After sealing the lock of the Second Pillar's hair into a scroll, Yun slid it into the hidden compartment beneath his bed and quietly closed it.
Inside the compartment lay two scrolls.
One contained three-quarters of Obito's severed arm—usable as a medium linking Hashirama and Obito.
The other held Sasuke's hair… which would need time before Yun could tell whether it actually worked.
At this stage, trading with the Second Pillar was impossible anyway.
A one-year-old brat barely knew how to talk—trying to negotiate with him would be like playing music to a cow.
Besides, whether Indra's chakra had even settled into Sasuke yet was still uncertain. Hagoromo never specified when reincarnated chakra manifested. Did it come along immediately? Or awaken later?
Thunk.
Closing the compartment, Yun sat on his bed and started thinking about Wood Release hand seals.
The more he thought about it, the stranger it seemed.
Big Hashirama barely used hand seals at all. Clap his hands, shout something—and trees appeared. Madara was similar.
Hand seals were Indra's invention—created to guide chakra more precisely.
But did Indra or Asura themselves actually need them?
Hagoromo clearly didn't.
Hashirama could cast most Wood Release techniques with a single Snake seal—
though sealing the Nine-Tails with Sage Art: Wood Release—Advent of a World of Treesdid require seals.
Madara's Great Fire Annihilation did as well.
Summoning the Nine-Tails too.
Meanwhile, Edo Tobirama in Part One cast Water Formation Wall with only one seal.
So in the end—
There was no consistent logic.
Yun scratched his head.
Clone Kong was still grinding Water and Earth chakra nature transformations. Once Wood Release formed, techniques like World of Trees would become mandatory.
But stealing the Scroll of Seals from the Hokage Tower wasn't realistic. His current "model student" persona couldn't survive that kind of exposure.
So…
Looks like I'll have to develop them myself.
The Next Morning
Izumi froze when she saw her brother walking to school with her.
"…That's not a shadow clone?"
Yun smiled helplessly.
"Yesterday got a little intense. I didn't feel safe sending a clone today."
Whether it was "intense" didn't matter.
What mattered was that Yun had discovered something terrifying—
His shadow clones had zero self-restraint.
Poke them twice and they'd charge off to challenge the entire upper grades.
Yesterday was barely contained.
What if today they provoked a chūnin? Or worse—a jōnin?
And then what?
Advance graduation with Itachi? Blow his cover?
Why would anyone want to be a genin?
Academy life was perfect.
Clones study, I eat barbecue.
Sunbathe on the Hokage Monument, practice jutsu casually.
Why would I trade that for chasing cats, dredging sewers, or picking trash downstream?
Absolutely not.
Entering the classroom, Yun glanced at Itachi.
"Shadow clone again?"
Itachi nodded calmly.
"My real body is training. There's nothing left to learn here."
Yun patted his shoulder with a grin.
"Then you're probably getting beaten up again today."
Leaving Itachi confused, Yun walked over to sit with Tokuma and Hana.
He never sat next to Itachi—way too much attention.
As soon as he sat down, Hana leaned over.
"Is that the real you today or a clone? That trick is way too useful. I want to stay home and play with my dogs too, but my mom won't teach me."
"The real one," Yun replied, then casually asked,
"Does your family have a little brother? Inuzuka Kiba?"
Hana froze, then blushed furiously.
"Why are you investigating my family?! My brother's only a year old—he can't—"
"Relax. I'm not interested in you."
He paused. "…Or your brother."
She nearly exploded.
If Tokuma hadn't stopped her, Yun would've had to flee.
Honestly, he was just curious.
If a few members of the Konoha Twelve vanished due to butterfly effects, that'd be pretty interesting.
Hana decided she wasn't talking to him for three days.
Tokuma nudged Yun, rolling his Byakugan-white eyes.
"Hana's actually pretty cute. But seriously—why come in person today?"
Yun sighed.
"Yesterday I beat up all the upper grades. Today's bound to have consequences. If a clone goes wild again, it might demolish the school."
Tokuma laughed.
"If you manage to tear down the academy, I'll give you my allowance for the whole month. Two months' vacation guaranteed."
Heh.
Wishful thinking.
With Minato alive, Tenzo had already joined Kakashi's ANBU unit.
Instant construction—Three Rooms and One Hall Technique.
Infrastructure speed was terrifying.
The day passed peacefully.
All day, Yun sat cutting leaves under his desk.
And sure enough—
After school, the academy gates were blocked by four genin.
"That's him! Big brother—him!"
Oh no.
Yun immediately sidestepped—
just in time to see Itachi's shadow clone get surrounded.
A few punches later—
Poof.
Smoke.
One of them looked familiar… Tenma's older brother?
Right—Tenma would graduate alongside Itachi. He and Kin would become Itachi's teammates, and Tenma's death was tied to Itachi's two-tomoe awakening.
No wonder Tenma hated him.
"Shadow clone?!"
"There's another Uchiha—don't let him escape!"
"These brats are too arrogant! From now on, after every mission, we're camping here!"
"Big brother is amazing!"
…
Seven or eight of them closed in.
Clueless bravery.
Civilians blocking a major clan—
just like those idiots who once attacked Hinata.
Kids don't think about consequences.
They just fight.
"Brat! You the one who beat my brother?!"
Before the sentence finished—
Cold steel kissed his neck.
Yun vanished from the front.
Clink clink…
Four headbands landed on the ground.
A kunai pressed against the leader's throat.
"What Uchiha Itachi used was Shadow Clone Jutsu—a real body clone. Completely different from basic Clone Technique."
"What I just used was pure speed. I removed your headbands and captured you."
Yun smiled faintly.
"Now tell me—do you really think you can block me every day?"
He withdrew the kunai and tossed the headbands back.
"Yesterday, you fought academy students.
But you're different."
"Once you become a ninja, you should be prepared to die at any time."
…
Watching Yun disappear, the four genin finally breathed again.
"Shadow clone… impossible."
"That speed—he's a monster."
…
A short distance away, Yun exhaled slowly.
That was close.
If he'd snapped like his clone, this would've been a nightmare.
Still want to lie low for a few more years.
Fire Release, genjutsu, taijutsu, shadow clones—Shisui had already vouched for all of it.
Once Mangekyō was in hand…
Then I move.
◇ 1 bonus chapter for every 10 reviews — drop a comment!
◇ 1 bonus chapter for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ Read 60 chapters ahead on P@treon → patreon.com/arcanechronicals