In Konoha: Three Choices at the Start

"Here! Just write your name in blood!"

Tsunade couldn't be bothered to ask questions. She pulled out the Shikkotsu Forest Summoning Scroll and tossed it to Liuyun.

Right now, she just wanted to get away from this brat.

Liuyun opened the scroll and wrote his name at the end.

"Done!"

Tsunade snatched back the scroll and vanished with a Body Flicker Technique. If she stayed any longer, she might burst!

"Liuyun, I have to go home too! I'm going to work hard on my Sealing Jutsu these next few days!" Kushina walked up to him, looking downcast.

"Come on, don't be so sad. It's not like we'll never see each other again. We'll have plenty of time."

Liuyun stroked the little girl's head, his voice gentle.

Feeling the extra Mental Energy in his mind put him in an even better mood!

After taking Kushina home, Liuyun and Mikoto went straight back to their own place.

"Lord Liuyun! Mikoto! You're back!"

"Lord Liuyun! Mikoto, thanks for all your hard work!"

As they passed through the Uchiha Clan Compound, every Uchiha they met greeted them respectfully.

Liuyun and Mikoto were both baffled. Even after they got home, they still couldn't quite make sense of it!

Suddenly, Liuyun sensed two powerful Chakra signatures near the house.

This Chakra was strong enough to rival an Elite Jonin.

He frowned and told her, "Mikoto, stay here. I'm going out for a moment!"

"Okay! Be careful!"

Mikoto nodded obediently, wondering if she should wear the second outfit for Liuyun today.

It was a little embarrassing, but Liuyun liked it!

Last night, she had felt exactly how much Liuyun liked that outfit. Liuyun's hands hadn't behaved at all...

While Mikoto's thoughts wandered, Liuyun appeared before the two Elite Jonin who had shown up nearby.

His expression was cold, with a mocking edge.

"What, Uchiha Fuchu still hasn't given up? So he sent you two small fry?"

"Lord Liuyun! You've misunderstood. Chief Fuchu didn't send us. The Great Elder sent us to protect Mikoto!"

Uchiha Su'er spoke respectfully, his eyes betraying his shock.

The two of them were not only powerful by the clan's standards, but exceptionally skilled at concealment.

They were versatile ninja, adept at both reconnaissance and combat.

When they hid themselves, hardly anyone in the entire Uchiha Clan could detect them.

Yet Lord Liuyun had sensed them at once. Su'er couldn't help thinking,

No wonder the Great Elder singled him out as a first-class talent for the clan.

"The Great Elder?"

Liuyun frowned. He remembered that the clan had a Great Elder, but knew next to nothing about him.

(The humble author has a timid question: does anyone have flowers? I'll introduce you to my older sisters, the three sisters of the Martial Hall!)

First Visit to Shikkotsu Forest! Entrusting the Scroll!

"Yes! At today's clan meeting, the Great Elder learned of your talent and immediately declared you a first-class talent!"

"He knows you care about Mikoto, so he specifically sent us to protect her in secret!"

"As for you, the Great Elder didn't assign anyone to protect you!"

Uchiha Yunda spoke honestly.

The old saying was true: an old ginger is spicier! He had hit Liuyun's weak spot in one go.

Liuyun wasn't worried about his own safety. He had the strength to look after himself.

But he couldn't ignore Mikoto's safety, and he couldn't stay by her side forever!

Clearly, no one became one of the Uchiha Clan's old guard without being formidable.

Whether he liked it or not, Liuyun owed the Great Elder a favor.

"Stay here and keep watch!"

"If you see the Great Elder, tell him I appreciate what he's done!"

"Understood, Lord Liuyun!" With that, the two concealed themselves again.

Liuyun headed toward the training ground he had used earlier.

The moment he stepped inside, he was speechless.

The training ground, once overgrown with weeds, was now spotless.

All the old, worn-out training equipment around it had been replaced.

Several Uchiha were even laying newly delivered flooring.

"Those bastards work fast... Ridiculously fast!"

Liuyun muttered under his breath. This Great Elder was much harder to deal with than Uchiha Fuchu, and he wasn't sure how to handle him.

He turned and walked farther in, beyond the bounds of the Uchiha Clan Compound.

The trees grew denser the farther he went. Half an hour later, Liuyun reached the far end of the woods.

His Shadow Clones were training there.

As soon as he arrived, he saw his Shadow Clones panting, sallow-faced, and utterly exhausted.

Liuyun dispelled his Shadow Clones without hesitation!

Poof!

Wave after wave of powerful memories flooded in from the Shadow Clones, and Liuyun calmly absorbed them.

He created another two hundred Shadow Clones. Half worked on developing the Ice-Ice Fruit, while the other half studied Genjutsu. Liuyun himself headed for a shady spot.

His Mental Energy spread outward, and he sensed that no one was nearby.

Without hesitation, he bit his finger and performed the Summoning Technique.

Poof!

A soft, squishy creature appeared before Liuyun.

How could he describe the feel of it? It was like Tsunade's breasts. Not bad, he supposed!

"Hello, Lord Liuyun! Lady Tsunade has already told me about you! What can I do for you?"

Katsuyu's voice was gentle and sweet, soothing to the ear.

"Use the Reverse Summoning Technique for me. I need to go to Shikkotsu Forest and give the Slug Sage something!"

"Of course, Lord Liuyun! Please hold on to my body!"

"Okay!" Liuyun did as she said.

Poof!

Smoke billowed around them, and Liuyun and Katsuyu vanished without a trace.

The scene shifted, and space changed around him.

It was dark and damp, with rotting branches and leaves everywhere.

He could make out Katsuyu's smaller forms moving in the gloom.

"We're here, Lord Liuyun! What did you need?"

Liuyun got straight to the point. He knew the Katsuyu here were all part of the Slug Sage's true body.

If he spoke to the one before him, she would have a way to relay it to her main body.

He took out the Sealing Scroll Mito Uzumaki had given him, held it out to Katsuyu, and said calmly,

"This is the Sealing Scroll Mito Uzumaki, the First Hokage's wife, entrusted to me. It contains almost every Ninjutsu in Konoha!"

"That includes the First Hokage's secret Wood Release techniques and the Uzumaki Clan's Sealing Jutsu! I want to leave it in your care!"

"If the Senju Clan ever falls, it could help them rise again!"

"L-Lord Liuyun, is that true?"

The little Katsuyu before him was stunned. She clearly found it hard to believe.

She carefully opened the scroll. Multiple Shadow Clones, Flying Thunder God—one familiar Konoha Ninjutsu after another appeared on it!

Wood Release, Sealing Jutsu...

She had assumed Liuyun had most likely come to learn Sage Mode. Instead, he had handed the Senju Clan's legacy over to her for safekeeping.

"Child! Mito Uzumaki entrusted this scroll to you, didn't she?"

Katsuyu's voice changed, becoming clear and light yet weathered by the years.

Liuyun knew the Slug Sage herself was speaking now.

"That's right! Grandma Mito asked me to keep it. But it isn't safe with me, and you know I'm an Uchiha!"

"Besides, I can't take something like this on every mission!"

"The more I thought about it, the more sense it made to leave it here. After all, you were the First Hokage's summon!"

"You're close to the Senju Clan. If they ever fall on hard times, no one will question you for bringing it out!"

"There are many rare Ninjutsu in there. Don't you want them for yourself?"

The Slug Sage couldn't understand him. Here was someone sitting on a mountain of gold who wanted to give it away.

He was just like that simpleton Hashirama Senju.

"With these eyes, I've already memorized every jutsu inside!"

Liuyun pointed to his Three-Tomoe Sharingan.

"The Three-Tomoe Sharingan? Now I understand why Mito Uzumaki entrusted it to you instead of her own granddaughter!"

Surprise and understanding mingled in Katsuyu's aged voice.

"We agree to your request. But we'll only keep it here for the time being."

"If the Senju Clan ever needs it, you'll be the one to hand it over!"

"All right!"

Liuyun had come to leave the scroll here. He didn't want to carry that dangerous burden around with him.

If the Senju Clan truly fell on hard times, he would bring it out.

"As for Teacher Tsunade..."

"I understand! I won't tell anyone else!"

"Thank you, Slug Sage! I'll be going now!" He had accomplished what he came for, so there was no reason to stay.

Talk about leaving the moment he got what he wanted!

(Please send flowers, waaah!)

Liuyun's Susanoo, Mikoto's White Sei!

"Wait, child! I don't sense the Uchiha Clan's arrogance or malice in you!"

"Would you like to learn Shikkotsu Forest's Senjutsu?" the Slug Sage suddenly asked.

Liuyun paused, then shook his head. "No. Ask me again in a few years!"