Chương 41: Summoner
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Quest Updated: A Stranger in a Strange Land:
Completed: Meet the Emperor tomorrow at 12am.
Speak with the Emperor.
"Daisuke, we're quite glad you could make it," The Emperor seemed thoroughly pleased, both in tone and demeanor, as he looked down upon me. "I trust your day wasn't overly stressful?"
We were currently standing in a private area of the Ice-berg palace. It was simply a large room with a closed pool the Emperor slept in. There was no visible source of light, but it was lit in a manner that reminded me of an aurora that danced just beyond the ice walls.
"No, but I think I'll be glad when I'm done here," I replied with a frown. "I would really like to avoid getting caught. That would be bad."
"Well, I hope you don't get in trouble the first time you summon a penguin," The Emperor nodded with a raised eye-muscle. "Your contributions to the salvation of our species have earned you our summoning scroll."
"I…thank you, Emperor-sama," I said with a bow. Knew it. I totally knew it. "I don't think I'll get in trouble…I pull jutsu out of my rear on a regular basis and as long as no-one mentions a war, I don't think anyone will accuse me of suicidally charging into the enemy. Again."
"That should be simple," The Emperor replied with a nod. "But before we let you sign the scroll, we have a few things for you."
"Oh, cool," I nodded. "Erm, really quick, Emperor-sama, I have a question."
"Go ahead," The Emperor said.
"What happened to the fish diplomats?" I asked.
"That's still under investigation," The Emperor said. "The diplomats were being escorted by sharks and sea lions to prevent us from simply eating the diplomats outright. They returned after being unsuccessful at defending them. Personal theory? The body guards ate them and began a three-way alliance to destroy us."
"Because you ate sharks and sea lions for who knows how long?" I asked with a frown.
"Precisely," The Emperor said. "There's no real innocent party in this war, I'm afraid. The ability to change for the better is a privilege that will not go to waste, I assure you."
"I'm…actually glad to hear that," I nodded.
"Now for your payment. It is three-fold," The Emperor said, clapping his fins together and Yujiro came zipping in from a small tunnel that was dug into the wall and…was he carrying a suit of armor. "The first is armor, made from shark-leather and treated sea lion bones."
Yujiro held it up with a grin. "Do us a favor and don't wear it while you're around here. Might cast some doubt on our commitment to the new peace but while your home? Screw 'em."
The suit's leather was dark, and thick. A thick, leathery long-coat over an equally thick shirt, the coattails draped down to the ankles, the sleeves long and tucked into the gloves. Just behind the coat and shirt, I saw an under-shirt made of fish scales, most likely serving the same purpose as my mesh undershirt. It had gloves and boots, both of which had a molded, bone-plate armor stitched and fused – the gloves on the back of the hand and on the forearm, the boots on the shins and feet. In contrast with the dark leather of the rest of the suit, the bone pieces were a marble white, which brought me to the helmet. The helmet was a molded Sea-Lion skull, open like it's owner was so shocked at something it's moth hit the floor. It's eye-sockets were molded and adjusted to fit over my own. Filling the gap between the upper jaw and the lower jaw was a mouth full of shark teeth and a black, mesh-like mask on the inside of the skull would easily stop anyone from seeing my facial features. I thought it looked spectacular. Utterly, absolutely, spectacular.
I mean, it was clearly Edgelord Bleedingrazor 9000, but this suit made me want Edgelord Bleedingrazor 9000.
The stats weren't anything to sneeze at, either. 75 DR, which combined with Toughness meant that it hit the DR cap of 85. +10% Speed from the boots, +25% Chakra Regeneration from the helmet, +15% Critical Strike Chance from the gloves. The coat and shirt had a 5% Taijutsu Damage Reflection (which…was either it reflected 5% of all Taijutsu damage back at my opponent, or it had a %5 chance to reflect all Taijutsu damage at the opponent) and the pants…well, the pants didn't have a secondary effect.
But I'm okay with that!
I have noticed, however, that there are no SPECIAL bonuses to be found here. Which means that this is a post Almost Perfect armor, which is fine by me. "It's perfect."
"We thought you might like it," Yujiro said with a grin. "But seriously, don't wear it around here."
"You don't have to worry," I said, sliding up to Yujiro. "May I?"
"You may," The Emperor said and I snatched it out Yujiro's flippers and threw it in one of my storage scrolls.
"Thank you," I said with a happy nod. "I won't start wearing it immediately…I'll need some time, is all, but when I do, I'm going to be happy."
"That's great to hear," The Emperor said. "Now for the second part of your payment."
"What is it?" I asked with a smile. "A new weapon? Jutsu? Sage Mode?"
"Calm down, Kid," Yujiro said, grinning when I started glaring at him again. "No, we don't have Sage Mode. That secret's in a couple other clans, but we don't know how to do it. Yet. We're working on it."
"Oh. Okay," Well, I didn't know a lot of details about Sage Mode, so I don't feel that pang of loss I would assuredly be feeling if I knew it was broken. I mean, it probably was broken, but I didn't know how broken, exactly. "So, what is it?"
"An interview with one of our clans Elder," The Emperor said. "Traditionally, when we hand out our contract, we have the summoner go in for an interview, both to see if they really are worthy and to be given council should they need it."
"Uh…okay," I said with a frown. "I…if you think it's worth what I gave you-"
"It is, Daisuke," Yujiro nodded with a…solemnity. "Trust me. It is."
"…okay," I said. "So, there's a chance I won't get the contract?"
"The only way you wouldn't at this point is if you helped cause the war that nearly wiped us out," The Emperor answered. "But since that's impossible, it's just that you're being given a service only rarely has been given to non-penguins."
I shrugged at that. "Alright. Where's this Elder?"
"Bear in mind, the contents and goings on in that interview are completely confidential," The Emperor explained. "Unless there's a threat to the Empire, even I will not be privy to details."
"Alright," I nodded.
"Yujiro, show him to the elder's office," The Emperor said.
"By your leave, Lord Emperor," Yujiro bowed. "Come on, Shimoda. The Elder doesn't have all day!"
Quest Updated: A Stranger in a Strange Land.
Completed: Speak with the Emperor.
Speak with the Penguin Elder.
We went up through the tube that allowed Yujiro to enter the Emperor's room at short notice, up through the ice, across a bridge, to the left across a wall, upwards between a pair of tubes that stretched from one wall to another until, finally, we arrived at another tube. We dove inside and came to a small room with a pool on the floor, glowing light emanating from the floor.
"He's just on the other side of the pool," Yujiro said, gesturing out with his fin.
"What can I expect?" I asked with a frown.
"Oh, he'll explain," Yujiro said. "And you can say no to anything he offers you. He won't be offended."
"Oooohkaaaay," I said.
"Anyway, I must see to the Emperor," Yujiro said, waving farewell. "Come see us when you're done."
"Alright," I replied as Yujiro slid back through the tube we came through.
I looked at the pool, more than a little anxious about what I'll find on the other side…worst comes to worse, I can just refuse. Yujiro's a jerk, but he hasn't actually lied (without telling me about it immediately after) to me yet. So…trustworthy troll is trustworthy?
With that, I jumped into pool, and found myself swimming forward and up immediately up through the exit.
…that was a short pool tunnel.
Inside was one of the smaller penguins. He had a blue fuzz on his torso, like a soft down that would probably make my hand feel warm and fuzzy after rubbing it for a minute or two. His face had some visible wrinkles and they were exaggerated by the gentle smile his facial muscles were twisted into around his beak. "Hello there, I've been waiting for you."
"Hi," I replied. "I'm Shimoda Daisuke."
"Pleased to meet you," His voice was soft and gentle, not quite old but almost there. "You can call me Danjuro. Please take a seat. I promise you won't actually get wet."
The room itself had two chairs, both of which looked like they were made out of pure snow. Keeping the promise in mind, I planted my butt in one and Danjuro sat in the one opposite me. Like he promised, I didn't get wet, even if the seat was a bit cooler that I would've liked.
"Thank you," I said. "So…what do I do?"
"Well, typically when a penguin or a non-penguin comes to speak to me, we have a bit of an interview," Danjuro explained, gesturing with his flippers. "Typically, Penguins and Penguin Summoner's tend to be very multifaceted individuals, and we like to make sure they're completely trustworthy. After we've confirmed they are, we talk. About what the future holds, their struggles, their hopes and aspirations. I try to offer whatever council my centuries of life have afforded me and it would be up to you to use it, or not, as you see fit."
"How do you establish trustworthiness?" I asked with a frown.
"I have two methods I use," Danjuro answered. "The first is simply conversation. We talk, and talk…and talk. I get to know you, you get to know me. That sort of thing."
"What's the other one?" I asked with a frown.
"That one's faster," Danjuro smiled. "In this method, you'd grab my fin and I'd read your chakra and if you had the aptitude or simply wanted to try, you could read mine. Then we start talking with a lot more of the air cleared. But everything is completely confidential."
"Unless there's a threat to the empire," I interjected with a frown.
"Well, are you a threat to the empire?" Danjuro asked.
"No."
"Then everything is completely confidential between the two of us," Danjuro smiled again. "Simple as that. Which would you like?"
…you know…this may be the only chance I ever get to be completely honest with someone. To...maybe talk about the issues I'm facing. My attraction to Hisako, my friendship with the rest of the Rookie 9, Hiruzen, Kakashi…my status as a reincarnate. I…might…get some real council for the first time in years.
"So…this Chakra-reading thing," I began. "Are you going to predict the future?"
"No, nothing like that," Danjuro replied. "I'd have to read every person on the planet to get an accurate read, and I'd quickly be wrong as things change. No, I'd just read you. In the present. Right now."
"So it's more like reading my mind?" I asked with a frown. "Sorry, I'm just trying to understand what's going on with it."
"Don't be sorry. And…sort of," Danjuro bobbed his head from side to side as he spoke. "I won't know what you're thinking, per se, but I'll have an idea of your core personality and strong truths about who you are."
"Okay," I nodded.
I thought.
And I thought.
Danjuro was silent, still looking with a patient smile as I deliberated.
…did I really want to trust with this? Well, they did end up trusting me. Quite a bit.
I…think I do.
"Okay," I said. "Let's go with the Chakra-read."
He smiled and extended his fin. "Okay."
"Gimme a second," I said, disabling the chakra defense network. "There we go."
I took his fin, and I felt his chakra wash over mine. It was like a cool breeze wafting over my skin and into my core, relaxing and calming my insides. I tried to read him in turn, but…
Ninjutsu Check Failure: Success Not Possible.
I'm going to need a perk.
Danjuro's face was calm and content, that small smile never deviating as his chakra examined mine. After several minutes of this, Danjuro's eyes opened and he withdrew his flipper. "…well. That's new."
I took a breath.
"You're an adult trapped in a child's body," Danjuro said with concern in your eyes. "You…died? And then went to the Elemental Countries as Shimoda Daisuke for reasons you no longer recall."
"That's correct," I nodded.
Danjuro started to nod, his smile turning into a frown. "I am so sorry that this happened to you. Without having looked over you, I wouldn't have even the smallest inkling of what you've gone through. And…your…well, I don't want to call it a bloodline, but I don't have a term for it really. Well, it explains why you came to us."
"Is that a problem?" I asked with a frown.
"No, not at all," Danjuro said, shaking his head in an attempt to placate me. "You still saved us from extinction. The reason was simply not what I expected is all."
"It's…my bloodline is one of my greatest challenges," I said, letting my shoulders sink. "It's turned my whole life into a game I can't get out of."
"I saw that," Danjuro replied. "That merely compounds, I think, all of the other issues you've had to go through. But your bloodline is also your greatest strength…your greatest tool. One that's given you methods to get around its weaknesses."
"I know that," I said with a frown. "It's just hard to think of it as a blessing when it tells me of all my failures."
"It's natural to focus and harp the things that go wrong," Danjuro said, nodding. "Especially when it's pointed out to you. My first bit of council, I think, is to turn your focus from your failures to your successes. Be grateful for what you can do, not angry about what you can't."
"That's so hard, though," I said with a frown. "The reminders of what I can't do, even when I've turned off the notifications, are there, plain as day."
"I never said it will be easy," Danjuro said, folding his flippers in front of him. "But you've already made a great deal of progress on something that has nothing to do with the game, so you can do it...was it something musical?"
"I've been learning how to play a guitar," I replied with a frown. "I can play a reasonably difficult song pretty well."
"Wonderful!" Danjuro smiled happily. "That's great. I'm very happy for you."
"Thanks," I answered with a…bashful smile. "It's been a struggle sometimes."
"And you succeeded," Danjuro nodded. "But that's not the only thing you've been struggling with, isn't it?"
"No," I replied. "I...you know I got 'grounded' back at the village, right?"
Danjuro shook his head and I sighed.
"A few days before I arrived in the Penguin Empire, our villages academy got attacked and my best friend was abducted. I rushed in and saved him," I explained, taking a deep breath. "I also saved all the clan heirs of the village."
"Good for you," Danjuro smiled. "But they didn't ground you on quick response to an emergency, yes?"
"No," I replied. "Shortly after I rescued them, we ran into my team and I got ambushed from behind…stabbed clear through by a trident."
"Oh, dear," Danjuro frowned. "You seem to be fine, though. That's good."
"I'll sleep off anything and everything," I waved it off. "But after I got free, I…found something. One part of a set of things that would increase my power. Because my team, another team and two Jounin were safe-guarding all the hostages, I thought…it'd be safe to simply continue to look for the s-items in question and then take out the leader of the enemy before reuniting with them."
"Oh," Danjuro nodded. "So, you underestimated how much the value they place on you and how much the danger you're willing to place yourself in frightens them."
"It shouldn't matter," I threw my hands up in the air. "That's part of the whole 'no charisma' deal! No one's supposed to care about me or what I do. 'What's that? Daisuke's in danger? Oh, okay. At least it's not someone we like'."
"Easy, easy," Danjuro moved his flipper up and down in a calming motion. "Daisuke, the thing you need to realize is that, while you are a…game piece, if you'll forgive my lack of terms-"
"You can say 'game character'," I input with a frown.
"Game character, then," Danjuro nodded. "While you are one, you do not live on a game board. Everyone has someone that cares about them, even tangentially. And I get the feeling that you like that you have people that care about you, even if that care is to wall off your immediate goals to teach you a lesson that you actually needed."
"Doesn't mean I like it," I folded my arms.
"Of course not," Danjuro nodded. "No one likes getting corrected. But it's a necessary part of growing up, something that is never truly completed, no matter a person's actual age."
"I guess," I frowned.
Things were quiet for a moment.
"I got the impression that your physical age versus your actual age is something you struggle with," Danjuro offered.
"I…yeah," I nodded. "Due to my physical age, my thinking capabilities have been reduced, so while I have the experience of an adult in a significantly different world than this one, I…still act like a twelve-year-old simply because my mind is, well…physically twelve. It infuriates me because there's millions of things that can go wrong because I lack the foresight necessary to plot my moves out!"
"I imagine part of that has to deal with your atrophied learning capabilities," Danjuro nodded again.
"The game stole my ability to think," I replied quietly.
"You've started to take it back," Danjuro smiled happily. "The guitar. I understand you're trying to learn how to plot your moves out, speaking of which. Is that true?"
"I'm trying," I grumbled. "It's not going fast enough."
"Patience," Danjuro nodded. "Patience is a virtue."
"Virtues are just words that stop you from getting immediate gratification," I said, before blinking. I…really? That wasn't true. I knew that wasn't true.
"In a way, yes," Danjuro nodded. "They are. But they delay immediate gratification to build toward bigger and better things. Patience will help you stick with learning Tactics, so you can start thinking again, as opposed to just handing it off to your game."
"You're right," I sighed. "It's just…frustrating. Like a lot of things in my life that doesn't involve fighting."
"And I am sorry for that," Danjuro frowned. "You've figured out too late that your life, mostly, wasn't going to be about fighting."
"Basically, yes," My shoulders fell.
There was another moment quiet.
"How do you feel about your treatment of your friends?" Danjuro asked finally.
"About how I treat my friends?" I repeated. When he nodded, I blinked. "Uh…I'm pretty sure it's terrible, considering how hard it is for me to think of other people…well, as people."
"I don't think that's your problem," Danjuro shook his head. "I think the problem is that you have difficulty seeing others points of view and assume they'll agree with your course of action because you agree it's the best course of action."
I blinked. "I...uh…"
"Your decision to sap your own social understanding certainly plays a big part of that," Danjuro replied, now frowning in thought. "But a part of that is the fact that you've off-loaded much of your thinking to the game."
"Okay, how do I fix it?" I asked with a frown. "Without getting the level that fixes my social problems, how do I use my thinking?"
"Speak with them," Danjuro shrugged. "Write down what they say. Make a conscious effort to get their input when you can. You may be wrong much of the time, but with enough communication, you quickly become right."
"I…uh…I don't know," I said, looking away, toward the pool I had left, watching the light dance across the wall.
"They'll appreciate the attempt in any case," Danjuro smiled. "They do care about you. You know this."
"Sometimes I wish they didn't," I replied, resting my head in the palm of my hand. "Sometimes I wish I didn't. My life would be so much easier if I didn't care at all."
"If you didn't care at all, you wouldn't have a reason to live," Danjuro replied with a sad sigh. "I know you don't want that."
I frowned, and we were quiet further.
"…you miss your old home?" Danjuro asked quietly.
I didn't answer immediately, but a tear that sprang unnecessarily from my eye said it all. "Yeah."
"Ohhh," He got off his seat and wrapped his flippers around me to give me a hug. "Come on, give me a hug."
I…hesitantly returned it. In my old life, I was a hugger. I loved hugs. Hugs were the best. But…in this life? I didn't know if it was okay to like hugs anymore.
…he really was fuzzy. I mean, like a warm and fuzzy teddy bear. Just…really comfy. Like, darn.
"There we go," Danjuro said. "See…it's going to be okay. If you want to let it out, you can."
"I…not right now," I said, letting go. "I don't feel like it."
"Alright," Danjuro let go, sliding back to his seat. "You are human by the way. Very human. A human in a difficult situation, but still human."
"Thanks," I sighed.
"So," Danjuro said. "Tell me about your old world."
"…so it's obviously nothing close to this one," I began. "Obviously, there's no jutsu."
I didn't talk about the Manga. No point. It wasn't relevant anymore, anyway. I also refused to mention anything about Fallout. Or nuclear bombs. Or war. Or anything bad. That's not how I wanted to remember it. Things were…idealistic and happy, before EXP took over my life. But I talked. I talked, and I talked and I talked. Ranted, more like. He didn't get a single word in edge-wise. I talked about cars and planes, going to space, some popular culture, all without mentioning my worlds dark side.
"It sounds pretty good over there," He said with a slow nod, rubbing his beak with a flipper after I finished rambling. "…that's how you think about it?"
"It's how I like to remember it," I replied quietly.
"I like it," He smiled, but it seemed…sad. Perhaps a tad unbelieving too. Maybe he knew I was leaving stuff out. Oh, who am I kidding, he totally knew I was leaving stuff out. "Now…about your…'levels'? Was that what you called them?"
"Yup," I nodded with a frown.
"And how is your progress to each one measured?" Danjuro asked, with his head turned slightly to the side.
"Experience, which I get for killing things and completing missions," I replied. Then I remembered my early academy years. "I also used to get them for every single task and skill check I completed, but that went away for…some reason."
"Odd," Danjuro nodded. "Well, Daisuke. Would you say 'Experience' rules your life?"
"I…" I tilted my head. "…yeah. Yes. Yes, I would say it's the most important part of my life."
"For a very good reason, I understand," Danjuro replied, looking over me critically. "But it is for that reason, that it rules your life, that I give this next bit of council. When you end up having the chance between getting more experience, such as with killing or accepting a mission, I think you should decline."
"What."
"I think you should deliberately limit the amount of experience you gain on occasion," Danjuro nodded. "You said that it controls your life. That it's the most important part of your life. Tying your quality of life to the amount of death you wreak upon your enemies is not good."
"But the more death I wreak, the faster my social issues are fixed," I laughed nervously. "It's not pretty but it's necessary."
"Daisuke," Danjuro calmly got my attention. "I understand you want to get to a certain level as fast as you can. For good reason. But sometimes wreaking the most death possible is not the best thing to do overall. Can you imagine how things would have gone for the invasion if the Emperor had simply eaten Asuka at first meeting?"
"…you wouldn't know about how to grow feral fish and would still hunt sapient species for meals," I replied with a groan.
"Precisely," Danjuro replied. "And you yourself has said that the game has stolen your ability to think. With your dependence on experience, it's stolen your ability to decide how to handle situations as well. Tell me, do you get experience for taking opponents out alive?"
"…no," I replied with a frown.
"Why let it continue to make you into an executioner?" Danjuro asked with a frown. "What will you do when you've hit the last level and killing is all you know how to do to fix your problems even when it does you no good?"
That chakra-scan thing is powerful. Makes sense that it's locked behind a perk.
"I-I don't know," I replied, my eyes wide as I looked at my hands again.
"Try to go without," Danjuro advised with a nod. "Make yourself master of your game, not the other way around."
"Well…I also get experience for inventing jutsu," I replied with a hopeful look.
"Then do that," Danjuro said with a smile. "But try to find jutsu that handles problems without wreaking death. I understand as a Shinobi, you're a soldier first."
"I already have," I said with a smile on my face. "I made seals to give me a musical accompaniment while I'm playing a guitar."
"Good," Danjuro smiled happily. "Good. Continue to think like that. Find problems that can't be solved with an explosion. Find problems that can be solved with an explosion and solve them without one."
"I…I'll try," I said.
"I'm happy to hear that," Danjuro replied. "But…remember. You don't have to listen to me. I'm just offering council."
There was another quiet moment. I was trying to think off other things I could do. Jutsu to perfectly cook food, another to store it without going bad…more musical jutsu. Perhaps figuring out computers…though that brought an air of discomfort because with computers came games and if I ever see another video game in my life, I will hurl.
"…one last thing," Danjuro started. "...are you having some girl trouble?"
I blinked, looked away even as he started chuckling good naturedly. "Yeah, why?"
"Oh, I figured," Danjuro smiled. "It's been tearing you up inside, huh?"
"I'm an adult in a child's body," I replied with a frown. "I have a child crushing on me. I like that she's crushing on me. I think I might be crushing on her back, if I'm not simply being lead around by my hormones like a bull by the nose-ring."
"That can certainly be problematic," Danjuro nodded. "Well, allow me to offer my viewpoint on the matter. And you are probably not going to like it."
"On an issue I'm this torn on, I doubt I'll like it no matter what it is," I snarked.
"You're probably right," Danjuro smiled and nodded. "So, there's a phrase that's been bopping around my head for the past few minutes, and…please bear with me."
"Okay," I shrugged, getting ready to not let my feelings or sensibilities get hurt.
"Promise you're hear me out," Danjuro asked with a frown.
"…alright, I promise," Darn. There goes simply leaving mid-sentence.
"The phrase…I think it comes from you, is this," Danjuro cleared his throat. "If it looks like a child, sounds like a child and acts like a child, it is obviously a child."
Mercifully, he was quiet after he said that. This is good. Because I was trying very hard to not get up and break his beak into a million pieces for daring to say that, in spite of what he knew, in spite of everything we've been talking about, that I was only a child.
"Daisuke?"
"What?"
"Take a deep breath."
I growled at him.
"Daisuke," Danjuro was insistent. "Please take a deep breath."
Reluctantly, I obliged. I felt a slight bit better as my tension left with my breath. "Why would you say that?"
"You said it yourself," Danjuro shrugged. "Your mind is physically twelve. That implies that it's emotional capability is also that of a twelve-year-old. Right?"
"…I guess," I grumbled at him.
"Right?"
"Right," I replied with a sigh. "Whatever."
"So, seeing as how you have the emotional and mental maturity of a twelve-year-old, you cannot claim any form of maturity over those who are also your age," Danjuro replied with a frown. "Biologically, it's just not there."
My fingers dug into the couch. "I suppose so. It doesn't matter, though. My memories still say I'm an adult."
"Clinging to your adulthood is part of how you hold onto your memories of your old life, huh?" Danjuro asked with a sad smile.
I was quiet. I didn't say anything. Neither did he. I thought on that question, over and over. Until, eventually, I spoke. "Yes."
"I am so sorry," Danjuro said. "Like I said at the start, you have my deepest sympathies. I'm very sorry this all happened to you."
"It's not your fault," I replied. "It's that retarded truck-drivers fault. He shouldn't have pulled in front of me, he should've been watching where he was going."
"But I still feel for you," Danjuro responded. "But in regards to relationships and romance…no relationship at your age is meant to be sexual. Sexual relationships are for adults, and you know this."
"That's why I don't want a relationship right now," I replied, leaning forward. "I'm an adult. I crave sex."
"No. You don't," Danjuro sighed. "You're a child. Y-"
"Stop saying that!" I barked at him. "It's not…It…It can't-"
"Forgive me," Danjuro raised his flippers in a placating gesture. "What I mean by that is that you do not crave physical intimacy. You crave emotional intimacy, something perfectly within the bounds of relationships between…people of your age."
"But…what if I slip, what if puberty decides to screw me and her over and we-" I began, starting to panic.
"Daisuke, puberty can be controlled," Danjuro interrupted. "It can be and it has been. The amount of self-control you do have is more than enough. In your old world, you were part of a religion that preached abstinence until marriage, yes?"
"Yeah," I've departed pretty far from 'Thou Shalt Not Kill', so I didn't think about it too much.
"How did they suggest adhering to that doctrine?" Danjuro asked.
"Don't stay out too late together, don't put yourselves in compromising positions," I shrugged. "Basically, don't put yourself in situations where temptations and hormones would be high and your judgement might be compromised…but it only works until you stop practicing it."
"So, practice it," Danjuro shrugged. "You have the self-control needed for it. Show some trust in yourself."
"Relationships also need to be built on trust, speaking of which," I replied with a frown. "I don't trust the girl in question."
"Why not?" Danjuro frowned.
"Because I don't understand her," I shrugged. "I don't trust anything I don't understand."
"Did you trust others in your old life?" Danjuro asked, still frowning.
"To a point," I answered.
"So, what about her don't you understand?" Danjuro asked with a frown.
"I don't know why she likes me when she hates my bloodline," I replied. "She likes me but doesn't like what I can do. I mean, sure, she's been trying to use it to become stronger, to push herself against it, but it's presence annoys her something fierce but she still likes me…why does she like me?"
"Perhaps she admires your humility?" Danjuro asked with an amused chuckle. "I'm sorry, but without meeting her, I cannot say. But I what I can say is that I think you understand her better than you think."
"Maybe," I shrugged.
"Has she done anything to violate any trust you had?" Danjuro asked with a frown.
"Not really," I shrugged. "I…just…I-I don't trust her. Or anyone from Konoha, really."
There was another quiet.
"I get the feeling that you aren't loyal to Konoha," Danjuro stated. "But that your loyal to your friends and they're loyal to Konoha and you're reacting to the disconnect."
"You know," I said with a frown. "You're probably right."
There was another pause as we both reflected on the conversation.
"Is there anything in particular you want to ask me?" He asked.
"Captain Shizo told me you guys had a form of Clairvoyance," I started.
"That is correct," Danjuro nodded. "All penguin elders do."
"Then why didn't you use it to find out how the war started?" I asked with a frown.
Danjuro chuckled. "Unfortunately, our sight…our abilities to see, is not controlled. What we see is random. We achieve a great amount of wisdom was we see through the cosmos, but the likelihood of what we see being applicable to our daily lives is…negligible. But we did try. We did try."
I sighed. "That makes sense."
"Now in regards to your girl trouble," Danjuro said, standing up. "I think you know someone that can help you a lot more than I can."
Ichiraku Ayame. "I think you're right."
Quest Updated: A Stranger in a Strange Land.
Completed: Speak with the Penguin Elder.
Go speak with the Penguin Emperor and claim the Penguin Summoning Contract.
"Do you think he is deserving?" The Penguin asked the assorted crowd.
Cheers. They most certainly think that I'm deserving of this honor. And power up. You know, given the Penguin Elder's sight, they might happen upon Sage Mode at one point. I hope. I mean, that was called the thing that sent Naruto into 'DBZ' territory, and while I never saw DBZ, I did see the abridged series and I got to say…I'm a little disappointed the Penguins don't have it. Oh well. At least I got some awesome gear.
Edgelord Bleedingrazor 9000.
That's all I got to say right there.
"Then with the approval of the Empire, I command the bestowal," The Emperor loved to play the crowd, I've found. He was good at it, too. "Of the summoning scroll on Shimoda Daisuke, our newest summoner!"
Yujiro brought the scroll and unfurled it. There was only two names that I could see before Yujiro rolled it up slightly, so only the space for my own hand was shown.
"Sign the scroll in your blood," The Emperor commanded. "And place your fingerprints upon it!"
I took my gun out. The edges of its barrel were still pretty sharp, so I took off my glove and sliced open my palm.
-1 hp.
Yujiro provided a brush and I signed my name. Then with blood all over my fingertips, I placed them each above my signed name. With that done, I took a gulp of Nutriwater (patent pending) and the cut sealed itself up. I quickly slid my gauntlet back into place and the sound of cheers echoed in the palace.
Completed: A Stranger in a Strange Land.
+2400 EXP.
5045 more EXP until level 22.
"Now, there are rules, Shimoda," The Emperor said to me. "The only Penguins you are allowed to summon right now are the members of Squad 3."
"Works for me," I replied with a nod.
"And you are only allowed to summon me once a year," The Emperor raised his flipper to make his point. "Once. As in, once you summon me, you must wait a whole year before you attempt to summon me again. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Emperor-sama," I nodded rapidly. "I understand completely."
"Good," The Emperor said. "May the Ice ever speed your way, Daisuke. Farewell."
"Goodbye, Emperor," I said with a bow before leaving via Flying Thunder God.
…the seal was active.
There was no-one else in my apartment.
My clone was ready for switch…we swapped.
I got out of bed. Started pacing. Frowning. Waiting for the ceiling to collapse in, for the Hokage to come crashing through and demanding to know what I had been doing. What I was doing. Whether I was trying to circumvent him, and I was, and how loyal I was. Really.
But nothing happened.
My clone popped, the cylinder crashing to the floor, still invisible until I went to retrieve it.
Nothing happened.
I had gotten away with it.
SUY NGHĨ CỦA NGƯỜI SÁNG TẠO 
Leylin_Farlier
Leylin_Farlier The Previous was a Fanbased Work of Fiction, written by Fulcon. Naruto is owned by Shueisha, Viz Entertainment and Masashi Kishimoto. Please support the Official Release.
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