Training

At that moment, Li Yi continued performing his Dance of the Crescent Moon in midair. It might have seemed to take a long time, but in reality, only a brief instant had passed. After all, Li Yi had seen Kagami Uchiha's Sharingan and been drawn into a genjutsu world for a moment.

But even in that brief instant, Li Yi's body split into three, and he brought down three swords from different angles toward Kagami. At last, Kagami moved. He simply drew a Kunai from his pouch and held it against Ryujin Jakka, breaking Li Yi's Dance of the Crescent Moon.

"That's enough!" Kagami put away his Kunai, and Li Yi sheathed Ryujin Jakka.

Looking at Li Yi's sword, Kagami praised it. "A fine blade!"

Li Yi scratched his head. "It's been passed down in my family. It's the only thing I have left from them."

Kagami nodded. "For someone who's only been training for three months, you've done very well. I've also noticed that you're highly resistant to genjutsu, which suggests you have strong spiritual energy. That's a good thing. From now on, I'll teach you genjutsu as well as Fire Style. Meet me here tomorrow at eight in the morning!"

After saying that, Kagami used the Body Flicker Technique and disappeared. Li Yi looked around, memorized the location, and left too.

When Li Yi got back to Kosuke's house, he told him about becoming Kagami's apprentice. Kosuke merely nodded and said nothing.

Li Yi got to work preparing a meal. These past few days, he and Kosuke had taken turns cooking. Kosuke had shown no intention of asking him to leave, so Li Yi shamelessly continued staying at his place.

Besides, Li Yi didn't have much money or anywhere else to stay. He could think about moving out once he'd learned enough to take on missions and earn money.

After they finished eating, Kosuke went back to his room. He soon returned with a scroll and tossed it to Li Yi. "This contains the Konoha Style sword techniques I know. I hope it'll help you in the future."

Li Yi opened it and took a look. It contained Kosuke's Konoha Style: Willow, a Nintaijutsu that combined swordsmanship and genjutsu. He didn't refuse the gift. He accepted the scroll and smiled at Kosuke.

Kosuke said nothing. They sat together in silence until the next morning.

Li Yi got up early. After making breakfast, he set aside a portion for Kosuke, took one for himself, and ran toward the training ground as he ate.

By the time Li Yi arrived, it was nearly time. Kagami showed up right on the dot. As soon as they met, he tossed Li Yi a scroll. "This contains the Fire Style techniques and genjutsu I know. I'll demonstrate the Fire Style first. Watch and learn!"

Li Yi didn't open the scroll. He tucked it into his clothes instead. He could read it later. This was Kagami's lesson, and he couldn't afford to get distracted.

Sure enough, Kagami slowly formed Hand Seals, then took a deep breath. "Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"

It was the Uchiha Clan's signature ninjutsu, the Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique—famously known as the Fire Style that never hit anyone.

Li Yi memorized Kagami's Hand Seals. After Kagami explained the technique, Li Yi listened carefully, then formed the seals and gathered chakra inside himself. He took a deep breath. "Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"

Unfortunately, his chakra control was terrible. He only managed to spit out a tiny fireball the size of a person's head, and he even burned his own mouth.

Kagami didn't laugh at him. "That's how it goes for most people the first time they try this technique. You'll get better with practice. But your chakra control is poor right now, so you'll need to work on it. Come with me."

Kagami then climbed a tree and explained how to do it: how to concentrate chakra on the soles of one's feet and move across the tree as easily as walking on flat ground.

Li Yi tried several times and fell, but he soon adjusted and managed to climb all the way to the top.

Kagami nodded, pleased with Li Yi's progress. Then he took Li Yi to a nearby stream and began explaining Water Walking.

This proved much harder, obviously, since the water was moving. It took Li Yi all morning to learn how to walk on the water's surface. That kind of speed was already on par with a genius.

At the very least, Kagami was pleased. He was an Uchiha, and the clan was practically full of geniuses. Earning Kagami's praise was more than enough to show how talented Li Yi was.

After they finished the lunch Kagami had brought, Kagami said, "Try the Great Fireball Technique again."

Li Yi nodded and formed Hand Seals. This time, gathering chakra was much easier. A huge fireball burst from his mouth, then dissipated.

Kagami nodded with satisfaction. Li Yi's Hand Seals were a little slow, but speed came with long practice. For someone with Li Yi's amount of chakra to perform such a powerful Fire Style technique was already impressive.

Then Kagami had Li Yi take out the scroll and began explaining the Fire Style techniques written inside. Kagami really was a good teacher. He held no prejudice against those outside the Uchiha Clan, and once he had accepted Li Yi as his student, he devoted himself wholeheartedly to teaching him.

For the next while, Li Yi trained under Kagami. With the careful guidance of an elite jonin, Li Yi learned ninjutsu quickly. He even became able to perform some genjutsu. His chakra reserves were still holding him back, but Kagami already found it incredible that he had learned the techniques in the scroll so quickly.

The scroll only contained some of the Uchiha Clan's commonly used genjutsu and Fire Style techniques, but Li Yi had already learned them all. All that remained was to master them and learn how to combine the techniques.

Those were things Li Yi would have to figure out on his own, little by little.

One day, Li Yi arrived at the training ground as usual. Kagami was already there waiting for him. As soon as Li Yi arrived, Kagami said, "Li Yi, I'm leaving the village on a mission. I may be gone for several months. You'll have to train on your own in the meantime. Here are a few Fire Style techniques I've copied out for you. Wait until your chakra reserves have grown before you try learning them."

Li Yi accepted the scroll and thanked him. Kagami had already disappeared from the training ground.

Li Yi sighed helplessly. It looked like he'd have to train by himself for a while.

He opened the ninjutsu scroll and saw two B-rank Fire Style techniques: Fire Style: Great Fire Annihilation and Fire Style: Great Fire Destruction. They were the Fire Style techniques Uchiha Madara had used against the Allied Shinobi Forces—signature Fire Style techniques of the Uchiha Clan as well.