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In the Forest Behind the Mountain
Puff!
Puff!
Puff!
The rhythmic sound of fists striking wooden stakes echoed through the dense forest.
Ye Dou's clothes were drenched in sweat, clinging to his body as he continued his relentless training. Under intense gravity suppression, each punch required exponentially more effort than usual, making his every move a grueling test of endurance.
But this hellish training had yielded results. Compared to two months ago, Ye Dou had grown significantly stronger.
The clearest proof lay in his power output. Previously, he could only generate around 90.7 units of striking force, with a maximum burst reaching 200 units. Now, without activating his gravity-based abilities, his regular punches could reach nearly 200 units. And if he fully unleashed the power of his Gravity Fruit, his strikes could exceed 500 units—a force strong enough to shatter bones and cause severe internal injuries with a single blow.
Yet, despite his progress, he still fell short of the 500 power threshold required to master the Navy's Six Styles (Rokushiki). This elite combat system was designed to push human physical abilities beyond their natural limits and served as a foundation for the strength of the most formidable warriors. Even within the ranks of high-ranking naval officers, few managed to fully master all six techniques.
An Unexpected Visitor
As Ye Dou pounded away at the training post, a voice interrupted his focus.
"Ye Dou, that Hyūga girl is here again."
A mongoose lounging nearby stretched lazily before standing up. Its ears twitched, as if picking up a faint signal.
"She didn't come alone this time—two Chūnin are with her."
Ye Dou exhaled deeply and deactivated his gravity suppression.
Hyūga Hanabi's repeated visits had become an inconvenience. The Gravity Fruit was his greatest secret, and he couldn't afford to expose it—not when Danzo Shimura lurked in Konoha, ever eager to seize hidden power. The Hyūga Byakugan, one of the Three Great Dōjutsu, was famed for its unparalleled insight, making it difficult for him to train freely in her presence.
Hanabi herself wasn't the issue. The problem lay with the two retainers accompanying her.
A petite figure soon stepped into his training ground. Hanabi's gaze lingered on an untouched rice ball she had left previously. Her expression flickered, but she quickly masked it with a forced smile. She opened a new bento box and extended it toward him.
"You must be hungry. At least eat something before you continue training..."
Nearby, the mongoose rolled its eyes before leaping onto Ye Dou's shoulder, whispering conspiratorially, "Hey, Ye Dou, just eat it already. Maybe if you do, she'll stop bothering you."
Despite its usual carefree nature, even the mongoose had to admire Hanabi's persistence. Two months of unwavering determination—enough to make even an unreliable creature like itself take notice.
Ye Dou wiped his hands clean and started walking—not toward Hanabi, but past her.
The little girl clenched her hands, her heartbeat quickening. Was her patience finally paying off?
Then, as he passed by, he spoke.
"You're an eyesore."
Hanabi froze.
Her face turned pale, her usually bright, snow-like Byakugan clouded with emotion. She stood motionless, her hands trembling as she fought back the urge to cry.
From beside her, the mongoose huffed. "Geez, girl, don't take it to heart. That guy's a lost cause. He's so heartless he won't even feed me meat!"
But when it noticed that Hanabi couldn't hear it, the mongoose sighed and floated after Ye Dou, shaking its head.
The Lone Path
"You're such a jerk, Ye Dou!" the mongoose huffed, catching up to him. "It's just a bento. Would it kill you to take it?"
Ye Dou ignored it, continuing on his way.
One was a despised orphan, shunned by the entire village.
The other was the Hyūga princess, heir to the most prestigious clan in Konoha.
Their contrast was too stark. Too conspicuous. And Ye Dou had no interest in standing out.
Emerging from the forest, he made his way toward a ninja supply shop.
Hanabi wasn't going to stop coming. Two months of persistence had already proven her resolve. There was no easy way to drive her away.
Unless he used force against her—which wasn't an option. The Jōnin and Chūnin bodyguards assigned to her would never allow it.
She was the Hyūga heir, the face of the Byakugan, and the future leader of the clan. Even the slightest verbal insult could invite severe retaliation from the Hyūga elders.
Just moments ago, after speaking harshly to her, he had felt an unmistakable chill—a silent but deadly killing intent from her two bodyguards.
This was the reality of the ninja world.
And Ye Dou had no choice but to navigate it carefully.
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