---
"Look into my eyes!"
Ye Dou met Uchiha Itachi's gaze without hesitation. The moment their eyes locked, his vision blurred—he had been caught in a genjutsu.
At first glance, nothing had changed. The trees, the training ground, and even Itachi himself remained the same. But Ye Dou had a unique method to detect illusions: the presence of his mongoose companion.
This system spirit, which only he could perceive, was immune to genjutsu—no matter how skilled the caster was. It ignored both physical and mental effects and would always alert him to an illusion.
As Ye Dou absorbed the fundamentals of the Shadow Clone Jutsu within the illusion, the real Uchiha Itachi deactivated his Sharingan and turned to leave with Sasuke.
---
On the Way Home
Sasuke was visibly irritated. He wasn't as composed as his brother, but he wasn't foolish either—he knew exactly what had happened.
"Itachi-nii, you really taught him the Shadow Clone Jutsu through genjutsu?"
The thought was unbearable. The son of the Uchiha clan's leader—one of the most powerful clans in history—had just been robbed.
"This is absurd! Where's the justice in this?" Sasuke grumbled.
Itachi, sensing his younger brother's frustration, placed a gentle hand on his head.
"Sasuke."
"Hmph."
"From now on, don't let your guard down, not even at the Academy. If you do, that kid will leave you behind."
Sasuke froze. Leave me behind?
Was Itachi saying that Ye Dou was stronger than him?
"That guy only knows taijutsu. I can beat him even without activating my Sharingan! And if I do, he won't stand a chance!"
The Sharingan was the Uchiha clan's greatest weapon, especially against taijutsu users. Its enhanced dynamic vision allowed the user to track even the fastest movements.
He wasn't afraid of Ye Dou.
Itachi, however, remained thoughtful.
"Don't underestimate him, Sasuke."
Squatting down so Sasuke could climb onto his back, he continued, "Effort never betrays you. Even if he only relies on taijutsu, someday, he will shine in his own way."
Itachi had already noticed it—beneath Ye Dou's calm exterior lay the evidence of relentless training. His clothes were lined with subtle yet unmistakable weights, just like Might Guy and Rock Lee.
For his age, Ye Dou's level of dedication was monstrous.
Sasuke, still skeptical, climbed onto his brother's back and muttered, "Tch, whatever. I won't lose to him. And that Hyūga girl—I'll surpass her too. The Uchiha are the strongest!"
---
Elsewhere in Konoha
While the Uchiha brothers returned home, Ye Dou emerged from the genjutsu back into reality.
Sensing his recovery, the mongoose perched on his shoulder smirked.
"I have to admit, you're an unusually bold bandit, Ye Dou. Aren't you afraid of provoking Itachi? He could've killed you on the spot."
"He wouldn't," Ye Dou replied flatly as he sat down and began bandaging his wound. "This is the Uchiha clan district. No matter the reason, he wouldn't risk drawing unnecessary attention."
"Is that so? What if he'd just incinerated you with a Great Fireball?"
"He wouldn't," Ye Dou repeated. "Don't forget, I'm Might Guy's disciple. As an Anbu operative, Itachi should know who I am."
Konoha was not peaceful these days. The Uchiha clan's members were being called back more frequently than usual.
The mongoose's eyes gleamed with realization. "So… you think the Uchiha massacre is coming soon? And Itachi gave you the Shadow Clone Jutsu so you can look after his little brother in the future?"
"A good brother, huh? Admirable."
Ye Dou remained silent for a moment before murmuring, "It's also tragic."
Having finished treating his wound, he stood up and pressed his index and middle fingers together in a familiar cross sign.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Poof! Poof! Poof!
With three bursts of smoke, identical copies of Ye Dou appeared.
Despite being classified as a B-rank ninjutsu, the Shadow Clone Jutsu was actually easier to learn than the C-rank Great Fireball Jutsu. Its only requirement was chakra control and stamina.
Naruto Uzumaki, for instance, could create thousands of clones because of his immense chakra reserves, enhanced by the Nine-Tails.
Ye Dou's chakra, however, allowed him to create only three clones—four if he included himself.
Any more would stretch his chakra too thin, making prolonged training inefficient.
For now, he had devised a plan.
His clones would focus on swordsmanship, refining techniques, and developing his Devil Fruit powers. Meanwhile, his real body would prioritize chakra control and physical conditioning.
After assigning tasks, his clones dispersed to train.
Ye Dou, however, remained still, gazing at a nearby rock where a rice ball sat untouched.
After a long pause, he picked it up, took a bite, and chewed slowly.
It was cold and tasteless, but he finished it anyway.
The mongoose, watching from the side, scratched its head before grinning.