"That's… the Sharingan—!"
Anko stared in shock at Wen Lan's crimson eyes, the two tomoe slowly rotating.
"So young, and he's already awakened it?!"
Even Yūhi Kurenai looked stunned.
Asuma snapped out of his daze as well. His first reaction was disbelief—but the next instant, burning humiliation surged up.
He had been out of the Ninja Academy for years and was about to take the Chūnin Exams.
Yet he had suffered a loss at the hands of a child—right in front of the girl he liked.
How could he not be furious?
Clutching his chakra blades, Asuma slashed straight toward Wen Lan's neck!
"Asuma! What are you doing?!"
Anko shouted, reacting first.
Before, Asuma's attacks had been aimed at Wen Lan's body—clearly meant as a "lesson."
But striking for the neck?
That was lethal.
"Too slow."
Wen Lan's voice sounded calmly.
In the next instant, his right hand drew the blade— a flash of cold light cut through the air.
Before Asuma's chakra blade could reach Wen Lan's throat, it was knocked aside by a fierce counter-slash.
Wen Lan's gaze was icy, the Sharingan glowing an eerie red.
Asuma barely managed to block with the chakra blade in his other hand, but the shock numbed his grip, forcing him to stagger back several steps.
"Now it's my turn."
Wen Lan gripped his blade with both hands and took a deep breath.
To everyone's astonishment, white mist of intense heat poured from his mouth.
The next moment, he surged forward—
Flames burst from the blade in his hand.
"Flame Breathing · First Form · Unknowing Fire!"
Fire roared along the edge of the sword.
The scorching heat warped the very air around them.
Asuma's pupils shrank as an overwhelming sense of danger washed over him.
He instinctively retreated, trying to open distance—but Wen Lan was faster, charging like a raging inferno.
Blade light and heat waves intertwined, completely engulfing Asuma's vision.
He raised his chakra blades in a desperate block, but the fiery strike shattered his defense.
A blast of searing wind hit him, pain flaring through his arm as he was driven back against a tree—utterly unable to counterattack.
Wen Lan didn't stop.
He pushed off the ground, closing in again like blazing fire.
With both hands on the hilt, his blade traced a burning arc upward.
"Flame Breathing · Second Form · Rising Scorching Sun!"
Asuma hadn't even regained his footing when the wave of heat slammed toward him.
With no time to think, he leapt back instinctively—
But the flames followed him like living fire, catching his shoulder midair.
Boom!
Asuma was blasted away, crashing heavily to the ground.
His left sleeve was burned black, charred through.
Gritting his teeth, Asuma struggled to his feet, shock and rage flashing in his eyes.
But when he looked up—
A circular ring of fire, blazing like a miniature sun, stood vertically around Wen Lan.
Scalding currents twisted the air, as if space itself were being sliced apart.
The tree Asuma had leaned against a moment ago had been cut clean in half, its cross-section pitch-black with charring.
As it fell, flames swallowed it whole, reducing it to ashes in moments.
Wen Lan slowly sheathed his blade and looked at Asuma coldly.
"Still want to continue?"
Asuma clenched his teeth, veins bulging on his forehead, chakra blades trembling in his hands.
His left arm was already going numb, the burning pain spreading.
He wanted to reclaim his dignity—especially in front of the girl he liked.
But he also knew it clearly.
He was no match for the boy before him.
Not even close.
Shun!
A figure suddenly appeared nearby—a man in a tight vest, a ninja blade on his back, wearing an animal mask.
ANBU.
"Sarutobi Asuma. The Hokage summons you. Come with me immediately."
Asuma ground his teeth, unwilling to admit defeat.
But the ANBU's arrival gave him a perfect way out.
If this continued, no matter how it ended, he would only disgrace himself further.
"Consider yourself lucky today!"
Asuma sheathed his chakra blades, snorted coldly, and turned to leave.
"Hmph."
Wen Lan let out a soft snort, watching Asuma go as the flames around him receded like a tide.
If not for his wariness of Sarutobi Hiruzen's strength, Wen Lan would have already cut Asuma down.
The situation inside the village was far too complicated.
Everyone knew that Namikaze Minato was Jiraiya's disciple, and that Hiruzen intended to groom him.
Minato was also on good terms with Uchiha Fugaku, not to mention Mikoto and Kushina being close friends.
At this moment, if Wen Lan proposed rebellion, Fugaku would have to be out of his mind to agree.
And whether Fugaku had even awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan yet—
Wen Lan genuinely didn't know.
If he rebelled without it, that would be like searching for death with a lantern in a latrine.
In the end, it's still a matter of strength.
If I had enough power, I wouldn't need to worry about any of this.
Wen Lan walked to the riverbank and reeled in his fishing rod.
A fish was still dangling from the hook.
He lifted it, staring at the rippling surface of the water, unwillingness flickering in his eyes—yet helpless all the same.
He turned to leave—
Only to be stopped by Anko.
"Hey, hey, hey! What was that sword style you used just now? It looked amazing! Can you teach me?"
Anko squatted in front of him with a grin.
"I'll treat you to tricolor dango!"
Wen Lan paused. He hadn't expected Anko and Kurenai to still be here.
"That sword style can only be used with Breathing Techniques," Wen Lan said flatly.
"You can't learn it."
He turned to leave.
Kurenai stepped in front of him and bowed deeply.
"I'm sorry. My friend attacked you earlier, and we couldn't stop him in time. I hope you'll accept my apology."
Wen Lan glanced at her and spoke calmly.
"First, he is he, and you are you. The one who made the mistake was him, not you—so there's no need to lump yourselves together."
"Second, when you apologize, just apologize. Don't say things like 'please accept it.'"
"If I say I don't accept it, what can you do?"
"An apology is an attitude, not a transaction."
"If he weren't a villager, the moment he attacked me, he'd already be dead."
"Forgiving him is the Sage of Six Paths' business."
"My business—
is sending him to meet the Sage of Six Paths."
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