Chapter 49 049: Could Your Art Be Above Mine?
Hearing this, Sarutobi Hiruzen fell silent for a moment before nodding.
"Very well. That child is resistant toward the village and doesn't have a good impression of me as Hokage. Perhaps if you go, you can have a proper conversation with him."
After all, he was a Mangekyo Sharingan wielder. Even if he was an Uchiha, from the perspective of the Hokage, he was still a part of the village's military strength.
If it weren't for the strained relationship between the village and the Uchiha, he might have approached the boy himself.
Unfortunately, after their previous encounters, Hiruzen had recognized the reality: the child had no desire to grow close to the village or to him as Hokage.
This made things very difficult.
Jiraiya stroked his chin, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly.
"A kid with such a unique personality is rare, especially an Uchiha."
His eyes lit up.
"Now I'm even more curious."
Hiruzen shook his head and said no more.
His gaze fell upon the village outside the window, a trace of worry hidden in the depths of his eyes.
Seeing this, Jiraiya didn't press the matter. He gave a brief farewell and turned to leave the Hokage's office.
"Let's get one thing straight. I'm only staying in the village until you return from your report to the Daimyo. Don't even think about assigning me any other tasks."
Hiruzen watched his retreating back, feeling utterly helpless.
His three disciples had practically monopolized the Three Ninja Prohibitions. Thinking about it now, it truly was a sin.
At the edge of the Forest of Death.
After Hatake Kakashi left, Uchiha Taiga was in no rush to return to the village.
He wandered around the clearing and found a relatively flat area.
The ground was hard dirt, surrounded by a few large boulders that could serve as simple obstacles. Although it couldn't compare to his previous training ground, it had the advantage of being quiet and free from interruptions.
He drew a distinct boundary line along the edge of the clearing, marking out a designated area for himself.
With that, a makeshift training ground was complete.
Then, he began his practice.
First came basic sword swings, followed by footwork, and then hand seals and ninjutsu—all fundamental exercises.
He had now gradually transitioned from merely learning to incorporating his own understanding into every aspect of his training.
This was the necessary path to becoming truly strong. His cheat system only provided a foundation; true power required him to master everything himself.
Otherwise, he would just be a piece of trash inflated by a cheat.
Just like that, most of the morning passed.
The sun climbed to its peak, its rays growing scorching hot. Taiga sheathed his sword and raised a hand to wipe the sweat from his forehead.
It was time to eat.
Knowing exactly what to do and when to do it, his life had always been this disciplined.
He stepped forward and headed toward the village.
Konoha.
When Uchiha Taiga entered the village, the surrounding atmosphere noticeably shifted.
People on the street paused when they saw him. Some lowered their heads and quickened their pace as they walked past. Others stopped in the distance, staring at him before whispering to the people beside them.
Their voices were so low that a normal person wouldn't be able to hear them at all, but Taiga was clearly not a normal person. Every word of their hushed gossip fell into his ears without missing a single syllable.
"That's him... the golden monster from the other day..."
"I heard that's the Uchiha clan's Susanoo, the legendary power of the gods."
"The Uchiha must be thrilled right now. Those guys are so obnoxious."
"The Hokage Advisors were even suspended just because they offended him."
"Shh, keep it down. Don't let him hear you."
"He's far enough away, it's fine. Do you think having someone like him in the village is a good thing or a bad thing?"
"Who knows? Either way, staying far away from him is the right move."
Sometimes, human malice was just that direct and obvious.
Even though Taiga had never actively done anything to harm Konoha, perhaps because he was an Uchiha, this malice naturally fell upon him.
How could a normal person not change under these circumstances?
It was likely that the awakening of many Uchiha's Sharingan owed a debt of gratitude to the villagers in this toxic environment.
Loosely speaking, the village and the Uchiha clan could be considered to complement each other in a twisted way.
Taiga didn't break his stride, his face entirely expressionless.
He was long used to this.
He casually flicked his fingers a few times, which was immediately followed by a series of pained yelps.
Those who had been gossiping behind his back suddenly felt as if a sharp weapon had pierced a specific spot on their bodies. The pain brought tears to their eyes, yet they had no visible wounds, only a sudden, overwhelming weakness.
Once these people went home, they would be bedridden for at least a week or two.
This was a little trick Taiga had developed over the past two days. Born from the medical ninjutsu Chakra Scalpel and combined with certain properties of the Rasengan, it could injure enemies invisibly.
It couldn't even be considered a complete jutsu, just a simple trick, but it was more than enough to punish ordinary people with loose lips.
Taiga turned onto another street, leaving the cries of pain and misery behind him.
The Akimichi clan's barbecue restaurant.
The fabric curtain over the door was a bit worn, but the signboard was polished bright. Taiga lifted the curtain and walked in. The restaurant owner recognized him at a glance.
"Taiga-kun, you're here. The usual spot?"
"Yeah."
Taiga nodded and walked straight to the table in the corner.
It was the seat he took every time he visited. Against the wall, it offered a clear view of both the entrance and the kitchen.
He sat down, and the owner quickly brought over a menu.
"What will you have today?"
"The usual."
"Right away."
The owner didn't ask any further questions and turned toward the kitchen. Before long, plates of meat were brought out.
Pork belly, beef tongue, and short ribs completely filled the table.
The owner even brought out an extra jug of sake and placed it on the table.
"Just arrived. Give it a try."
Taiga glanced at the jug of sake and didn't refuse.
He picked up his chopsticks, grabbed a slice of pork belly, and placed it on the grill. The meat sizzled as it touched the scorching iron plate, and the rich aroma of fat instantly filled the air.
He poured a cup of sake and took a sip.
The liquid slid down his throat with a slight, spicy burn.
He picked up a piece of grilled meat, dipped it in sauce, and popped it into his mouth.
The charred aroma of the meat and the savory sweetness of the sauce blended perfectly in his mouth. It tasted excellent.
He continued eating like this—a bite of meat, a sip of sake—minding his own business and ignoring everyone else.
The other customers in the restaurant occasionally cast glances in his direction, but no one came over to strike up a conversation.
The curtain was lifted, and someone walked in.
Tall and burly, with long white hair cascading over his shoulders, he wore a forehead protector engraved with the kanji for 'Oil'.
As soon as he entered, he looked around before locking his gaze on Taiga in the corner. He then strode over.
A hand reached out, aiming for the jug of sake on the table.
"You should still be mindful of the Three Ninja Prohibitions. Besides, you're underage, so you definitely shouldn't be drinking."
Before the hand could even touch the jug, it was slapped away.
Smack. The sound was crisp and loud.
Taiga looked up at the tall, white-haired man standing before him and raised an eyebrow.
"I'm not a ninja, so why the hell would I care about the Three Ninja Prohibitions?"
He put down his chopsticks and looked the man up and down.
"Who are you, you rude old man?"
The back of Jiraiya's hand was red, but instead of getting angry, he laughed.
He pulled his hand back, crossed his arms over his chest, and struck what he thought was a very handsome pose.
"I am the gallant Jiraiya!"
Taiga stared at him, remaining silent for two seconds.
"The Sannin Jiraiya who writes erotic books?"
Jiraiya stumbled, nearly losing his footing. He hurriedly grabbed the table to steady himself, his voice rising a few pitches.
"They aren't erotic books! They are highly artistic literary works!"
His expression turned serious, completely deadpan.
"You don't understand art. How can art be summarized as mere erotica? It is literature, the sublimation of emotion, it is..."
"Then do you know what 'Spear Resting on the Beam', 'Embracing the Moon in the Cup', 'Wild Boar Rooting in the Mud', and 'Spirit Monkey Climbing the Tree' are?"
Taiga interrupted him, his tone flat.
Jiraiya's voice abruptly cut off.
His mouth hung open, his eyes widened into perfect circles, and his entire body froze in place.
"A-Amazing..."
His voice began to stutter.
"There's still so much knowledge I don't know? Could your art be above mine?"
Taiga gave a half-smile, saying nothing as he simply watched him.
Jiraiya met his gaze.
A moment later, Jiraiya conceded defeat.
He had wanted to use this kind of opening to ease the awkwardness of their first meeting.
But in the end, he realized the boy in front of him was far from ordinary. Therefore, he could only put on a stern expression and ask in a deep voice, "On my way here, those injured villagers... that was your doing, wasn't it?"
Taiga didn't deny it. Instead, he nodded. "I was the one who punished them. What about it? Is that not allowed?"