Reality soon dealt him a heavy blow.
Takuno discovered the biggest problem with Jugo's Sage Body.
Previously, he thought he was the one absorbing that Natural Energy; in fact, it wasn't him at all! It was this body absorbing it on its own!
Jugo's seemingly powerful "Sage Body" was actually unable to actively absorb Natural Energy from the world! All energy influx was spontaneous and uncontrollable passive absorption by the body!
Although Takuno could still use Chakra to forcibly mix this passively entered energy, his inability to control the amount and rate of Natural Energy entering the body made it exceptionally difficult to precisely find the perfect ratio for Senjutsu Chakra!
This might also be the fundamental reason why Jugo had never been able to master the true Sage Mode from start to finish!
This discovery made his heart sink, and his troubles increased.
As expected, Jugo's innate constitution was far from comparable to that of the First Hokage, Hashirama, who possessed a Sage Body capable of freely controlling Sage Arts.
Takuno "opened" Jugo's eyes.
Now that he had discovered this problem, there was no point in continuing; it would only accelerate the process of going berserk after losing control of the energy.
However, it wasn't entirely hopeless; a solution quickly formed in his mind.
He could create a special sealing barrier for Jugo that isolated external Natural Energy.
That way, even if he could only absorb it passively, the Natural Energy entering his body would become controllable and constant under the restrictions of the barrier—meaning only the portion inside the barrier.
At that time, supplemented by his own Chakra to gradually adjust the ratio, all difficulties would be resolved!
His thoughts became clear, but another worry followed: the path of Sage Art training had just begun, and now he needed to be distracted by developing a barrier that could precisely isolate Natural Energy.
Fortunately, Barriers that seal Chakra are not rare, and he happened to have sample materials containing Jugo's traits and Cursed Seal power. Using this as a basis to research a barrier that isolates Natural Energy was not impossible.
After a faint sigh, Takuno controlled his spirit to return to his original body.
He stood up and gave brief instructions to the personnel staying at the base. Then, under the reluctant parting gazes of Jugo, Haku, and the others, he set off on the journey back to the Hidden Snow Village with two loyal followers. New challenges and research work awaited him at the next destination.
Because he needed to take the two young children, Jugo and Haku, to the Hidden Snow Village, Takuno could not directly use the Summoning Jutsu: Reverse for rapid transport.
Letting the children travel alone was an even more impractical choice.
Therefore, Takuno could only perform the Kujaku Myōhō: Wing during the day when his Chakra was full, carrying them as they slowly flew through the air, carefully weaving through the clouds.
The children's bodies certainly couldn't compare to his, so his flying speed had to be reduced accordingly, causing a journey that would have taken two or three days at full speed to be significantly lengthened.
Furthermore, at night, he still needed to use the Summoning Jutsu: Reverse to return to Konoha to inject Chakra into the Wood Clone left in the village, ensuring the clone wouldn't dissipate due to energy depletion.
After several days of travel, Takuno finally arrived in the Land of Snow, which was silver-clad all year round.
The ground beneath their feet was covered in white snow, and in the sky, pure white snowflakes fell lightly like feathers, creating a silent and dreamlike world.
Haku opened his clear eyes wide and looked at the flying snow in surprise, whispering, "It's snowing here too."
His voice held a childish excitement and a hint of nostalgia.
Takuno gazed at the ice and snow before him, his thoughts wandering. He knew well that Haku's hometown was also such a wintry land, similarly shrouded in snow all year round. This snowy field must have triggered the boy's memories of home.
He explained gently, "The Land of Snow has a unique geographical location and is covered in ice and snow all year round. Conversely, clear days without snow are extremely rare."
Blurred fragments of memory flashed in Haku's eyes as he murmured to himself, "Mhm, this is really like where I used to live."
However, those past events were fragmented due to his youth, leaving only blurred light and shadows.
Seeing this, Takuno patted Haku's shoulder and pointed to the hazy mountains in the distance: "Hang in there a bit longer, we're almost there."
"Mhm, I'm fine. I'm very lucky to have met you, My Lord, and Jugo," Haku said with a smile.
"Me too," Jugo didn't say much, but he followed suit.
"Mhm," Takuno chuckled as well, saying nothing more as he led the two children toward the Hidden Snow Village.
Inside the Hidden Snow Village leader's office, the chill seemed even more intense than outside.
When the door was pushed open and Takuno appeared at the doorway with Jugo and Haku, Kazahana Dotō, who was standing by, immediately reined in all his thoughts and almost instinctively bowed and stepped forward to welcome him, keeping his posture very low: "My Lord, you've arrived."
"Mhm." Takuno stepped into the room, his cold gaze sweeping across the room. Without any redundant pleasantries, he cut straight to the point, "Has Yakushi Nono arrived?"
"Yes, My Lord, she has already arrived," Kazahana Dotō answered quickly, his speech fluent. "I have followed your instructions completely. The Hidden Snow Village has vacated a spacious courtyard, and various repairs have been completed. It is very suitable as a foundation for an orphanage and can be officially put into use in a few days."
He had a smile plastered on his face, hoping to win a sliver of approval.
Takuno nodded slightly, seemingly satisfied with the progress.
He paced to the window, looking out at the endless snowy peaks and the silver-clad village, and suddenly asked, "How many orphans are currently in the Hidden Snow Village?"
This question made the smile on Kazahana Dotō's face stiffen, and he scratched his temple with a slightly embarrassed hand.
"This—returning to My Lord, our Hidden Snow Village is located in the far north and has been isolated from the world for many years. The risk for Shinobi in the village performing missions is not high, and accidental deaths are rare. Therefore, there are indeed orphans, but the number is... very few."
"..."
He carefully observed Takuno's movements, but unfortunately, he couldn't see the other's specific expression through the fox mask.
Takuno's expression didn't change; he just nodded slowly. This situation seemed to be within his expectations.
"I see."
Sensing the calmness in Takuno's words, Kazahana Dotō's heart skipped a beat for some reason. A flash of his usual ruthlessness appeared in his eyes, and an idea popped up, almost blurting out.
"My Lord, if you are in urgent need of orphans, I can manufacture some—"
He wanted to express his loyalty and "methods," solving the problem in the most direct way.
However, before he could finish, a gaze sharper than the ice and snow outside instantly pinned him down!
Takuno turned his head abruptly. That cold gaze was like a physical blade, making Kazahana Dotō feel as if his throat were being strangled. The remaining words were stuck in his throat, and cold sweat instantly broke out on his forehead.
There were some things that, if absolutely necessary, Takuno might weigh the options and choose to do. But right now, it was clearly not a "must."
"Stupid!" Takuno's voice wasn't loud, but it carried an unquestionable chill. "The number of orphans in the Hidden Snow Village is small, but are orphans in this world also scarce?"
Kazahana Dotō trembled all over, cold sweat almost soaking his undershirt. He hurriedly bowed and said, "Yes! It was my short-sightedness! My Lord's lesson is correct! I will immediately arrange for personnel to have all outgoing Shinobi keep an eye out. Once they encounter true orphans, they will... properly bring them back to the village."
"Remember," Takuno snorted coldly, emphasizing again, "they must be true helpless orphans. I don't want to see any unnecessary complications."
"Understood! Rest assured, My Lord! I will strictly restrain them!" Kazahana Dotō wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, clearly understanding what Takuno meant.
He was afraid that some Shinobi would take the easy way out to "manufacture orphans" by directly killing the children's parents.
He knew this lord's ruthlessness well, but that bottom line, it seemed clearly defined enough to make one's heart race.
"Mhm." Takuno responded and glanced at the two small figures who had been silently following him, the five or six-year-old Jugo and Haku. They were as quiet as two small animals in the snow.
"These two children should also be placed in the orphanage. They are still young; this is the age they should be there."
"Yes! I will handle it immediately!" Kazahana Dotō did not hesitate at all.
Takuno paused and changed the subject: "Also, that Zabuza, is he behaving himself here?"
At the mention of this name, Kazahana Dotō's face turned significantly paler, as if he had been frozen by the indoor chill in an instant.
That man, his whole body wrapped in white bandages, his browless face always wearing a ferocious expression as if ready to devour someone.
He never showed any respect to Kazahana Dotō as the leader. Every time they met, the killing intent in those cold eyes made Kazahana Dotō feel that if he showed even a hint of a flaw, the other would not hesitate to snap his neck.
The only thing that gave him a bit of peace of mind was that Zabuza was personally sent by the Lord. Even if he didn't take Kazahana Dotō seriously, he would still complete basic missions.
"...He's behaving, quite behaving," Kazahana Dotō answered through gritted teeth, his throat a bit dry. In the end, he didn't dare complain in front of Takuno.
Who knows if that god of death found out he had spoken ill of him, would he lose his head the next day?
"Mhm." Takuno seemed to have long since seen through Kazahana Dotō's deep-seated fear of Zabuza, but he didn't point it out.
The Hidden Snow Village was Kazahana Dotō's territory after all, and he couldn't stay here permanently. Having someone who could effectively keep this local snake in check was not a bad thing for him.
Sometimes, fear itself is a form of control.
He pondered for a moment, the corner of his mouth seemingly curling into an imperceptible arc, as he spoke: "Just right, go inform Zabuza that starting today, he will serve as the vice director of the orphanage."
"Him? vice director?!" Kazahana Dotō's eyes instantly widened like copper bells, his mouth slightly agape, looking as if he couldn't believe his ears.
Letting that bloodthirsty, bandage-wrapped killing machine Zabuza, who had no human touch to speak of, be the vice director of the orphanage?!
Letting such a ferocious face confront a group of innocent children?!
"...My Lord," Kazahana Dotō swallowed with difficulty, daring to voice his doubts, "With that appearance and temperament, he might not be suitable for looking after children, right? The children would probably be scared out of their wits—"
"Whether he is suitable or not is not for you to worry about." Takuno glanced at him indifferently, his eyes leaving no room for negotiation. "I've finished giving the instructions; it's time for you to carry them out."
"Yes—Yes!" Awed by that gaze, Kazahana Dotō didn't dare say another word. He hurriedly bowed and left the office with a heart full of confusion, beginning to arrange these increasingly unexpected orders.
Silence returned to the office.
Takuno didn't look at Kazahana Dotō's departing back again. His gaze passed through the cold glass window and once again turned toward the vast, boundless snowy region outside.
Making Zabuza the vice director of the orphanage wasn't a long-standing plan; it could only be considered a momentary flash of inspiration.
In his eyes, Zabuza was not a complete villain.
After defecting from the Blood Mist of the Hidden Mist Village, that man had likely been living in a vast void, losing his direction and the meaning of survival.
Just like in the original timeline, when Haku appeared, the parched and soft land deep within Zabuza's heart quietly revived.
Although he was fierce on the outside and spoke rudely, that deep-seated desire for "bonds" had never disappeared.
Takuno hoped that this "soil" he personally established could become an opportunity for Zabuza to find and rebuild "bonds."
Once such a person had someone they wanted to protect, a "worry for the future," they would be in the most useful and reliable state.
He could even foresee how much terrifying combat power Zabuza could unleash to protect the children he might eventually come to cherish as treasures—
Of course, this was merely a deduction of an ideal state.
If it didn't succeed, for Takuno, it was nothing more than an idle move with no loss.
It was like planting a seed; whether it could sprout depended entirely on how the gears of fate turned.
After Kazahana Dotō's departing figure completely disappeared from sight, the surroundings fell into a brief silence.
Haku tilted his head slightly, his clear, water-like eyes looking at Takuno with a hint of cautious anticipation. He gathered his courage and whispered, "My Lord... can we... follow you?"
His voice was very soft, as if it could be blown away by the wind at any moment, but the strong desire not to go to the orphanage was clearly discernible.
To him, following this powerful Lord was far better than going to a strange place. Takuno lowered his head slightly, his gaze sweeping over the two children's small faces, which were slightly red from the cold.
Haku's gaze was pure and kind, while Jugo stood silently to the side.
He clearly realized his next itinerary: going to the deeper hidden laboratory in the Land of Snow to conduct those brutal experiments.
That was definitely not a place for two such little guys, especially Haku's overly pure and kind nature, which was even less suitable.
"I don't have much time to take care of you." Takuno's tone was calm and direct.
As soon as he finished speaking, Haku immediately took a small step forward eagerly: "We can take care of ourselves! Really!"
He promised forcefully, his eyes full of pleading.
Beside him, Jugo also nodded forcefully and clumsily. Although he didn't speak, his determination to follow was equally clear.
Seeing their stubborn and pleading looks, Takuno was silent for a moment.
Finally, he reached out his hand, his broad and warm palm gently rubbing the soft tops of Haku's and Jugo's heads. This movement carried an indescribable sense of comfort.
"Alright, stay here peacefully." He softened his tone slightly. "This place is one of my temporary bases, after all. Don't worry, I will visit the orphanage often to see you."
"Mhm—" A hint of undisguisable disappointment flashed in Haku's eyes.
He understood what the Lord's words meant; following him was impossible.
But the Lord's personal promise was like a reassurance, instantly diluting that disappointment. A warm and bright smile bloomed on his face again.
The Lord would visit them often, this was truly something worth being happy about! It seemed that... this was also quite good.