"Qin Yu, are you finished talking?"
Inside the cave, Minato Namikaze watched Qin Yu return and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
No!
That was what everyone present was doing—including Gekko Kuro Yoru. They were all taking a gamble.
They were gambling on whether Qin Yu would defect and leave Konoha Hidden Leaf Village.
After all, they had seen with their own eyes that Qin Yu could turn even a C-rank ninjutsu into a forbidden technique.
Now they understood exactly what Gekko Kuro Yoru had meant.
They would rather have him as a stranger than an enemy.
"What's wrong? Do you think I'd run away?" Qin Yu glanced at Minato Namikaze.
"Don't worry. There's no one in this world worth being afraid of."
Qin Yu's confidence might have seemed arrogant, but no one dared contradict him.
Minato Namikaze shook his head with a wry smile. "Of course I know that."
"But the Mist Ninja and Cloud Ninja have already been defeated. They won't dare set foot here again anytime soon."
"So Gekko Kuro Yoru will take over the outpost. You and I will head back to Konoha Hidden Leaf Village. If you have any objections, speak up."
The moment he finished, everyone tensed and turned to look at Qin Yu.
"Is Kannabi Bridge in danger?"
Qin Yu knew roughly when the war had taken place, but not the details.
If the Kannabi Bridge campaign really was in danger, that meant the Third Shinobi World War was nearing its end.
"How did you know?" Minato Namikaze's expression faltered.
"Just a guess. Do you believe me?" Qin Yu patted Minato Namikaze on the shoulder. "When are we leaving?"
"Tomorrow morning." Minato Namikaze looked relieved.
What they had feared most was that Qin Yu might misunderstand why he'd been urgently summoned back to Konoha at such a sensitive time.
"Then that's fine."
Qin Yu had agreed to return to Konoha for two reasons: first, to get his hands on those forbidden techniques; second, Obito was about to descend into darkness.
Rin would soon become a target of Kirigakure, used as a Jinchuriki weapon to destroy Konoha's peace.
If he played his cards right, Qin Yu would have the chance to find the Three-Tails and tame it, turning it into a chakra ATM.
"I'm hungry, too. Let's go out and get something to eat." Minato Namikaze called out before leading the group of ninjas away.
Qin Yu quickly followed after them.
"Dad, you're really letting me go back with Uchiha Qin Yu?" Gekko Hayate asked anxiously.
"Aren't you worried he'll attack me on the way?"
Thinking of how terrifying Uchiha Qin Yu was, Gekko Hayate couldn't help regretting his actions.
He'd offended someone his father feared deeply, all for the sake of one woman.
If Qin Yu survived, he would become Gekko Hayate's nightmare for the rest of his life.
"Don't worry. I've already thought of a way. He's kept his strength hidden so well, but when it mattered, he stepped in and defeated the Cloud Ninja and Mist Ninja. That proves he still cares about Konoha," Gekko Kuro Yoru said gravely.
"If you sincerely apologize, and I give him the thing I've kept as our trump card, we should be able to smooth over this little spat."
Gekko Hayate froze for a moment, then blurted out, "Dad, that thing is vital to our clan's survival. Isn't that going too far?"
"No." Gekko Kuro Yoru shook his head. "If he accepts it, he could bring opportunity to the Gekko Clan."
"Besides, I've made up my mind. I hope you'll finally grow up after this and learn who you can afford to provoke—and who you can't."
Gekko Hayate fell silent. After a long while, under Gekko Kuro Yoru's watchful gaze, he nodded.
"Come on. It's getting late, and it looks like they've started a campfire feast outside."
Outside the outpost, the canyon that had once been easy to defend and difficult to attack had been completely flattened after two earth-shattering battles.
Seventy or eighty Konoha Ninja sat in a circle.
A huge bonfire burned in the middle, lighting up the night.
The flames danced in the wind, raising the temperature and making the air feel stifling.
The mood was much the same.
Many Konoha Ninja kept glancing at Qin Yu, visibly ill at ease.
"Ahem. I found three old mountain goats nearby. Let's have roast lamb tonight." Uzuki Cangwu cleared his throat, trying to break the oppressive silence.
But the Konoha Ninja remained quiet, still wary of Qin Yu and afraid of accidentally provoking him. Uzuki Cangwu could only give a helpless, wry smile.
"I'm leaving tomorrow. Let me cook you all a meal." Minato Namikaze also tried to ease the tension.
But as soon as he stood up, Qin Yu reached out to stop him.
"I know my way around good food. Let me do it." Qin Yu patted Minato Namikaze on the shoulder.
Under everyone's astonished gazes, he walked out.
For a ninja, hunting three wild goats was no difficult task.
One of them had curved horns and was covered in scars, its imposing bearing clear to see. It seemed that, in gathering food for the war, Uzuki Cangwu hadn't even spared the lead goat.
"Qin Yu, can you handle it?" Uzuki Cangwu couldn't help asking.
Qin Yu rolled his eyes.
"Don't ask a man if he can handle it. If he can't, women won't like him. Who's got a Chakra Blade I can borrow?"
A few snickers broke out around them.
Minato Namikaze shook his head with a helpless smile.
Only Uzuki Yugao and Shizune, the two young girls, looked completely baffled.
"Dad, what did Qin Yu mean?" Uzuki Yugao asked.
Uzuki Cangwu blushed and glared at her. "You're a girl. Why are you asking so many questions? Just stay over there."
At Uzuki Cangwu's scolding, several people who had been holding back their laughter burst out laughing.
Minato Namikaze and Uzuki Cangwu were both surprised by how quickly Qin Yu had broken the tension.
"Qin Yu, I didn't know you had a sense of humor. If anyone here has the best Chakra Blade, it's probably mine." Gekko Kuro Yoru walked over with Gekko Hayate.
He'd happened to hear the remark.
Without hesitation, Gekko Kuro Yoru drew the short blade from his thigh and tossed it over.
Qin Yu understood what Gekko Kuro Yoru was trying to do, but didn't refuse. He caught the blade.
The Chakra Blade slid free with a sharp sound. Its pale blue blade glimmered as chakra flowed into it.
But the moment Qin Feng began transforming its nature into lightning, the electric arcs sparkled like fireworks.
"This Chakra Blade is pretty good," Qin Yu said with a faint smile.
Gekko Kuro Yoru smiled and nodded. This was the key to thawing the icy relationship between them.
"If you like it, I can give it to you."
Before you continue