The sound of hurried footsteps interrupted Haotian's thoughts. He hurried out of the basement and made his way to the training ground in the Uchiha Clan Compound.
The sun blazed overhead, and the air was thick with the smell of dust and sweat.
In the center of the training ground, Meihui was locked in fierce combat with a Uchiha Chunin.
Meihui moved with nimble grace, her Sharingan crimson as blood. Kunai flashed in her hands, each strike deadly.
Caught off guard, the Chunin fell into Meihui's genjutsu.
His gaze grew unfocused, as though he were standing amid a sea of flames. The blazing inferno scorched his skin with a crackling sound.
Seizing her chance, Meihui formed Hand Seals and called out, "Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
A massive fireball roared forth, radiating scorching heat as it swallowed the Chunin.
With a deafening boom, the fireball exploded. The Chunin crashed heavily to the ground, groaning in pain, burns covering several parts of his body.
"Great!" A burst of enthusiastic applause and cheers rose from the crowd.
Elder Uchiha Setsuna stroked his beard, a look of approval on his face. He walked slowly over to Meihui. "Meihui, your skills have improved considerably. Given time, you'll surely become a pillar of the Uchiha Clan."
Meihui deactivated her Sharingan and bowed slightly. "Thank you for the praise, Elder Setsuna." Though she tried to remain composed, Haotian still noticed a fleeting trace of melancholy in her eyes.
Her lips curved into a smile, but it failed to hide the faint worry between her brows.
Elder Setsuna seemed to notice something was amiss, too. He fixed Meihui with a sharp gaze and asked gravely, "My child, is something troubling you?"
Meihui's body trembled slightly. Her eyes shifted, and she seemed to want to speak but couldn't.
She bit down hard on her lower lip, her hands clenching unconsciously.
Only after a moment did she finally speak. "I..."
Her voice carried a barely perceptible tremor. She lowered her head, her long eyelashes casting faint shadows over her eyelids. "It's just... I've hit a bit of a bottleneck in my training recently."
Elder Setsuna furrowed his brow. His clouded eyes fixed on her as he reached out, his withered hand resting gently on Meihui's shoulder. A stream of warm Chakra flowed slowly into her body as he carefully examined her condition.
Setsuna's expression grew grave. It seemed he had noticed something. "Your Chakra... is somewhat erratic, and there seems to be an unfamiliar force affecting you." A note of concern entered his voice. "My child, there's no need to hide anything. The clan will do everything it can to help you. I'll arrange for a medical ninja to examine you right away."
Meihui shuddered and hurriedly shook her head. "No, Elder Setsuna, there's no need! It really is just a minor problem from training. I can handle it myself." A trace of resistance showed in her eyes, as if she didn't want anyone to touch the secret she held inside.
Elder Setsuna gazed at Meihui for a long moment, then sighed and withdrew his hand. "All right. If you insist, I won't press you. But remember, whatever difficulties you face, you can always come to me. I'll always be there to support the Uchiha Clan." He spoke earnestly, then turned and shuffled toward the edge of the training ground, his hunched figure gradually disappearing into the crowd.
Meihui watched Elder Setsuna's retreating back, then turned to face the center of the training ground again. Her gaze grew more resolute, and a powerful aura radiated from her.
She knew she had to become stronger to protect everything she wanted to protect.
Having witnessed the whole scene, Haotian understood. He quietly left the noisy training ground.
At the edge of the Uchiha Clan Compound, Haotian found a secluded corner and began setting up his secret base.
He needed a completely safe place where he could better study and develop the power of Ghidorah within him.
After arranging everything, he sent a Shadow Clone to take over Obito's shift at home, giving Obito a day off to relax. Then Haotian changed into casual clothes and strolled happily through Konoha's food district.
The bustling crowds, the vendors calling out one after another, and the aromas of all kinds of food put him completely at ease.
He bought a serving of grilled dumplings and leisurely savored them as he admired the lively scene along the street.
"Long time no see, Haotian-kun." A soft female voice sounded behind him.
Haotian turned and saw Anko, her short purple hair, with a tall man sporting an uncanny smile behind her. It was Orochimaru.
Anko watched Haotian with a beaming smile, curiosity and amusement in her eyes.
Orochimaru silently sized him up, a chilling glint flashing in his scarlet, serpentine eyes.
Konoha's food district was bustling, the sizzle of grilling meat, vendors' calls, and children's laughter weaving together into a unique symphony of everyday life.
Haotian bit into a sweet, chewy dumpling, savoring the sauce as it burst across his tongue, but his thoughts had wandered far away.
Peace—a beautiful word, yet so utterly out of reach.
In this shinobi world, killing and conflict seemed endless.
Before you continue