But how could you possibly be this strong?
Konohamaru truly found it hard to believe.
Ye Lan smiled faintly. "Konohamaru, you're still young. There are many things you don't know yet. You need to understand that there are always people stronger than you, and always greater talents beyond your sight."
There were many people in this world stronger than him—so many that they could not be counted. And he must never think that having a little skill meant he could dominate the world without an equal. In this world, nothing was impossible, and nothing was beyond reach. Nor should he lose heart. This was merely one of Ye Lan's most ordinary Ninjutsu. There was still much Ye Lan knew that he did not.
Kakashi, standing nearby, was no less shocked than Konohamaru.
Ye Lan was only in his teens. Releasing a Great Fire Annihilation was nothing remarkable to him; even Kakashi himself could cast it in an instant. But he had to admit that this young man named Ye Lan seemed unexpectedly powerful.
The Chakra within him seemed inexhaustible. What Kakashi found most difficult to understand was why Ye Lan's Chakra seemed so much more domineering despite being Chakra as well. At the instant the Great Fire Annihilation was released, Kakashi had enclosed both Konohamaru and himself inside a sphere of Earth Release. The sphere was not particularly hard, but it should have had no problem blocking one or two Ninjutsu. Yet he had not expected Ye Lan's Great Fire Annihilation to possess such tremendous power.
At the instant the Great Fire Annihilation ended, he could clearly feel that his Earth Release sphere had nearly shattered completely. This was simply not the kind of Ninjutsu a teenager—one who had never even attended the Ninja Academy—could unleash. And now, Kakashi felt there was no need to take him to see Iruka. How could a student capable of using Great Fire Annihilation possibly be unable to use the Clone Technique?
Even if Ye Lan personally told Kakashi that he was a Jonin, Kakashi probably would not doubt him in the slightest.
This young man named Ye Lan was clearly hiding his strength.
What Kakashi did not know was that, at the moment Ye Lan released the Ninjutsu, he had deliberately lowered the fireball's temperature. Otherwise, even Kakashi would have suffered a minor injury.
Only after quite a while did Konohamaru recover from his shock.
Then he said, "Pretty boy, I didn't expect you to be this strong."
"My name is Ye Lan, not pretty boy. Remember that!"
Konohamaru snorted. "Who told you to be so pale?"
Ye Lan smiled helplessly. "Since when was being pale a mistake?"
Ye Lan looked at Konohamaru and said, "Little runt, do you remember our bet? If you can't learn my Ninjutsu, you'll have to call me big brother!"
Konohamaru curled his lip dismissively. "Tch, isn't it just Great Fire Annihilation? What's so hard about that? As long as you tell me the hand signs, I'll definitely learn it myself with enough practice."
"But what about you? Could it be that Great Fire Annihilation is the only Ninjutsu you know? Or are you really just showing off the one Ninjutsu you know in front of me? If that's the case, I can't acknowledge you as my big brother."
Ye Lan chuckled softly. This little runt really wouldn't give up.
Ye Lan said, "Then tell me. What do you want to do?"
Konohamaru thought for a long time before slowly saying, "Then you'll have to teach me one more Ninjutsu!"
Before you continue