A sudden, inexplicable death in the vast battlefield ruins left everyone staring at Qin Yu.
"No," Qin Yu said flatly.
"No?" Inuzuka Feng rolled his eyes. "Kid, you're hiding your true strength pretty deep."
He lowered his voice and smirked. "I'll let you in on something—Yugao placed a bet on you. If you master the Lightning Chakra Mode, she's willing to go on a blind date with you."
"You're already fourteen or fifteen; it's time to start thinking about settling down."
Qin Yu nearly choked on his own breath.
According to Inuzuka Feng, he'd just been sold out—and he had even helped his matchmaker.
Inside a dimly lit cave, Yugao Uzuki carefully handed a marked kunai imbued with the Flying Thunder God Technique to her father, Uzuki Cangwu.
"Dad, according to Lord Third's instructions, if we place this kunai at the right coordinates, Lord Minato will sense the marker and can teleport here instantly," Yugao said anxiously.
"The Kumo forces are advancing fast. Based on intel, the A–B Combo might personally lead them. Only Lord Fourth Hokage has the speed to counter them."
She unrolled a summoning scroll, preparing to activate the Flying Thunder God kunai.
"Yugao, there's no need," Uzuki Cangwu said, raising a hand to stop her, his expression bitter. "You're too late."
"Dad, what are you talking about? We're right on time!" Yugao's voice was filled with urgency.
"This time, the Kumo forces number in the hundreds. Ai of the A–B Combo is already designated as the next Raikage. If they break through, we won't be able to stop them. Time is of the essence—we must act now!"
"Yugao, I said there's no need." Cangwu patted the back of her hand. "Qin Yu has already repelled them."
"No… you mean, he actually defeated them?"
Cangwu exhaled slowly. "Not just defeated. He annihilated them."
Even he, a battle-hardened shinobi, couldn't help but show awe.
Yugao's expression froze. "Dad… what happened? You're saying Qin Yu took down the Kumo forces?"
"All by himself?"
"Yes, it was all him," Cangwu confirmed, his voice trembling slightly as he recounted the battle.
"He faced the Kumo army alone. Using his affinity for lightning, he summoned a Kirin—an S-rank technique that called down a thunderclap so powerful, it wiped out hundreds in an instant."
"Then, he activated a terrifying dojutsu, summoning a blood-red Shura engulfed in inextinguishable black flames. With a single illusion, he paralyzed the Jinchūriki of the Eight-Tails…"
Yugao's face paled. She had never seen her father speak about anyone with such reverence.
But as he spoke, vivid images of the battlefield surfaced in her mind.
"Dad… with power like that, could Qin Yu secretly be an Uchiha prodigy?" Yugao murmured. "With such strength, he could easily contend for the Hokage seat."
"Funny you say that," Cangwu said, his eyes gleaming. "Before Ai left, he declared that their next showdown would be a battle between future Kage."
"And he called Qin Yu… the Scarlet Asura."
Yugao's expression changed.
The A–B Combo of Kumogakure—she knew exactly who they were.
Ai was the next Raikage in line, and now even he had acknowledged Qin Yu's strength.
If even Ai recognized Qin Yu as Kage-level… then it wasn't just an empty boast.
"Speaking of which, Yugao, I've been meaning to discuss something with you." Cangwu rubbed his hands together, suddenly looking awkward.
Yugao narrowed her eyes. "Dad, you were just singing Qin Yu's praises. You're not about to do something outrageous, are you?"
Coughing lightly, Cangwu tried to sound casual. "It's nothing bad. I just think Qin Yu is an excellent young man, so I was considering setting you up with him."
"Dad… you sold me out?!" Yugao's face darkened.
She couldn't believe her own father had made that kind of decision—right on the battlefield, no less!
He practically auctioned her off while she was busy fighting!
"Yugao, don't get so worked up. You've seen it yourself. Moonlight Hayate ran away when the battle started, but Qin Yu? He stood alone against the enemy. He's strong and unwavering. Anyone with eyes can see the difference."
Cangwu's expression turned serious.
If Yugao had been relying on anyone but Qin Yu to protect her today… he didn't even want to imagine the outcome.
"Move aside! Let me through! I need to see Yugao!" A familiar voice rang out from outside the cave.
Cangwu's face darkened. "That's Hayate. I'll go handle him—he's not worth your time."
"No, Dad. This is my business." Yugao straightened and walked out of the cave.
As she stepped outside, the gathered shinobi turned to watch.
"Move! I have to talk to Yugao!" Hayate shouted.
But no matter how loudly he demanded, the two Leaf shinobi guarding the entrance remained impassive.
"Hayate, you need to calm down," Inuzuka Feng said sternly. "This is an active war front. You can't just barge in."
"But this is important! I need to explain things to Yugao!" Hayate insisted. "I was only retreating to call for reinforcements!"
He turned to look for Yugao—only to lock eyes with an unexpected figure.
"You're blocking my way," Qin Yu said lazily, stretching his arms. "It's getting late. I need a proper rest. Let me know when dinner's ready."
"Qin Yu, don't worry—we'll make sure you get your share," one of the Leaf shinobi said with a quick smile.
Watching the exchange, Hayate clenched his fists.
"Inuzuka Feng, didn't you say only high-ranking shinobi are allowed in this cave? Why can he go in so freely?" Hayate demanded.
The moment the words left his mouth, the other shinobi in earshot bristled with offense.
Feng's expression turned ice-cold. "Hayate… sometimes you should know when to stop."
"If someone like Qin Yu still counts as a chūnin, then there might as well be no such thing as Hokage."
"That's right," one of the Leaf shinobi muttered. "You ran away to save yourself, while Qin Yu stood his ground and fought. If you weren't a fellow Leaf ninja—or if Moonlight Gekko weren't one of the 'Eight Blades of Konoha'—we wouldn't even tolerate you."
"Honestly, Hayate, if I were you… I'd stop talking before embarrassing myself any further."
Hayate froze.
For years, he had relied on his clan's legacy and bloodline limit to earn respect.
But now… none of that mattered anymore