Lion Maru and the Summoning Scroll 2/2

The dark room was small, about the size of an ordinary room. Several shelves stood against the walls, while a woven straw cushion lay in the center.

Takaya Hyuga took a long box from one of the shelves.

The box was less than a meter long and only two palms wide. It was spotless, clearly wiped down often.

Holding the box in both hands, Takaya Hyuga set it before Hayato. "Open it."

Uh...

Hayato hesitated for about 0.1 seconds—there wasn't going to be a surprise doll or a spring-loaded fist popping out, was there?

He glanced at Takaya Hyuga, whose expression was solemn as he sat kneeling. But Takaya Hyuga was always solemn whenever he wasn't fooling around. You could never tell when he might suddenly crack an unfunny joke and turn himself into the joke just to make others laugh.

After 0.1 seconds of hesitation and another 0.1 seconds of mental struggle, Hayato decided to open the box.

Even if it was a prank, Hayato would open it through tears. After all, as a comedian, whether he was funny was one thing—but never even getting the chance to take the stage would be far too pitiful, wouldn't it?

It was like some rookie author, "Directionless Fungus." His book might not have been anything special, but why had "Lemon Dumpling-chan" tipped him 100 points? Was it the radiance of human nature, a family fortune, or simply an accidental twitch of the hand...? But as the first tip for a new book, she had given Directionless Fungus a burst of energy, like giving a possibly unfunny comedian a stage.

Hayato decided to be as adorably cute as Lemon Dumpling-chan.

At precisely zero seconds, he tremblingly reached out and opened the box.

Huh~~~

Inside lay a short sword and a scroll.

The short sword was about fifty centimeters long. Its hilt and sheath were lacquer-black, while its casual tsuba was an antique bronze papaya shape. It lay quietly inside the box, radiating a peculiar beauty.

Hayato could not resist picking it up. It was heavy, completely unlike the weight a short sword should have.

Gripping the hilt, he gave a slight pull, and the blade silently slid free. It was single-edged, its body bright as snow, with black wave patterns along the edge. The blade curved as a whole, and its tip was a straight slanted point.

A sharp aura rushed toward him, as if a swordsman before him had unleashed an unparalleled slash. Hayato tilted his head, trying to dodge that nonexistent sword aura.

In that instant, one phrase came to Hayato's mind: razor-sharp brilliance.

The sensation lasted only briefly. The sword aura on the blade vanished in an instant, as though it had never appeared.

Was I hallucinating?

Takaya Hyuga's faintly amused expression assured Hayato that his mind was perfectly normal.

Then~~~

He stared at the blade again—the blade was still bright as snow, and the wave patterns remained clear. Yet no matter how he looked at it, it seemed to be nothing more than a slightly prettier weapon.

Could this be the legendary treasure concealing its own brilliance?

"Uncle, this is...?" Hayato asked.

Takaya Hyuga sighed. "This was your father's sword—Rain Cutter. After you were born, it was renamed Lion Maru. It was a sword prepared for you. Today is the day you officially become a ninja, so I am handing it over to you in your father's place. I hope you will use it well."

"Oh, Father... It's a fine sword." Hayato had complicated feelings toward his parents in Naruto. He was grateful, but also rather guilty. So he could only change the subject by praising Lion Maru.

Hayato only knew basic swordsmanship. For this sword to fall into his hands was practically a pearl cast before swine.

Takaya Hyuga continued, "Legend has it that the ancestor of the Hyuga Clan—Hagoromo Otsutsuki—once possessed a double-edged longsword called Futsunomitama. Later, Futsunomitama broke into two pieces. The shorter piece was reforged into Lion Maru, while the longer piece was forged into the Raijin Sword."

Legend said that Futsunomitama had been the sword of Takemikazuchi and was filled with lightning energy.

Though Lion Maru was obscure, its brother of the same origin—the Raijin Sword—was famed far and wide.

The Raijin Sword had been the sword of the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju. No one knew how much powerful blood it had tasted.

"What?!" Hayato was stunned.

The amount of information was truly staggering.

Seeing Hayato's shocked expression, Takaya Hyuga paused briefly, then smiled. "Still, in my opinion, it is most likely just a distorted rumor. Leaving aside whether it is true or not, Lion Maru is absolutely a divine weapon in terms of hardness and sharpness. Mm, it can clash head-on with the Kusanagi Sword."

According to legend, there were as many as eleven Kusanagi Swords. Three had appeared in Naruto: Orochimaru's Cloud-Cluster Sword, Sasuke Uchiha's Buryū Sword, and Itachi Uchiha's Sword of Totsuka.

In Hayato's view, Futsunomitama had not only split into two pieces; its functions had also divided into two parts. Lion Maru inherited its physical properties, becoming sharp and hard. The Raijin Sword inherited its special ability, becoming filled with lightning energy, though its blade itself was ordinary enough that it was eventually broken again.

Takaya Hyuga poured chakra into Lion Maru. A faint chakra glow spread across the blade, and with a light swing, a thick corner of the table fell to the floor. Takaya Hyuga said, "Chakra metal was added when Lion Maru was reforged, making it more suitable for ninja."

Hayato solemnly accepted Lion Maru with both hands, treasuring it deeply.

He might not have any use for it, but who would ever complain about having too many divine weapons?

The short sword was Lion Maru, but what was the scroll?

Swordsmanship?

A secret Hyuga ninjutsu?

Or some other advanced ninjutsu?

Hayato could not help swallowing, his anticipation growing stronger.

Takaya Hyuga spread open the scroll.

Judging from the markings, it was a sealing scroll.

Bang!

A pile of scrolls stacked into a pyramid appeared, with a booklet placed atop the pyramid.

"What kind of scrolls are these? Why are there so many?" Hayato could not help asking. There seemed to be around fifty of them.

"See for yourself. They're all yours," Takaya Hyuga said.

Hayato casually picked one up and opened it.

Judging by the curse markings, it should have been a blood contract scroll for the Summoning Jutsu.

"Blood contract, blood contract, another blood contract... Huh, there are even tool summonings." Hayato swallowed again. "Don't tell me these are all..."

"That's right. They're all Summoning Jutsu scrolls. Surprised? Hahaha, I was too, back then," Takaya Hyuga said.

Takaya Hyuga opened the booklet. "These are research notes on the Summoning Jutsu compiled by your mother. They contain information on every summoned beast and summoned tool. Take your time reading them."

After handing the booklet to Hayato, Takaya Hyuga continued, "But the Summoning Jutsu is meant to assist a ninja in battle. Do not be greedy for too much, and do not become obsessed with it."

Hayato nodded and asked, "Where did these summoning scrolls come from?"

Hayato somewhat suspected that Takaya Hyuga had emptied out the entire Hyuga Clan treasury.

"Some were passed down through your mother's family, while others were collected by your parents during their travels through the ninja world," Takaya Hyuga said. "Some are not actually valuable at all and are only keepsakes. Sort through them slowly yourself. As I said, external things can be used, but never relied upon."

Hayato's mother was called Pansy Hyuga. No one knew what her surname had been before she joined the Hyuga Clan, but she was likely also from a ninja family—one that specialized in the Summoning Jutsu.

However, Takaya Hyuga was extremely guarded regarding Hayato's mother's identity. Hayato guessed that his mother might have come from another ninja village.

"Take your time looking through them and pick a few. I'll head out first." Takaya Hyuga watched Hayato practically pounce onto the pile of scrolls, a smile appearing on his face as he thought to himself, Tetsuya, Pansy... Hayato has grown up. He has even become an outstanding ninja. You must be so comforted in the Pure Land. If only you were... still alive.

Hayato remained alone in the dark room for an hour. When he came out, Keiko Hyuga was busy preparing a late-night meal. It moved Hayato even as it left him not knowing whether to laugh or cry—they had only just finished dinner.

Takaya Hyuga and Tokuma Hyuga chatted in the living room. Hayato sat nearby, listening most of the time and occasionally asking questions.

Takaya Hyuga was a high-ranking member of the Hyuga Clan, while Tokuma Hyuga served in the reconnaissance unit—both father and son were highly knowledgeable men. Even in casual conversation, Hayato felt that he had benefited greatly, as though one conversation with them was worth ten years of reading.

[PS] Can you guess why Rain Cutter was renamed Lion Maru?

[PS] Thanks to "Evil Dragon Flying Feather," "Book Friend 0800046659," and "Trench Coat Joke" for 1 recommendation vote each; thanks to "Ah Yi Yo" for the recommendation vote; thanks to "Flower Makes Pancakes" for the recommendation vote; thanks to "Yao Xin Miao" and "Graceful Shadow Summer Twilight" for 4 recommendation votes; thanks to "Ancient Moon Star's Fatty" and "Lemon Dumpling-chan" for 6 recommendation votes; and thanks to "Guarding Heart, Guarding Feelings." for 8 recommendation votes.

[PS] Special thanks to "Lemon Dumpling-chan" for this book's first 100-point tip.

[PS] The status has been changed to contracted. The next chapter will be at 8:00 tomorrow morning. Where are the recommendations and bookmarks?