Chapter 57: A Scroll, a Cold, and a Plan
Who would have thought that Haku, a wielder of the powerful Ice Release Kekkei Genkai, would actually fall ill?
The drastic climate change between the damp, cool Land of Water and the warmer, drier Konoha had taken its toll. This morning, the moment Liumu saw her, he knew something was wrong.
"You don't look so good."
Haku gave a weak nod, one hand pressed to her forehead. The visible distress in her eyes told Liumu she likely had a fever.
He reached out, feeling her skin. It was too warm.
Acting quickly, he helped her lie down in his bed, fetched a basin of cool water, soaked a cloth, and placed it on her forehead. Physical cooling was the simplest method.
"Are you hurting anywhere else?"
"My head aches a little, but that's all."
A cold was manageable; the fever was the concern. Fortunately, Liumu kept a small first-aid kit. After confirming her symptoms, he retrieved some fever-reducing pills and handed them to her with a glass of water. Once she'd taken them, he urged her to close her eyes and rest.
Jiraiya had just returned from his… errands when Liumu pulled him aside.
"I want to learn a more powerful ninjutsu," Liumu stated bluntly.
The Rasengan was already a formidable A-rank technique, but its chakra control demands were immense. Liumu didn't want to waste his precious Time Chamber accesses on something with such a steep learning curve for him. He needed a shortcut.
Jiraiya eyed him suspiciously. "What did you have in mind?"
"Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu. From the Scroll of Seals," Liumu said without hesitation.
"The Scroll of Seals?!" Jiraiya yelped, his voice dropping to a furious whisper. "Are you insane? Those are all forbidden jutsu! And it's not like you can just walk in and borrow it!"
"Don't worry about the how. I have a plan."
The Scroll's location wasn't exactly a state secret, but the vault protecting it was laden with traps. For an ordinary ninja, it was a death trap. But for Liumu in his Kizaru form… he could slip through as light, bypassing every mechanism undetected. He might be the only one in Konoha who could pull it off without a trace.
"Then why are you telling me this…?" Jiraiya started, then stopped as he saw the calculating gleam in Liumu's eyes. He felt the phantom sensation of a noose tightening around his neck. "Oh, you little brat! Last time with the Uchiha statue, you got me in hot water. Now stealing the Scroll? You're dragging me in again!"
Jiraiya generally gave Liumu a long leash. But to confide his plan to steal a Forbidden Scroll before acting… if the Third Hokage ever found out, Liumu could claim he had Jiraiya's tacit approval. And as his sensei, Jiraiya would be left holding the bag, jumping into the Ganges River wouldn't wash him clean.
Liumu was fully aware of Jiraiya's fears. But he needed the safety net. And who knew what other fascinating jutsu might be in that scroll besides the Multi Shadow Clone?
That night, under the cover of darkness, a disguised Liumu approached the nondescript wooden building housing the Scroll. Waiting for the precise moment the guards changed shifts, his form dissolved into light and streamed through a narrow gap in the roof.
Inside, the Scroll of Seals was massive. It contained records of ninjutsu, taijutsu, genjutsu—techniques spanning generations, some so ancient their names were forgotten.
Liumu had come prepared with pen and paper. He intended to copy everything that caught his eye.
"Wow, even the Eight Gates are here!"
"Huh, Adamantine Sealing Chains… a technique of the Uzumaki clan."
"Dead Demon Consuming Seal… so that's the full effect? No wonder it's a suicide technique…"
He muttered to himself as he transcribed, commentating quietly on each entry. In the end, it took him nearly half an hour to copy down the sections he deemed useful, eliminating only the utterly uninteresting ones.
"Whew…" He looked at the densely packed notes in his hand. I can learn these slowly over time. Even if I never master them all, it's good to have the knowledge. And once I learn the Multi Shadow Clone… my training efficiency will skyrocket.
Back home, Liumu was just changing out of his dark clothes when he heard movement. Haku was up, supporting herself on the table as she tried to sit.
"How are you feeling?" he asked, rushing over.
She offered a wan smile, her face still pale. "My head hurt a lot at first, but the cool towel helped. It felt nice. I'm just… very tired now."
She was wearing a simple, pink nightdress. In her weakened state, her slender frame was more apparent, the lines of her collarbone and the graceful slope of her shoulders visible in the dim light of the living room. The soft glow seemed to envelop her, giving her an ethereal, fragile beauty that made Liumu's mind momentarily blank.
Ahem.
He snapped back to reality, coughing twice into his fist, his ears feeling slightly warm. "You… you should wear something warmer when you have a cold. I'll make you some porridge. It'll be gentle on your stomach."
He practically fled into the kitchen.
Leaning against the counter, he splashed some cold water on his face, then began preparing a simple meal. His thoughts turned to the future. He wanted to travel, but he couldn't leave Haku alone in Konoha. She had no friends, no connections. The thought of some local brat trying to take advantage of her in his absence was unacceptable.
So, the plan formed: after this current mess settled, the three of them—himself, Haku, and Jiraiya—would travel together. Of course, he'd have to keep an eye on the old pervert… though Jiraiya's "interests" seemed firmly focused on women of a certain age, not children like Haku.
"Liumu!" Haku's voice, soft but sudden, came from the kitchen doorway.
Startled from his thoughts, he turned. "Yeah?"
"I… I don't know," she said, looking down, a faint blush on her cheeks that might have been from the fever. "I just wanted to see what you were doing."
Liumu sighed, but it was a gentle sound. "Didn't I tell you to put on more clothes? Go back and rest. I'll call you when the food is ready."
(End of Chapter)
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