The Sage Mode in the shop caught Qianyu's eye.
But spending 20,000 Witness Points right then and there? The price tag gave him pause.
He already had a contract with Ryūchi Cave. He could go there directly to learn senjutsu. If things went smoothly, he could save a full 20,000 points.
Witness Points weren't easy to come by. Every bit saved counted. He needed to stockpile more for the truly game-changing abilities, the ones that would give him a real edge.
Now wasn't the time for a trip to the snake sage's den, though. And honestly, with the power of his Mangekyō Sharingan humming in his eyes, the urgent need to strengthen himself had faded a bit. He decided to wait. Maybe after this whole war business was settled, he'd make the pilgrimage.
Rested and ready, Qianyu hit the road again, resuming his one-man hunt across the Land of Hot Water.
Days blurred into one another.
In the Land of Hot Water, a new name began to spread among the terrified Cloud ninja: Minato Namikaze.
The Flying Thunder God Technique. Enemy shinobi died before their brains could even register the flash of yellow. The title 'Yellow Flash' was already sticking.
The Cloud ninja were beyond frustrated. First Qianyu, now this Namikaze. Both were speed demons, but their styles were polar opposites.
Qianyu was a thunderbolt—a direct, brutal force of nature that smashed through everything.
Minato was a ghost—blinking in and out of existence, impossible to pin down.
The only thing they had in common? The Cloud couldn't handle either of them.
A few days later, a summons from Orochimaru called Qianyu back to base immediately.
Returning to the camp, he found Kakashi absent—probably out on a mission. He headed straight for Orochimaru's tent.
"Orochimaru-sensei. I'm back."
Orochimaru steepled his fingers, a thin smile on his lips. "Your target has been achieved?"
Qianyu mirrored the smile. "Almost. Just need that final stepping stone."
"Your chance will come." Orochimaru's expression sobered, turning grave. "The war's landscape has shifted. Dramatically."
"What happened?"
"With you hunting in the field, you wouldn't have the latest intelligence," Orochimaru began, his voice low and serious. "Both Sunagakure and Kirigakure have been crippled. The Third Kazekage is missing. Suna is leaderless, pouring all resources into the search. They've effectively withdrawn from the war. Meanwhile, Kiri is engulfed in internal strife. Their external forces are stretched thin. This is our opportunity."
Qianyu's eyes glinted. So the Third Kazekage is already dead by Sasori's hand. The full-scale war… it's right at our doorstep now. Even if Kumogakure and Iwagakure held back, Konoha would seize this opening. Of course they would.
Orochimaru continued. "My intelligence reports the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki, Killer B, has returned to Kumogakure. Qianyu, you possess the Mangekyō. I am assigning you a mission."
He produced a small vial. "Infiltrate Kumogakure. Use this—a special paralysis pill of my own design. Subdue Killer B, then break the 'Iron Armor' seal binding the Eight-Tails. Use your Sharingan to control the beast and unleash it upon the village."
He fixed Qianyu with a serpentine gaze. "Do you know the Five Elements Seal Release?"
"Yes. Kushina taught me some fuinjutsu," Qianyu replied.
"Good. Force the pill down his throat, break the seal, command the beast. This mission is S-Rank. Do you accept?"
A sharp grin spread across Qianyu's face. "A mission with enormous merit? Of course I accept."
He knew this was a gift from Orochimaru. In his memories, this was a task the Sannin had undertaken himself.
Orochimaru tossed a mission scroll to him. "Then it's yours."
Catching the scroll, Qianyu nodded. "I'll depart immediately, sensei."
Days later, under the cover of a moonlit night in Kumogakure…
Inside a secluded room, Killer B sat by the window, gazing emptily at the full moon. A single octopus tentacle swayed listlessly behind his back.
A sudden presence.
B jerked his head around, then relaxed. "Oh. It's you, A."
The tentacle retracted.
The future Fourth Raikage, A, stepped into the room. B held up a hand. "Don't come too close."
"Can't sleep?" A asked, his voice gruff.
B looked back at the moon. "Nights like this… the full moon. It looks like the hole in my heart."
A's brow furrowed. "Haven't found anything to fill it yet?"
"Maybe I never will." B's voice was hollow. "My body's here. My heart's dead. It's like walking a desert alone. As long as I'm trapped here… I'll never find anything."
"What can I do?" A's question was heavy.
B sighed, the sound weary beyond his years. "My heart's beyond saving. If the worst happens… I'm counting on you."
A studied his friend for a long moment. B had been brilliant—skilled, strong-blooded, capable, virtuous. That's why they chose him for the Eight-Tails. He'd trained hard, mastered the beast… for a time. Both A's father and the beast itself had held such hope.
But becoming a jinchūriki changed everything. The looks in people's eyes. The constant, grinding isolation. The fear of his own death that now haunted his dreams. His spirit eroded day by day.
And when a jinchūriki's heart grew weak, the beast within stirred. It wasn't Gyūki's malice; it was B's crumbling will, no longer able to hold the power at bay.
The emptiness remained. Unfilled.
Wordlessly, A turned and left.
In the deep shadow of a building across from B's residence, a figure watched. A Cloud shinobi, by the headband. It was Qianyu, expertly disguised. He'd forgone a simple transformation jutsu, wary of sensor types. Instead, he wore a detailed mask and uniform.
Kumogakure's Medical Ninja Hospital.
In a quiet examination room, a lone medic-nin worked late. A small white serpent slithered soundlessly across the floor, behind the chair, up the leg…
And in a breath, the snake was gone. In its place stood Qianyu.
The blade flashed.
A wet gurgle. The medic-nin slumped.
Qianyu moved swiftly, cleaning the evidence. Minutes later, he sat in the same chair, wearing the medic's face and coat, waiting.
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