Discharge

Leaving Laiyun in the room for the moment, Ye Fan pulled open the door, stepped out, and found Hana Inuzuka at work.

"Are you heading back?" Hana Inuzuka looked at Ye Fan.

"Hana, there's something I'd like to discuss with you." Ye Fan carefully chose his words.

"Oh?" Hana Inuzuka smiled faintly, unhurriedly set aside her work, and asked, "Go on. What is it?"

"I want to take Laiyun home to recuperate."

"Take Laiyun home?" Hana Inuzuka was somewhat surprised. "Why? Laiyun has only just started getting better."

"I'm planning to adopt Laiyun."

"What?" Hana Inuzuka was startled. Seeing the seriousness on Ye Fan's face, she realized he was not joking.

"Hana, you've seen my treatment methods. To be honest, there's not much point in keeping Laiyun here. I can completely heal Laiyun myself."

As if noticing Hana Inuzuka's hesitation, Ye Fan hurriedly added, "Laiyun's biggest problem isn't its physical injuries, but its emotional wounds. Hana, you know how deeply Aoi's death affected Laiyun. If it stays here, it might become dispirited again, just like last time."

Hearing this, Hana Inuzuka could not help recalling Laiyun's half-dead appearance a few days ago. If that condition returned, it really would be serious.

"All right. Taking Laiyun home to recuperate may have better results." After giving it some thought, Hana Inuzuka agreed.

After all, even if Laiyun left the veterinary hospital, it would still be living in her home. Once she finished work, she could still look after it.

More importantly, with a loafer like Ye Fan keeping it company, Laiyun might be able to move past its grief sooner.

It was already dusk, and the streets of Konoha Village were at their liveliest.

Ye Fan walked down the street side by side with Laiyun, drawing quite a few looks. Many people even began turning their conversations toward him.

"Is that Inuzuka Ye Fan? He still hasn't graduated from the Ninja Academy? His talent must be terrible."

"Many students from his class have even become Chunin. He wanders around all day like that—what could he possibly be thinking?"

"The Inuzuka Clan must have a real headache with someone like him. The other clans will definitely mock them over it."

Those grating voices did not slow Ye Fan's steps in the slightest. Facing the last glimmer of the setting sun, he walked thoughtfully toward home.

Laiyun, walking beside Ye Fan, was deeply puzzled. It knew perfectly well that Ye Fan was no useless trash now, so why did he let those people ridicule him?

After they returned home, Laiyun voiced that question.

"Why waste words on people who can't see beyond their own noses? Their prejudice often saves me a great deal of trouble instead," Ye Fan said with a smile.

The reason he could skip class every day and do whatever he wanted was because, in everyone else's eyes, he was a dead last who could not even graduate from the Ninja Academy.

Arguing with those people would only waste energy and might make him the focus of certain people's attention. Ye Fan did not want to be watched; that would seriously interfere with his plans.

Woof! Woof!

At that moment, Shadow, the young ninja hound, ran out of the room, wagging his tail as he darted around Ye Fan's feet.

Because both had formed soul contracts with Ye Fan, Shadow and Laiyun quickly established a special connection. The two ninja hounds could communicate through thought alone.

Entering the room, Ye Fan took out several bottles and jars containing various medicinal solutions he had mixed over the past few days. They would be of great help in treating Laiyun's current condition.

"In a few days, you'll be able to begin training." Knowing Laiyun's desire for strength, Ye Fan told it the results of his examination.

Laiyun said nothing, but anticipation gleamed in its eyes.

Before returning, Ye Fan had already told it about the training. Though the specific steps had not yet been fully decided, one thing was certain: after the training, Laiyun's strength would soar.

The sun vanished completely, and streetlamps lit up across Konoha Village. Many ninja who had finished their day's missions could be seen on the streets.

After completing a day of training, Kiba Inuzuka walked home with his head hanging low.

For the past few days, he had focused on training himself to hold his breath. He had thought hard work would yield results, but the outcome had dealt him a blow.

He was still far from the twenty minutes Ye Fan had mentioned. Kiba Inuzuka could not help wondering whether he could truly master this technique.

Why could he not see even a shred of hope?

Or had he been training in the wrong direction these past few days?

Carrying disappointment and unwillingness, Kiba Inuzuka listlessly opened the door and weakly called out, "I'm home!"

The moment he entered, Kiba Inuzuka was startled by the enormous white figure in the room. Looking closely, he saw a huge white ninja hound staring at him with a scrutinizing gaze.

"You are..." Kiba Inuzuka froze for a moment before recognizing it and crying out, "Laiyun!"

Ever since Laiyun had returned to Konoha injured, this was the first time Kiba Inuzuka had seen it. Compared to how Laiyun had looked in his memories, its body had grown much larger.

Ninja hounds grew quickly. After all, their average lifespan was only around thirty years. By age, the Laiyun before him was in the prime of its life. Its body was nearly as tall as a person, and it could easily carry several people on its back.

Laiyun nodded in response to Kiba Inuzuka.

After observing him, Laiyun found that Kiba Inuzuka was still the same kid it remembered, not someone who had suddenly become a monstrous genius like Ye Fan.

"Laiyun, I heard you were injured." Kiba Inuzuka seemed to have forgotten the frustrations of his training. Spreading his arms, he hugged Laiyun's snowy white, fluffy body.

He remembered riding on Laiyun's back many times and showing off in front of the other students at the Ninja Academy. He had always hoped Akamaru would grow up quickly too, so he could carry him around everywhere like Laiyun did.

"Kiba, did you gain anything from your training today?" Ye Fan emerged from the room.

Kiba Inuzuka's face immediately fell. Back then, he had confidently declared that he would reach the first stage's training goal before long. Now, that goal still seemed impossibly far away.

Seeing that Kiba Inuzuka remained silent, Ye Fan could guess the result. "Kiba, keep working hard. Think about the benefits of having a Bloodline Limit. Nothing worth gaining comes without effort."

Ye Fan would offer encouragement at the right time. From the very beginning, he had not expected Kiba Inuzuka to make a rapid breakthrough.

Once Kiba Inuzuka's temperament had been tempered a little more, Ye Fan naturally had ways to help him master the technique.

Keep it up, my little brother!