Ye, You've Suffered...

Ye's gaze swept back and forth across the clan grounds.

At the street corner, a familiar figure emerged from the Security Force headquarters.

Uchiha Nohibi.

A Security Force squad captain, a genuine Three-Tomoe Jonin.

Just a few days ago, at the Ninja Academy gates, he had forcibly pinned the blame for a group beating on a Chunin and thrown him into prison—the ultimate shamelessly protective maniac.

Ye instantly switched expressions, flashing a dazzlingly sunny smile as he jogged over.

"Big Brother Nohibi!"

Ye's voice was clear and loud, his tone incredibly intimate.

Nohibi was taking off the Ninja Sword at his waist, rolling his neck to loosen up as he considered where to go for a few drinks.

Hearing the call, he instinctively turned around.

The moment he saw that it was Ye, the stern, grim-reaper expression Nohibi wore year-round instantly melted away, and he broke into a smile as wide as a chrysanthemum.

This was the peerless little monster who had awakened a One-Tomoe Sharingan in practical combat class, crushed Kakashi, and become the darling of the Elder and the entire upper echelon!

"Yo! Isn't this the future light of our Uchiha?"

Nohibi strode over, squatted down in one motion, and vigorously ruffled Ye's head with his broad palm, his tone utterly doting.

"What's this? The little genius is on break, but instead of resting at home, you came looking for your big brother? Want me to give you some extra lessons?"

He planted his hands on his hips and pounded his chest hard, taking on the task without hesitation.

"Tell me! Did you hit a bottleneck in your training?"

"The Security Force's been so bored patrolling the streets lately that birds could lay eggs in our mouths. Come on! I'll take you to the clan's most secret training ground and show you what real Uchiha Fire Release looks like!"

Faced with this Three-Tomoe Jonin, who was ready to skip work and teach him everything he knew, Ye did not cheer with excitement. Instead, he obediently shook his head.

He stepped forward and lightly tugged at the hem of Nohibi's clan uniform, embroidered with a gunbai, with two fingers.

Ye furtively glanced around.

After confirming that no one was nearby, he stood on tiptoe and leaned closer to Nohibi.

"No, Big Brother Nohibi. I don't want to train in the village."

Ye spoke slowly, enunciating every word. "I want to ask you to take me outside the village to train."

The surroundings were deathly still, the setting sun red as blood.

Hearing that, Nohibi lowered his head and stared at the child before him, who only came up to his waist, for a full three seconds.

Then he threw his head back and burst out laughing.

"Hahahaha! Well, damn!"

Nohibi laughed so hard he could barely straighten his back.

The laughter startled several crows off a utility pole.

Passing Uchiha clan members took one look at the hot-tempered squad captain and quickly lowered their heads before hurrying away.

"You brat, you've got quite the wild heart!"

Nohibi unceremoniously ruffled Ye's hair into a bird's nest.

In his eyes, this was nothing more than a child getting cocky after earning good grades and saying something reckless.

As his laughter faded, Nohibi straightened up and resumed that grim-reaper expression.

Putting on the authority of an elder, he pointed toward the village gates and lowered his voice.

"Kid, don't think the adult world is so simple."

"Outside Konoha's high walls is no playground for children."

"Within a hundred miles of the city lies a true meat grinder!"

"Rogue ninja and bounty hunters are everywhere."

"Wandering ninja can slit anyone's throat at any moment just to survive!"

"There might even be chained Explosive Tags buried beneath the roots of trees!"

Nohibi patted the hilt of the Ninja Sword at his waist, the metallic clink sharp and piercing.

"I know you're a rare genius."

"No matter how impressive you are at the Ninja Academy, once you leave the village walls, it's a whole different set of rules."

"Before a genius turns his talent into strength, a Kunai through the heart will still leave him nothing but a cold corpse."

After saying that, he puffed out his chest and offered a compromise.

"How about this? Stay in the village and behave for the next few days. I'll personally teach you a few real killing techniques that have seen the battlefield."

Nohibi raised one finger and casually made a promise.

"Once your strength reaches Chunin level, I won't say another word. I'll personally take you out of the village to broaden your horizons!"

"My word is my bond!"

The moment he finished speaking, Ye's eyes lit up.

He seized upon the key condition with perfect precision and stared fixedly at Nohibi.

"Big Brother, as long as I reach Chunin level, you'll take me out of the village, right? You said so?"

"Of course! When have I ever made an empty promise?"

Nohibi grinned broadly, his face full of certainty.

"As long as you meet the standard, I won't stop you! Come on, follow me to the training ground first!"

With that, Nohibi turned and strode toward the rear of the headquarters.

After taking four or five steps, he realized he could not hear footsteps following behind him.

Nohibi stopped in confusion and turned around.

"Ye? What are you spacing out for—"

His voice caught in his throat and abruptly cut off.

His mouth hung slightly open, his pupils violently contracting. It was as if a massive hammer had struck the back of his head, leaving him frozen in place.

Ye stood where he was, both hands in his pockets, without moving a single step.

The black of his eyes had instantly shifted to a cold, crimson red!

Two black tomoe floated at the center of his blood-red pupils, rotating slowly and steadily!

As the Two-Tomoe Sharingan activated, a violent surge of Chakra exploded from Ye's small body!

Two-Tomoe Sharingan!

This was absolutely genuine Chunin-level combat power, perhaps even stronger!

But Nohibi had completely forgotten to assess his combat strength.

He stared fixedly at the two tomoe in Ye's eyes, his mind crashing on the spot.

Two-Tomoe.

A seven-year-old with Two-Tomoe!

As an Uchiha who had crawled out of piles of corpses, Nohibi understood better than anyone the curse carried by those eyes.

The deeper the pain, the stronger the eyes.

Only soul-rending agony could bring evolution!

Nohibi recalled the first half of his life.

He had awakened Two-Tomoe when he was twelve.

On a night of torrential rain, he had lain in the mud.

He had watched helplessly as the teammate who took a blade for him was cut in half at the waist, while their Chunin captain had his neck twisted apart by a Sunagakure puppet master.

Scalding organs and muddy water had drenched him from head to toe...

He had awakened Three-Tomoe when he was seventeen.

Half his squad had been blown into pieces.

He had personally carried the girl he treasured most out of a trench, only for her to breathe her last in his arms.

A severed hand had landed on the top of his foot.

That had been a hell ordinary people could never endure.

But what about this child before him?

A branch-family orphan, only six and a half years old, with no one to rely on.

He usually looked so cheerful and close with everyone, but in some unseen darkness, what level of despair had he experienced?!

Loneliness?

Secret bullying?

Or had he teetered on the verge of collapse in some unknown corner, forcing himself to swallow every trace of blood and tears?!

Nohibi's eyes reddened at a visible speed.

His heart felt as if it were being brutally kneaded by a rough hand, and sorrow exploded in his chest.

A seven-foot-tall iron man, the unquestioned grim reaper of the Security Force, actually shed a burning tear in the middle of the street.

"Drip."

The warm tear struck his Uchiha clan uniform, spreading into a dark wet stain.

"Little Ye..." Nohibi's throat had gone completely hoarse, his voice trembling beyond recognition.

"You... you've suffered so much..."

Three steps away.

With both hands in his pockets, Ye stared at the burly man before him, whose eyes had suddenly reddened as tears streamed down his face, and blanked out for a second.

He tilted his head, three huge question marks practically popping up above it.

What was going on?

Why were you crying, Big Brother?

Didn't I just press the system lottery button and painlessly advance to Two-Tomoe?