Uchiha Kazuo saw through Qianyu's plan, but it was too late.
Jiraiya and a group of ninja had already found them.
Uchiha Kazuo could only argue that Qianyu had deliberately provoked him.
Qianyu just shrugged. "Please. You came to me. You threatened me. And now you're saying I insulted you? Insulted the Uchiha? That I intentionally provoked you into attacking? Are all Uchiha such shameless, bare-faced liars?"
Kazuo's face flushed crimson. "That wasn't a threat! It was a warning!"
Qianyu turned to Jiraiya. "Lord Jiraiya, what do you think? Is 'your stay here is temporary; you'll have to return to Konoha sooner or later' a warning… or a threat?"
Jiraiya's gaze turned cold as it settled on Kazuo.
A warning? It sounded like a blatant threat to him.
Before Kazuo could offer another excuse, Jiraiya cut him off, his voice sharp. "Answer one question. Did you attack first?"
"Yes, but—" Kazuo began urgently.
"No 'buts'," Jiraiya interrupted again, not letting him finish. "You sought Qianyu out. You threatened him. You attacked him. What else is there to say? At a time like this, when unity is crucial, you're still caught up in petty grudges? Can you not tell what's important? How did you even make jonin?
Enough. No more talk. You're coming with me to see Orochimaru. He'll decide your punishment."
Uchiha Kazuo felt numb.
This guy Qianyu was too cunning. He'd kept insulting the clan, baiting him, just to make him attack first and get caught by the others.
Any defense was useless now.
He'd sought Qianyu out. He'd struck first. Punishment was inevitable.
And it would be decided by Orochimaru, notorious for showing no mercy. He was in deep trouble.
Defeated, Kazuo trailed behind Jiraiya.
Then Qianyu's cold, sly voice slithered from behind him, aimed at the four Uchiha. "You four! Listen up. The next Cloud squad, around ten strong—you're hitting them first. I suspect an ambush nearby, so I'll be busy clearing the area. I won't be there to help you initially."
He paused, letting the weight sink in. "You do not retreat until I give the order. Not one step back. Even if you die. Is that clear?"
Uchiha Keisuke and the other three stared at Qianyu, disbelief in their widened eyes.
A ten-man Cloud squad? Half were chunin, led by a special jonin! How were four chunin supposed to ambush that? It was a suicide mission.
Uchiha Kazuo whirled around, his eyes locking onto Qianyu with lethal intensity.
'The more you threaten me here, the more I'll pay it back to those four.'
This was the payback. Qianyu was tormenting them because of him.
"QIANYU!" Kazuo snarled, the name ripped from his throat.
Qianyu lifted his gaze, utterly calm. "Yes? Did you have something to add?"
Even Jiraiya found it hard to stomach now. He was certain—Qianyu had intentionally provoked Kazuo. These orders were meant to twist the knife.
"Qianyu, that's enough," Jiraiya said, trying to mediate. "Don't take it out on your team. He'll be punished severely."
Qianyu's reply was ice. "Lord Jiraiya, how is this 'taking it out' on them? Every mission carries risk. We must all be prepared to sacrifice. If they lack that resolve, they shouldn't be ninja."
His tone shifted, a veneer of reason. "I'm not sending them to die. They initiate the ambush. I secure the perimeter, then reinforce them immediately. I give you my word—if I live, they live. Is that not fair enough?"
The four Uchiha felt their heads spin. They were furious at Kazuo, utterly helpless.
Being under Qianyu's command was bad enough. They'd worried about him making their lives difficult.
Now? He had the perfect excuse.
Was Kazuo trying to get them killed?
Jiraiya frowned deeply. "Qianyu, just… don't push things to the extreme. Leave some room."
Qianyu dipped his head. "Understood, Lord Jiraiya."
With a resigned shake of his head, Jiraiya led the seething Kazuo away.
The remaining ninja watched Qianyu, their expressions a mix of wariness and newfound respect.
One thought echoed among them: Don't cross this kid. That little fox will bury you.
Qianyu turned back to the four Uchiha. He smiled. It didn't reach his eyes. "With me. Now."
That smile sent chills down their spines. They'd done nothing! Why were they suffering?
But orders were orders. With slumped shoulders, the four Uchiha followed him, a procession of gloom.
…
Kazuo followed Jiraiya to Orochimaru's quarters.
Jiraiya relayed the events.
Orochimaru's cold eyes settled on Kazuo. "Remarkable. Even now, your clan dares to act like this."
Kazuo kept his head down, unable to meet that gaze. What was there to say? The deed was done. Orochimaru was Qianyu's teacher. Of course he'd side with him.
Still, Kazuo was confident he wouldn't be sent back to Konoha like Uchiha Yorihito. He was a jonin. Strong fighters were needed. He was safe on that front.
He was right. Orochimaru's punishment didn't include a trip home.
"Uchiha Kazuo," Orochimaru's voice was a serpent's whisper. "Effective immediately, for the duration of the upcoming assaults on Cloud outposts, you will participate in every engagement. You will serve on the front line, as part of the vanguard assault team."
Kazuo's pupils contracted.
The vanguard. The spearhead. The first wave to meet the enemy's full force. It was a death sentence wrapped in an order. The danger was explicit.
"…Understood," Kazuo grunted, the word heavy, before turning to leave.
Once he was gone, Jiraiya voiced his concern. "Aren't you worried, Orochimaru? Qianyu has made a mortal enemy of the entire Uchiha clan. When he returns to Konoha, the reprisal…"
Orochimaru showed not a flicker of worry. "Qianyu and the Uchiha were oil and water from the start. Do not underestimate him, Jiraiya. He rarely acts without calculation. Which means… he does not fear their reprisal at all."
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