When he heard Uchiha Yuan's words—and saw the disdain and contempt flickering in his eyes—Yoshihara Yuto's face flushed red with rage.
He glared at Yuan viciously and roared, "Brat, don't think that just because you're from the Uchiha clan you can talk to me without respect!"
Senju Gen looked at Uchiha Yuan in puzzlement. From Yuan's expression, he could tell that Yuan seemed to know this Yoshihara Yuto.
"Yuan, you—"
Before Gen could finish, Yuan waved his hand to cut him off.
"Special Jōnin Yoshihara Yuto, you're not someone worthy of my respect."
Uchiha Yuan sneered coldly at him. "I know you, Yoshihara Yuto—despicable, shameless coward. Do you still remember the White Fang of Konoha?"
Yoshihara Yuto—he was the very same ninja who'd been captured by the Hidden Cloud years ago, forcing Hatake Sakumo to abandon the mission.
It was also him who later came out to publicly denounce Sakumo, accusing him of being unworthy to serve as a Leaf ninja.
The moment he heard those four words—Konoha's White Fang—Yoshihara Yuto's face twisted hideously. He bared his teeth in a grim smile.
"The White Fang? What a familiar name. Of course I remember. He was that failure of a ninja who betrayed the village's interests."
Uchiha Yuan simply stared back coldly, eyes full of contempt.
"Someone as low and filthy as you isn't qualified to even mention a hero like the White Fang. In my eyes, you're not even worthy to carry his shoes."
Yoshihara Yuto burst out laughing, a crazed and furious sound. "Hero? The White Fang was just an incompetent fool who damaged the village's interests. What kind of hero is that?!"
His angry shouting drew the attention of the other squads in the training field; one after another, curious eyes turned their way.
"I'll tell you why the White Fang was a hero."
Uchiha Yuan's voice rang clear and sharp. "He completed two hundred and sixty-six B-rank missions, one hundred and twenty-three A-rank missions, and twenty-seven S-rank missions. He fought on the Sand battlefield, on the Iwagakure front—"
He recited Hatake Sakumo's achievements one by one, then smiled coldly at Yoshihara Yuto.
"The real one who deserved to die in that failed mission was you. The one who should've taken responsibility was you.
By your logic, if you were a true ninja, you should've ended your own life before letting yourself be captured—sacrificing yourself for the sake of the mission and the village."
Yoshihara Yuto's face twitched violently with rage; bloodshot eyes bulged as he glared, almost popping from their sockets.
A gust of wind whipped through the air as he suddenly lunged at Uchiha Yuan.
Bang!
Yuan caught Yuto's fist mid-swing, twisted, and lashed out with a vicious kick—his leg snapping like a whip.
Yoshihara Yuto was sent flying.
He spun in midair, flinging out two shuriken toward Yuan.
But Yuan's figure blurred, a streak of motion; in the next instant he was right before Yuto, his hand slicing down like a blade across Yuto's chest.
A dull thud rang out as Yoshihara Yuto slammed into the ground.
Yuan planted his foot firmly on Yuto's face and said coldly, "You think you can be my captain? You're not worthy.
With your lack of skill, on the battlefield you'd just end up betraying your comrades. I would never trust someone like you."
The entire training field fell silent. No one had expected such a scene—a freshly graduated Genin clashing with his appointed team leader, and even defeating him.
Yuan withdrew his foot and turned to leave.
Yoshihara Yuto raised his head, hatred burning in his eyes as he stared at Yuan's retreating back. Then suddenly, he sprang up, hands forming seals, chakra surging as he prepared to unleash a jutsu.
At that moment, Senju Gen moved.
"Water Style: Water Shock Wave!"
A torrent of water burst forth, interrupting Yuto's jutsu and slamming him back to the ground.
Yuan turned around, first giving Yuto a cold snort, then looking toward Gen.
Gen smiled. "Yuan, you're right. A guy like him doesn't deserve to be our captain. Attacking his own students from behind—what a disgrace."
Not long after, news of the incident reached Sarutobi Hiruzen.
When he heard the cause of the conflict, Hiruzen took a long drag from his pipe, exhaling smoke slowly.
At the mention of Konoha's White Fang, a trace of guilt flickered across his face. But it quickly vanished.
Inwardly, he thought: Sakumo… to think someone still remembers you after all these years. Everything I did was for Konoha.
After a moment's silence, Hiruzen blew out another smoke ring and said,
"Replace Yoshihara. As for that Uchiha Yuan kid—let's forget about punishment."
After all, both an Uchiha and a Senju had been involved.
Just the name Senju alone meant the village wouldn't punish Gen.
And if they punished only Uchiha Yuan but not Senju Gen, the Uchiha clan would certainly cause an uproar.
Besides, the ninja world respected strength above all. Yoshihara Yuto, a Special Jōnin, had been defeated by a freshly graduated Genin—no one would risk offending the Uchiha and Senju clans for his sake.
At a small food stand on the street, Uchiha Yuan and the others sat together.
"Yuan-kun, thank you," said Hatake Haruka solemnly.
Of everyone, the one with the most complicated feelings toward Yoshihara Yuto was naturally from the Hatake clan—for it was because of Yuto that their clan head, Hatake Sakumo, had been driven to suicide.
When Haruka heard that Yuan had taught Yuto a lesson, he'd first been stunned, then felt an indescribable sense of satisfaction.
Yuan picked up a skewer of fish balls and said, "No need to thank me. I didn't do it for you—I did it for the White Fang. He was a senior I've always respected."
Then he sneered. "That scum Yuto—I've wanted to beat him for a long time. Since fate put him in my path, there's no way I'd pass up the chance.
And to think that trash wanted to be my jōnin instructor—it's laughable. After hitting him, I just feel… refreshed."
Beside him, Aida Suke said timidly, "Yuan-kun, won't this cause trouble for you? The village might punish you."
Yuan shrugged. "Don't worry, Aida. Even if the village does punish someone, it won't be you."
Then he turned to Gen. "Gen, you didn't have to intervene. Yuto couldn't have hurt me."
Gen smiled. "The White Fang was a senior I respected as well. When it came to teaching that Yuto a lesson, how could I just stand by?"
The two shared a glance and nodded to each other.
"Gen," Yuan said softly, "thank you."
He understood—Gen had acted so that they could share whatever punishment might come.
Hyūga Kyō spoke quietly, "After you two left, I overheard some of the other jōnin talking.
They were all praising what you did, Yuan."
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