Naruto: I, Shikotsumyaku, Byakugan Princess

Chapter 121 Background
"I don't know."

Hui Li leaned back in her wheelchair, her legs swaying gently, looking relaxed and carefree.

Squeak!

Squeak!

The wheelchair groaned in pain, unable to bear the weight.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, with his back turned, spoke through the wind: "What's recorded on there is the Cloud Village's secret Lightning Release Chakra Mode. If you can't see it, then forget it."

squeak~
The sound of the wheelchair stopped.

The scroll slowly unfurled.

Hearing the sound of paper rubbing behind him, and the soft sound of recitation, Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head and chuckled to himself, leaning on the railing of the rooftop and waiting quietly.

The sun was even brighter at this time.

The golden light is dazzling.

Sarutobi lowered the brim of his straw hat, leaving an oval reflection on the ground; his aged back resembled a bent bow.

a long time.

swoosh...

I heard the sound of paper being rolled up behind me.

"You've written it all down?"

"Ah."

Hui Li watched as Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly turned around, then rolled up the secret technique in her hand and handed it back.

Hiruzen Sarutobi carefully put the scroll away again and looked at Kairi, saying:

"Your spoils have been given to you. Don't accuse me of embezzling your things. Ye Yuexiong has been dead for quite some time, and only this secret technique of the Lightning Armor has been preserved relatively intact."

The village also contributed to this secret technique, and it will be sealed in the scroll later.

You must keep Naruto's situation a secret. His circumstances are special, and the villagers must not find out..."

Hui Li nodded blankly.

Looking at the incessantly chattering Hiruzen Sarutobi, she felt somewhat at a loss.

She thought that revealing her abilities would lead to severe torture and interrogation.

She had already prepared her strategy and was ready to deal with him, but she didn't expect that the Third Hokage would take her to the rooftop of the hospital and nag her like an old woman.

After speaking for a while, Hiruzen Sarutobi noticed that Kairi seemed a bit confused and couldn't help but frown and ask:
"Did you all understand?"

"Hmm...that's all?"

"Then what else do you want?"

"I thought……"

Hui Li hesitated, repeatedly checking the emotional glow above Hiruzen Sarutobi's head, but found no malice as she had imagined.

"What did you think?"
You thought I'd ask you where your special physique came from? Or your unusual sensory abilities? Or the chakra of that tailed beast?

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at the bewildered Kairi and couldn't help but chuckle. A hint of pride flashed across his aged face. He gripped the rooftop railing with both hands, spreading his arms like an eagle, carrying the rows of Konoha trees on his back:
"The Land of Fire occupies the most fertile land in the world, and Konoha is undoubtedly the strongest among the five great ninja villages."

It's always others who have their eyes on us; when have we ever coveted a few measly coins from others?

Is your long-boned bloodline limit stronger than the Sharingan of the Uchiha clan, or even the Wood Release of the Senju clan? Is your sensory ability more refined than the Byakugan of the Hyuga clan, or more expansive than the spiritual detection of the Yamanaka clan?

I've seen plenty of fake Jinchuriki in the ninja world!

All the tailed beasts in the ninja world were distributed by the First Hokage, and the strongest Nine-Tails is currently lying in the hospital right under your feet.

Konoha has countless secret techniques, and the ninjutsu in the sealing scrolls are so powerful that one has to be selective in learning them.

you tell me!

What is it about you that makes you so worthy of my, and Konoha's, shamelessness in pursuing you?

call!
The strong wind blew open Hiruzen Sarutobi's divine robe.

It floated leisurely in the sky above Konoha Village.

The elderly ninja opened his arms wide, proudly embracing the entire Hidden Leaf Village in his embrace. His domineering aura deeply shocked Hai Li.

The colors of confidence, pride, and sincerity shimmered from high to low, constantly flashing with fluorescent light.

These old bastards from Konoha are all rich kids!!!

Hui Li finally understood where that strange sense of unease came from.

She had been using the Hidden Mist Village's approach to analyze Konoha's style of doing things.

The Hidden Mist and Hidden Cloud Villages' plot to acquire the Byakugan was exactly the same as Danzo's plot to acquire the Sharingan. She subconsciously assumed that the Hidden Leaf Village was also the kind of ninja village that would go crazy for anything good.

But in reality, the situation is quite the opposite.

This is the strongest ninja village established by Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju after they conquered the entire ninja world. Compared to the bloody Hidden Mist Village, it can even be called a paradise.

Its profound cultural heritage is beyond imagination.

The Impure World Reincarnation technique, which resurrects the dead, is one of the three great Sage Techniques unparalleled in the ninja world.

The Flying Thunder God Technique, hailed as the fastest space-time ninjutsu in the ninja world, ignores the Reaper Death Seal, which seals the soul.

In Konoha, you could fill a basket with Byakugan that other ninja villages would dream of owning just one.

Whether it was Hiruzen Sarutobi, Danzo, or Orochimaru, they all coveted the Wood Release to become the 'God of Shinobi' and explored the Mangekyou Sharingan to become the 'Shura of the Shinobi World'.

to be honest.

They simply look down on the bloodline limits and secret techniques of other ninja villages.

I haven't even fully studied my own bloodline limit. The secret techniques passed down by Tobirama Senju are powerful and difficult to master. You've created such a huge sealing scroll. Who has the time to study your junk?
If you thoroughly research your bloodline limit, can you defeat Hashirama Senju?
Why don't I use that free time to study Wood Release? Or to study the Sharingan?

The tailed beasts in each village look quite impressive, and they all treat them like treasures. If you put the first to the eighth tailed beasts together, could you defeat the nine-tailed beast?
Konoha, unaware of Kaguya Otsutsuki's power, completely disregarded the things she possessed.

People who study Wood Release and Sharingan aren't after that bloodline limit; they're searching for the root of Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha's unparalleled invincibility.

"I was wrong."

Hui Li remained silent for a long time, then had to admit that she seemed to be looked down upon.

Seeing that she had figured it out, Hiruzen Sarutobi lowered his arm and said earnestly:
“Your talent is exceptional, surpassing all the ninjas I’ve ever seen. Even the First Hokage at this age is not as good as you. But talent is both the most valuable and the least valuable thing in the world.”

It cannot be transferred or copied.

You might not even know when you'll end up throwing it away like trash.

We in Konoha don't need to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs.

That's something only a starving, destitute wretch would do.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's extravagant remarks left Hairi feeling dizzy.

As the saying goes, when the granaries are full, people know etiquette; when they are well-fed and clothed, they know honor and shame.

The unruly commoner who escaped from the remote and impoverished Hidden Mist Village experienced for the first time just how domineering the rich second-generation heirs from the strongest ninja village could be.

"One last question for you: what is your true identity?"

"Didn't you say you wouldn't ask?"

Hui Li raised an eyebrow, scrutinizing the frank old face before her. Could everything that had just happened have been a smokescreen to get her to reveal the truth?
Seeing Hui Li's caution, Hiruzen Sarutobi rubbed his temples with the heel of his hand, looking troubled.
"If I wanted to harm you, I would have already sent the mountain clan into your brain. Why would I need to waste my breath on you?"

Considering you saved so many students at the Ninja Academy, even if you're a spy from another village, I'll give you a chance to reform.

"Speak quickly!"

Hui Li looked up carefully at the emotional glowing spots above his head.

Helplessness, doubt, and friendliness.

As she continued to hesitate to reveal her identity, the suspicious light above her head grew stronger, while the friendly light gradually shrank.

Some times.

Not saying anything is like saying everything.

This was clearly the other party's final test.

If she doesn't reveal something truly special, Hui Li will always be under surveillance and guarded, unable to break into Konoha's inner circle, and the secret techniques in the Book of Seals that she so desperately wants will be out of reach.

Have you heard of the Kaguya clan of Kirigakure?

Upon hearing Hairi's words, Hiruzen Sarutobi pondered for a moment, then his eyes flickered:
"The Taketori of the Corpse Bone Pulse, are you a member of the Taketori clan?"

"You may not know this, but the Kaguya clan was wiped out two months ago. It was the Fourth Mizukage who gave the order, and it was the Dark Army Captain, Shun Kurio, who carried it out."

"What's the reason?"

"The official reason given was rebellion, but in reality, they were after our family's heirloom."

"What treasure?" "I don't know."

Hui Li shook her head, her face full of confusion:
"Those ANBU ninjas searched very thoroughly, turning over every corpse in the clan. I was lucky; at the critical moment, my bloodline limit awakened, and I managed to kill several Kirigakure ANBU members before escaping."

Later, he fled from Peichuan Port to the Land of Fire. Hearing that Konoha's ninjas were the strongest, he entered Konoha to find a way to become stronger in order to avenge his family.

You probably know what happened after that.

Hui Li explained it in great detail.

The cause, process, and result are explained clearly.

The names of the key figures were also very detailed, and later, under questioning from Hiruzen Sarutobi, she revealed many more details about the siege battle.

The location of the encirclement and suppression operation, and the deployment of personnel.

The timeline for breaking through.

Hui Li answered each question without the slightest hesitation.

You can't fabricate so many details unless you've actually experienced them.

The ability to deform bones corresponds to the Shikotsumyaku (Corpse Bone Pulse), and the origin from Kirigakure roughly matches Hiruzen Sarutobi's previous speculation.

It's quite reasonable that the bamboo-harvesting clan, with its long history, possesses unique and secret techniques.

Gradually.

The light of doubt above Hiruzen Sarutobi's head dimmed, but a glimmer of doubt remained.

Although Hui Li's words were extremely detailed, he did not completely believe them.

He still needs to find someone to investigate the information about the Bamboo Clan. With Hui Li's unparalleled talent, it wouldn't be a waste to make use of the spies from Kirigakure.

If what Hui Li said is true.

The Kaguya clan was exterminated by the Kirigakure leadership, and although she came from Kirigakure, she had an irreconcilable blood feud with them.

Their identities have been revealed.

Moreover, they are truly innocent and did not come with the intention of harming Konoha.

After a long period of baptism by the Will of Fire, it's not impossible for her to establish a connection and bond with the village, eventually becoming one of them.

Let's leave aside things like the Corpse Bone Pulse for now.

Konoha has no shortage of powerful bloodline limits.

If Hai Li had continued living in Konoha, married and had children normally, she wouldn't have been able to escape the Corpse Bone Pulse.

What truly moved Hiruzen Sarutobi was her top-tier talent, surpassing even that of the First Hokage.

An elite Jonin who is not even seven years old is just too good to pass up!

Looking at the short legs of the girl, who couldn't even reach the ground while sitting in her wheelchair, Hiruzen Sarutobi felt an unbearable surge of desire.

Although he said that Konoha was a large and powerful family with invincible bloodline limits and that he would not plot against others, he had never seen such a young elite Jonin in all his years of life.

Kakashi, once Konoha's number one genius, became a Chunin at the age of six and only reached Jonin at the age of twelve.

This is a height that 99% of ordinary ninjas could never reach even if they worked their whole lives; it is the ceiling for all genius ninjas.

Meanwhile, Gray directly halved Kakashi's recording time.

Roughly equivalent to a super-deluxe version of Kakashi with a bloodline limit and half a Jinchūriki, it's absolutely certain that he will become a top-tier powerhouse comparable to the Kage of each village in the future.

If he hadn't had doubts about Hui Li's identity, he would have already considered taking her as his disciple.

Konoha has no shortage of advanced ninjutsu and secret techniques, but it lacks talented young people who can carry forward the secret techniques left by their predecessors. Leaving a prodigy like Hairi out to fend for himself is nothing short of a waste.

It is a grave desecration of the word "genius".

Beep!
One by one, emotional sparks emerged from the top of Hiruzen Sarutobi's head.

Hui Li glanced at it briefly.

Doubt has dwindled to a tiny glimmer; what remains is more entanglement, excitement, and affection.

The favorability rating seems to have increased a lot, and the color of the entire emotional light spot is brighter than the dull and unclear color seen in the ward.

Hui Li's tense emotions eased slightly.

It seems we've passed this hurdle.

Her identity as someone from the Hidden Mist Village is always a major concern. If she can use this opportunity to clear her name and get out of trouble, her future will be much easier.

call!
The fierce wind on the rooftop gradually subsided, becoming as gentle as a spring breeze.

The swaying imperial robes fell silently, with only the hem near the ground still slightly upturned.

"I will have someone investigate your matter further, if what you said is true..."

After pondering for a long time, Hiruzen Sarutobi paused for a moment, then looked directly at Kairi's childish face and finally made up his mind to say:
"Come...become my disciple!"

Hui Li suddenly opened her eyes wide, staring in disbelief at the Third Hokage in front of her.

"My identity..."

“If it weren’t for the problem with your identity, I would have taken you as my disciple long ago.”

When Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke, his eyes were filled with longing for geniuses.

He was born with five chakra nature transformations, and his physique was so strong that he could rival Yotsuki Yu's Lightning Release Armor, which was a perfect match for his fighting style.

The most crucial factor is their young age.

If Hui Li were ten or twelve years old, he wouldn't be so moved.

Being young means that one's thoughts and will are not yet mature. One can guide her in the direction one likes by instilling the Will of Fire over a long period of time.

If we wait any longer until our brains mature, it will be too late.

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at the astonished Kairi, then lowered his head with a serious expression:
"We need to make the unpleasant things clear from the start."

If we were to become master and disciple, our master-disciple relationship could not be made public. Only when you have gained my approval can we announce this news to the outside world.

During this period, you will gain nothing but instruction in ninjutsu.

If I ever discover that you have done anything to harm Konoha, I will take back everything you have learned from me, with interest!

So, are you still willing?

Upon hearing Hiruzen Sarutobi's conditions, Hairi couldn't help but smile.

She came to Konoha only to seek power; she didn't care about political status like being a Hokage's disciple.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's actions clearly stemmed from his reluctance to part with her talent, but he also feared that she might use her status to compete for the Hokage position in the future, thus creating an awkward master-disciple relationship.

This was exactly what she wanted.

The position of Hokage is incredibly demanding, with endless paperwork to deal with every day.

With only a few years left before Kaguya Otsutsuki destroys the world, gaining power is the only real goal, and she has no desire to get involved in these power struggles and political activities.

I felt like I woke up to nothing but good news.

Having obtained a powerful Lightning Release Chakra Mode, he not only cleared his name and went back to the right path, but also gained a Kage-level teacher.

What a double blessing.

"It's a deal, Sarutobi-sensei!"

Upon hearing Hairi's words, Hiruzen Sarutobi's aged face showed a hint of melancholy.

He had a total of three disciples in his lifetime.

Tsunade had a conflict with him because of the Senju clan and left the village, refusing to return. Orochimaru defected in pursuit of immortality, and Jiraiya was tricked by the toads of Mount Myōboku into searching for some chosen one.

He could be described as being abandoned by everyone.

The title "Sarutobi-sensei" feels both familiar and unfamiliar.

"We're not master and disciple yet; your status isn't confirmed!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's insincere refusal.

Seeing that Hiruzen Sarutobi's favorability rating was slightly increasing, Hairi chuckled to herself.

"Okay, Sarutobi-sensei."

"I already said it, it's still not true!"

"Mmmmm~"

Looking at Hai Ri, who was sitting upright in her wheelchair and smiling, revealing her two small tiger teeth, Hiruzen Sarutobi felt an awkward sense of having his thoughts read.

He doesn't think he's ever taught a witch-type disciple before!

(End of this chapter)