Chapter 31: Borrowed Scrolls and Stolen Looks
It took Liumu's team only three days to reach the assembly point. The teams arriving earliest were undoubtedly among the strongest.
Liumu cracked his knuckles excitedly, hoping the "kind soul" bringing the Earth Scroll would arrive quickly.
Boom… Boom… Boom…
The ground trembled. The sound of shattering stone grew louder.
From a distance, Liumu's team watched the approaching stone golem. A strange sense of déjà vu washed over them.
"It's you again!"
"It's you again!"
...
Both teams stared, stunned.
"You woke up that quickly?" Mizukage asked with 'concern.' "Also, your clothes seem…"
The three Iwa ninja exchanged helpless glances. Seeing Liumu's eager expression, the memory of that crushing punch still haunted them.
"You're not here to…"
The large Iwa ninja frowned, a bad premonition dawning.
Seeing this, Liumu leapt onto the golem's head, landing beside the large Iwa ninja. He offered a sly grin. "The rules say you need both Heaven and Earth Scrolls to pass, right? We only have a Heaven Scroll. We're missing an Earth one."
As he spoke, Liumu feigned sudden realization, 'lightly' patting the large Iwa ninja's back, nearly staggering him. "You got here so fast. You must already have both scrolls, huh?"
The kunoichi named Shiro subconsciously replied, "We have both."
Tsk! The large Iwa ninja shot his teammate a furious glare.
Liumu raised an eyebrow, smiling. "See? I knew you were capable. We're old acquaintances, right? How about… lending us one?"
Lending? Was this 'lending'?
Did you say 'lend' while clenching your fist? And when did he call them 'capable'? He'd just said it himself!
The large Iwa ninja didn't dare voice his thoughts. He asked timidly, "What if we… don't lend it?"
Liumu looked surprised, then smiled wider. "We're friends! If you don't lend it, you don't lend it. What else could we do?"
Seeing Liumu seemingly unwilling to fight, the three Iwa ninja sighed in relief.
However, Liumu's next words left them utterly speechless.
"But… this is the assembly point. Lots of people coming and going. Very public. Tell me, if three… unclothed individuals were displayed here, would it cause a…"
A threat!
But facing Liumu's threat, the Iwa ninja couldn't refuse. The situation was exactly as Liumu described. As the second exam's assembly point, more teams would arrive over time. If Liumu got unhappy and 'removed' the clothes they'd barely scrounged…
Losing face was one thing. Losing the village's face was another.
"Take it!" The large Iwa ninja said, pulling the Earth Scroll from his pack and almost forcing it into Liumu's hands. Losing the Earth Scroll didn't matter—they could steal another. But losing face… that was irrecoverable.
"Brother, look at you, no need to force yourself." Though he said this, Liumu accepted the scroll with both hands, then grabbed the large man's hand, shaking it vigorously. "Good man! What a good man! Well… you're busy. We'll go first."
"No forcing! No forcing! Just go!" The large Iwa ninja urged, shooing them away like the plague.
Watching Liumu's team depart, the large Iwa ninja groaned, cursing under his breath. "When did I become such a pushover?"
...
The assembly point—also the venue for the third stage's individual battles—was a massive stone hall.
When Liumu's team entered, they immediately drew the attention of many inside. Among them were not only Jonin from various villages, but also the white-haired girl's team they'd encountered earlier.
Kakashi presented both scrolls to the Kumo proctor, marking their official completion of the second exam.
"Kakashi! Over here!"
On the stone hall's second floor, several Konoha Jonin waved them over. Yuhi Makoto was among them.
"I never expected the first Konoha team to complete the second stage would be you!" The surrounding Konoha Jonin gathered around Liumu's team, still glancing at the entrance, wondering which village's team would arrive next.
Kakashi's reputation as a genius was long-established in Konoha. Whether due to his father, Sakumo Hatake, or his own talent, his name was well-known.
But… this was the Chunin Exams. Facing competitors five or six years older, even a genius would be at a disadvantage. Yet Kakashi's team, with an average age of only eight or nine, had arrived first.
Facing the Jonin's praise, Kakashi silently glanced at Liumu, who was leaning against the wall, chatting and laughing with Mizukage. He didn't reveal what he'd witnessed earlier.
...
"Liumu, isn't Lord Jiraiya incredibly strong? After all, he's one of the Legendary Sannin! Did he teach you your skills?"
Leaning against the cool stone wall, Liumu looked relaxed. He removed his outer coat, replying, "Master Jiraiya is indeed strong. He knows many… techniques I've never seen before."
Recalling the Icha Icha Paradise he'd glimpsed…
Techniques… That seemed an accurate description.
Liumu prided himself on having 'studied' countless films, having 'seen it all.' Yet compared to Jiraiya, he still felt like an amateur.
"Can you tell me about Lord Jiraiya?" Mizukage asked, sitting down beside Liumu, her expression expectant.
"Phew, it's hot!" Liumu frowned, muttering. He shifted slightly away from her. "Either you're on top and I'm on bottom, or I'm on top and you're on bottom. Sitting so close is sweltering."
Mizukage: "???"
Liumu hadn't expected Jiraiya's 'charms' to have already 'corrupted' a girl as young as Mizukage.
Truly… a profound influence!
BOOM!
Just then, a muffled thud echoed from the entrance. The three Iwa ninja strode in, presenting their newly acquired scrolls.
"From Iwagakure," a Konoha Jonin whispered in reminder.
Hearing this, Liumu sighed inwardly. Watching the Konoha ninja's reaction to the Iwa team's arrival, it seemed wariness wasn't one-sided. Konoha itself remained vigilant against this major village.
The three Iwa ninja's strength wasn't weak. Especially after the large ninja summoned the stone golem, their combat power doubled. They were simply… unlucky.
That they were the third team to arrive made sense to Liumu.
(End of Chapter)
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