Chapter 18

After saying that, he slammed the door and left again.

On the way back, a cold smile hung on his face as he muttered to himself, "Hiruzen, do you think I really have no options just because you won't let me make a move?"

"Dream on!"

"The more you stop me, the more I'll get Uchiha Yan into my hands."

"Don't worry. Once I turn him ** into a useful blade, you'll be the first one I test it on. Hmph!"

Inside the Hokage Office, the Third frowned, his face dark. "This Danzo is getting more and more out of line. I need to find a way to curb his power and keep those people in Root under control."

In the blink of an eye, three months passed.

During that time, the Third came to see Xuan every few days.

Every time, he would pull Xuan into a conversation for hours, wholeheartedly stuffing him full of the so-called Will of Fire.

Naturally, Xuan put on an attentive expression and looked at the Third with utter admiration.

He had the Third completely pleased with himself.

As for what Xuan truly thought inside, only he knew.

Tsunade saw all of this, but she did not say much.

After all, the Third was still her teacher.

Besides, she understood perfectly well just how clever this little brat Xuan was.

Her teacher actually wanted to ** him, to fool him?

That was like lighting a lamp for a blind man—a complete waste of wax. He could keep dreaming.

This little guy saw things from a perspective far above everyone else in Konoha.

His values and thoughts had long since been firmly set. How could the Third's stale old speeches possibly shake him?

In the end, Xuan might even turn around and toy with him instead.

Then she...

Hehe, when that time came, she would probably enjoy watching her teacher make a fool of himself.

So much for the bond between master and disciple.

That day, inside Tsunade's office.

"Lately, you don't need to keep coming to the hospital if you have nothing to do. Go train on your own."

"You don't seem to have seriously trained any combat ninjutsu yet, have you?"

"Here... take this. It contains the training method for my prized Monster Strength Technique. Figure it out yourself, and come ask me if there's anything you don't understand."

"Now get lost."

Tsunade waved Xuan away with an impatient look, as though she were chasing off an annoying fly.

After these three months, this brat had practically drained her dry.

She had watched with her own eyes as Xuan gradually caught up to her in medical skills, then surpassed her without the slightest courtesy. His pace was so fast that it made her question her life.

She used to think she was pretty smart.

But compared to Xuan, she was simply too stupid to look at.

She truly could not keep teaching this disciple. It was too discouraging, too crushing.

"Teacher, are you abandoning me?"

Xuan blinked and looked at Tsunade pitifully.

"Ugh—aren't you disgusted with yourself? I've got goosebumps all over!"

Tsunade shuddered and hurriedly rubbed her arms.

She reached out, pinched both of Xuan's cheeks, and tugged hard. With a stern face, she said, "Don't think you can act however you want just because you're good-looking! Do you think I don't know how crafty you are inside, brat?"

This kid could not be judged by the standards of an ordinary child at all.

"That's unfair, Teacher!"

Xuan immediately raised both hands in surrender.

He stared at Tsunade with a resentful expression.

What was wrong with this woman? She was always pinching his cheeks for fun. Did he not have any dignity?

"Hah!"

Tsunade sneered, suddenly pulled Xuan into her arms, and ruthlessly ruffled his hair several times. She did not let go until his black hair had been turned into a bird's nest.

Then, without hesitation, she shoved Xuan away and waved a hand grandly. "Get lost!"

"Heartless woman!"

Xuan threw out those words and ran off.

Tsunade laughed when she saw it. "That brat!"

Heartless woman?

She was his teacher, alright?

He made it sound like she had done something to him.

Xuan left the Ninja Hospital and headed toward the Uchiha Compound.

He had already learned all the medical ninjutsu and could use them smoothly. Next, he only needed to spend some time mastering every technique to the limit.

For now, he no longer needed to come to the hospital every day. He could bring the books he had not finished home and read them slowly.

He walked as he thought.

Besides that, it was time to formally begin ninjutsu training, develop new techniques, and delve deeper into taijutsu.

During this period, he had been immersed in studying medical ninjutsu, accumulating knowledge, and gaining practical experience through surgery.

He had truly been tired, but he had also learned a great deal.

He had basically completed the framework of the Ninja World's medical system.

Once he added some book materials and herbal notes later, it would be more or less complete.

That way, when he researched Kekkei Genkai, ninjutsu, and taijutsu in the future, medical knowledge would no longer be much of an obstacle.

Experiments would become much easier as well.

His chakra control had also risen by another level as a result.

He had not expected his teacher to give him the Monster Strength Technique directly. This was something worth studying carefully, and it could be developed even further.

Four figures sprang out from the bushes on both sides of the road, instantly surrounding Xuan tightly.

The leader was expressionless, his gaze as cold as ice. He spoke in a commanding tone. "Uchiha Yan, Lord Danzo wishes to see you. Come with us."

Xuan stopped walking, swept his gaze across the four men, and instead curled his lips into a faint smile.

"Tsk, I was wondering how long you planned to keep hiding. You finally couldn't hold yourselves back?"

The leading Root ninja's pupils narrowed slightly, and his tone turned heavier. "So you noticed us long ago? Your perception really is impressive. We underestimated you."

"Since you refuse to cooperate, don't blame us for using force."

Before his words had even faded, all four drew their swords at once. Their movements were clean and decisive, their blades aimed directly at Xuan's limbs.

They did not hold back, but they did not intend to kill him either—Danzo had ordered them to bring him back alive.

Crippling his limbs and taking away his ability to move was what they wanted.

The four ninja swords pierced Xuan's body almost simultaneously.

Yet at the instant they succeeded, all four men's expressions changed.

Madder World.

"What?" The leader's pupils suddenly shrank. "Genjutsu? When were we caught?"

Xuan smiled brightly, revealing a mouthful of white teeth. "You fell into it from the very beginning."

He slowly swept his gaze over the four men, disappointment undisguised in his voice. "The mental strength of Jōnin? This is it? Honestly, I'm rather disappointed."

The four really were all Jōnin. Danzo had paid quite a price to capture him.

Unfortunately, it only benefited Xuan.

"I happen to be quite interested in the Cursed Tongue Eradication Jutsu. You came to my door voluntarily, saving me quite a bit of trouble." Xuan's smile remained unchanged, but the meaning in his words made the four Root ninjas' backs go cold. "There are still plenty of experiments that will need manpower. Four Jōnin-level test subjects could not be more suitable."

"Don't look down on us! Release!"

The four circulated their chakra at the same time, trying to forcefully break through the genjutsu.

Yet no matter what they did, the scenery around them remained utterly unchanged.

"How is this possible? Why can't we break it? What kind of genjutsu is this?"

At last, a trace of panic entered the leader's voice.

Uchiha Madara's mastery of genjutsu ranked among the best in the entire Ninja World.

Yet even a genjutsu cast by a Kage Level expert should have been broken by that last attempt.

What exactly was this little brat?

He was only three years old. How could this be possible?

"Heh."

Xuan curled his lips, speaking unhurriedly. "Because my genjutsu does not use chakra at all. It is purely suppression on the spiritual level."

He paused and looked over the four men before him as though they were interesting test specimens.

"You are very fortunate to become the first batch of practical test subjects for my original spiritual genjutsu. It's enough for you to brag about for the rest of your lives."

"Alright, it's time to come with me."

As soon as he finished speaking, the four men felt their vision go dark, and their consciousness instantly cut off.

"Brag about your ass—"

Before they completely lost consciousness, that was the only curse left in their minds.

Bang! Bang!

In the real world, the four bodies collapsed at the same time, hitting the ground and falling unconscious.

Shadow Clone Jutsu.

Xuan formed a hand seal with one hand, and four puffs of white smoke exploded beside him.