Chapter 76: Time Limit: Three Years
The system was washing its hands of the problem.
What to do?
Waiting online for advice… was not an option.
It was… mildly infuriating.
Liumu was speechless. A psychic beast as famous as the Taotie? Did he think he could just draw one whenever he wanted? That first draw two years ago, landing the Taotie, was a once-in-a-decade fluke. For the system to say that now was just shirking responsibility.
"Pfft. Scumbag system!" Liumu muttered under his breath, then corrected himself. "No, 'scumbag' is too mild. Trash system!"
[Ding. Does the host choose to draw from the Destiny Roulette now?]
"Draw, draw, draw! It's useless to keep the spin anyway."
He had zero expectations.
Sure enough, as the grand wheel of fate spun and slowed, the pointer settled firmly on the section for "Mythical Beast Template."
Watching the card materialize in a shower of light, Liumu shook his head helplessly, not even bothering to look at the description.
Whatever it is, I've never heard of it. Looks like Taotie gets another free meal tonight.
But then…
One second passed.
Two seconds.
Three…
Nearly a full minute later, the card in his hand remained intact. There was no sign of it disintegrating like the Nine-Tails template had.
Huh?
What about the devouring?
"Hey, Taotie, don't tell me you're a picky eater now? You can't just refuse it because it's some ugly fish."
[Ding. The system reminds the host: The bloodline tier of the template 'Heluo' is comparable to that of the Taotie. Therefore, it cannot be devoured.]
Liumu: "..." Heluo?
Curious now, he looked at the card in his hand.
[Heluo: A mythical fish, with one head and ten bodies. Can transform into a bird, known as 'Xiujiu.' Its call is like thunder, its movement like a shadow. Also named 'Ghost Chariot.' It can be nurtured and raised.]
"Hold on!"
Recognition dawned. In the legends, Xiujiu was a spiritual beast descended from dragon lineage. Though it resembled a fish and could be nurtured by humans, it was, in fact, a creature of immense power. Ancient texts even mentioned that Xiujiu's ten bodies could be refined into ten peerless medicinal elixirs.
"So Xiujiu's true name is Heluo… no wonder I didn't recognize it at first."
A slow grin spread across Liumu's face.
However, if Heluo was to be used purely as a combat summon, its offensive power wasn't particularly remarkable. Moreover, as a nocturnal aquatic creature, its restrictions were significant. What if, after summoning it in a crisis, he found Heluo was just… asleep? That would be a spectacular waste of chakra.
But then…
A sly glint entered Liumu's eyes.
It was indeed a spiritual beast.
But it was also… a fish.
And fish could be… eaten.
He suddenly remembered the seasonings for grilled fish in his backpack…
"Ahem, no, no, no!" Liumu shook his head vigorously, dismissing the deliciously heretical thought as he safely stored the Heluo template away. As a spiritual beast, each of Heluo's bodies represented a potential life-saving treasure. Wasting it would be a sin.
While he might not be facing world-ending threats right now, having Heluo in reserve for future emergencies—especially for saving others—was an incredibly valuable asset.
[Ding. A timed mission has been triggered…]
Liumu: "Gah! You scared me!"
He quickly focused on the system's announcement.
Please don't be about promoting to Jonin… He prayed silently, recalling how the system had issued missions for his Genin and Chunin promotions. After Jiraiya's talk earlier, he was on edge.
[Ding. Timed mission triggered. Host must attain the rank of Special Jonin within three years. Reward: Time Room uses +10. Destiny Roulette spins +1.]
Liumu: (╬◣д◢)
Speak of the devil!
Right after dodging the Jonin promotion, here came the mission.
"Wait… Special Jonin?"
In Konoha's hierarchy, after graduating from the Academy, one became a Genin, then a Chunin. The "Special Jonin" was a unique rank between Chunin and full Jonin. It was for ninja who possessed Jonin-level skill in one highly specialized area but hadn't yet met the comprehensive criteria for full Jonin status. In the original story, someone like Ebisu held this rank.
While they might not seem overwhelmingly powerful, Special Jonin were far from weak. Ebisu, for instance, had held his own against a Pain path during the invasion to protect Konoha's children.
Liumu pondered. The system had set milestone missions for each rank so far. This Special Jonin mission fit the pattern. And after this… a mission for full Jonin would surely follow.
And after Jonin? Elite Jonin, like Sakumo.
And after that…?
A wry smile touched his lips. It couldn't possibly go all the way to making me Hokage, could it?
Becoming Hokage held zero appeal for him. The world was vast and full of wonders he hadn't seen. He had no intention of being chained to a desk, drowning in paperwork all day. And he certainly couldn't just palm off the work on a Shadow Clone like a certain future Hokage might.
The mission deadline was three years.
Three years…
"Three years from now… that's about when Obito, Rin, and Kakashi should be graduating. And the Third Great Shinobi War will be brewing…"
In the current shinobi world, while no major war raged, minor conflicts were constant. A fragile, tacit peace was maintained, but it was a peace easily shattered. A single spark could ignite a prairie fire.
Liumu understood this.
He opened his eyes in the dark room, glancing at Konan sleeping beside him. The image of Nagato, with his strange Rinnegan eyes, surfaced in his mind.
The Third Great War… that was the time of Yahiko's death in the original timeline.
Now that he had eliminated Hanzō, how would Yahiko and the others develop? The Akatsuki organization had been changed by his actions, but as a collective he cared for, he wanted to see them thrive.
"Liumu, are you still awake?"
Konan's soft voice broke the silence. Liumu turned his head toward her and gave a slow, serious nod.
"I sent my Shadow Clone to discuss something with you before. How are the preparations going?"
Konan nodded slightly. "At first, we found it very strange. Why would your clone suggest such a thing? But after discussing it, Yahiko also agreed it was a sound strategy—for him to lead the public-facing side of our efforts, and for Nagato to manage… the darker, more covert aspects."
She paused, her voice dropping lower. "Also, we've dispatched agents to investigate the individuals mentioned in your clone's message. But… the information coming back is… inconclusive and troubling."
(End of Chapter)
✨If you're enjoying this story, consider supporting me on Patreon —
Patreon.com/TofuChan
💕Patreon members get early access to chapters, bonus content, and voting power on future ideas.💕
Every bit of support helps me write more and faster. Thank you so much for reading! 🥰
Bonus Chapter For Every 100 Power Stones
Lets hit the goal of 200 Patreon Members now for 5 Extra Chapters 💕