Chapter 18

With that, he slammed the door and left again.

On his way back, a cold sneer hung on his face. Hiruzen, you think I can't do anything just because you won't let me make a move?

Dream on!

The more you try to stop me, the more determined I am to get my hands on Uchiha Yan.

Just wait. Once I've turned him into a blade I can wield, you'll be the first person I test him on. Hmph!

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

Three months passed in the blink of an eye.

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

Each time, he kept Yan talking for hours, intent on filling his head with the so-called Will of Fire.

Naturally, Yan put on an attentive face and acted full of admiration for the Third Hokage.

He left the Third Hokage thoroughly pleased with himself.

As for what Yan really thought, only he knew.

Tsunade saw it all, but she kept her mouth shut.

After all, the Third Hokage was her teacher.

Besides, she knew just how sharp that little brat Yan was.

Her teacher thought he could fill Yan's head with nonsense and fool him?

He didn't stand a chance.

That little brat saw things from a perspective far beyond anyone else in Konoha.

His values and ideas had long been set in stone. How could a few stale speeches from the Third Hokage shake them?

If anything, Yan might turn the tables and make a fool of him.

And she...

Heh. When that happened, she would probably enjoy watching her teacher become a laughingstock.

So much for the bond between teacher and student.

That day, in Tsunade's office.

"You don't need to keep coming to the hospital when there's nothing for you to do. Go train on your own."

"You haven't really practiced any combat ninjutsu yet, have you?"

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

"Now get lost."

Tsunade waved Yan away with an impatient look, as though shooing off an annoying fly.

After these three months, the boy had nearly drained her dry.

She had watched Yan catch up to her in medicine, then surpass her without a second thought. He had done it so fast that she began to question her life.

She used to think she was pretty smart.

Compared with Yan, though, she looked hopelessly stupid.

She really couldn't teach this disciple anymore. It was too discouraging, too crushing.

"Teacher, are you abandoning me?"

Yan blinked up at Tsunade with a pitiful look.

"Ugh—could you be any more disgusting? You're giving me goosebumps!"

Tsunade shuddered and hurriedly rubbed her arms.

She reached out, pinched Yan's cheeks, and pulled them hard to either side. With a stern face, she said, "Don't think you can get away with anything just because you're good-looking! You think I don't know how crafty you are?"

There was no judging this boy by the standards of an ordinary child.

"I'm innocent, Teacher!"

Yan immediately raised both hands in surrender.

He stared at Tsunade with an aggrieved look.

What was wrong with her? She was always pinching his cheeks. Didn't he have any dignity?

"Heh!"

Tsunade gave a cold laugh, suddenly pulled Yan into her arms, and vigorously tousled his hair. She didn't let go until his black hair looked like a bird's nest.

Then she pushed him away without hesitation and waved a hand. "Get lost!"

"Heartbreaker!"

Yan tossed out the accusation and bolted.

Tsunade laughed at the sight. "That little brat!"

A heartbreaker?

She was his teacher!

He made it sound as if she had done something to him.

Yan left the Ninja Hospital and headed toward the Uchiha clan compound.

He had learned every Medical Ninjutsu technique, and using them came naturally now. All that remained was to spend some time honing each one to perfection.

He didn't need to come to the hospital every day for now. He could take the books he hadn't finished home and read them at his leisure.

He thought as he walked.

It was also time to get serious about training in ninjutsu, developing new techniques, and studying Taijutsu in depth.

Lately, he had been immersed in learning Medical Ninjutsu, building his knowledge, and performing surgeries.

It had been exhausting, but he had learned a great deal.

He had thoroughly put together a framework for the Ninja World's medical system.

Once he added some reference books and notes on medicinal herbs, it would be more or less complete.

Then medicine would present far fewer obstacles when he researched Kekkei Genkai, ninjutsu, and Taijutsu.

Experiments would be much easier, too.

His control over Chakra had also improved.

He hadn't expected his teacher to hand over the Monster Strength Technique. It was worth studying carefully, and there was room to develop it further.

Four figures sprang from the bushes on either side of the road, surrounding Yan in an instant.

The leader's face was expressionless, his gaze icy. He spoke in a voice that brooked no refusal. "Uchiha Yan, Lord Danzo wants to see you. Come with us."

Yan stopped and swept his gaze over the four of them. A faint smile curled his lips instead.

"Tch. I was wondering how long you planned to stay hidden. Couldn't hold back anymore?"

The lead Root ninja's pupils contracted slightly, and his voice deepened. "So you noticed us long ago? Your perception is impressive. We underestimated you."

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

Before he had finished speaking, all four drew their blades at once. Their movements were clean and swift, their blades aimed straight at Yan's limbs.

They didn't hold back, but they weren't trying to kill him either—Danzo wanted him alive.

Crippling his limbs and leaving him unable to move was their goal.

Four Ninja Blades pierced Yan's body at almost the same instant.

But the moment they thought they had him, all four faces changed.

"Spiritual Illusion Technique: Madder World."

"What?" The leader's pupils shrank sharply. "A genjutsu? When did we get caught?"

Yan grinned, flashing a row of white teeth. "You were caught from the very beginning."

He glanced leisurely over the four of them, disappointment plain in his voice. "That's the mental strength of Jōnin? Honestly, I'm disappointed."

All four were indeed Jōnin. Danzo had spared no expense to capture him.

Unfortunately for them, Yan was the one who stood to gain.

"I've been interested in the Cursed Tongue Eradication Jutsu, and you've delivered yourselves to me. That saves me a lot of trouble." Yan's smile didn't change, but his words sent chills down the four Root ninjas' spines. "I'll need subjects for plenty of experiments later. Four Jōnin-level test subjects couldn't be more suitable."

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

All four circulated their Chakra at once, trying to break through the illusion by force.

But no matter what they did, the scene around them remained unchanged.

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

Panic finally crept into 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 powerhouse should, in theory, have broken under that last attempt.

Just where had this boy come from?

He was barely over three years old. How was this possible?

"Heh."

Yan's lips curved slightly, his tone unhurried. "Because my illusion doesn't use Chakra at all. It's pure suppression on a mental level."

He paused, looking over the four of them as though they were fascinating test subjects.

"You're lucky to be the first people I've tested my original Spiritual Illusion Technique on in a real fight. You can brag about that for the rest of your lives."

"All right. Time to come with me."

As soon as he finished speaking, darkness swallowed their vision, and their consciousness cut out.

Brag, my ass—

That was the last thought in their minds before they lost consciousness completely.

Thud! Thud!

In the real world, all four bodies fell at once, hitting the ground unconscious.

"Shadow Clone."

Yan formed Hand Seals with one hand, and four puffs of white smoke burst into being beside him.