Some time later.
Hatake Seikū sat on the ground, panting heavily. Beads of sweat rolled down his face and dripped onto the dirt below.
He looked up at Uchiha Yuan with a mix of awe and disbelief. "Uchiha-kun, you're really strong. I can't even begin to guess how powerful you actually are."
"You must've been hiding your strength during that match with Uehara Isamu."
Seikū knew Uehara Isamu's ability well—he didn't think himself much weaker. Yet, back then, Yuan had seemed only a little stronger than Isamu.
But after personally sparring with him, Seikū finally realized the truth—Uchiha Yuan's strength was far beyond what he had imagined.
It was overwhelming, crushing.
Every punch, every kick Seikū threw had been like striking a mountain. No matter how much power he used, Yuan didn't budge at all. His attacks vanished into nothingness, like stones sinking into the ocean without a ripple.
Still catching his breath, Seikū frowned in puzzlement. "Uchiha-kun, why didn't you hide your strength this time? Aren't you afraid I might tell others?"
Yuan smiled faintly, meeting his gaze. "Then tell me, will you keep my secret?"
Seikū froze. After a few moments of silence, he lifted his head, eyes full of determination. "I don't understand why you're hiding your strength, Uchiha-kun, but… since you trusted me enough to show it, I won't betray that trust. You have my word—I'll keep it secret."
Hearing that, Yuan's smile widened. "In that case, just call me Yuan from now on, Seikū."
Seikū blinked, then broke into a grin of his own. "Alright then—nice to meet you properly, Yuan-kun."
The two exchanged a smile, and then Seikū asked, "Yuan-kun, how was my taijutsu just now?"
Yuan didn't sugarcoat it. "Weak. Too weak."
"Your foundation's unstable, your strength is lacking, your moves are disorganized—there's no structure at all. For example, that straight punch you threw earlier—"
By the time Yuan finished his critique, Seikū looked stunned. "Am I really that bad?"
Yuan shot him a sidelong glance. "From my perspective, yes. But to others, your taijutsu might seem decent."
"You probably think it doesn't matter, right? That as long as you use chakra to enhance your body, everything will be fine."
Seikū didn't answer, but his expression clearly said, Well… isn't that true?
"Chakra does boost strength and reflexes," Yuan continued, "but even if you pour the same chakra into a steel rod and a wooden stick, their power isn't the same, is it?"
Seikū fell silent for a moment, then nodded slowly. "I see what you mean now, Yuan-kun."
"I'll rely on your guidance for my training from now on."
Yuan took up a stance, feet firm, arms relaxed. "Then follow this posture. Match your breathing to the rhythm I show you. No matter how hard it feels, don't stop."
"This is called Zhan Zhuang—Standing Post training. Combined with a special breathing method, it helps circulate your blood and energy, building physical stability."
"The stronger your blood and vitality, the stronger your body becomes. And the more chakra you can refine."
Seikū listened with growing curiosity and began imitating the stance. Soon his breathing slowed, deepened, and fell into a strange but steady rhythm.
Yuan stood beside him, occasionally correcting his posture or breathing pattern.
After a while, Seikū's face turned red, his body trembling slightly. Sweat poured down his cheeks.
"Alright, that's enough for today," Yuan said at last. "Didn't expect you to last nineteen minutes your first time. Not bad at all."
Hearing that, Seikū immediately dropped the stance, exhaling a long breath before gasping for air again and again.
His entire body was drenched, heat rising visibly from his skin. He never would've imagined that standing still could be so exhausting.
"Yuan-kun, this training method is amazing… but are you sure it's okay for you to teach me?"
Though his body was sore and heavy, his instincts told him this practice was doing something good—something deep.
Yuan smiled. "Don't worry. Just don't spread it around."
"Of course not! I won't tell anyone," Seikū promised quickly.
"Good," Yuan said. "Besides, this is just friendly training between classmates. I know your Hatake clan is famous for its taijutsu. Especially the Hatake Kenjutsu—your clan reveres White Fang's swordsmanship, doesn't it? His name alone shook the entire ninja world."
Seikū blinked, a thoughtful look in his eyes. "Yuan-kun… you're different from the others in the village."
Yuan tilted his head. "Different? How so?"
"When people in the village mention Konoha's White Fang, they always speak with scorn or disgust. But you don't—you actually sound like you respect him."
He looked both nervous and hopeful as he said it.
Yuan nodded solemnly. "That's right. I do respect White Fang. In my eyes, he was a true hero."
Seikū froze. Even though he'd hoped Yuan would say that, hearing it aloud still stunned him.
"But… everyone in the village says White Fang was the disgrace of the ninja, a traitor to Konoha. Why would you—respect him?"
Yuan gave a cold smile. "That's their opinion. Why should I listen to it?"
"Those who don't investigate the truth have no right to speak. This village is full of fools who blindly follow the crowd, never thinking for themselves."
"Tell me, Seikū—do you even know the real story of White Fang?"
Seikū shook his head, eyes downcast.
Yuan sighed softly. "I don't know all the details either. But I do know this—White Fang completed countless S-rank missions. During the Second Shinobi World War, he single-handedly wiped out the Sand's command unit, forcing Sunagakure to surrender."
"Even the Kage of the Great Villages treated him seriously. The name of Konoha's Three Legendary Sannin may be famous across the ninja world, but the name of White Fang stood above even theirs."
The Sannin were the village's most celebrated heroes—idols of the current generation.
Seikū murmured softly, almost to himself, "I didn't know… Uncle was that revered across the entire ninja world."
Yuan's brows rose in surprise. "Wait—White Fang is your uncle?"
Seikū nodded slowly, his voice low. "Yes. My father was his younger brother. He was a special jōnin, but… a few years ago, he was gravely injured on a mission. He's been crippled ever since."
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