In the Land of Rivers, a breeze brushed through the woods, bringing with it the damp scent of the distant surroundings.
Takuno appeared inside the base; beneath that iconic fox mask, his presence remained as calm as ever.
"My Lord, you have arrived." The leader bowed respectfully, his voice carrying less of the initial terror and more of a sincere gratitude.
This gratitude stemmed from reality; ever since Takuno had entrusted the two special children to this place and provided ample resources for their livelihood, the lives of these caretakers had gradually become comfortable and stable.
The trepidation of walking on thin ice from the beginning had long since vanished, replaced by a mix of peace of mind and closeness.
Furthermore, they had initially thought looking after Jugo and Haku would be a grueling task, but after interacting with them, they realized it was a blessing.
The two youths were completely devoid of the arrogance and difficulty one might expect from "special beings."
Jugo was quiet and taciturn, yet never caused trouble; Haku was even more gentle and sensible, being both approachable and considerate.
In terms of temperament, they were simply the dream children for any caretaker.
Of course, the hidden danger with Jugo always existed; his occasional "berserk" states were indeed a shadow hanging over their hearts at first.
Fortunately, the Sealing Jutsu left by Takuno was exceptionally powerful, always managing to timely suppress that destructive power without ever harming others.
Even more surprising was that as time passed, the shadow of the Berserk States seemed to be fading.
Nowadays, whenever Jugo was subdued by the Sealing Jutsu after going berserk, the leader's subordinates even dared to tentatively reach out and touch his skin when the signs of petrification first appeared.
Perhaps it was this unreserved acceptance that caused the time Jugo spent struggling on the edge of madness to grow shorter and shorter, and the speed at which his self-awareness returned to grow faster and faster.
Unfortunately, the Sealing Jutsu itself was cold and rigid; once it took effect, it still required time to dissipate on its own. Even if Jugo himself was already awake, he could only wait quietly for it to vanish naturally.
As for Haku? He was the embodiment of all virtues.
The leader considered himself a good judge of character, but he had never in his life seen a child so sensible, empathetic, and capable of pouring almost all their gentleness and concern onto others; Haku was simply his "ideal child."
"How have Jugo and Haku been performing during this time?" Takuno took a seat, his posture casual, but his words went straight to the point.
Upon hearing this, the leader immediately gave a detailed report.
His words were full of unabashed praise, recounting the various ways the two youths were quiet, sensible, and considerate.
"I see. Bring them to see me," Takuno nodded, giving a concise instruction.
"My Lord—" The leader instinctively hesitated for a moment.
After months of living together, his concern for those two youths had quietly blossomed and was by no means fake; he instinctively worried that Takuno might do something bad to them next.
Takuno glanced at him through the mask; he didn't get angry, but instead spoke in a flat tone.
"Rest assured, their lives are not in danger. I will return them to you intact shortly."
This bit of warmth from the leader was a good thing for the two children living in the shelter.
He likely wouldn't need them to do anything else for him later anyway, so there was no need for coercion.
However, even if he had no intention of punishing him, the cold pressure behind those words coming from someone of his status was enough to make the leader break into a cold sweat instantly.
"Please forgive me, My Lord! I had absolutely no intention of questioning you!" He hurriedly knelt, his forehead touching the ground, his voice tense.
"It is fine. Just have them come over," Takuno repeated, his tone brook no argument.
"As you command!"
Hurried and light footsteps approached from a distance.
Almost with a sense of joy, Jugo and Haku ran into the slightly dim Secret Room.
Seeing the figure in the fox mask who had changed their fates once again, they could hardly hide their intense excitement.
Even though life here was peaceful and harmonious and they liked their companions, Takuno, who had pulled them out of the abyss when they were mired in misery, always held an irreplaceable position in their hearts.
"My Lord, you are here," Haku's voice carried a hint of cautious joy.
"Yes," Takuno nodded in response. "I heard you've been adjusting well here. How is it? Do you like these kinds of days?"
"I like them." Jugo's answer was as concise as ever, but it was firm.
"I like them very much too," Haku added immediately, his eyes shining. "However, if My Lord ever has a place where Haku is needed, Haku is willing to follow My Lord at any time!"
These words were spoken with force, carrying the sincere determination of a youth.
Jugo turned his gaze toward Haku, and after a brief thought, he said deeply, "—I am the same as Haku."
"My affairs are not something you can get involved in at this moment," Takuno refused decisively.
Driving young children to risk their lives for him was not his wish.
"I see..." The bright light in Haku's eyes dimmed instantly.
Takuno sighed inwardly; Haku's personality was too pure and dependent. If he encountered someone with ulterior motives like Orochimaru, he feared he would be used until his dying breath—
The thought flashed by, and he shifted his tone slightly, "However, right now, I do indeed have one thing that requires Haku's assistance."
"Eh?!" Haku's dimmed gaze suddenly lit up again, filled with expectant brilliance.
"I need to borrow your body for a moment. During this process, remember not to resist," Takuno stated his requirement directly.
As soon as these words were spoken, it was like a bolt from the blue!
Jugo and Haku were both startled, and tension instantly crossed their faces.
Jugo instinctively reached out and grabbed the corner of Haku's clothes, his grip conveying a silent worry and dissuasion—he didn't want Haku to take a risk, even if the other party was Takuno.
However, Haku's reaction was faster than words.
Without almost any hesitation, a sacrificial-like determination rose in his eyes.
As long as he could become a "tool" that could be used in My Lord's hands, no matter what it was, he was willing and had no regrets.
Takuno caught that hint of resolute readiness to die deep in his eyes and felt momentarily caught between laughter and tears.
"Relax, I'm only borrowing your body to feel the power of Ice Release; I don't need to occupy it for long, and I'm certainly not looking to change bodies. Besides—" his tone took on a bit of playfulness, "what use would I have for a little brat's body?"
As he spoke, he casually raised his hand.
In an instant, with a sharp "crack," a thick, gnarled wooden branch burst through the smooth stone floor and grew rapidly!
This scene of conjuring a tree with green buds out of thin air caused the two youths' pupils to tremble violently.
He turned to Haku, half-teasing and half-warning: "Or do you truly believe that your Ice Release Kekkei Genkai is superior and more outstanding than my abilities?"
Haku's cheeks instantly flushed red, and he lowered his head even further. So... My Lord had already mastered even stronger power.
Witnessing this shocking scene and hearing those words, the last shred of doubt in Jugo's heart completely vanished. Instead, he felt a strong sense of unease and self-reproach for his suspicion; this was the person who had fished him out of Hell!
Why did he ever doubt that the other party would want to harm them?!
Takuno reached out and ruffled Haku's soft hair, his tone turning gentle: "I know you want to help me more, but I don't want you to use your life to help me. You living here in peace and happiness is the best reward for me."
"Yes!" Haku nodded vigorously, his eyes growing slightly warm.
The silent Jugo watched this scene from the side, complex emotions surging within him. To him, Takuno was the one who gave him a new life, and yet he—
"Then My Lord, let's begin now! I will definitely cooperate with all my might!" Haku gathered his emotions and looked up, his eyes burning with eagerness to prove his worth.
Takuno delayed no further and found a wooden chair to lean back in. He instantly formed a complex hand seal.
"Do not resist!" Along with the low command, his eyes closed, and his consciousness withdrew.
"Spirit Transformation Jutsu!"
In an instant, Haku felt as if he had been violently struck by an invisible force; he stumbled back several steps, and his head slumped down heavily.
At the same time, Takuno's original body fell into a deep "sleep."
A few breaths later, "Haku" slowly raised his face.
Those eyes, which originally held a youth's clarity, were gone, replaced by a gaze that was too deep, cold, and full of calculation, as if he were a different person entirely.
"Haku? My Lord?" Jugo held his breath and tried calling out softly.
"Yes, it's me." A calm voice that belonged entirely to Takuno came out of Haku's throat, making the sound feel a bit eerie.
"Is Haku okay?" Jugo asked urgently, his gaze locked onto that familiar yet strange shell.
"He is fine," "Haku" answered succinctly. Then, without further words, he sat cross-legged on the spot and closed his eyes tightly, sinking his entire mind deep into the body.
He began to meticulously perceive and guide the Wind and Water Attribute Chakra within Haku's body.
Under the precise control of Takuno's powerful will, these two distinctly different Chakras were rapidly attracted to each other like magnets, spinning and blending—the process was so smooth it was as if they were born to be fused as one, without the slightest bit of resistance or difficulty.
Even more wondrously, this body was even able to skip this process and directly refine pure Ice Release Chakra, saving the step of fusion.
But Takuno's core goal in possessing the body at this moment was precisely to analyze the "fusion" of these two attributes itself!
Therefore, he forcibly suppressed that fusion instinct, focusing entirely on capturing every subtle moment of the two Chakras as they entangled, balanced, and transformed.
But—it was too smooth!
The fusion, completed in an instant, actually made it difficult for him to savor the deeper details or identify where the issues lay.
It was as natural as breathing, which conversely made it impossible to analyze the principles behind it.
So, Takuno could only use his own spiritual energy to forcibly inhibit the fusion speed of the two attributes, making the process last longer and allowing him to observe more closely.
During this process, a cold abnormality began to manifest.
Visible white frost quietly spread in all directions, centered around the cross-legged "Haku."
Frost marks crawled across the floor and climbed up the walls; the temperature in the entire Secret Room dropped sharply, and the air seemed to stagnate and freeze.
The biting chill pierced through Jugo's thin clothing like needles, causing him to shiver involuntarily.
Yet he still stubbornly stood in place, guarding without moving a step.