To keep Tobirama from going from "Forbidden Jutsu Master" to "Forbidden Book Master," Hiugo went straight to his room and searched it. He found the book and blasted it to shreds with Lightning Release.
Tobirama watched, speechless. He hadn't expected Hiugo to react so strongly.
"This is for your physical and mental health. Studying ninjutsu properly is the right path."
Hiugo patted Tobirama on the shoulder and headed home.
As soon as he entered the gate, a Dark Ninja silently appeared behind him and held out a scroll. "The latest battlefield intelligence."
Hiugo was used to it. He tucked the scroll into his robes, and once the Dark Ninja saw him accept it, he immediately left.
Reports like this would soon be circulating throughout the clan, but first they had to be screened. Only favorable news would be spread through the clan grounds.
Since he had helped organize intelligence before, and his father was a senior member of the clan, he had the privilege of reviewing this kind of information in advance.
"You're back. Come have dinner."
The Uzumaki Second Elder spoke, though he eyed the food in front of them with some uncertainty.
Hiugo glanced at his own dinner, and his expression shifted.
Bubbles kept rising from the bowl in front of him, and black fumes drifted from it.
"Ahem. Rion made it. It looks a little strange, but the taste is fine."
The Uzumaki First Elder cleared his throat.
Hiugo took a sip. It had a faint sweetness, and warmth spread through him as he swallowed.
"How does it taste? I have more here."
Rion came out carrying a wooden bucket.
"It's all right. It just looks a little strange."
Hiugo replied. At first, he'd thought it was poison, what with all the black fumes bubbling up, but the taste was acceptable.
The Uzumaki Second Elder nodded and explained:
"It's medicinal food. Rion added a little too much of one ingredient, so it looks strange, but it's actually very beneficial to the body."
"But you're still young, so you shouldn't drink too much. Since the Uzumaki and Senju Clans are distant relatives, you can have at most two bowls. Any more, and you'll get a nosebleed."
Hiugo looked at the bucket. "What about ordinary people?"
"An adult ninja can usually drink about one bowl. For those with a Kekkei Genkai, it varies from person to person."
"I see... I'm interested in this medicinal food. Could you teach me how to make it?"
The Uzumaki Second Elder smiled. "I can't teach you."
Hiugo blinked. So that meant Rion could teach him.
Noticing Hiugo's gaze, Rion thought for a moment. "I can teach you, but you have to give me something in exchange."
"Sure. What do you want?"
"Come out and play with me tomorrow. How long has it been since you paid any attention to me...?"
"Fine."
At that, Rion quickly wrote down the recipe and handed it to Hiugo. At his request, she also marked the medicinal ingredients she'd used too much of this time.
Hiugo took the recipe, thanked her, and headed straight inside to look for some references.
"What's he planning? He doesn't seem interested in the medicinal food itself."
Rion asked curiously.
The Uzumaki Second Elder recalled the smile that had appeared at the corner of Hiugo's mouth when he'd mentioned its effects. With a helpless look, he said, "Grandpa doesn't know either. I just hope it's nothing bad."
The Uzumaki Second Elder could never have imagined that the simple recipe he'd mentioned would be repeatedly modified by Hiugo until it became an essential interrogation tool for the Senju Clan, remaining in use even after Konoha was founded.
In later generations, it would be known as Soup of Honesty, and the nine-word saying "Do not look, do not smell, do not eat" would be passed down with it.
Meanwhile, after searching for some time, Senju Zhenyang had settled on a place called the Forest of Death.
The Forest of Death was vast and sparsely populated. It was home to either enormous beasts or venomous snakes and rats, making it well suited for seclusion.
When Senju Zhenyang told the Two-Tails Chakra where it was, he learned that its main body had been caught up with someone and couldn't get away for the time being. It might even be in some danger.
From the Two-Tails Chakra's description, Senju Zhenyang also learned that its opponent was Onmyo Seimei.
"Onmyo Seimei's target is you, senior?"
Senju Zhenyang pondered. He could roughly sense the Two-Tails' strength, and it was at the clan-leader level.
In other words, two opponents at the clan-leader level were fighting over there. The battle would be so fierce that an elite jonin like him could easily die.
If he didn't go, the Chakra remaining inside him would at most leave him "seriously injured" for a while. It wouldn't take his life.
Senju Zhenyang hesitated. Earlier, he'd sacrificed himself without hesitation to protect his clan members because they were his brothers, relatives, and friends.
But was it worth risking his life again for a giant cat?
"Kid, I don't need your help. We Tailed Beasts don't need humans."
The Two-Tails Chakra spoke calmly. It could sense Senju Zhenyang's inner conflict. It wasn't counting on him to help; it only wanted him to find a place to live, repaying the kindness of his treatment.
Senju Zhenyang didn't hear its voice. Instead, he let out a long breath and muttered to himself:
"If the clan leader finds out, he'll probably say I don't value my life. If the Second Elder finds out, he'll say I'm foolish again. But what can I do? It saved my life. I can't just run away while it's in danger, even if it is a beast."
The elite jonin's aura suddenly surged. Years of accumulated experience, combined with a breakthrough in his resolve, shattered the barrier to the peak jonin level.
Under any other circumstances, Senju Zhenyang would have been overjoyed. But now, even becoming a peak jonin only increased his odds of survival a little. He still wasn't on the same level as a clan leader.
Onmyo Seimei calmly directed his summoning beasts to attack the Two-Tails. He had twelve in all. Ten had been raised by previous Onmyo clan leaders, and he'd raised the other two himself.
Each one could match a peak jonin. If he activated the Shikigami Technique to compensate for their weaknesses, they still wouldn't reach the clan-leader level, but they would be stronger than peak jonin.
He alone was the foundation of the Onmyo Clan. If he left, the Onmyo Clan would truly be no more than a middle-tier clan.
"Human, what are you trying to do?"
The Two-Tails roared. The summoning beasts were strong, but the real threat was the human in the distance.
Onmyo Seimei chuckled. "What am I trying to do? Obviously, I'm going to make you my summoning beast. According to the ancient records, there are nine summoning beasts like you. If I tame them all, the Onmyo Clan's revival will be within reach!"
"Heh. You think you can defeat me? Even if we really did make a contract, I wouldn't help you."
Onmyo Seimei shook his head.
"Our Onmyo Clan once suffered heavy casualties trying to eliminate the need for a beast's recognition before its power could be used."
"It was the advice of a certain half-black man that led to our clan's decline. But because of it, we gained an exceptionally strong ability to sense beasts, as well as a technique that lets us communicate with another person's body through the soul."
Onmyo Seimei smiled. "Even if I can't fully control you, a few incense sticks' worth of time will be enough."
The Two-Tails laughed coldly. "Too bad. Your technique won't work on me."
"Once I've tamed you, I'll decide what to do."
Onmyo Seimei looked displeased and formed Hand Seals.
All the summoning beasts began to change. Some grew wings, some grew larger, and some suddenly vanished...
Before you continue