Minato's Request, Has the Hand of Fate Begun to Move?

Outside the Hokage Building.

Yūhi Kurenai and Hyuga Himon waited together.

"Why isn't it over yet?"

Yūhi Kurenai anxiously looked up at the sun. It was already noon.

"With Qingye's strength, nothing could possibly go wrong."

Hyuga Himon leaned against the wall, his voice calm though his expression was somewhat strange. But Yūhi Kurenai was entirely focused on the jonin examination and did not notice at all.

Before long, Qingye slowly walked out of the Hokage Building.

Yūhi Kurenai immediately rushed over, her large eyes blinking expectantly. "Well?"

"What else could it be? I passed everything without a hitch."

Qingye waved the jonin appointment letter in his hand.

After nearly thirteen years in the Naruto world and more than three years of effort, he had successfully been demoted... promoted from a world-destroying Konoha genin to a Konoha jonin.

Yūhi Kurenai let out a sigh of relief and lightly patted her chest, her face full of smiles. "I knew you'd be fine, Qingye."

Hyuga Himon could not help rolling his eyes.

Then who had been anxiously pacing around just now?

"Come on, my treat today!"

As usual, they went to Yakiniku Q.

"Ta-da!"

Yūhi Kurenai took out an amulet. "I specifically went to a shrine to pray for this protective charm. It's your jonin promotion gift, Qingye. May it keep you safe and ensure everything goes smoothly on the battlefield."

Qingye's eyes lit up slightly.

As far as he was concerned, he currently lacked neither ninjutsu nor money.

Compared to those, things like this, which had little practical value, meant more to him instead.

It was about good luck, after all!

Anything could happen on the battlefield.

If you accidentally fell into a trap, it would not matter even if you were the grandson of the God of Shinobi.

"Thank you. I'll treasure it."

Qingye accepted it, then looked at Hyuga Himon, whose expression was somewhat awkward.

"Uh..."

Hyuga Himon scratched his head, looking a little guilty. "I think I forgot to prepare a jonin promotion gift..."

Even though Kurenai had specifically reminded him not to forget.

"You have something on your mind, don't you, Himon?" Qingye recalled. "Before I went in for the examination, your expression already seemed off."

"Did something happen?" Yūhi Kurenai asked with concern.

Though the three of them had not been a team for long, they were comrades who had faced life and death together.

"...I might not be able to stay on the team anymore."

After hesitating for a long time, Hyuga Himon finally said it haltingly.

Kirigakure had suddenly intensified its offensive recently.

A Young Master of the Hyuga Clan's Main Family on the front lines had been attacked and lost one eye. The Branch Family ninja responsible for protecting him had also died in battle.

He would likely be recalled by the Main Family to serve as the new guard ninja.

"How can your Main Family do that?" Yūhi Kurenai said indignantly. "They're just breaking up other people's teams whenever they want. Doesn't Lord Hokage care?"

Qingye shook his head. "This is considered an internal clan matter, especially since it involves the Hyuga Clan's Main Family and Branch Family. Most of the time, the Hokage Building won't interfere."

Hyuga Himon also wore a bitter expression.

As a Branch Family ninja, his fate had been decided from the moment he was born.

These past few months on Qingye's team, his strength had rapidly improved and his mission contributions had piled up quickly. Sure enough, it had only been a fleeting dream.

For a time, none of the three had any appetite during what had originally been a celebratory meal for Qingye's jonin promotion.

After forcing themselves to finish eating and parting ways, Yūhi Kurenai was still worried by the time she returned home.

She wondered what kind of new teammate they would be assigned next.

Would they be difficult to get along with?

"But luckily, I wasn't transferred out..."

Yūhi Kurenai could not help but feel relieved.

"Kurenai, you're back?"

The moment she arrived home, Yūhi Shinkō saw his daughter. He hesitated for a moment before finally forcing himself to speak. "Would you consider switching to another team?"

"...Huh?"

Yūhi Kurenai was dumbfounded.

Was she a jinx?

But she had not even said it out loud just now!

"Why?"

She did not understand!

"Uchiha Aoya's strength has already far surpassed that of others his age. If you continue carrying out missions with him, you'll only face more danger in the future."

Yūhi Shinkō tried his best to persuade her.

"..."

Yūhi Kurenai wanted to speak, but stopped herself.

It had already been a month since Aoya returned from the Iwagakure battlefield.

During this time, Aoya mostly trained by himself. He steadily improved his Taijutsu, studied illusion techniques, and developed Lightning Release ninjutsu, advancing on all fronts at once.

That was until Minato Namikaze suddenly came to visit.

"Aoya, please!"

Minato Namikaze wore a helpless expression. "Kakashi and Rin... I hope you can help look after them."

Across from him, Aoya's expression was somewhat strange.

Why did he feel like something had been off lately?

First, Hyuga Himon had been forcibly transferred out of their team because of an incident involving a young master from the Main Family.

Then, Yūhi Shinkō became worried about his daughter and directly reported to the Third Naruto, saying he hoped Yūhi Kurenai could be assigned to another team.

His team had suddenly fallen apart!

Then, somehow, Minato Namikaze learned about it and came to him, saying he hoped Aoya could form a new team with Kakashi and Nohara Rin.

Wasn't this wrong?!

"I've truly failed as a teacher. I couldn't take good care of my students, and I didn't make it back in time either. Obito died because of that."

Minato Namikaze said helplessly, "Rin is doing all right for now, but Kakashi's mental state has really not been right lately..."

Speaking of which, Minato Namikaze had also been overwhelmed by this matter recently.

He had originally intended to keep secret the fact that Obito and Kakashi had abandoned their mission to save Rin. Yet somehow, the matter had ultimately leaked out and even spread throughout the village!

Now, whenever he walked down the street, he often heard people condemning Kakashi and Obito.

Some were even subtly directing their criticism at him as their teacher!

He did not care much about what people said about him, but when faced with Kakashi's question of whether one should complete the mission or save one's comrades, he found it difficult to answer as well.

All he could do was advise Kakashi to see his own heart clearly.

Now that Obito was dead, he had entrusted Kakashi with protecting Rin before his death. Yet Kakashi was in such a state, and Minato himself, as their teacher, had to deal with emergency missions from time to time.

"Aoya, I can only rely on you now."

With no other choice, Minato Namikaze ultimately decided to seek out Aoya, who had been Kakashi and Rin's classmate.

As it happened, two members of Aoya's three-man team had recently been transferred away.

This was the perfect opportunity to form a new team with Kakashi and the others.

"..."

Aoya said nothing.

What the hell was this!

The Battle of Kannabi Bridge should originally have been Team Kakashi's mission, yet he had somehow gotten involved in it.

And afterward, Nohara Rin would surely become a crucial part of Old Madara's scheme. Naturally, Aoya had absolutely no desire to get mixed up in it.

But what was this situation now?

Had the great hand of fate in the ninja world begun to move?

Was it determined to make him clash with Old Madara, to clash with Sage Two?

"If you're willing to help, Aoya, then no matter what you ask for, I'll do everything in my power to grant it."

Minato Namikaze spoke earnestly.

Since you put it that way...

Qingye pondered for a moment, then said with a resolute expression, "I refuse!"

"Ah?"

Minato Namikaze froze.

"But I have another suggestion."

Qingye suddenly smiled. "Why does it have to be a three-man squad? Kakashi and I can form a two-man team. As for Rin, she can be assigned to the rear camp as a Medical Ninja."