"Naruto: Ice God"Chapter 135: This Kid Is a Genius
Hearing Feng Bai muttering to himself inside the tent, Uchiha Shisui's expression remained unchanged. He glanced at Itachi behind him, then cleared his throat softly to announce their presence while lifting the tent flap and entering.
"That's enough training for today. Shisui, if you have other matters to attend to, you can head back first."
Looking up at the two entering, Feng Bai beckoned toward Itachi. The latter hesitated and took a step back, but still approached with a reluctant expression.
"Up we go."
Like picking up a kitten, Feng Bai slipped his hands under Itachi's armpits and effortlessly lifted him, placing him in front while skillfully kneading his cheeks.
"Itachi, haven't I told you not to always look so gloomy?"
Uchiha Shisui & Uchiha Itachi: ...
Watching Itachi once again fall victim to Feng Bai's "torment," Uchiha Shisui felt utterly helpless.
Like Itachi, he had initially assumed the so-called White Reaper would be cold and ruthless like Danzō—after all, someone gentle couldn't possibly turn the Cloud battlefield into a blood-soaked wasteland.
Yet this Feng Bai fellow spent his days doing nothing but waking up, teasing Itachi, training, then teasing Itachi some more.
Sometimes Shisui wondered if this guy had somehow stolen someone else's military achievements.
However, that massive Ice Release technique earlier had dispelled some of his doubts.
To unleash such wide-area jutsu at this age already proved Feng Bai's strength.
Feng Bai had no idea what Uchiha Shisui was thinking. He simply continued kneading Itachi's cheeks while pondering how to answer Itachi's question from several days ago.
Indeed, aside from the relatively unimportant fact that the kid was genuinely adorable as a child, the main reason for subjecting Itachi to this "torment" was that Feng Bai himself didn't know what the meaning of life truly was.
What made it worse was that he didn't dare fabricate some random answer to placate him.
What if he spoke carelessly and Itachi took it to heart, deriving some bizarre interpretation that led him to come after Feng Bai with a blade when he grew up?
This was Uchiha Itachi, after all. If the boy were even a few years older, Feng Bai would never dare treat him with such an attitude.
If you can't solve the problem, solve the person who raised the problem.
Terrified that Itachi's little mouth might present him with even more challenging questions, Feng Bai had simply imposed a gag order on him.
However, after several days of contemplation, Feng Bai had genuinely devised a solution.
Note: not an answer, but a solution.
"Hey, Itachi, starting tomorrow, train with me."
Abruptly stopping his actions, Feng Bai forcibly turned Itachi's head to face him directly.
"Training?"
Feeling his cheeks finally freed, Uchiha Itachi blinked, observing this Feng Bai fellow up close for the first time.
"That's right, training. Practicing ninjutsu might be a bit premature at your age—how about some taijutsu?"
Feng Bai was eager to try, flexing his arms in an attempt to show off his biceps.
When he was Itachi's age, he hadn't had the luxury of pondering life's meaning.
Back then, his greatest and most pressing concern was how to dodge Aburame Ryōma's fists and Yamanaka Zen's whip.
For Uchiha Itachi to contemplate such matters at such a young age struck Feng Bai as pure idleness.
Keep him busy and he naturally wouldn't have the mood to dwell on such philosophical matters.
Yamanaka Zen...
Thinking of this mentor who had accompanied him for many years, Feng Bai's face showed a flicker of melancholy.
If Zen and Shimura Ikku were still alive, he would definitely recommend them both to Uchiha Itachi.
No choice now—I'll have to guest-star as the whip-wielding instructor myself!
...
Crack!
Crack!
Crack!
Feng Bai acted swiftly. At dawn the next day, he brought Itachi to a crude training ground at the camp's edge, with Shisui observing from a distance.
Feeling the sharp gusts of wind brush past his face, Uchiha Itachi summoned his full concentration.
He hadn't activated his Sharingan at this moment, so facing the invisible wind blades, he could only rely on instinct to evade.
This method obviously couldn't dodge every attack—soon his clothing was torn open by a large gash.
Fortunately, Feng Bai was relatively merciful and hadn't used much force; otherwise, given that last attack, it wouldn't have been just clothing that got torn.
Through his Sharingan, Uchiha Shisui detected Feng Bai's restraint and relaxed accordingly.
Reaching toward his torn shirt, Uchiha Itachi remained composed, his eyes fixed intently on the kunai Feng Bai was using as a whip.
When Feng Bai swung again, Itachi immediately reacted upon seeing the motion's amplitude.
Leaping into the air, Uchiha Itachi dodged the whip's attack under Feng Bai's astonished gaze.
Feng Bai: ...
Was that a coincidence?
It must be a coincidence, right?
Absolutely, definitely a coincidence, right?
Unwilling to accept this, Feng Bai swung the kunai, preparing to attack Uchiha Itachi's flank.
Itachi evaded this attack with a simple backward bend.
In Feng Bai's subsequent fifteen attacks, Itachi was struck only once—and that was solely because Feng Bai's angle was too cunning, preventing him from dodging in time.
This kid really is a genius.
From the direction Itachi focused on while evading attacks, Feng Bai was certain the boy was predicting the whip's trajectory by observing his hand movements.
Why didn't I think of that back then?
I took all those beatings for nothing.
For the first time, Feng Bai began to doubt his own intelligence.
Could it be that I'm the fool?
Seeing Feng Bai standing alone, lost in existential contemplation, Itachi also sat down to rest.
Though he'd dodged Feng Bai's attacks and dealt him a psychological blow, his age showed its limitations—Itachi had accidentally twisted his ankle during the final landing.
Feeling the pain in his ankle, the stubborn Itachi decided to rest briefly, planning to seek treatment when he returned to his father.
Feng Bai didn't spend long questioning his intelligence.
He had noticed Itachi's stumble upon landing. After putting away the kunai, he strode over to Itachi.
"Ready to head back—"
Itachi looked up at Feng Bai, about to grit his teeth and stand, when Feng Bai crouched down and rolled up his pant leg.
"Good thing—no bone damage."
After examining Itachi's injured area, Feng Bai reached his conclusion.
Seeing Itachi's puzzled expression, Feng Bai rolled his eyes: "What are you staring at? I'm a jōnin, you know—I do have some observational skills."
After briefly treating Itachi's injury and checking that he had no other wounds, Feng Bai stood up: "Using medical ninjutsu for this minor injury would be somewhat wasteful. I'll take you to my place for some ointment."
Without waiting for Itachi's response, Feng Bai lifted him onto his back and headed toward his tent.
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