Chapter 74: Parting Ways
"I wish you could stay for a few more days."
Sarah adjusted the strap on Liumu's backpack, ensuring it was secure, then stepped back, the composed dignity of a queen settling over her youthful features once more.
"It's not necessary. This place is far from Konoha; it's best we start our journey early," Minato replied gently. He presented Sarah with one of his chakra-conductive kunai as a parting gift.
"Giving a girl a knife?" Liumu shot Minato a sidelong, unimpressed glance.
"Well, I didn't bring anything else suitable, did you?" Minato retorted.
Liumu shook his head. "No."
Minato opened his mouth, then closed it, taking two deep breaths as if to suppress a lecture.
"Although I didn't bring a physical gift, I can extend an invitation," Liumu said, turning to face Sarah directly. His tone was uncharacteristically formal. "We are from Konohagakure in the Land of Fire. Whenever you have time, you are welcome to visit. When you do, I'll cook a proper meal for you."
Minato nodded in agreement. "It's true. Liumu's cooking skills are excellent. It's a pity our return is too hurried this time for him to demonstrate."
The people of Loulan pressed forward with their own gifts of dried meats, woven cloth, and desert spices, but the ninjas' packs were already full to bursting. With warm thanks, they had to decline.
After the final farewells, the group split. Minato, Chōza, and Shibi would begin the long trek back to Konoha to report. Liumu, however, would head south to catch up with Jiraiya and Haku.
Originally, Liumu had planned to send only a Shadow Clone to assist Minato with the Loulan mission. But recalling the unexpected complexity of the situation—the Dragon Vein's power, Anrokuzan's fusion with it—a mere clone would have been severely outmatched. Anrokuzan's own skills as a puppet master weren't necessarily superior to someone like Sasori's, but the Dragon Vein's infinite chakra supply had made him a catastrophic problem. Hence, the real Liumu's intervention had been necessary.
Half a month later.
Following the trail left by his clone, Liumu caught up to Jiraiya and Haku's path, entering the Land of Rain. According to the clone's dispelled memories, Jiraiya intended to visit his three former disciples—Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan—to see how they fared.
The Akatsuki organization had undergone tremendous change since Hanzō's demise. Under Yahiko's leadership, they had consolidated control over a significant portion of the fractured country. If their current momentum held, the future political landscape of the Land of Rain was poised for a dramatic shift.
Poof!
Just as they were planning to rest before the final leg to Akatsuki's headquarters, the "Liumu" walking beside Jiraiya and Haku dissolved into a puff of white smoke.
Jiraiya chuckled. "Looks like he's back."
"Back? What's back?" Haku asked, confused. Since leaving Konoha and spending a few days in the Land of Grass, she had never realized the "Liumu" traveling with them was just a Shadow Clone. His real body had been waiting at Mount Myōboku, ready for Minato's summoning. The clone's sudden disappearance startled her.
"Yo!"
Just as she spoke, a familiar voice came from behind them. Liumu himself leaned casually against a rain-slicked tree.
"Liumu! Was what Teacher Jiraiya said true?" Haku demanded, her pretty face a mix of surprise and indignation.
Liumu: "..."
Faced with her questioning gaze, Liumu defaulted to his most reliable tactic: playing dumb. "Hm? What's that?"
The ever-present drizzle of the Land of Rain chose that moment to intensify, thoroughly drenching him and providing a convenient distraction.
After Haku helped him find dry clothes (with much grumbling), the trio set off to find Yahiko and the others.
With the Loulan mission complete, Liumu's system had granted him an increase to five uses of the Time Room per day and, more importantly, another spin on the Destiny Roulette. He was currently hesitating.
Should he spin now?
If he drew another mythical beast template, there was no guarantee the Taotie wouldn't just absorb it again. If it was a ninjutsu template, it would be wasted on him—he'd already copied plenty from the Scroll of Seals, all gathering mental dust. As for genjutsu… with the lingering power of the Nine-Tails' eyes and the strange affinity in his chakra, he didn't feel a pressing need to learn more.
I wonder how my illusion resistance would stack up against someone like Itachi Uchiha, he mused idly as they walked.
"Teacher! Liumu!"
At the gates of the Akatsuki's main compound—which had once been Hanzō's stronghold—Konan was waiting to greet them.
Her eyes softened as she looked at Liumu. He had grown noticeably taller in the past two years. "You've gotten bigger," she said, reaching out to ruffle his hair.
Liumu grinned and launched himself forward, wrapping her in a brief, enthusiastic hug. "We've all grown up!"
"Hello, Sister Konan! My name is Haku!" Haku stepped forward politely, her voice clear. She was far less shy than when she first left Kiri, her demeanor noticeably brighter under Liumu's influence.
"Hello, Haku. I'm Konan, Liumu's senior sister. We've heard about you." Konan smiled warmly.
Liumu: "..." Heard about her? From who?
For the Land of Rain to grow stronger, and for Yahiko's dream of creating a stable nation buffered between three great powers to survive, they had to employ many methods. This included not only developing their own strength but also maintaining constant vigilance against the covert operations of their powerful neighbors. Konoha of the Land of Fire was one of those neighbors. Given Jiraiya, Liumu, and Yahiko's master-discipleship, investigating their activities was a top priority for Akatsuki's intelligence network.
"Let's go inside quickly. This rain is annoying," Liumu muttered, detaching himself from Konan and shaking water from his sleeves.
"It's alright. If you don't like the rain, I can ask Nagato to stop it later," Konan offered with a playful smile.
Liumu blinked. "He can do that too?"
Konan just smiled mysteriously and didn't answer, leading them inside.
The headquarters bustled with activity, members of Akatsuki nodding respectfully to Konan as they passed. "Yahiko is attending the opening ceremony for the new Rain Country Ninja Academy today. He should be back soon," Konan explained as they walked. "And Nagato is on duty, monitoring for any potential incursions."
"Monitoring? How?" Liumu asked.
"Through the rain," Konan said, ushering them into a comfortably furnished receiving room. "The rain over our territory isn't entirely natural. It's part of Nagato's ninjutsu. By infusing his chakra into the precipitation, he can sense any significant disturbances or intruders across the country." She paused, her gaze lingering on Liumu with a hint of amusement. "In fact, he detected Teacher Jiraiya and Haku's presence the moment you entered the Land of Rain. He'll be joining us shortly. But…"
She let the word hang, her smile turning knowing.
According to the intelligence Minato had shared, when Jiraiya and Haku first appeared in the Land of Rain, Nagato had sensed Jiraiya's distinctive chakra immediately. But he had not sensed Liumu's at all.
Haku's identity and chakra signature were no secret to them, so initially, the three had assumed Liumu hadn't come with Jiraiya.
Who would have guessed Liumu not only came but had been with them the whole time?
This had puzzled Konan. The Rain Tiger at Will Technique was incredibly precise. It had sensed Jiraiya but completely missed Liumu.
Was there a flaw in Nagato's technique? Unlikely.
Konan's eyes traced the lines of Liumu's face, remembering the terrifying crimson flames that had erupted from his body when he absorbed Hanzō's poison all those years ago. The ability that had allowed him to devour ninjutsu…
Perhaps, she thought, that is the answer. The anomalous chakra of the boy who saved them could simply slip through the net, invisible to even the Rinnegan's perception when he wished it so.
(End of Chapter)
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