Carrying the gourds on his back, Wen Lan returned home. He casually picked up the smallest gourd and another slightly larger one, then grabbed a fishing rod and headed out.
Not far from the Uchiha district flowed a river. Wen Lan found a random spot to sit down, set his bait, cast the hook into the water, and then hugged a gourd to his mouth and began blowing into it.
Using the Breathing Technique—
inhale… exhale… inhale… exhale…
He adjusted his breathing, then pressed his lips to the mouth of the gourd and blew hard.
Bang—!
The gourd exploded instantly.
A fish that had just been about to bite the hook was startled and fled.
Wen Lan froze, still holding the gourd, completely dumbfounded.
It was only then that he reacted.
Right… this is the Naruto world.
In this world, even a not-weak chūnin could massacre the entire Demon Slayer setting.
His breathing quickened slightly. He looked down at the shattered gourd in his hands, then picked up the larger one beside him. Taking a deep breath, he blew into it again.
This time, the gourd didn't burst.
Seeing this, Wen Lan circulated his Breathing Technique again, inhaled, and was just about to blow—
"Huh? Someone's actually here?"
A lazy, drawling voice sounded in surprise.
Wen Lan frowned slightly and turned his head.
He saw a boy around twelve or thirteen years old, wearing a forehead protector, a cigarette dangling from his mouth, looking at him with curiosity.
Beside him stood a girl in a red underlayer with a white sleeveless dress over it, long black wavy hair, and red eyes.
Next to her was another girl with dark purple hair, looking a few years younger than the other two. She wore a mesh-like outer garment and had an unfinished dango hanging from her mouth.
Wen Lan recognized them instantly.
Sarutobi Asuma.
Yūhi Kurenai.
Mitarashi Anko.
His gaze lingered on Kurenai, and he couldn't help but think mischievously:
Kurenai's father is Yūhi Shinku, and her name is Yūhi Kurenai… so does that mean her grandpa is called Yūhi Really-Damn-Red or Yūhi Auntie-Red?
Asuma also noticed the Uchiha clan crest on Wen Lan's back. The surprise on his face instantly turned into disgust.
He muttered under his breath, "A brat from that evil clan."
Wen Lan frowned, but said nothing, lowering his head to continue what he was doing.
Asuma, however, wasn't about to let it go. He stepped forward, his tone dripping with mockery.
"An Uchiha, daring to wander around alone. Aren't you afraid someone will use you as target practice?"
Wen Lan slowly raised his head, his voice cold.
"Oh? Other people's sons are out there fighting and killing on the battlefield, while the Hokage's precious son is here flirting in the village. Must be pretty relaxing, huh?"
Anko froze for a second, then waved her hands frantically.
"Hey, hey, hey! I'm not a girl he's picking up!"
Kurenai frowned slightly and glanced at Asuma.
She didn't harbor much hatred toward the Uchiha. After all, her father Yūhi Shinku had worked with Uchiha Kagami before.
She knew the Uchiha weren't what people made them out to be—they were actually deeply emotional and loyal.
And this boy hadn't said a single provocative word. It was clearly Asuma who had picked the fight.
They had agreed to come train together, and to give some pointers to Anko, who had just graduated from the Ninja Academy.
Instead, Asuma was making trouble here.
Asuma's face darkened. His fists clenched with loud cracks.
"Looks like this Uchiha brat isn't just arrogant—he likes sticking his nose into other people's business too."
Wen Lan slowly stood up, his gaze sharp.
"The Hokage really raised you well. Too bad some people only learned the surface of things—unlike the Hokage's eldest son, who's actually fighting and killing on the battlefield."
Asuma's face turned livid. Just as he was about to erupt, Kurenai gently tugged on his sleeve.
"The Chūnin Exams are about to start. Don't waste time on this."
Asuma sneered, shaking off her hand, but in the end, he didn't step forward again.
Wen Lan swept the three of them with a calm, indifferent glance.
"If there's nothing else, then please leave. I need to continue my training."
Anko blinked, then suddenly grinned.
"Hey, does that method actually work? What are you training?"
Wen Lan didn't answer. He turned back around and focused again on blowing into the gourd.
Seeing that he wasn't responding, Kurenai said, "Forget it. Don't make a scene. We still have things to do."
"I want to see just how he plans to blow that thing apart," Asuma snorted, folding his arms as he stood to the side, his eyes full of disdain and provocation.
"If he can blow that gourd up, I—"
Bang!
Before he could finish, the gourd in Wen Lan's hands suddenly exploded into fragments. The burst of air sliced through the space like blades, leaving several sharp streaks in the air.
Asuma froze, the mockery on his face instantly stiffening as he unconsciously took a step back.
Wen Lan slowly turned around, his eyes burning coldly as he stared straight at Asuma.
"The Hokage's son. You've interrupted my training again and again. Do you really think my Uchiha clan has no temper at all?"
Asuma's face twisted, alternating between pale and green.
"You damn evil Uchiha brat! What are you being so arrogant for?!"
Wen Lan stood tall. His left hand grasped the scabbard, his right hand wrapped around the hilt of his blade.
His voice was icy.
"I killed three chūnin and one jōnin on the battlefield. I'd like to know—how many enemies has the Hokage's son killed?"
Those words made Asuma, Kurenai, and Anko's expressions change at the same time.
Asuma snapped back to his senses, humiliation surging into rage. He instantly drew his chakra blades and roared,
"Stop calling me the Hokage's son! I'm Sarutobi Asuma—not 'the Hokage's son'!"
"Today, I'll teach you a lesson for not respecting your seniors!"
"Asuma! Don't!" Kurenai cried out in shock.
She hadn't expected Asuma to actually attack Wen Lan.
They had already graduated from the Ninja Academy for several years. Once they passed the Chūnin Exams, they would officially become chūnin.
This boy looked only five or six years old. Even with a forehead protector, he was clearly just a child—someone who had only recently left the Academy.
Kurenai reacted instantly, starting to form hand seals, intending to use genjutsu to stop Asuma.
But what happened next made her eyes widen in shock.
Facing Asuma's attack, Wen Lan didn't panic in the slightest.
His steps shifted lightly. His body flashed—and he effortlessly slipped past the edge of the chakra blades.
His gaze was cold, as if he had already predicted the strike.
With a light movement of his right hand, his short blade left its sheath. A flash of cold light—
Straight toward Asuma's wrist.
Asuma's heart jolted. He hurriedly withdrew his attack, but Wen Lan's blade had already left a shallow cut on his arm.
Anko and Kurenai both sucked in a sharp breath.
They never imagined that this seemingly slender boy could be so decisive—and so strong.
Kurenai's genjutsu never even had the chance to be released.
Because at that moment, she realized something terrifying—
The rhythm of the fight was already completely in Wen Lan's hands.
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