Ye Dou didn't explain much. He slipped the scroll into his pocket and prepared to head home.
He planned to make a copy of the scroll and toss the original into the equivalent exchange space to see what kind of valuable item he could get in return for a Fire Release ninjutsu scroll.
...….
A few days later, Uchiha Sasuke finally woke up from his coma.
The trauma he endured was overwhelming—first, he witnessed the brutal murder of his parents with his own eyes. Then, he was subjected to Itachi's Tsukuyomi, forced to relive the slaughter over and over within a matter of seconds, although to him it felt like days.
The psychological burden kept him unconscious in Konoha Hospital for three whole days.
Even after waking up, his thoughts were disordered, his mind a haze. Without notifying anyone, he yanked the IV from his arm, got out of the hospital bed still dressed in his medical gown, and sprinted toward the Uchiha district.
He couldn't accept what had happened that night.
Somewhere deep inside, he clung to the delusion that everything was a nightmare—if he could just return home, his father, mother, and clan would all still be there.
But when he arrived at the Uchiha district and saw the yellow police tape and sealing tags crisscrossing the area, reality crushed his hopes.
He wandered like a ghost through the silent, abandoned compound.
"Dad... Mom…"
Staring at the once-proud Uchiha district—now nothing more than a graveyard—Sasuke couldn't hold it in anymore. Tears spilled down his cheeks.
"This pathetic look suits you, Uchiha Sasuke."
A mocking voice suddenly echoed behind him.
Startled, Sasuke turned and saw the last person he wanted to see: the weirdo from his class—Ye Dou.
"What are you doing here? You're not welcome here!"
Sasuke hastily wiped his tears and stood up straight, trying to suppress his emotions as he glared at Ye Dou.
"Just passing by. It's quiet here. I like that," Ye Dou replied calmly.
"You bastard…!"
Sasuke's rage flared, and he charged at Ye Dou, fists clenched. But as he moved, his eyes caught sight of the scroll in Ye Dou's hand.
His expression instantly changed.
That was the Uchiha clan's Fire Release scroll—he recognized the distinct family crest on the cover. It was an exclusive scroll, not something anyone outside the clan should have.
"Where did you get that?!" Sasuke shouted, his voice shaking.
His fists trembled. If Ye Dou couldn't explain, Sasuke would attack without hesitation.
Even if the Uchiha clan was now reduced to just him, their pride could not be insulted.
"This?" Ye Dou glanced down at the scroll and answered nonchalantly, "Your beloved brother gave it to me."
"Liar!" Sasuke barked, eyes blazing. "Why the hell would he give you a secret Uchiha ninjutsu scroll for no reason?"
"It wasn't for no reason," Ye Dou replied coolly. "It was a trade. In exchange, I agreed to serve as the measure of your growth. His words, not mine."
"For me, it was a good deal. All I have to do is go easy on you. Not beat you to death. That's all."
Ye Dou's tone was flat, devoid of emotion. But that only made it sting more in Sasuke's ears.
"You bastard… I'll kill you!"
With a furious roar, Sasuke launched himself forward, throwing a punch aimed straight at Ye Dou's face.
But the result was one-sided.
Even at full strength, Sasuke wasn't a match for Ye Dou. And now, still weakened from his coma, he didn't stand a chance.
Bang!
Ye Dou's leg swept across with brutal force, slamming Sasuke into a nearby wall before he crumpled to the ground.
"From now on, you're welcome to challenge me anytime," Ye Dou said, standing over him. "But I suggest you don't."
Hateful! Hateful! Hateful!
Blood leaked from Sasuke's lips—not from the kick, but because he had bitten down so hard on his own mouth.
He glared at Ye Dou's retreating back, eyes burning with fury.
"You wait, you freak… One day I'll beat you. And after that… I'll crush that man's heart with my own hands!"
Then he bowed his head and wept again.
The summer breeze drifted through the desolate Uchiha compound, carrying only the sound of a single child's cries.
"Is this really okay?" the mongoose whispered from a distance, unable to hide its pity.
After all, Uchiha Sasuke was only seven years old when he lost everything.
"The best way to forget pain is to focus on something else," Ye Dou replied without turning back. "For now, I'll be his target."
[Just superficially similar…]
In the forest, at Ye Dou's private training ground, the two figures clashed again.
"Soru!"
With a burst of speed, Ye Dou closed the distance and launched a fierce flurry of attacks at Sasuke.
A punch—followed by a kick.
Then another punch, another kick.
Ye Dou moved with ruthless precision, easily knocking Sasuke back again and again.
"Damn it…"
Bruised and battered, Sasuke staggered to his feet, defiant.
Since that day, as soon as his body began to recover, he returned—again and again—to fight Ye Dou.
And every time, he lost.
But still he came back.
Again and again.
He wasn't a masochist. He didn't understand it himself—maybe he just wanted to keep fighting, keep punching, keep screaming until all the pain, anger, and helplessness faded away…
Until he could forget that night.