The earth-shaking explosion sounded as though the sky had collapsed, and it seemed to have come from somewhere not far from the village.
The sound came and went quickly, but that did not stop the villagers from running for their lives. One after another, they darted back home at speeds they could scarcely have imagined in ordinary times, their faces still pale with lingering fear.
More than ten kilometers from the village, a towering mountain over a hundred meters high lay slanted across the ground. Beside it stood two small figures: one wore a blank expression, while the other looked satisfied after showing off.
"Tietou, did you see that? This is the power of qi. Compared to not needing food, qi places greater emphasis on strength and destructive power."
"..."
Tietou was the mischievous child from the village chief's family. After spending the past month together, he had become the first to get close to Uchiha Gen through sheer persistence.
At first, Tietou merely thought Uchiha Gen was good-looking, and that being around him felt comfortable. He always found excuses to stay by his side.
But boys could never sit still, especially at fifteen or sixteen, an age when they were lively, restless, and loved getting into trouble. In the end, seeing how tempting Uchiha Gen was, a bold idea sprang up in Tietou's heart: he wanted to lay his hands on him.
"I'm sorry, Gen. I won't bother you again. Can you teach me how you did that?"
Tietou's face was full of pleading. When the mountain collapsed, his thoughts had already soared beyond the clouds. For the first time, his goal in life was so clear.
"I want to become stronger! Gen! Please teach me!"
Uchiha Gen did not answer. He stroked his chin as if deep