At this point, I should be the only one in the Shinobi World with chakra of every nature, as well as various Kekkei Genkai and Kekkei Tōta.
In the future, I could also obtain Hashirama Cells through the system.
It seemed that I—and only I—was destined to master everything Hashirama and Tobirama had learned in their lifetimes!
The melancholy in Lin Fan's eyes gradually faded, and a faint smile slowly tugged at his lips.
He stopped hesitating and went straight inside.
Unlike most places in Konoha, which were brimming with springtime color and vibrant life,
the entire courtyard of the Senju Compound was overgrown with weeds and strewn with dead leaves, giving it a desolate air.
The walls and pillars, neglected for years, were riddled with cracks.
Lin Fan didn't dwell on it. He headed straight into the main house.
The door gave way with the slightest touch and crashed to the floor.
The cloud of dust it kicked up made Lin Fan cough uncontrollably.
Cough, cough. Good grief, what a dump. Could the Legacy Scrolls of Hashirama and Tobirama, two legendary figures of Konoha, really be hidden here?
For the first time, Lin Fan found himself doubting the system he had been given.
[Host, there is no need to doubt this system. Please carefully inspect every corner of the house. I believe you will find something in the end.]
Just then, the system's electronic voice rang out.
With no other choice, Lin Fan made his way into the dusty room.
He decided to treat it like a free escape-room adventure.
As he entered, the first thing that caught Lin Fan's eye was a pair of stone statues depicting Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju.
Both men were seated cross-legged.
Hashirama had extended his left arm, while Tobirama had extended his right. Together, their hands formed the Tiger Seal.
Lin Fan lit a torch and stepped closer to take a look.
A faint golden glow shimmered across the statues of Hashirama and Tobirama.
Intrigued, he jumped onto the stone platform and examined them carefully by torchlight.
Sure enough, the glowing substance was gold dust.
Lin Fan couldn't help but sigh.
In life, these two had possessed power capable of shaking the heavens and earth, and with that strength, they had shaped the future of the Shinobi World.
Yet in death, they had still become nothing but dust. Even as greedy people defaced their golden statues, they could do nothing about it.
As Lin Fan sighed, he suddenly noticed several lines of tiny writing engraved on the fingers of their joined hands.
They seemed to have been hidden until the gold dust wore away.
To our fellow shinobi of Konoha who have come here: please light the Eternal Lamp before our statues, then bow three times before them in honor of the two of us.
Lin Fan couldn't help smiling when he read the words.
Even after death, the two brothers still hoped Konoha's descendants would give them the respect they deserved?
Well, you're both elders of the Shinobi World. I'll do as you ask.
Having said that, Lin Fan jumped down from the platform and used his torch to light the Eternal Lamp before the statues.
Then he stood before them and bowed three times with great sincerity.
Boom.
Just as Lin Fan finished, a loud noise rang out ahead.
A hidden compartment in the stone platform slowly opened, and a scroll bearing Konoha's red emblem gradually rose from within.
Whoosh, whoosh.
Two dazzling beams of blue light shot out from the red scroll. Passing through the glow of the Eternal Lamp, they fell directly upon the two gray-white statues.
Could this be the chakra Hashirama and Tobirama sealed inside the scroll?
Lin Fan's eyes widened in disbelief.
He remembered clearly that, in the original story, Minato had used the Five Elements Seal to preserve the last of Kushina's chakra. That was how she had been able to reunite with Naruto after he grew up.
When Lin Fan had read that part of the original story, it had moved him to tears.
Soon, vivid images of Hashirama and Tobirama appeared before Lin Fan.
But they seemed to be nothing more than recordings left behind. Lin Fan couldn't speak with them directly.
"Hello there, little friend. I'm your grandpa, the First. By the time you see this precious recording, I, your grandpa the First, will probably have been dead for a long time."
Hashirama's face and voice appeared in the image at once.
"Big brother, just shut up already."
"We have very little chakra sealed in this scroll, and you've been talking this whole time without saying a single useful thing."
Tobirama glared at Hashirama and spoke coldly.
Lin Fan couldn't help smiling at their exchange.
That settled it.
As expected, in the presence of his younger brother Tobirama, Hashirama Senju, the God of Shinobi, had absolutely no dignity.
Tobirama took over. "To put it briefly, little friend, the fact that you were able to undo our seal proves that you're a person of good character."
"We're willing to entrust you with the ninjutsu we learned throughout our lives, along with the combat experience we've accumulated."
"We hope you'll make good use of them and protect Konoha, the village we worked so hard to build."
"Do your best. We hope you'll protect the future of Konoha."
Hashirama continued to smile as he spoke.
As soon as the two finished speaking, their images vanished from the statues.
Lin Fan stepped forward, picked up the scroll, and began reading it carefully.
Sure enough, in addition to detailed records of all the ninjutsu Hashirama and Tobirama had learned in their lifetimes, the scroll also contained their insights from countless battles.
Everything written in the scroll would surely benefit Lin Fan immensely.
Wasn't this far better than some fake Scroll of Sealing?
The moment he remembered that four of the six forbidden techniques Hiruzen Sarutobi had given him were fake, anger flared inside Lin Fan.
[ Ding! Congratulations, host, on completing the guidance mission. Rewards: Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Lv1, Water Release: Water Formation Wall Lv1, Water Release: Water Severing Wave Lv1. ] [ Ding! Congratulations, host, Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet has reached LvMAX. Water Release Ninjutsu affinity increased by 10%. ] [ Ding! Congratulations! ] [ ]
Afterward, Lin Fan didn't hesitate. He immediately spent skill points to upgrade the three Water Release techniques he had gained.
Once he had maxed out all three Water Release techniques, he put away the scroll and left the house, humming a little tune.
As soon as he stepped outside, he saw three shinobi wearing cat masks staring coldly at him.
"Not bad, kid. You've got the Transformation Technique and Clone Technique down. You even had the three of us chasing a clone around the forest."
The lead shinobi's eyes were filled with murderous intent as he stared at Lin Fan.
It turned out Lin Fan had spotted the three following him on his way to the Senju Compound.
In a hurry to complete the guidance mission, he'd created a clone while pretending to go to the bathroom, using it to throw them off.
He had transformed his real body into a stone that the clone had been casually playing with, then tossed it away, allowing him to shake the three shinobi.
Lin Fan narrowed his eyes and smiled. "Are you Anbu, sent by the Third Hokage to watch me?"
The three shook their heads in unison.
"Then you're with Root. What does Danzo want with me?"
Lin Fan was still smiling, completely unruffled.
The cat-masked shinobi in front snorted. "Hmph, so you're not completely clueless. Our leader would like to invite you to Root Base. We hope you'll cooperate. Don't force us to use violence."
(Thanks for all your support. I'm taking the day off, so I'm posting early after finishing the chapter.)