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Uchiha Yuan raised his head and calmly glanced at the Crimson Black Giant Python lunging at him.

The next second, the python's gaping jaws swallowed him whole.

But after its bite, the Crimson Black Giant Python flicked its tongue in confusion, searching all around for its target's scent.

Its mouth was empty, its belly wasn't distended, and Uchiha Yuan was nowhere to be seen.

Outside the Death Forest.

A figure suddenly emerged from the ground near Konoha's massive wall.

It was Uchiha Yuan.

The instant the python lunged at him, he had used the Earth Moving Technique to burrow underground, then swiftly traveled beneath the earth until he had left the Death Forest.

After all, the Death Forest was rich in resources, and the Ninja Clans in the village all had businesses there. The Nara Clan, for instance, had a deer farm on the forest's outskirts, while the Sarutobi Clan had an herb garden inside it.

Traveling underground meant he didn't have to worry about being spotted by members of other Ninja Clans.

When he reached the wall surrounding the village, golden light flickered in Uchiha Yuan's eyes.

A barrier, invisible to the naked eye, stood before him.

The village's Barrier Team monitored this area constantly. They could sense anything that passed through the barrier.

Uchiha Yuan released his spiritual energy to sense the barrier's changing frequency, then adjusted the fluctuations of his own chakra to match it.

Then he sprang into the air and vaulted over the village wall.

The village's Barrier Team didn't notice a thing.

The village was as prosperous as ever. Along the bustling shopping street, shopkeepers warmly called out to customers.

Passing a pastry shop, Uchiha Yuan picked up a box of Three-Colored Dumplings.

When he got home, Uchiha Yuan sensed only his younger sister Izumi's presence.

Their mother wasn't home. She had probably gone to prepare ingredients for dinner.

In the attic, his younger sister Izumi sat cross-legged with her eyes closed, her little face full of concentration.

Her breathing was deep and steady, its rhythm subtly following a special cadence.

Sensing Uchiha Yuan's arrival, Uchiha Izumi opened her eyes and made a troubled face.

"Brother, the training method you taught me is so hard."

Uchiha Yuan reassured her, "Izumi, don't rush. Take it slowly, and remember the rhythm of each breath."

Izumi turned her face away from Uchiha Yuan. "I don't want to train anymore. It's so boring."

At that, Uchiha Yuan's brow furrowed, but quickly smoothed again. He knew his sister was just throwing a tantrum and saying things in anger. If she truly didn't want to train, she would be playing right now, not sitting there.

Uchiha Yuan reached out and ruffled the little girl's hair with a laugh. "Izumi, I'll need you to protect me in the future. Do you really not want to train?"

Izumi turned back, pouting at Uchiha Yuan. "You're so mean, Brother. You always use that to trick me."

"I've always known you're really strong, Brother. You don't need me to protect you at all."

Uchiha Yuan smiled faintly. "But you and Mother are the people dearest to me. You're my weakness. Only when you grow stronger can I become stronger, too."

Izumi seemed to understand his words, but not quite. A puzzled expression crossed her little face.

After all, in her mind, Konoha was the safest place, and their clan was the strongest Ninja Clan, the Uchiha. There was no danger to worry about.

Just then, Uchiha Yuan took the pastry box from behind his back and showed it to Izumi. "Izumi, look what I brought!"

"Three-Colored Dumplings from Miki Hall!"

Uchiha Izumi cheered, immediately took the box, opened it, and pulled out a skewer of Three-Colored Dumplings.

The sweet taste instantly brought a smile to the little girl's face, making her forget the frustration of struggling with her training.

As he watched his sister enjoy the dumplings with a blissful expression, Uchiha Yuan placed a hand on her back.

A brilliant glow lit his palm, and a stream of pure chakra slowly flowed into the acupuncture points on Izumi's back.

Drawing on what he had learned while absorbing Natural Energy, and using the breathing and circulation method of Sage Art: Ultimate Evolution, Uchiha Yuan had developed a new breathing technique.

He had taught this technique only to his younger sister, Izumi.

Now, he was passing his chakra into her body.

Each Ninja Clan had secret family remedies to improve the physical constitution of its members.

The Uchiha Clan had them, too. But first, the ingredients for those remedies were very expensive. Second, only the Main Family Branch was allowed access to them.

Uchiha Yuan's family belonged to the Outer Branch and wouldn't receive any special treatment from the clan.

That would only change if someone showed exceptional talent from a young age and attracted the clan's attention. But that was exactly what Uchiha Yuan had always tried to avoid.

So Uchiha Yuan used his own chakra to nourish and refine his sister Izumi's bones and blood, and clear her meridians.

Night fell.

After dinner, Uchiha Yuan went to a remote storehouse in the clan compound.

The surroundings were dark and silent.

A figure landed in front of Uchiha Yuan and dropped to one knee. It was Uchiha Daishi.

"Big Brother."

Uchiha Yuan nodded slightly. "You left a mark and asked me to come. Did something happen?"

"Yes, Big Brother," Uchiha Daishi replied quietly. "Three clan members want to join us."

After a moment of silence, Uchiha Yuan asked, "Are they here?"

"Yes. They're waiting at the base for you to meet with them."

The two figures darted off. After a few leaps, they landed inside a warehouse.

The warehouse was brightly lit, and about thirty Uchiha children had gathered inside.

When Uchiha Yuan and Uchiha Daishi appeared, all the Uchiha children bowed to him in unison.

"Big Brother."

Their voices rang out together, their presence awe-inspiring.

But three boys, all around ten years old, stood off to one side, looking uneasy. They watched the scene before them with a mixture of surprise and fear.

Then they turned curious eyes toward Uchiha Yuan.

When the three boys looked at Uchiha Yuan, they met his sharp, commanding gaze.

"What are your names?" Uchiha Yuan asked.

"Uchiha Kawa."

"Uchiha Ryosuke."

"Uchiha Isamu."

They answered, watching Uchiha Yuan with some hesitation.

The Uchiha Yuan before them didn't fit their image of a powerful man. His presence was calm, unlike the fierce, domineering aura of the Main Family members.

Uchiha Yuan looked at the three of them. "Why do you want to join us?"

The three looked at one another. After several minutes of silence, one of them spoke. "We want power, but..."

He paused, then frowned at Uchiha Yuan. "But now I'm disappointed. This place might not have the power we're looking for."