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Qianyu was forcing Hiruzen's hand. Two choices: negotiate, or watch these talks collapse.
He had to be this forceful. It was the only way to protect Naruto.
Naruto joining Root… Even as the Child of Prophecy, destined to save the world, who knew what he'd become after that?
The threats to the ninja world weren't just Kaguya Ōtsutsuki on the moon.
Naruto's destiny as the Child of Prophecy was specifically tied to the feud between Indra and Asura, and to Kaguya herself.
All of Qianyu's confidence came from knowing the rough outline of the future.
He'd once thought, after changing Miyuki Uzumaki's fate, that he could just watch from the sidelines. Grow stronger quietly. Wait for the powerful enemies to appear. Fight them then.
But the more he thought like that, the harder it became.
Every single time, he couldn't just stand by. He was forced to intervene.
People had feelings. You could think about being a detached observer, witnessing everything. But once you got involved… once connections were made… that cold rationality was impossible.
There was another reason. The system's Witness Points. Participating and altering the original trajectory granted huge rewards. Far more than the basic points for just witnessing an event.
If Qianyu wanted a massive influx of points to grow stronger, he had to participate. He had to change things.
Like the Nine-Tails incident. Witnessing it granted 20,000 points. That was the base reward for a major event.
But changing Minato Namikaze and Miyuki Uzumaki's fates? An extra 50,000 points. Altering the life path of the key figure, Naruto Uzumaki? Another 50,000.
The extra rewards were five times the base amount.
The system itself was pushing him to interfere. To change the future.
But the ripple effects… If he wanted to steer the altered future back toward the original track, it took tremendous effort.
Like right now. To stop Naruto from being taken to Root, aside from strong-arming Hiruzen Sarutobi, Qianyu had no other cards to play.
Miyuki Uzumaki's defection was a fresh, bloody example. Hiruzen had to be worried Naruto would follow his mother's path.
What Qianyu had told Miyuki back then—that after her defection, Konoha would have to value Naruto, that Hiruzen would suppress the "Child of Disaster" rumors, that Naruto's parentage would be sealed, that while he'd still face prejudice, things would be better, and his growth in Konoha would be assured—that was a lie. But not entirely.
Konoha would have to value Naruto. The rumors would need suppressing. But without his intervention… this situation could arise. Naruto taken to Root. Molded by Danzō into an emotionless weapon of war.
Qianyu had thought Hiruzen might show some deference to Minato, the Fourth Hokage. That he wouldn't hand Naruto over.
Hiruzen had hesitated. But only hesitated.
So Qianyu had to force his way in. It was the only way to stop it.
If Hiruzen refused… well, Qianyu was prepared to wipe out Root entirely. Remove the option.
Danzō couldn't die yet, not with his future connections to the Uchiha clan, and to Sasuke Uchiha—not the Child of Prophecy, but a child of fate nonetheless.
Hiruzen looked at Qianyu, his expression grim.
The image before him… it was starting to overlap with his memories of Madara Uchiha.
The founding of Konoha. Hashirama Senju becoming First Hokage. Hiruzen was six years old that year.
Before that, he'd seen Madara Uchiha's power on the battlefield with his own eyes.
The later battle at the Valley of the End between Madara and Hashirama… Hiruzen hadn't witnessed it directly. But the scars left behind… he could never forget.
The entire topography of the valley was remade.
That battle was more terrifying than any tailed beast rampage.
And now… Qianyu. A casual blow had collapsed half the Hokage Building. The Mangekyō Sharingan. The Sage Mode of Ryūchi Cave. It all screamed one thing: power. A power, and a temperament, chillingly similar to Madara's.
Mad. Extreme. Ruthless…
Hiruzen didn't dare make a wrong move. Konoha was weak, vulnerable. If he failed to contain Qianyu here, the village was truly in danger.
Hiruzen's voice was low, heavy. "Then. What are your terms?"
Qianyu stepped over Danzō's limp, crumpled form and took a seat. "Naruto does not go to Danzō. That's my bottom line. If you try to hand him over, Danzō dies right now."
He tilted his head back slightly, a scornful smile playing on his lips as he looked up at the standing Hiruzen. "You don't want him to die, do you? After all the crimes he's committed—crimes worthy of execution—you've always protected him."
Hiruzen sat down in the chair opposite Qianyu, his gaze deep and unreadable. "And Naruto absolutely does not go to you. Your actions now make trust impossible!"
Qianyu scoffed. "Don't act like you trusted me before. From the day I returned to Konoha, you never did. You stood by and watched as the Uchiha and the village idiots pushed me around, didn't you?"
He leaned forward slightly. "If I hadn't handed over the Thunder Breathing method, if I hadn't earned your trust step by step after that… I'd probably be dead in some forgotten ditch. No one would remember me."
Hiruzen's pupils contracted slightly. Had he been planning this? Even back then? How old was he? Not even ten. Nine, perhaps? A mind that deep, that young?
It was a long moment before Hiruzen spoke again. "So. You've always hated Konoha?"
Qianyu threw his head back and laughed—a wild, mirthless sound that went on for too long. He finally stopped, wiping a non-existent tear from his eye. "Lord Third Hokage. Tell me. How could I not hate Konoha? Give me one reason not to. My parents were forced to leave. Branded traitors. Hunted by ANBU. Wasn't that all your doing?"
Hiruzen's stare was unwavering. "The pressure from the Uchiha clan back then… it forced my hand. And Konoha has sheltered you all these years since!"
Qianyu's smile didn't reach his eyes. "That's the only reason you're still sitting here talking to me. I said it before. The title 'Blood-Eyed Asura' is payment enough. Any debt I owed Konoha is paid in full."
He waved a dismissive hand. "Don't talk to me about Konoha's shelter. Apart from a roof over my head, I earned every single thing myself. What does any of it have to do with you?"
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