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34
"Remember—whatever you do, *don't* mention that Ying fought off Uchiha Itachi alone..."
Just as they returned to the village, Kurenai Yuhi reminded her two students once again.
"Every genius in the Uchiha clan... their ends were tragic. Ying probably understood this too. That's why he hides his strength."
The Uchiha were never short on prodigies.
But none of them had happy endings—just look at Shisui or Itachi.
"I understand, sensei."
Shino Aburame nodded solemnly.
Even putting aside the clan massacre, the truth was simple:
Uchiha Ying was smart to keep his head down.
"And no missions for now. Until Ying returns to the village, I'll be putting you both through special training."
The Chūnin Exams were approaching.
And after everything they'd survived, Kurenai had no doubt her students would shine.
"Yes, ma'am!"
"Good. Dismissed for today."
She couldn't wait to get home, take a long bath, and finally rest.
As for *that* student of hers—if he dared return late, she'd *personally* remind him what 'sensei's authority' meant.
She muttered this in her heart as she headed off.
"Hey, Kurenai! You're back already? You didn't say anything—I thought we could grab a drink?"
Around the corner, a breathless Asuma Sarutobi finally caught up to her.
"Asuma? Not today. I just got back—I really need to rest. Maybe another time."
Kurenai wasn't blind to Asuma's recent attention.
And she didn't exactly dislike her childhood friend...
But lately, her mind had been occupied by one troublesome student in particular.
"I see. You should rest then. I'll—"
Before Asuma could finish, he realized Kurenai was already gone.
He sighed.
Did she... not like him that way?
---
"Sorry about Hayate. He's a bit childish at times... but he's not a bad guy."
Yugao Uzuki could only rub her temples at Hayate's sudden challenge toward Uchiha Ying.
"It's fine. I was hoping to see his abilities anyway."
Actually—this was *perfect*.
Hayate Gekkō's strength was average, but his bloodline limit—**Transparent Release**—let him turn invisible.
A damn good power.
Ying had been wondering how to get his hands on it.
And now the man was volunteering it himself.
"Don't worry, Yugao. I won't hurt him."
Hayate formed the confrontation seal with absolute confidence.
He needed to redeem himself in front of Yugao.
He'd show this sharp-tongued Uchiha kid what a *real* shinobi could do.
"Then please go easy on me, senpai."
Ying smiled politely—but there was no way he was ending this without earning Hayate's ninja fragment.
"Be careful. Hayate's bloodline is almost undetectable without the Byakugan."
Yugao offered a genuine warning.
She didn't believe a genin like Ying could actually beat him.
Transparent Release was just too hard to counter.
"Is that so?"
How convenient.
After absorbing more of Hinata's ninja fragments, Ying's control over the Byakugan was getting sharper by the day.
"Watch closely, kid."
Hayate gave a short warning—
Then vanished.
**Transparent Release: Invisibility.**
In a blink, his body became perfectly transparent.
Even his chakra signature faded.
A flawless concealment technique—except that it lost effectiveness during attacks.
And wind-style users, who could sense airflow, were natural counters.
"Wow... he really disappeared. Senpai's amazing."
Ying commented in awe as he *watched Hayate's every movement* with pinpoint clarity.
Then, acting on 'instinct', he casually swung his fist.
**Smack!**
"Huh. Did I hit something?"
"*Cough—!*"
Hayate had planned to sneak up and toy with him.
He never expected the brat to *randomly* punch and land a hit—right in the face.
Just dumb luck... surely.
He wouldn't be that lucky twice—wait, what!?
**Thunk!**
Before Hayate could retaliate, the world spun around him.
"I told you. Your coughing gives you away."
Ying tripped him neatly with a leg sweep, knocking him out of invisibility.
"You—!"
Flushed and frustrated, Hayate abandoned stealth and drew his longsword.
"Then I'll show you Konoha-ryu kenjutsu—head-on!"
He'd nearly forgotten—he didn't *need* Transparent Release to beat a genin.
**Genjutsu: Tree Binding Death!**
Ying smiled, raising a hand just as Hayate charged in.
Suddenly, thick roots sprouted beneath Hayate's feet, wrapping around his legs—then his arms.
His blade froze in mid-swing. His body wouldn't budge.
"This is..."
A genjutsu!?
"Sensei Kurenai taught me this one. Didn't expect it to work first try."
Well—technically, it only worked because he'd absorbed her ninja fragment.
"A genjutsu...?"
Hayate closed his eyes and poured all his chakra into breaking the illusion.
A few moments later, he broke free—gasping.
"Hmph. That was nothing! My kenjutsu is still—"
"That's enough, Hayate!"
Yugao snapped.
"If Ying had wanted to, you'd already be dead."
"I..."
Hayate sheathed his sword, unwilling but forced to admit it.
"I took the easy way. I was prepping the genjutsu from the moment you vanished, senpai. That's why it worked."
Ying casually picked up the ninja fragment that dropped from Hayate's body.
He didn't press the fight further.
After all, they *were* going on a mission together.
"I wouldn't stand a chance in a direct sword fight."
"...So that's how it is. No wonder I fell for it."
Hearing those words soothed Hayate's bruised ego.
"Hayate, just cool it for a moment."
Yugao sighed.
This long stretch of peace had dulled him more than she'd thought.
He couldn't even read such
a clear outcome.
"For now, we rest here. Once Kakashi-senpai arrives, we move together to the Land of Water."
But…
Why was he taking so long?
Wave Country wasn't far.
…Could something have happened?
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