Chapter 0027: Civilized People Should Reason
My footsteps stopped by the riverbank.
The moonlight cast a silvery halo over the surface of the river. A gentle breeze rustled the dense forest around, producing a peculiar "rustling" sound.
"Ah, you're here," a figure emerged slowly from the woods, a playful smile on his face.
He was a young man, around seventeen or eighteen, with short, dark hair. His appearance was quite handsome, though his features had a somewhat feminine quality.
"Is this the Uchiha kid? I think his name is Uchiha Danzan?" Jiraiya, hidden in another grove, remarked.
"So it's the Uchiha clan," Orochimaru grinned. "No wonder his illusions are so advanced. It must be because of the Sharingan."
"This guy isn't weak; he's one of the rising stars of the Uchiha clan. He's the son of the clan's elder, awakened his Sharingan at thirteen, and has already been promoted to Special Jonin at a young age. His talent is exceptional." Jiraiya said this while keeping his eyes on Tsunade, seemingly explaining for her benefit.
"Oh? You've gathered quite a bit of information," Tsunade glanced at him.
"You know what I mean." Jiraiya looked at her calmly. "I understand you want to test your apprentice, but isn't this a bit excessive?"
In his view, I was only eight years old. No matter how talented I was, I couldn't possibly be a match for a Special Jonin, especially one with the powerful Sharingan as an aid.
"Idiot, do you think I'd just watch him fall into danger?" Tsunade snorted. "Besides, don't you want to know why someone from the Uchiha clan would target a child?"
Uh.
Upon hearing this, Jiraiya fell silent.
At this moment, Danzan had walked closer to me, his crimson Sharingan locked onto my eyes. "When I first heard about you from Nanakawa, I thought you were someone extraordinary. Turns out you're just this mediocre."
I stared blankly ahead, seemingly oblivious to his words.
"Really now, you fell for my illusion so easily. How boring," Uchiha Danzan sneered, lifting his chin slightly. "But that's to be expected. After all, no matter how talented you are, you're ultimately useless under my eyes. Now turn around and hop like a frog."
I moved like a puppet, following his commands to turn, squat, and hop.
"Good. Let's have some fun. The night is still young."
Uchiha Danzan grinned, revealing a cold smile. "You little bastard! You dare to speak to me like that and even try to touch my fiancée… I'll show you what true suffering is! Come here and slap yourself hard."
I approached him expressionlessly and raised my right hand.
Smack.
A sharp sound echoed.
Uchiha Danzan was stunned, and so were the three Sannin nearby.
The slap I gave him landed squarely on his face, leaving a red handprint on his fair cheek.
"Bastard!" Uchiha Danzan roared in fury. "I told you to hit yourself!"
Smack.
Another slap.
The handprints on his face were perfectly symmetrical, one on each side.
"You… you bastard…" Uchiha Danzan clutched his face in disbelief. "Did your illusion break?"
"Not exactly," I blinked. "Actually, I never fell for your illusion. The seal you placed at my door was so obvious. If I didn't step on it, I'd be disrespecting your meticulous setup."
"Damn it! You little shit, are you looking down on me?" Uchiha Danzan was nearly going insane. How could he be toyed with by a child?
It wasn't really his fault. My acting was so convincing that even the Sannin, watching from a distance, felt a bit duped by an eight-year-old.
"Don't get so angry," I scratched my head. "I think this can be resolved peacefully. Actually, I don't think Yui-senpai is suitable for…"
"Shut up! You damned little brat! Do you think just because you broke my illusion you have the right to act arrogant?" Uchiha Danzan glared at me, his voice cold. "This way, you'll witness the gap between us firsthand. From now on, abandon your ridiculous fantasies about my fiancée!"
"You misunderstood. I'm not in that kind of relationship with Yui-senpai."
I was still trying to communicate, but his fist was already swinging towards my face.
I dodged his attack, spread my hands, and said, "So it seems you're not interested in reasoning with me? Fine…"
My gentle expression vanished, replaced by a serious look. "Then I'll just have to… hit you until you're willing to reason with me."
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