Apart from anything else, at least Yashui had learned how to use the ** Technique. Although Konohamaru and Naruto's training had involved nothing but the ** Technique.
Naruto's long-term research had made his ** Technique almost flawless. When Yashui practiced, he borrowed Naruto's appearance, which saved him the trouble of "gathering material" everywhere.
Naruto, who had elevated the ordinary Transformation Technique into the ** Technique, wasn't stupid at all.
But Naruto was terrible at both the Transformation Technique and the Clone Technique. Apart from the Nine-Tails causing trouble inside him, a large part of the reason was that he wasn't interested in those two ninjutsu.
Compared with the Transformation Technique and the Clone Technique, Naruto was relatively good at fighting and physical conditioning. Maybe he preferred skills that would come in handy in actual combat.
"Naruto, there's something I want to tell you." Yashui glanced at the setting sun. It was about time to head home with Konohamaru.
"What?" Naruto squinted at Yashui, his eyes barely seeming open.
"I've applied to graduate early. The day after tomorrow, we'll take the graduation exam together." Yashui gazed at the sunset.
"Graduate early? You can apply for that?" Naruto really didn't know anything.
"Yeah." Yashui smiled broadly at Naruto. "Because I want to graduate with you."
At Yashui's words, Naruto's face turned red. The sunset fell across his face, making it hard to tell whether the redness came from the evening light or from blushing.
Wait, what was going on? Only when Yashui saw Naruto's bashful expression did he realize that his tone had been a little off.
Everything Yashui had said was true. He really had applied to graduate early so he could graduate with Naruto. He wanted to be with the Konoha Twelve and find a little of the warmth he remembered.
But why did it sound so much like a confession? Even more unsettling, Naruto looked like a young girl who'd just been confessed to, suddenly turning bashful all over.
That left Yashui feeling awkward.
As the sun went down, Yashui was worrying over Naruto's reaction when he noticed something strange in a tree. Could the sunlight at this angle really cast a shadow like that?
"Konohamaru, can you get home by yourself? Tell Grandpa I won't be back for dinner." Yashui glanced at Konohamaru.
"Yeah, I can... But what are you going to do, Big Brother Yashui?" Konohamaru asked innocently.
"Naruto and I have something else to take care of." With that, Yashui grabbed Naruto and led him deeper into the woods.
Naruto was still bashful, saying, "We've only just met..."
Yashui was mortified. Sure enough, Naruto's love for Sasuke later on wasn't purely friendship.
"Naruto, don't make a sound, no matter what I say next." Yashui spoke into Naruto's ear.
"Mmm... okay," Naruto said, blushing.
"..." If Naruto were a girl, what happened next could have been a classic scene in the woods. Yashui shook his head. He couldn't let his imagination run wild; he had a real task to take care of.
"Naruto, someone's been following you. They might be a Genin-level ninja." As soon as he finished speaking, Yashui covered Naruto's mouth. He still didn't trust Naruto to stay quiet after hearing that.
Yashui had seen the sun go down, but a small patch on a nearby branch still reflected light and cast a shadow. The shadow didn't move at all, like a perfectly still painting.
In a situation like this, the first thought was usually that a ninja was hiding there. Judging by how poor their camouflage was, they might be a Genin.
Naruto was shocked to hear Yashui's words. If Yashui hadn't clamped a hand over his mouth to keep him quiet, he would have started shouting.
"Listen to me. I have a plan... We can find out what he wants..." Yashui whispered into Naruto's ear.
Mutter, mutter, mutter (tactical discussion)...
Yashui punched Naruto in the face. "You bastard! What are you doing to my little brother?"
"Tch... Konohamaru was the one clinging to me." Naruto was knocked to the ground. He pulled a kunai from his ninja tool pouch, ready to fight back.
"Heh. Come to think of it, I've hated you for a long time. If you hadn't killed the Fourth Hokage, Grandpa wouldn't have to keep working at his age!"
"So he'd better hurry up and hand the Hokage Position over to me."
"I'd sooner give the Hokage Position to a dog than to a Demon Fox like you!" Yashui pulled out two shuriken and threw them at Naruto. "Take this, Demon Fox!"
"I'm not a Demon Fox! I'm Uzumaki Naruto!" Naruto seemed to be fighting for the first time. He could barely manage to dodge the two shuriken.
While Naruto was distracted, Yashui formed Hand Seals.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!" Yashui held back. The fireball from his Great Fireball Technique was only a little over a meter wide, looking no different from the flames in an acrobat's performance.
The fireball cut off Naruto's path. Naruto ran a couple of steps to the side, straight into Yashui.
"You're finished." Yashui shoved Naruto aside, then pulled out a kunai and stabbed him.
"Cough, cough..." Naruto's lung had been pierced, and he coughed up a little blood.
"My next strike won't miss!" Yashui thrust the kunai toward Naruto's chest.
A powerful hand grabbed Yashui's wrist. Its grip was so strong that his wrist hurt, and for a moment he couldn't move.
Yashui looked up. A masked Anbu stood before him, a Ninja Blade strapped to his back.
"You can't do that." The Anbu let go, then approached Naruto, preparing to take him to Konoha Hospital.
"Bang!"
The moment the Anbu touched Naruto, "Naruto" turned into a wooden log.
"You thought you could follow me!" At that moment, the real Naruto leaped down from behind the Anbu, shouting as he launched a sneak attack.
This was Yashui's plan: they would pretend to turn against each other. During the fight, Yashui deliberately shoved Naruto to signal him to use the Substitution Technique. As soon as Naruto used it, Yashui applied the Transformation Technique he had already prepared to the wooden log, turning it into Naruto's likeness.
The whole process had been as fast as lightning. Once they were done, Yashui could attack the fake Naruto without worry, while the real Naruto watched from hiding, ready to ambush their visitor.
If the person didn't stop Yashui from "killing" him, then appeared to collect the body after "Naruto" died, it would mean they had ill intentions.
But if the person stopped Yashui from delivering a fatal blow to Naruto, then they were probably following him to protect him. There was no need to do anything about someone like that.
Before you continue