Chương 96: The Seal of Deception
After reaching Daichi's apartment, the two sat down amidst the scattered tools and supplies Daichi had been using in his attempts at fūinjutsu. Haruto glanced around at the half-finished scrolls and bits of chakra ink, then back at Daichi, who looked a little sheepish.
"So, show me what you've got so far," Haruto said, trying to sound encouraging.
Daichi sighed, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "Alright, but… don't expect too much. Fūinjutsu isn't really my thing."
He spread out one of the scrolls on the table and grabbed a brush, dipping it into the ink. His hand moved hesitantly, his strokes awkward and uneven. Haruto watched as Daichi attempted to inscribe a basic explosive seal. It was clear from the start that Daichi lacked the precision and control needed for such a delicate art.
By the time Daichi finished, Haruto could see that the seal was far from functional. Daichi must have known it too, because he sighed again, more frustrated this time.
"See? No matter how much I practice, I just don't have a knack for this stuff. It's not like water jutsu or anything I'm good at," Daichi admitted, sounding defeated.
Haruto nodded slowly, taking in the situation. It was clear that fūinjutsu wasn't Daichi's strength, and while Haruto could offer to help improve his form, it would likely take much more time than they had. That's when Daichi looked at him with a hopeful grin.
"Listen, how about you just make the seal for me? It'll save us both time, and Kushina won't know the difference," Daichi suggested.
Haruto paused, frowning. "I don't know, man. If you get caught, it could come back on both of us. Especially if the seal's too good."
Daichi raised his hands in defense. "She won't know! I promise I won't get caught. Besides, it's just one seal. You're already good at this, so why not?"
Haruto leaned back, considering the idea. On one hand, he didn't like the idea of helping Daichi cheat, especially when Kushina clearly wanted Daichi to work on continuing the Uzumaki legacy. But on the other hand, Haruto had a sneaking feeling that it could be… amusing. He could already picture the Red-Hot Habanero's reaction when she found out. Still, if he made a really solid seal, there was always the chance that she might not catch on. Or, if Daichi got caught, it might force him to actually take this more seriously.
Then a thought crossed his mind: What if the seal I make actually impresses her? The idea of earning Kushina's respect for his skill piqued Haruto's interest, and his decision suddenly felt more justified. If his work could stand out, maybe Kushina wouldn't be so hard on Daichi after all.
Haruto grinned inwardly, glancing at Daichi, who was clearly waiting for an answer. He knew Daichi was going to get caught—there was no doubt about it. Kushina was sharp, and there was no way she wouldn't notice the difference between a hastily made seal and the near-perfect one Haruto could craft. But if his seal impressed her… maybe it would be worth the risk.
"Alright," Haruto said at last, his smirk barely visible. "I'll help. But you owe me one, and don't get caught."
Daichi beamed, clearly relieved. "Deal!"
Haruto set to work, carefully drawing out the explosive seal with the precision and focus Daichi lacked. His strokes were smooth, every line perfect, the chakra flowing seamlessly into the seal. When he finished, the seal practically hummed with energy, a flawless piece of work.
Daichi leaned over, his eyes wide with awe. "Man, that's incredible. Kushina's gonna flip."
Yeah, she'll flip alright, Haruto thought with a hidden grin. But not for the reasons you think. Still, there was a small part of him that hoped she might actually be impressed by the quality of the seal.
Still, he felt a twinge of guilt as he handed the completed seal to Daichi. But that guilt quickly faded as Haruto reminded himself of the bigger picture. He knew Daichi was going to get caught—there was no doubt about it. Kushina was sharp, and there was no way she wouldn't notice the difference between a hastily made seal and the near-perfect one Haruto had crafted. But, Haruto thought, I'll help him with his chakra control more after this. That should make up for it… maybe.
As Daichi carefully rolled up the seal, he mentioned offhandedly, "I won't be seeing Kushina until we get a day off from Sakumo-sensei, though. So I'm not sure when exactly I'll turn this in."
Haruto nodded, hiding his grin. That bought Daichi some time—maybe enough to avoid immediate trouble, but when the day came, Haruto knew Daichi would have to face Kushina eventually.
Daichi, still oblivious to the trouble he might be getting into, just nodded enthusiastically. "You're the best, man. Thanks."
As Haruto left Daichi's apartment that evening, he couldn't help but chuckle to himself. Tomorrow would be interesting, whenever Daichi got around to showing Kushina the seal.
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