Obito Uchiha could only lower his head in shame at Minato Namikaze's words about the Uchiha clan's reputation.
Minato continued, telling Obito about Qianyu.
"Qianyu was never acknowledged by the Uchiha clan, but he still carries their blood. That's an undeniable fact. Because of this, the villagers poured all their hatred for the Uchiha onto him. So back then… Qianyu didn't have it easy."
Obito tried to picture it. A five-year-old kid. Alone. No family. Surviving by himself while being bullied by everyone…
Just thinking about it made his chest feel tight.
Minato went on. "That kind of experience made him… extreme. He doesn't trust comrades. Cold to everyone. Especially me. I made a mistake back then. Something that made him despise me for over a decade."
Obito blinked. "What could make Lord Qianyu hate you for that long, sensei?"
Minato's expression turned wry. "That involves someone very important to him. Kushina Uzumaki. If not for Kushina, I'd have thought Qianyu had no emotions at all. He's ice to everyone—except her. Back in the academy, a student brought his genin brother to pick on Kushina. I didn't help her. I helped the student and his brother instead. That's why Qianyu's hated me ever since. If Jiraiya-sensei hadn't shown up in time that day… Qianyu would have shattered my arm."
Obito gasped. "Lord Qianyu was that strong even back then? But Lord Jiraiya said you were incredibly strong too, sensei! How could you almost lose an arm?"
Minato gave a bitter smile. "Back then, I was no match for him. Not even close. Qianyu had already mastered Thunder Breathing Taijutsu by the time he entered the academy. We sparred many times. I lost every single one. That only changed after the war started and I learned the Flying Thunder God Technique."
Obito nodded vigorously. "With that technique, you must have been unstoppable, sensei!"
Minato shook his head. "No. After I mastered Flying Thunder God, I sparred with him once more. I lost that time too."
Obito's eyes widened. "Even with your speed… he still won?"
"Mm. And he won easily. His combat intelligence is exceptional. I was utterly crushed. I haven't sparred with him since."
Obito felt a mix of awe and confusion. "I've never seen Lord Qianyu fight, but… with the Uchiha clan's strongest eye, the Mangekyō Sharingan… he must be terrifying."
Minato's voice turned serious. "Obito. Remember this. Never, ever equate Qianyu with the Uchiha clan in front of him. If you do, he will retaliate. He's cold to others, but to the Uchiha? He's merciless. If he finds a reason, he will move against you."
Obito swallowed nervously. "I—I understand."
Minato lowered his head, his voice dropping. "Qianyu and I… we're fundamentally incompatible. He's radical. Arrogant. Cruel. Extreme. He has no concept of comrades. He's utterly detached. If a comrade begs for help, he doesn't think of saving them. He thinks of how to use them. Back then… Daigo was gravely injured. He begged Qianyu to save him. Qianyu gave him a stack of explosive tags instead. Told him to take the enemy with him. The despair on Daigo's face… I can still see it."
Obito's mouth hung slightly open. He couldn't believe it.
Giving explosive tags to a wounded man? Telling him to blow himself up?
What kind of demon does that?
Minato sighed. "When I say I'm worried about Qianyu… I'm worried about Kakashi. Worried he'll become more radical, more extreme by following him. Kakashi already resembles him too much. I'm terrified Kakashi will become another Qianyu. But… Kakashi is his student. By rights, I have no say in how he's taught. It's… frustrating."
Obito fell into a complex silence, thinking for a long while.
"Obito," Minato said finally. "It's late. Get some rest."
"Right. You should rest too, sensei."
On the walk back to the camp, Minato's words about Kakashi and Qianyu swirled in Obito's head.
He was halfway there when a voice cut through the night.
"Finished bad-mouthing me with that guy Minato?"
"Gah!"
Obito jumped, his whole body jolting.
He saw Qianyu. His heart hammered against his ribs.
"L-Lord Qianyu! What are you doing here?"
His words stumbled out.
Qianyu looked at the boy's dumbfounded expression. Hard to believe this was one of the masterminds who'd plunge the world into war in the future.
Qianyu's gaze remained fixed on him. Obito felt the pressure building, immense and suffocating.
Just as cold sweat was about to soak through his clothes, Qianyu finally spoke.
"Do you think I'm like he says? Radical? Extreme? Arrogant? Cruel?"
Obito forced a smile uglier than crying. "N-no! Not at all! I would never think that!"
Qianyu's lips curved slightly. "Obito. You haven't lived my past. You don't know why I became like this. I did nothing wrong, yet everyone cursed me. Beat me. I had no backing. No one to rely on. Only my own weak self, forcing myself to grow stronger. To survive, I had to tread carefully every single day. And when I finally grew strong? When I could stand on my own? I had to protect the very people who tormented me. Do you have any idea how sick that makes me feel?"
Disgust twisted Qianyu's features. Obito stared, speechless.
"Obito. Do you think Kakashi became like this because of me?"
Obito numbly shook his head. "I… I don't know."
Qianyu spoke slowly, each word deliberate. "It wasn't me who made Kakashi this way. It was the Leaf."
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