novel-bin Chapter 131 The Land of Water, White!
Chapter 131 The Land of Water, White!
Chapter 131 The Land of Water, White!
Haku, the owner of the Ice Release Kekkei Genkai, a descendant of the Ice and Snow Clan, is the boy who was desperately protected by his mother in the snowy night, but ultimately became an orphan.
Haku probably hasn't met Zabuza yet and is still wandering in some corner of the Land of Water, living alone with the power that the world sees as a curse.
Kimimaro, a descendant of the Kaguya clan and the inheritor of the Shikotsumyaku (Shikotsumyaku) technique.
The boy who was regarded as a weapon by his clan and as an ideal vessel by Orochimaru.
It was precisely because of Kimimaro's experiences that he hid himself and only dared to show some of his talent when he entered the Ninja Academy.
If I were to handle the other person's bloodline disease myself, I should be able to resolve it. We'll have to do a check-up to find out.
"Corpse Bone Pulse—Ice Release—" Izumi muttered to himself, a glint of light flashing in his eyes.
He already possessed the Corpse Bone Pulse, but that came from his own bloodline, a gift from the Bamboo Clan.
Kimimaro's Tokoku-mai (a type of bone-setting technique) originates from the same source as his, but may exhibit different manifestations and potential.
If Kimimaro could be recruited as a subordinate, not only would it allow for deeper research into the possibilities of the Shikotsumyaku (Corpse Bone Pulse), but it would also add a combatant with immense potential.
As for Haku, his Ice Release Bloodline Limit is a secret technique of the Ice and Snow Clan.
It is a power that allows one to freely manipulate ice, combining offense and defense, and is highly versatile.
Although Bai's personality is too gentle and he dislikes fighting, with a little guidance, that power is enough to become a sharp blade.
"Yakura." Izumi's voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly outside the door.
A moment later, Ye Cang pushed open the door and entered, still slightly sweaty from his training.
She has been guiding Sara's training recently. Although the queen of Loulan started late, the resonance between her bloodline and the dragon vein has allowed her to make rapid progress in chakra control.
"Get ready, we're going to the Land of Water." Izumi stood up and tucked the scroll on the table into his sleeve.
"The Land of Water?" Yekura was slightly taken aback. "The Hidden Mist Village—it's not peaceful right now."
"The Mist Ninja are purging the bloodline ninjas. They're in a frenzy, especially since you're a member of the Kaguya clan. If we go now, won't that be...?"
"It's precisely because things are so turbulent that we must go," Izumi interrupted her, walked to the window, and said in a deep voice, "Only in chaotic times can we find opportunities."
"The problems of Kirigakure itself provide us with an opportunity to fish in troubled waters, and moreover—"
He paused, turned around, and a glint of light flashed in his right eye.
Orochimaru also agreed; he will go to the Land of Water to collect the corpses of bloodline ninjas.
"But we have other goals."
Ye Cang didn't press further, simply nodding. "How many people do you need to bring?"
"Just you and me, Momona will stay in the Land of Snow to continue overseeing the construction, and I will also leave a clone here to keep watch."
"As for Sarah—" Izumi pondered for a moment, "Let her stay too. She's not strong enough; she'll only be a hindrance if she goes."
"Understood." Yecang turned to leave.
"Oh, right," Izumi called out to her, "go prepare some sealing scrolls and medical supplies."
"This time we may have to travel to many places. The Water Country has a complex terrain and many islands, so we need to be prepared for a long stay."
Ye Cang responded and pushed open the door to go out.
Izumi was the only one left in the laboratory. He walked to the wall and looked at the map of the Land of Water hanging on it.
The map marks the locations of the various islands and the territory of Kirigakure.
His gaze lingered for a moment on several specific areas: the former territory of the Ice and Snow Clan and the homeland of the Bamboo Clan.
"White—Kimimaro—" Izumi murmured the two names, a slight smile playing on his lips.
He raised his hand and gently covered his left eye. The Mangekyou Sharingan slowly rotated under his eyelid, its pupil full of power. After this period of recuperation, it had fully recovered.
The combined power of the dragon vein, the regenerative ability of the Hashirama cells, and the resilience of the Corpse Bone Vein made this eye even more stable than when it was first acquired, and it even showed a faint sign of further progress.
"Land of Water—Kirigakure—" Izumi lowered his hand, turned and walked towards the door. "It's been a long time since I've been back."
Looking out the window, the sunlight shines on the grass, and this warm, spring-like valley has begun further development.
White smoke billowed from the factory chimneys, the roar of machinery echoed through the mine tunnels, and newly built houses lined up along the foot of the mountain, with wisps of smoke rising from their chimneys.
He heard soft footsteps behind him.
"Let's go!" Izumi said calmly without turning around.
He raised his right hand, joined his index and middle fingers together, and drew a line in front of him.
A twisted crack appeared in the air, rapidly expanding to reveal a hazy twilight sky—the entrance to the Divine Might Space.
The skeletal dragon crouched quietly on the ground inside the space, its bone wings folded, and the eerie light in its eye sockets shimmered in the twilight, like a loyal hunting dog waiting for its master.
Izumikawa stepped into the crevice, followed closely by Yokura. The crevice slowly closed behind them, as if it had never existed.
Within the Divine Might Space, twilight reigns eternally.
The ancient kingdom of Loulan sits quietly in the center of the space, with towering towers and crisscrossing streets and alleys. The skeletal puppets are still tirelessly repairing the buildings, reinforcing every loose brick and stone.
Sensing its master's arrival, the skeletal dragon slowly raised its head and unfolded its bone wings.
Izumi and Yekura leaped onto the dragon's back, and the dragon flapped its wings, quickly dissolving into the black vortex.
The next moment, they appeared under the clouds in the sky, and in the distance below, several merchant ships could be vaguely seen loading and unloading cargo at the port.
The dragon rose higher and flew southeast, quickly disappearing into the clouds.
The Land of Water, the Hidden Mist Village.
This island nation, shrouded in thick fog, is experiencing the darkest period in its history.
The internal strife had been brewing for a long time, and the bloodline clans of the former Mist Ninja had originally hoped for room for negotiation.
But—the Kaguya clan raised their banner in rebellion, directly igniting the conflict between the two sides, and a purge began.
However, they underestimated the Fourth Mizukage's ambition; he wanted to completely unify Kirigakure and become the one with ultimate power.
Thus, under Yagura's will, the Bloodstained Family was purged.
The Bloodstained Ninjas were once the source of war and chaos in the Land of Water; all the conflicts were caused and caused by them.
Ice Release, Corpse Bone Pulse—those bloodline limits that Kirigakure was once proud of have now become death warrants.
Those who possess these powers are either secretly executed, forced to flee, or hide in the lower strata of society, living cautiously for fear of revealing their identities.
It can only be said that people who grow up under cruel rules eventually become like the people they hate, and Yagura Karatachi is a prime example of this.
The Land of Water, on a remote little island.
The island is small, with only one small fishing village and a few dozen households who make a living by fishing.
There were no ninjas or guards on the island; even the Hidden Mist Village's Anbu didn't bother patrolling such a place. It was precisely this kind of place that made it ideal for hiding.
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Izumi and Yekura walked along the muddy paths of the fishing village, their feet sinking into slippery mud and scattered seashells.
The villagers eyed the two outsiders warily, but no one dared to approach them to ask questions.
Their demeanor was completely out of place on this small island.
"Bai should be in this area," Quanchuan said in a low voice, his gaze sweeping over the low houses. "According to intelligence, the last place where the survivors of the Ice and Snow Clan were last seen was this sea area."
Yecang didn't say anything, but just silently followed behind him.
Her senses spread out, the tentacles of chakra reaching into every corner, capturing any suspicious signs.
At the edge of the village, in front of a dilapidated wooden house, a thin figure was squatting on the ground, holding a twig in his hand, drawing something on the muddy ground.
It was a boy, who looked no more than seven or eight years old. He was slender, with fair skin, long black hair cascading over his shoulders, and delicate features like a porcelain doll.
He was wearing a worn-out gray cloth shirt, with the cuffs and trouser legs too short, revealing his thin wrists and ankles.
Izumi stopped and looked at the boy.
Haku's chakra was very weak, so weak that it was almost imperceptible. He was deliberately hiding his power and his innate ice-style bloodline limit.
But Izumi's Byakugan could see through all pretense and reveal the dormant power within the boy; the chakra within him was so conspicuous.
"The remnants of the Ice and Snow Clan!" Izumi said, his voice not loud, but clearly reaching the boy's ears.
The boy's body trembled violently, and the branch in his hand fell to the ground.
He looked up, his clear eyes filled with fear and wariness. He instinctively took a step back, his thin body trembling slightly.
The other person's attire made it very clear to him that it was the kind of clothing only ninja masters would wear.
This terrified him, and he fled and wandered everywhere. Did he eventually get caught?
"Who are you?" Bai's voice was soft, with a slight tremor.
Izumikawa did not answer, but slowly approached, and even that alone caused a sense of oppression to keep coming, surging into Shiro's heart.
He wanted to run away, but his feet seemed to be nailed to the ground, and he couldn't take a step.
"Your mother died at the hands of the villagers and your father while protecting you." Izumi Kawa squatted down, looking Shiro in the eye, his voice calm as still water.
"You escaped to this island alone and survived by stealing fish and collecting seashells."
"Every night you have nightmares, about that snowy night, about your mother lying in a pool of blood."
Bai's eyes reddened, and he bit his lip, trying hard not to let the tears fall.
He had never told anyone about these things. How could this person know?
"I am not your enemy." Izumi's voice softened slightly. "I'm here to give you a choice."
"What—choice?" Bai's voice trembled.
"Come with me! I can teach you how to control the power of Ice Release, so you will no longer be afraid of yourself, no longer be afraid of that cursed bloodline."
"You can become strong, strong enough to protect yourself and those you want to protect."
Bai's lips moved, but she didn't say anything.
His gaze lingered on Izumi's face for a long time before turning to Yokura, who was standing not far away.
The woman didn't look at him; she just stood there quietly, her gaze fixed on the distant sea.
"What if—I don't go with you?" Bai asked softly.
"Then you can stay here." Izumi stood up, his tone flat, "Continue to hide, continue to be afraid, continue to have nightmares every day."
"Until one day, the Anbu of Kirigakure find you and eliminate you as a remnant of a bloodline clan."
"Or perhaps they accidentally display their power and are seen as a calamity by the villagers, who then beat them to death with sticks."
Bai's face paled. He knew that the day would come; it was only a matter of time.
"What can you teach me?" Bai raised his head, his eyes filled with a glimmer of hope and a hint of hesitation.
"Ice Release!" Izumi Kawa extended his hand. "I can teach you how to use Ice Release, how to make it your power, not your curse."
Bai remained silent for a long time. The sea breeze blew from afar, ruffling the stray hairs on his forehead and the hem of his tattered clothes.
The shouts of fishermen and the laughter of children drifted from afar, creating a stark contrast to the quiet corner of the room.
Finally, Shiro reached out and placed that small, thin hand into Izumi's palm.
"I'll go with you." His voice was soft, but it carried a resolute determination.
Izumi gripped his hand tightly, a slight smile playing on her lips.
"A wise choice!"