Holding the Future Fourth Hokage in the Palm of His Hand

Orochimaru's pale fingers lightly stroked Qian Ye's forehead.

That slick sensation sent goosebumps all over Qian Ye's body.

He suppressed the urge to recoil and allowed Orochimaru's chakra to probe at the edge of the seal.

Once he confirmed that the mark was stable, Orochimaru withdrew his hand.

His golden vertical pupils gleamed with undisguised approval.

The Yin Seal was a supreme technique Tsunade had spent years perfecting. Countless medical ninja of the Hidden Leaf had poured their hearts into it, yet failed even to reach its threshold.

Yet this twelve-year-old civilian brat before him had mastered it in merely two days.

That kind of talent had already surpassed common sense.

Qian Ye grinned.

He accepted the praise without the slightest hesitation.

"If I didn't have some skills, how could I be worthy of being Teacher Orochimaru's disciple?"

"If I couldn't even learn the Yin Seal, wouldn't that tarnish your reputation?"

Orochimaru let out a low laugh from his throat.

He greatly appreciated this disciple's personality.

Greedy enough, clever enough, and aware of how to display his own worth.

Qian Ye's eyes shifted as his gaze landed on Minato Namikaze beside him.

He decided to stir up a little trouble for the future Fourth Hokage.

"Still, my little tricks might be nothing in certain people's eyes."

Qian Ye sighed and spread his hands in feigned regret.

Minato's heart skipped a beat.

A sense of foreboding rose within him.

Sure enough, Qian Ye continued.

"On the way to the border, Senior Brother Minato let something slip."

"He said Lord Jiraiya sounded very confident in his letter."

"Lord Jiraiya's exact words were that his eye for disciples was far better than Teacher Orochimaru's."

"After all, the disciple he raised was the Yellow Flash, renowned throughout the Ninja World."

Qian Ye blinked, wearing