Inheritance

Because the news had only just spread, almost everyone on the streets was discussing the Konoha genius. Even Ye Yuexin, thick-skinned as he was, found himself defeated by the attention.

Ye Yuexin walked quickly, reaching the academy in no time.

That was right; his purpose for coming was to find the first teacher he had ever had in this life.

It was still the lunch break, so most of the students were free to do as they pleased.

After what had happened, Ye Yuexin didn't dare show his face at all.

There were far too many people in the school who recognized him.

As one of the top students who had tied for first place, he had spoken to most of the lower-grade students at one point or another.

He snuck up to the second floor like a thief, navigating the familiar path to Haino Fuji's office.

Upon opening the door, he saw that Haino Fuji was in the middle of his lunch.

Hearing someone barge in without knocking, Haino Fuji assumed it was just a regular student.

Just as he was preparing to lecture the intruder on the importance of manners, Haino Fuji froze upon seeing who it was.

His look of shock quickly transformed into one of pleasant surprise.

"Well, well, it's you, kid. Come on in and sit down. Have you eaten yet?" Haino Fuji invited him warmly.

Ye Yuexin felt a deep sense of affection for Haino Fuji, so he didn't stand on ceremony and sat directly on one of the office chairs.

"I've already eaten, Teacher. Please, take your time," he replied.

Hearing this, Haino Fuji sped up his eating and finished shortly after.

He then poured two cups of tea and sat down across from Ye Yuexin.

"You've done well, kid. You only graduated three days ago, and you've already pulled off something so sensational."

"I was startled myself when I first heard the news," Haino Fuji said with a half-joking tone of praise.

As expected, praise felt much more meaningful coming from someone he knew well.

Ye Yuexin felt a genuine sense of happiness in his heart.

However, his expression soon turned into a wry smile. "Teacher, please don't bring that up. I nearly didn't make it back."

"Thinking back on how dangerous it was, I still feel a lingering fear. It was entirely because the opponent was too arrogant and unfamiliar with my techniques."

After a moment of hesitation, Ye Yuexin decided to open up to Haino Fuji. He trusted him completely.

"Teacher, I have a concern. I know that the tallest tree catches the wind, so I intentionally downplayed the enemy's strength when reporting the mission."

"But I didn't expect it to have the opposite effect. Not only do the village elders know, but now all of Konoha knows as well. Am I in danger now?"

Hearing this, the smile on Haino Fuji's face faded. He guessed that Ye Yuexin had caught wind of some of the village's darker secrets.

He began to ponder; once certain things started to surface, it could lead to major trouble.

However, drawing on his years of experience, he quickly thought it through, and his expression relaxed slightly.

He could be considered one of the few people in the world who cared for Ye Yuexin the most.

He smiled. "You shouldn't be in any danger right now. I understand what you meant by your earlier concern."

"But haven't you noticed that public opinion has already reached a certain momentum? If things were as you feared, it wouldn't have become such a massive sensation. The higher-ups would have kept it quiet. The village's current actions look more like they are building up your reputation."

Ye Yuexin, who had been quite worried, felt much clearer after hearing Haino Fuji's analysis.

To be honest, when he first found out, it had felt like a heavy stone was weighing on his heart.

He knew that Konoha was not as peaceful and equal as it appeared on the surface.

Beneath this calm, there were countless undercurrents. Even someone as strong as the legendary White Fang had been played to his death; what was he in comparison?

With the stone in his heart lifted, he felt much more at ease.

His biggest plan now was to find every possible way to strengthen his own power.

That was one of the reasons he had come here.

He smiled and said, "Teacher, actually, besides coming to chat with you, I have another matter to attend to."

Even as Ye Yuexin spoke, Haino Fuji could tell from his expression that he had another request.

Ye Yuexin was always like this—hesitant and shy whenever he needed a favor.

"What else is there? I knew you weren't kind enough to come visit me just for the sake of it. Out with it."

Seeing Haino Fuji say this, Ye Yuexin didn't hold back. "Teacher, well... you promised me. You said that after I graduated, you would teach me your unique techniques. You haven't forgotten, have you? Hehe, I mainly came to see you today, but I also wanted to learn them."

Haino Fuji nearly laughed out loud at this. "I knew it! Aside from that, I didn't think there was anything else you'd be pining for."

He then added with a hint of melancholy, "I can't help you with what comes next. You are already a qualified fledgling eagle. You are different from ordinary people like us. It's time for you to go out into the sky and create your own legend."

To Haino Fuji, Ye Yuexin was the one who would inherit his dreams.

He knew he had no room for further growth himself, but he hoped that Ye Yuexin would take the strength he had provided and walk the path of a powerhouse—a path that had only ever existed in his own wild ambitions.

He then walked slowly behind the desk and took a scroll out of the bottom drawer. "I prepared this scroll for you a long time ago. It has been kept here all this while. Now, I can finally successfully place it into your hands."

Having obtained the ninjutsu he had always wanted, Ye Yuexin was, contrary to expectations, not feeling all that excited.

This was because the significance of this scroll was no longer as simple as just a ninjutsu.

It had now become a form of legacy.

This ninjutsu was Haino Fuji's proudest technique. It was precisely by relying on this ninjutsu that he had been able to rise to the level of a Special Jonin.

Now that the ninjutsu had been passed into Ye Yuexin's hands, he had simultaneously accepted a heavy burden of expectations.

Ye Yuexin took the scroll solemnly. Looking at Haino Fuji, who was smiling at him, he said, "Teacher, that I could grow to this extent in three years is all thanks to your help. I don't know how to say anything sentimental. No matter how high my achievements may be in the future, you will always be my mentor. That will never change." As he spoke, he struck his chest with his other hand.

"Alright, you say you don't know how to be sentimental, yet you say so much! The ninja world is vast. You must be careful." In the end, Haino Fuji still gave a worried piece of advice.

Ye Yuexin did not linger any longer, as class was about to start soon. On the way back, the scroll against his chest still felt heavy.