Chapter 96: Quest

待古杉卜水回到家的时候，已经比较晚了。
临近一学期结束，香燐也想在期末测试中拿到好成绩，为自己的第一学年做个总结。
For a little girl at the age of six, it is really difficult to balance the practice of ninjutsu and the study of theoretical knowledge.
With more and more relatives of the Gushin family settling in Konoha Village, the original small Western-style building became too small for Red Leaf and Hinata, their mother and daughter, the live-in housekeeper, the later dispatched Yuhi, as well as the occasional overnight stay of Kusagi Omori.
After buying up several nearby plots of land at a high price and transforming them into lofts with small courtyards, the narrow living space finally appeared spacious.
In the middle of the small courtyard, there is a stone table and chairs, along with a simple wooden shelter. This is where the ancient tree rests, listening to the occasional splash of fish in the pond, gazing up at the sparse stars shining under the bright moon.
After I don't know how long, the light footsteps came closer and closer, and Hongye, who had fallen asleep, walked over.
"Gather with old friends, until now?"
"We dispersed a long time ago, I just wandered around outside for a while with the smell of alcohol all over me before coming back."
There are many magical techniques in the ninja world, and there is also a way to quickly sober up, but it's just a bit more troublesome.
Goshinbo's alcohol tolerance is slightly inferior to Yoruhada Red and Mitekarashi Red Bean, but his cheating skills are much stronger than the two female ninjas who have never experienced the wit and bravery in social situations.
Since there is a secret technique to enhance olfactory perception, you can accurately grasp the body's condition, and by subtly manipulating internal and external pheromones, Gushanboshui can strengthen a certain ability without anyone noticing.
For example, accelerate the secretion of alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase to facilitate rapid alcohol metabolism; accelerate blood circulation to directly eliminate alcohol through respiration and urination.
The former requires a large amount of chakra consumption, and it may not be effective to control when you are drunk; the latter, on the other hand, has no significant side effects, it is simple and direct, except that there will be a lingering unpleasant odor on the body for a long time.
“This doesn't look like a party, is it because you're afraid Hinata will smell the scent?”
“Normal people don't like the smell of alcohol on the people around them, do they? Even I find it a bit uncomfortable...”
Especially when activating ultra-olfactory perception, accelerating metabolism, and helping the body detoxify faster, even if the clothes are contaminated with unpleasant odors, they stick to the skin as if they were stuck, making one wish to soak in hot springs and never come out.
That's right, before Gojun returned home, he went to Meishen Pavilion to take a bath and changed into a new set of clothes before coming back.
"The little girl even planned to have her father guide her in her training. She waited for a long time but didn't come back. She must have been exhausted these days. Ninja training is indeed not easy. She is so young and already has to work so hard..."
"Without talent, one must work hard to make up for it; with excellent aptitude, one must work even harder to not disappoint oneself."
With a gentle smile, Kusanagi Boshui said,
"Of course, Hanare is still young, it's the time to lay a solid foundation. There's no need to overextend her body and spirit for a temporary advancement; being overly precocious is not a good thing either. After the break, take her to travel around and see the magnificent scenery, to cultivate her character. Don't limit her vision to just one place. Konoha is a good place, but compared to the entire ninja world, it's still very small."
"Alright then!"
I stayed within the Gusan family from birth until I was arranged by Gusan BuShui to come to Konoha Village for study, and only then did I have a chance to see the outside world.
After all, I am just a child, and the knowledge I learned from books and picture books is not very intuitive without personal experience.
"Rarely gather with old classmates, the young master wasn't too interested. What happened?"
"Nothing much, just a common gathering. I was just confessed to by someone and turned them down."
"Isn't this a good thing? It proves that the young master is amazingly charming. Why do you seem not very happy, regretting it?"
"The identity is not right, the timing is not right, the Gushin family is indeed different from the Konoha ninjas."
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Hongye sighed softly:
"The young master has a lot of concerns."
"Mainly because the other party has not yet reached the level where they are outstanding enough for me to give up everything I have and fly with them. Taking into account factors such as family background, appearance, physique, talent and potential, personality compatibility, and the negative impact of getting closer to them, overall, the cost-benefit ratio is too low..."
“The young master is quite cold and ruthless, evaluating sincere feelings in terms of interests.”
“What's wrong with that?”
Gu Shan shrugged,
“When there is love, we talk about love. When there is no feeling, we can only talk about interests. As for whether feelings will develop over time, that's a matter for the future. It's too early to talk about that now.”
With a light laugh, Red Leaf smoothly changed the subject:
"Regarding Konoha Village, it seems that the young master has deep prejudices. Is it necessary to divide it into right and wrong?"
After a moment of thought, Gu Shanbu Shui answered:
"We, the noble family, have been getting along relatively well with the ninja village, and our past cooperation has been quite pleasant. However, the world is constantly changing, and it is impossible to turn a blind eye to the situation forever."
The establishment of the system of "one village, one country" has just entered its fifty-fourth year, which is indeed too short compared to the nearly thousand-year history of the Gushin clan.
The daimyo and the Hokage are like the two ends of a seesaw. They can still play back and forth for now, but there will come a day when the weight of the ninja village will be so heavy that the great noble families will no longer be able to support it.
At that time, either one side will crush or swallow the other, or the stronger one will find a different way to play on their own.
Fifty-four years is too short. In milestone events from past lives, it took almost half a century to determine the winner in the Cold War, and the French Revolution took forty years with multiple ups and downs. There are many other examples.
Important historical changes always take place over several decades or even centuries. The Naruto world has only been at peace for fifty-four years since the end of the Warring States period, and the struggle between the Hokage and the daimyos over the "jade" has never ceased.
The current seemingly stable situation, I don't know how long it can last, but...
"No matter what the future holds, even if the wheels of history crush over us, we decadent aristocrats must seek survival and change, and it must be on our own terms, never passively adapting to this new world. Even if in the future, I myself and my forces become so powerful that they are unparalleled, it is impossible to truly control everything by force."
In any case, you have to take the initiative.
If you really have to cut corners and serve the new master with pain and sacrifice, and survive in the new rules, then there is really no hope.
Of course, if one truly possessed near-godlike power, some things would be much easier.
Red Leaves listened quietly as Gushen Bu Shui described the issues facing them now and their goals. After a long time, she smiled and encouraged him:
"I don't really understand it, but it sounds very impressive. Hinata and I will work hard to not cause any trouble for the young master. If there's anything we can help with, please don't hesitate to ask..."
“Well. A family naturally shares joys and sorrows together.”
Politely saying that one cannot help much is also a humble refusal. Without the unique bloodline secret technique of the Uzumaki clan - the Godly Whirlpool Eye, Kushina Bozui would not have been able to know the exact locations of Uchiha Shisui, Uchiha Itachi, and Shimura Danzō, and even be able to strike at a critical moment and seize the body of Uchiha Shisui.
……
In the land of Sichuan, several figures dressed in long robes and hats gathered on a small hill.
"We still have no clue about the young master's task. If we continue to wait like this, we won't be able to explain it anymore."
Leading a team of elites to this place, searching for the special talent desired by the ancient Blackwater Sages, the genius child with the bloodline limit - the red-eyed prodigy Kazuyama Yasuharu, I feel a little regret for my impulsive decision to take on this mission in this damp country.
Although the total population of the country of Chuan is not large, the area is very vast, with sparse population, high mountains and dense forests, and inconvenient transportation. It is really difficult to find a specific person here.
The trouble is, the description given by Gushibushui to Lanwan is not very detailed either, only knowing that he is near the vinegar sauce grass Jinshan, weak and sickly, with purple hair and red eyes.
Other than that, there is not much accurate information.
Just when Yasukawa Zaiyuan was not in a good mood, a young man in a white robe quickly approached, panting and arrived.
"Too slow, I actually missed the agreed time for exchanging information."
"Sorry, Sir, there was a mudslide on the road, and I had to take a detour..."
The person took a few breaths and then reported solemnly,
"I have made a discovery. I was originally conducting investigations in several nearby settlements, and I passed by a small village where the locals were holding a wedding banquet. It turns out that a hunter's family has given birth to a baby girl, and they are celebrating..."
"Wait, are you saying..."
An Chuanzai's heart brightened up.
"Perhaps the person we are looking for is still too young, rarely goes out, and may not even have a formal big name, so that's why we can't find them?"
"That's right. I arranged for people to investigate the newborns in several nearby villages and identified a dozen possible targets."
"Have you found them?"
"Not yet, but before we could execute, it was time for the regular report, so I delayed until now. In addition, I have too few informants, so if we want to speed up, we still need support from the higher-ups."
There is no reason for An Chuanyuan to refuse reasonable requests.
Three days later, An Chuanyuan brought a group of subordinates to a farmhouse at the foot of a mountain, far away from the villagers' settlement. In a remote corner of the barren stone mountain, there was a thatched cottage that seemed to be on the verge of collapse, with a child sitting alone inside.
From the look of it, he is still at the age to learn language.
"According to nearby villagers, this child is three years old, still a few months shy. Six months ago, his parents both died in an accident, leaving behind this poor child. Everyone calls him Lanwan, just as his parents used to. Whether it's because of his accent or not, no one knows his real name anymore. He has been able to survive until now, thanks to kind-hearted people who often bring him food to feed him."
Weak and prone to illness?
With no one to take care of, living alone in this desolate place, it's lucky if he doesn't get bitten to death by snakes, insects, rats, and ants.
This is a child with a strong vitality, and the selfless help from kind villagers nearby has also greatly improved his chances of survival.
As for the valuable furniture and belongings that were originally displayed in the house, most of them have disappeared. But this is a small matter. Material possessions can be earned again, but once a person dies, it's all over.
Of course, there is another reason that cannot be ignored, which is that his parents passed away in the spring, and now it is early winter. The country of Chuan is located in the south, and the climate is relatively mild. Even for a child without shelter and food, they would not freeze to death in a thatched house with drafts.
"Are there any other possible subjects?"
No answer.
Yasukawa Kiyoharu sighed and stepped forward to pick up the child known as "Ranmaru", looking into his wide eyes, with dark orange irises, and deep black pupils, which had a hint of red in the middle, like the radiance of the setting sun.
『It should be him.』
This is a very handsome boy, with shoulder-length purple hair, somewhat messy, and a clean and handsome face even with some dirt on it.
The villagers who came to take care of the poor child have taken good care of him, but why they didn't adopt him is another matter.
Looking at the almost identical poverty all around, the hardship of potentially dying in the mountains at any time, one can understand just how difficult it is for them to raise a child.
Do not demand too much from goodwill that may not be entirely selfless but is crucial.
"No matter what, he is still alive. Before the cold winter comes, we found him, which can be considered fortunate. Ask the villagers if he has any relatives. If so, provide a 'volunteer training' subsidy and then sign an agreement. If not, consult with the village chief to donate a batch of food supplies..."
These important children that GeShenBuShui specifically instructed to retrieve are not intended to be bought back as servants, but are genuine geniuses who will be specially trained and may become colleagues in the future.
So, the hands and tails need to be cleaned up, and there can be no worries.
Carrying the bewildered child, Kanzawa Zaiyuan immediately led the escort team to evacuate to the seaside, and boarded the speedboat that had been arranged long ago, heading towards the Yoqiyu Island in the Land of Fire.
At the same time, at the southern border of the land of Sichuan, Hei Chu wielded his Thunder Tooth twin blades, raised them high above his head, and summoned the thunder from the sky, which whistled down and landed on the rippling sea.
Only to see the bright silver arcs of electricity spreading along the sea, making the dark figures hiding underwater extremely uncomfortable.
Fortunately, these mermaids who were deliberately sent as bait are not ordinary people. They drove a large group of killer whales in one direction, causing waves of turbulent waves to hit and block the second thunder, and then hit Hei Chu Leiya without reducing their momentum.
The seven members of the Dangdang Ninja Team naturally will not be knocked down by this attack. However, there are many enemies underwater, and they shamelessly adopt a hit-and-run tactic. The front row is injured and immediately dragged away, and the back row takes its place.
The attack power of Raiton is decent, especially with its ability to propagate along seawater, where its paralyzing effect is particularly prominent.
However, the wide propagation also means that the power is not concentrated, and there are many injured attackers underwater, but none are seriously injured or killed.
After several attacks and the consumption of a considerable amount of Black Hoe Thunder Fangs, it is realized that continuing like this will not lead to any significant results.
Looking up at the rain clouds in the sky, considering whether to play big, stun a few sneaky individuals with electricity, capture them for interrogation, after fighting for so long, still not clear why the conflict started, it is really embarrassing.