Facing Off

"Qin Yu, did anything happen to you on the way? Why were you delayed by fifteen minutes?" Minato Namikaze asked, his face lighting up with delight.

However, when he looked at Danzo, there was a hint more defiance in his gaze.

Just a moment ago, Danzo had been insisting it was impossible. Now Qin Yu had suddenly appeared.

That was a slap in the face, loud and clear.

"Nothing happened. We were just tired, so we stopped to rest for a bit." Qin Yu smiled and patted Minato Namikaze on the shoulder.

"Is something going on? If not, I'll head back and get some rest."

The sight immediately stirred the guards standing not far away.

"Did you see that? That good-for-nothing Uchiha Qin Yu is acting like he and Minato Namikaze are brothers."

"They seem to get along pretty well."

"Konoha sure is quick to win people over. No wonder he's a leading candidate for the next Hokage," said the guard at the head of the group.

He was a lean young man in his early twenties, hostility glinting in his eyes.

Qin Yu remembered that he was probably called Uchiha Seki.

He had a Two-Tomoe Sharingan.

Before Uchiha Shisui rose to prominence, he had been hailed as a rising star of the Uchiha Clan, a source of hope for the clan.

Unfortunately, the moment Uchiha Shisui became famous overnight,

Uchiha Seki had been utterly eclipsed.

Now another Uchiha Qin Yu had appeared, and it was probably making him feel resentful.

Qin Yu, however, paid none of this any mind.

In a world where strength reigned supreme, there was nothing that couldn't be settled with a fist.

And if one punch wasn't enough, then he'd throw another.

"So you're Uchiha Qin Yu. Truly, heroes come from the younger generation. You've managed to reach Konoha despite all the dangers along the way. It seems the rumors were true." Danzo turned around with a beaming smile.

Yet that half-smile of his gave off a strangely oppressive feeling.

As Qin Yu would put it, the bastard was hiding a knife behind his smile.

"Thanks for your concern. Apart from a few flies along the way, I really didn't run into any trouble." Qin Feng smiled amiably.

"Or was I just lucky? Maybe some of your men, Lord Danzo, were so unlucky they got lost and couldn't find their way back."

As he spoke, Qin Yu met Danzo's gaze without backing down, his smile growing brighter.

"Lord Danzo, do you think a guard dog that bites people at random deserves to die? I'd better not see those two beasts again. If I do, I won't show mercy to anyone."

As the words fell, the Mangekyō Sharingan in Qin Yu's eyes suddenly began to spin.

A moment later, his immense ocular power erupted like a surging tide, sending a blast of air sweeping outward.

But the overwhelming presence vanished as quickly as it had appeared.

It was gone in an instant.

"What powerful ocular strength!" Danzo's expression faltered.

Yet deep in his eyes, a trace of greed appeared as he looked at Qin Yu.

Danzo had both loved and hated the Uchiha Clan.

He hated the clan, but he coveted their Sharingan.

And according to the intel, Qin Yu's eyes were clearly different from those of ordinary clan members.

Now that he had seen them with his own eyes, Danzo was even more certain that they were like the Mangekyō described in the Second Hokage's records.

More importantly, the ocular power Qin Yu had just unleashed was so immense—

there was no other way to explain it unless those were Mangekyō Sharingan.

"Uchiha Qin Yu, you really are extraordinary. You've even awakened the legendary eyes. Perhaps you'll surpass Uchiha Shisui and become an unparalleled genius of your clan." Danzo stated it outright.

Uchiha Seki and the other members of the Police Force couldn't help but change expressions.

As members of the Uchiha Clan, they were glad to see a powerful figure emerge from their ranks.

But who didn't want to be that powerful figure themselves?

Now the former dead-last had become an unparalleled genius in Danzo's eyes.

And he had awakened the legendary Sharingan.

All this attention was enough to twist a person's heart.

"Heh, Lord Danzo, you're quite the joker. Maybe compared to you, I'm still not quite there yet." Qin Yu gave a dry laugh.

"If you have nothing else, I need to report in."

"Right, I nearly forgot about that." Minato Namikaze quickly picked up the thread.

"The Third Hokage and the two Konoha advisors have been waiting for some time. Let's go report in."

"Yugao, Hayate, head back and rest. You've had a rough time lately, so don't go wandering around."

At this, Gekko Hayate looked relieved. He glanced at Qin Yu, quickly thanked them, then turned and hurried away.

Uzuki Yugao was reluctant to leave, but sensing the atmosphere, she knew this wasn't the time to linger.

She gave Qin Yu a worried look, then turned and left as well.

For a moment, the enormous city gate was filled with a strange, oppressive atmosphere.

"Minato, let's go." Qin Yu patted Minato Namikaze on the shoulder.

"Don't keep the Third waiting. Lord Danzo, if you like, you can stay here a little longer. Maybe you'll find what you're hoping for."

With that, Qin Yu set off toward the Hokage Office Building.

Minato Namikaze could only smile wryly.

But he didn't agree with Danzo's actions either.

Now that Danzo had taken a hit, Minato Namikaze was pleased as could be.

He had no intention of soothing Danzo's fragile ego.

Watching Qin Yu and Minato Namikaze leave,

Uchiha Seki led the Police Force away, his face dark.

"Lord Danzo, are you still waiting? My shift is over," the Chunin guarding the Sealing Gate asked timidly.

"Get out of here! Do you think you're qualified to question Lord Danzo?" Yamanaka Fu emerged from the shadows.

Aburame Torune followed close behind him, and neither man looked pleased.

Danzo said nothing.

Qin Yu's words still rankled.

He had spoken vaguely, but when Danzo thought of the Sharingan he had painstakingly collected in his arm,

and his secret deal with Orochimaru, he felt as if Qin Yu had seen right through him.

As the founder of Root Division and one of Konoha's leaders,

Danzo considered himself second to none in intelligence, strategy, or scheming—even the Third Hokage couldn't match him.

Yet this time, not only had the assassination failed, he couldn't even see through a mere brat.

For the first time, Danzo understood what it meant to be impossible to read.

"Lord Danzo, didn't you send a rogue S-Class shinobi from Takigakure to intercept Uchiha Qin Yu? Why is he unharmed?" Yamanaka Fu couldn't hold back any longer.

Thinking of Yamanaka Tatsuya's death, he wanted to tear Qin Yu apart with his bare hands.

"Fu, don't get worked up. Could the kid have changed his route, leaving Kakuzu with no one to intercept?" Aburame Torune said gravely.

"Otherwise, given that kid's temperament, if Kakuzu had really failed, he'd have launched an attack by now."

Danzo silently nodded at this.

"Find some people and get in touch with Kakuzu. Check the Post Station too. I want results within thirty minutes."

"Don't worry, Lord Danzo. I'll go right now." Yamanaka Fu couldn't hold back any longer.

With that, he turned and rushed out through the Sealing Gate.

He was desperate to confirm Aburame Torune's theory.

But another thought kept flashing through his mind.