"He's our big brother," Uchiha Daishi said proudly, his face full of satisfaction.
The way Uchiha Eiji had just been toyed with like a fool was immensely gratifying to watch.
Eiji's eyes narrowed as he looked Yuan up and down, his tone sharp and cold.
"So you're the so-called leader of this bunch of weaklings. To sneak up on me without my even noticing—Uchiha Yuan, I'll admit, you've surprised me."
"Long time no see, Uchiha Eiji," Yuan replied calmly.
The two of them were both students at the Ninja Academy, though not in the same class.
Eiji frowned slightly, his gaze flickering. He didn't know Yuan well—only that he wasn't part of the clan's main family.
The Uchiha had nearly a thousand members; many barely knew each other's faces.
Yuan glanced over at Daishi and the other boys. Like him, they were all from side branches or outer families—families where a non-Uchiha man had married into the clan.
For such households, their children's chance of awakening the clan's Sharingan was much lower.
That was why most shinobi clans in the world preferred marriages within their own bloodlines—preserving power over generations.
To the main family, the outer line barely counted as Uchiha at all. They had no voice, no status.
Yuan himself was one such child—his father had married into the clan as a son-in-law.
Under Yuan's steady gaze, Daishi and the others hung their heads in shame.
"Big brother… we're sorry. We've embarrassed you," Daishi said quietly, bowing deeply.
Yuan's expression remained calm. "Indeed, it's embarrassing—more than ten of you losing to just three."
The boys' faces burned with shame and frustration, while Eiji and his two companions smirked in triumph.
But then Yuan added casually, "Still, if you keep following the training method I taught you, it won't be long before you beat them and reclaim your pride."
Eiji's smile froze, his face twisting in anger.
One of his companions, Uchiha Hayato, couldn't hold back and snapped, "Uchiha Yuan, you sure talk big! You only got lucky just now because Eiji was caught off guard. You think you can beat him? Impossible!"
Daishi immediately shot back, "You don't know how strong our big brother really is! I'll admit Eiji is stronger than us—but he's no match for our big brother!"
By now, the numbness and pain in Eiji's leg had faded, but his pride still burned from being outmaneuvered earlier.
He snorted coldly. "Enough talk. Let me see for myself what kind of strength you have, Uchiha Yuan."
Yuan shook his head lightly. "I already know your level from that brief exchange. You're not my opponent."
Eiji's eyes flashed with fury. "We'll see about that!"
In an instant, he lunged forward, fists flying.
Swish—swish—swish!
A flurry of punches followed by a spinning series of kicks—his moves flowed seamlessly, the perfect form of Uchiha-style Taijutsu, each strike weaving into the next like a net meant to trap his foe.
But every blow missed. Yuan avoided them all effortlessly, his movements simple yet elusive.
A few exchanges later, Yuan finally countered—his right fist shot out, colliding head-on with Eiji's punch.
The result was immediate: Yuan didn't budge an inch. Eiji, however, was sent flying backward, flipping midair before stumbling to regain balance several steps away.
What monstrous strength! he thought, grimacing. His right arm was trembling, his fist numb from the impact, as though he'd struck solid steel.
Yuan turned away, clearly done with the fight.
"Don't you walk away!" Eiji barked. "I haven't lost yet!"
Yuan looked back at him evenly. "Uchiha Eiji, you should already realize the gap between us."
Eiji froze for a moment. Deep down, he knew Yuan was right—but his pride refused to admit it.
Worse still was Yuan's tone: calm, assured, certain. That quiet confidence cut deeper than any insult.
"Uchiha Yuan," Eiji sneered, "what's the matter? Afraid to keep fighting? Or are you just another coward like those losers behind you—a piece of trash pretending to be strong?"
Yuan's eyes narrowed, a dangerous gleam flashing within them. Daishi and the others immediately felt the pressure of an invisible force—his aura, sharp as a blade, filled the air.
Eiji felt it too, and though his heart skipped, his fighting spirit only flared hotter.
Yuan's voice was cold as he said, "Very well. Accepting your challenge is a waste of my time. But if you lose, you'll grant me one condition."
After a brief pause, Eiji nodded. "Fine. But what if you lose?"
A confident, almost arrogant smile spread across Yuan's lips. "I won't lose. But if I do—you can do whatever you want with me."
Eiji's grin turned vicious. "Then it's settled. If you lose, you'll crawl on the ground and bark like a dog."
"You bastard!"
"How dare you insult our big brother like that!"
"Uchiha Eiji, you're the worst!"
Daishi and the others shouted angrily, but Yuan simply raised a hand, silencing them.
What an arrogant brat, he thought to himself. Fine then. I'll let you taste the justice of my iron fist.
The two stepped to the center of the clearing, while Daishi and the others formed a ring around them.
Eiji sneered. "You've barely learned any ninjutsu, haven't you? I'll show you why Taijutsu alone can't make a real shinobi."
As soon as he finished speaking, his figure blurred—
Body Flicker Technique!
He vanished, reappearing behind Yuan in a flash, a knife-hand strike cutting toward the back of Yuan's neck.
But Yuan moved—swiftly, naturally—twisting his waist and snapping a side kick backward.
Bam!
Eiji's body exploded into a puff of smoke—revealing a wooden log in his place.
A Substitution Jutsu, Yuan noted silently.
The next instant, a powerful gust tore through the air—Eiji had already closed in from the front, fist driving straight at Yuan's face!
Yuan caught the punch with one hand. Eiji used the recoil to spring back, flipping gracefully before darting forward again.
The clearing filled with sharp, rhythmic impacts—thud, crack, thud!—as their fists and palms collided again and again.
Eiji's form blurred, circling Yuan from every angle, his attacks relentless and fierce.
Daishi watched with wide eyes, then whispered to the boys beside him in awe, "Did you guys notice? Our big brother… he hasn't even moved from that spot this whole time."
To read advanced Chapters, head over to p@treon:
patreon.com/nani_kaito