—Yūshin could remember debts for a lifetime.
"It's me."
Yūshin emerged from the shadows between bookshelves, hands clasped behind his back, approaching the pair with the unhurried gait of a retired elderly gentleman.
"Yu—"
"Lord Yūshin."
"Ahem, continue your discussion. I'm departing."
Yūshin couldn't be bothered with them—his business was concluded anyway. He simply walked past the pair and exited the archive... Sarutobi wasn't Fireflies, Shimura wasn't Fireflies—why should he care what they did? Let them do whatever they pleased.
Yūshin even thoughtfully closed the door behind him.
Though he departed directly, he nearly frightened the two secret discussants to death. Continue? Continue what? At minimum, they'd need fresh trousers before continuing.
After leaving the secret chamber, Yūshin addressed the genuine gatekeeper with irritation:
"You old rascal, quite skilled at setting people up. Aren't you afraid of Hokage retaliation?"
The Senju elder chuckled:
"Heh heh, Lord Yūshin, I'm merely a solitary old man. What retaliation should I fear?"
True enough—if he dared exploit Yūshin's reputation without fearing Yūshin's retribution, why fear the Hokage's?
"We elderly haven't all died yet, but the young ones seem rather impatient."
Yūshin detected a trace of resentment in the other's words, but tides rise and fall—new generations replacing old ones represents natural law.
"Can't stand it? Young people pursuing power isn't inherently bad. The Hokage should naturally dominate the village... We've long since become outdated."
The exposed elder blushed:
"Lord Yūshin, I merely worry they'll bungle things."
"Relax—what's there to worry about?"
Yūshin considered such concerns superfluous, as certain people would inevitably bungle things—such was objective reality.
...
Konoha's power transition games were, to Yūshin, merely children playing house. Konoha's most glorious, idealistic years had long passed; present-day Konoha was simply another shinobi village, and such places could hardly claim pure ideals.
After this minor interlude, Yūshin followed his obtained coordinates southward. After crossing a vast ocean, he arrived at an expansive island.
The environment was humid, hot, and vast, growing various colorful vegetation. Without thinking, one knew such a rainbow-hued place certainly harbored various poisonous creatures.
Upon arrival, Yūshin ceased restraining his chakra. As this high-intensity chakra spread outward, the giant creatures inhabiting this place were naturally disturbed.
Mountains began rolling.
A massive, milky-white slug head emerged from between two mountains, slowly approached Yūshin, then halted.
Yūshin's appearance differed from a sage by only a staff. No matter how gigantic the slug, it couldn't possibly match him. Therefore, he needed only to fully display his chakra to avoid minor misunderstandings.
"Who are you, and what brings you to Shikkotsu Forest?"
The giant slug produced a gentle, feminine voice, seeming extremely polite and cultured.
"I'm a Konoha ninja, friend of the Senju. I've come here merely to collect soil samples... The natural energy here is quite abundant—I've come for this purpose and bear no hostility toward you."
Yūshin replied thus. For his current self, summoning beasts were no longer necessary; otherwise, transporting the giant slug to battlefields would certainly provide spectacular entertainment.
"S-soil samples?"
The giant slug momentarily failed to understand the connection between soil samples and natural energy, but Yūshin had clarified his origins and intentions... No problems with his background, no problems with his strength, and his request was negligible. Therefore, the giant slug lacked reasons to refuse Yūshin and create conflict.
"No problem, if you only wish to take small samples."
"Much appreciated."
The giant slug retracted its "neck," observing Yūshin's soil transportation from a distance. Watching and watching, it sensed something amiss, but by then, stopping Yūshin was impossible.
Yūshin marked off a modest mountain peak, then began circling it to establish spatial coordinates. Subsequently, though he rarely required hand seals anymore, he actually began forming them... Mobilizing vast chakra still required seal assistance.
The ground-level space began distorting. When the spatial passage opened, this mountain peak instantly vanished.
Indeed, this constituted a soil sample—only samples of this scale could be described as "abundant in natural energy."
Giant slug: "..."
It had something to say but didn't know whether it should be said.
Naturally, it shouldn't be said. Facing someone capable of using space-time ninjutsu on this scale—or simply put, facing someone who could "move mountains"—certain words needn't be spoken aloud. Why seek unnecessary trouble?
"Have you... finished moving your soil samples?"
"Finished, though I have another question. You certainly know Mount Myōboku's location... I need Mount Myōboku's coordinates."
The giant slug knew Mount Myōboku's location but didn't wish to tell Yūshin. Its moral standards were quite high—it didn't want to harm the toads.
Seeing its silence, Yūshin cleared his throat gently and provided gentle persuasion:
"Ahem, one side losing three mountains versus all three sides each losing one mountain—you may carefully consider these two options. I'm not in a hurry."
"I know where Mount Myōboku is, and I also know where Ryūchi Cave is."
Yūshin immediately smiled. Look—the giant slug had learned to volunteer answers, even providing Ryūchi Cave's information without being asked.
The so-called Three Great Sanctuaries represent a community with intertwined destinies—they must share both glory and humiliation, risks and benefits.
True, the Three Great Sanctuaries lacked friendly relationships and were even mutually antagonistic, but precisely because of this, everyone should share risks.
If everyone suffered losses, wouldn't that equal no one suffering losses?
The giant slug had made outstanding contributions to the "rebalancing" of all three parties.
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