Southwest of the Land of Grass, the sky gradually grew gloomy.
Karin couldn't help but look up at the mysterious and powerful Ninja beside her, yet she didn't dare to ask any questions.
"Let's rest here for a bit."
The Black-Robed Man looked ahead, "The Land of Fire is just past here."
"Are we going to the Land of Fire?"
"Yes, it's relatively safe here."
He looked down and took out a scroll.
On the way, the Black-Robed Man had already learned about Karin's general situation.
Thanks to her mother's teaching, she could refine Chakra and was literate, but that was the extent of it; she didn't know a single thing related to combat.
Fortunately, her talent for Chakra control was extremely high.
Upon testing, she could easily walk on water and climb trees without needing to practice.
This way, he wouldn't need many days of instruction.
The Black-Robed Man unrolled the scroll.
"Write your name using your own blood. Then, I will teach you basic Ninjutsu and Summoning Jutsu, so we can communicate through the Summoning Jutsu in the future."
"What happens after we enter the Land of Fire?"
Though Karin was still young, she had to force herself to remain calm.
She somewhat realized... the other party didn't seem to intend to protect her forever.
"I'll find a place for you to stay. Then, I will send messages via Summoning Jutsu to teach you the ability to protect yourself."
The Black-Robed Man looked down, "For you, if you want to become strong, you must put in much more effort than ordinary people. Do you understand?"
"Yes, my lord!"
Karin's tone was firm.
"Let's go. I'll teach you as we walk. The first thing you need to learn is the Transformation Jutsu, as well as some common Hair-Dyeing Techniques..."
The Black-Robed Man spoke as he walked.
Three days later, in a mountain village in the western Land of Fire, a certain lonely old grandmother's house gained a "granddaughter."
Her original children had all died, leaving her alone, and she was willing to take Karin in.
Before parting, tears welled up in Karin's eyes.
"My lord, will I see you again?"
"Survive, keep moving upward, and you will see me."
The Black-Robed Man waved his hand and disappeared into the mountains and fields.
Karin knew that since yesterday, the other person had already left; what remained was merely a Shadow Clone.
However, this lord had also left something behind.
A scroll sealing a Shadow Clone.
If a moment of crisis arrived, she could unseal and use it—provided she learned the Unsealing Technique.
She would definitely learn it!
Karin firmed her resolve... Ninja Academy, playground.
It was another day when two Taijutsu classes were held together.
Neji looked at the distant class, a hint of irritability surfacing between his brows.
Why hasn't he come back yet?
No matter how much of a genius Neji was, he was still just a child not even nine years old.
Since it wasn't wartime, they didn't need to graduate early. They were still more than three years away from becoming Genin, let alone researching their own "Gentle Fist."
This was truly beyond the scope of his current level.
But he was very intrigued.
The other party's words had truly struck a chord in his heart, making him feel an itch every day, wishing he could try it immediately.
But his own Gentle Fist... how should he do it?
Neji had no clue; he had only mastered the clan's Gentle Fist up to Sixteen Palms, still a bit away from Thirty-Two Palms.
What gave him some psychological comfort was that Hinata hadn't received any more guidance either.
Neji practiced his fist techniques silently, not joining the others.
At that moment.
"You're Hyuga Neji, right?"
Neji looked up, seeing the boy who stubbornly wore the Uchiha fan crest clothing. He stared at the other party for a few seconds and nodded slightly.
Sasuke said, "I want to fight you."
"Me?"
Neji smiled.
He lowered his hands and said, "Without having awakened your eyes, you couldn't possibly be my match in a one-on-one fight. However... I can give you a chance."
Neji took his stance.
Sasuke formed the Seal of Confrontation.
After the two formed their seals, they instantly clashed with a series of "bang bang" sounds.
Neither of them used Ninjutsu.
Relying purely on Taijutsu, Sasuke was naturally no match for Neji and soon fell into a disadvantage.
But Sasuke did not admit defeat, continuing to persist and struggle against him, observing and learning from Neji's ordinary Taijutsu.
Neji sneered, "What are you being so arrogant about? Competing in Taijutsu with a member of the Hyuga Clan, are you trying to insult me?"
"Do you care about winning and losing that much?"
After Sasuke clashed and separated again, he looked up with a firm attitude, "I don't care. I only care about whether I can become stronger!"
Neji's movements paused, and he didn't pursue immediately.
He stared at Sasuke and said, "Your fate has taken a turn beyond my expectations. Unfortunately, this itself is a part of fate and cannot be resisted."
Neji's tone carried a deep sense of pessimism.
Sasuke sneered, "That's because you're not strong enough!"
Neji's eyes instantly turned cold, veins bulging one by one: "You have no idea..."
Just as he was in a rage, a gentle voice suddenly came from a distance.
"Sparring?"
The emotions of the two were instantly extinguished.
Sasuke replied, "Teacher, I am asking the senior for guidance in Taijutsu."
Neji remained silent.
"Asking for guidance is a good thing. Only by learning from each other and making up for one's weaknesses can one become stronger."
Masahiko replied with a smile, "But, what can you teach him?"
"I'm teaching the senior to see himself clearly."
Sasuke held his head high and looked at Neji, "Since you feel fate cannot be resisted, what are you working so hard for every day? Wouldn't it be better to just go along with it?"
"Since you're unwilling to accept it, why do you keep talking about this theory?"
After saying that, he didn't look back and walked towards his own class.
Neji was very angry at being mocked to his face, but with Masahiko present, he had to endure it, though his face was cold and looked very unpleasant.
But after calming down, he couldn't help but fall silent.
Yes, he was unwilling.
But what could he do about being unwilling?
The Caged Bird Seal... Neji looked up at Yagyu Masahiko and left silently, without voicing the desire in his heart.
Masahiko smiled and didn't give chase.
Neji still had three years until graduation. He wasn't in a hurry; he had plenty of time to slowly wear down this "fatalist" pessimist.
Besides, isn't there still Hinata?
He walked back and greeted everyone.
Masahiko had just returned to the village. His main body had gone to the Hokage Building to report, and he sent a Shadow Clone here first—
He couldn't pass up any opportunity to potentially get some screen time!
...Konoha, Hokage Building.
After Masahiko bowed, he placed the intelligence scroll on Hiruzen Sarutobi's desk.
"Hokage-sama, this is the information regarding Shisui and Itachi. Also, this is what Orochimaru said..."
He repeated Orochimaru's words.
Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded gently, a look of sorrow flashing in his eyes as he gazed out the window for several seconds.
After calming his emotions, he asked, "So, he has indeed broken ties with those people?"
"It seems so, and he appears somewhat weak. I suspect he may have been hit by the technique he described..."
Masahiko looked at the scroll.
Hiruzen Sarutobi opened the intelligence scroll about Itachi and carefully read the information on it. After finishing, his expression darkened.
One eye is a pitch-black flame that burns everything.
The other eye is Genjutsu.
Very troublesome abilities.
Danzo!
A surge of nameless anger rose in Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart. He quickly took a deep breath to calm his emotions.
"Regarding that portion of Chakra..."
"He refused to return it."
Masahiko also reported "truthfully."
Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned and said, "What does he want to do?"
But what awaited him was only silence and stillness.
After a long time, he took a deep breath.
"Never mind, you may go."
He knew Masahiko still had to report to Danzo's side, so he didn't ask him to stay.