meeting Might Duy

Asuka was furious, but she was not afraid. She learned what had happened at the ninja school from Liuyun. In her eyes, her son had done nothing wrong; the fact that the Third Hokage did not punish Liuyun indicated that he had acted justly. She was unsure why the elder wanted to speak with Liuyun, but Asuka instinctively rejected the idea that the Uchiha clan would have good intentions, so she dismissed them without hesitation, not caring about their reasons for visiting. She had no plans to return to the clan, nor would she allow Liuyun to go back there. Their opinions were of no concern to her.

"You... very well, I will report this matter to the elders," Uchiha Ken said angrily as he left, humiliated. He didn't dare confront Asuka directly, knowing that Konoha had laws. Although the Konoha Guard had the authority to arrest people, they required sufficient justification. If things escalated, they could end up in trouble. Uchiha Ken viewed Asuka as a "troublemaker" who was unafraid of conflict. Messing with her would likely lead to complications.

"Let's go inside," Asuka said as she placed her hand on Liuyun's shoulder, guiding him back home before locking the door.

"Why are you suddenly not afraid of Uchiha Ken? You used to look timid whenever you saw him..." Asuka spoke up, curious about her son's newfound boldness. She couldn't help but wonder if this was really her son.

Noticing Asuka's suspicious gaze, Liuyun broke into a cold sweat and half-truthfully explained, "In the past, I had to avoid him when we were in the clan. Now that we've moved, why should I be afraid of him?"

Asuka was taken aback for a moment but soon smiled. "It seems that moving was the right choice. I shouldn't have let you live in that dark place for so long, which made both of us weak and unconfident. It allowed others to bully and humiliate you..."

Asuka said this while gently touching Liuyun's head, her heart aching for him. The Uchiha clan was known for being xenophobic. Asuka had suffered a lot and was looked down upon by many after marrying Uchiha Mori. However, she was clear in her feelings; she did not like the Uchiha clan but loved Uchiha Mori deeply. Even now, she had never complained, nor did she regret marrying him. Because of her marriage to Uchiha Mori, she had Liuyun.

"You'll get better... Anyone who dares to insult me will get a beating, and anyone who dares to bully you will be killed!" Liuyun declared with a firm and serious tone.

Upon hearing this, Asuka couldn't help but chuckle. "Haha... You can't just go around beating and killing people! All I want is for you to grow up safe and happy." With that, she pulled Liuyun into a warm embrace.

"..." Liuyun felt overwhelmed by her intense motherly love, causing him to blush. He squirmed out of her hold. "Mom, I'm going to practice first..."

"Go ahead, and do your best!" As soon as he stepped outside, the sound of wooden stakes and sandbags striking each other could be heard in the courtyard. Liuyun was allowed to make noise in the morning but not late at night, as Asuka had to rise early every day to earn a living, requiring ample rest.

After exhausting his energy in the courtyard, Liuyun took a cold shower and returned to his room. He sat at his desk and quietly reviewed the few ninjutsu scrolls left by his father. Uchiha Mori had only awakened the double magatama Sharingan and hadn't mastered many ninjutsu. Among the few he had, there was one shadow clone technique, two C-rank fire style techniques, and one C-rank illusion technique. If the three-body technique and kunai throwing technique were included, it was a modest collection.

"Shadow Clone Technique!" Liuyun formed the necessary hand signs and performed the ninjutsu. With a bang, a clone that looked exactly like him appeared. "It's easier than I expected..." Liuyun chuckled to himself. His strong mental power allowed him to learn quickly, especially when it came to illusions. Unfortunately, his father was not well-versed in them, leaving behind only one minor illusion technique.

"Should I use the shadow clone to attend class in my stead?" The thought crossed Liuyun's mind. This was a tactic employed by Uchiha Itachi in the original series. Given his mental strength, Liuyun knew it would be entirely feasible. However, he feared that his shadow clone might get exposed. If it performed exceptionally well, it could attract unwanted attention from others with ulterior motives. For now, it was best to keep a low profile, even if it was a challenge to do so.

"Forget it, I'll consider it later..." He put the scrolls away and lay on the floor, falling asleep.

The next morning, Liuyun woke up early, as usual, and headed out for his morning run around Konoha. "I won't push too hard, just 200 meters more than yesterday..." After setting his goal, Liuyun ran energetically.

"Huh?" While sweating profusely and nearing the distance he had covered the previous day, he spotted a familiar yet unfamiliar green figure ahead.

"Hey, little brother, running again today? Great! I've never seen an elementary student as diligent as you!" The green figure approached, wearing an innocent and friendly smile, easily approachable.

'Green jumpsuit, thick eyebrows, watermelon hairstyle, plus shiny white teeth... Isn't this Might Duy?!' Liuyun was taken aback but kept his composure. "Yes, uncle, are you also running in the morning?"

As soon as he spoke, Might Duy stumbled and nearly fell to the ground. "Don't call me uncle! I'm not married and haven't had children yet—he said with an awkward smile while wiping the sweat from his brow.

"Okay, then what should I call you?" Liuyun replied with a smile, continuing his run.

"My name is Might Duy. You can call me Guy!" Might Duy replied, flashing his signature "Guy-style" smile.

Liuyun's eyes widened in disbelief as he nearly squinted at Duy's dazzling grin.

"My name is Uchiha Liuyun. I hope Brother Duy can teach me more in the future."

"Oh? You're from the Uchiha clan!" Might Duy was surprised, then subconsciously glanced at Liuyun's hair. His unique black-and-purple hair color was rare within the Uchiha clan, making him stand out even more.

"Brother Liuyun is up so early. Don't you have school today?" Might Duy asked curiously.

"Yes, I can run my target distance and then go home for breakfast before school..."

"Really! Little brother, you are ambitious!" Might Duy exclaimed, feeling a connection with Liuyun.

"It's not ambition... I just think youth shouldn't be wasted lying in bed..." Liuyun stopped running for a moment, pointing at the rising sun, wiping the sweat from his forehead, letting it drip from his fingers.

"Did you see it? The sweat flowing under the morning sun is the essence of true youth!" Might Duy was taken aback, and the next moment, he covered his cheek and choked up: "You said... you said it very well!"

Might Duy wiped his tears away, not expecting that his soul mate would turn out to be an elementary school student.