Uchiha Kazuo asked Orochimaru to let him continue leading the five Uchiha chūnin.
Orochimaru's serpentine eyes fixed on him. Said nothing.
The pressure was palpable. Cold sweat broke out on Kazuo's skin.
He steeled himself and pressed on. "Lord Orochimaru, I'm very familiar with Kyōsuke and the others' capabilities. I have extensive experience leading missions as captain. I am fully qualified to be their leader!"
"Oh? How truly excellent…"
Kazuo heard the 'praise,' and his heart leapt. He thought he'd gotten through.
But Orochimaru's tone shifted. Sharp. "And what does that have to do with me? In terms of excellence, everyone here is excellent. Why do you believe only you are qualified to lead them?
"I am your supreme commander. This is my order. Are you defying my command? Answer me!"
Under Orochimaru's aura, Kazuo's head involuntarily dipped. But he clenched his jaw. "I have no intention of defying you, Lord Orochimaru. It's just… please reconsider. Or let someone else be their captain!"
Orochimaru paced forward until he stood before Kazuo. He was taller. Looked down at him.
His voice was ice. "I said, it is my order. If you object to my order, you can crawl back to Konoha and report it to the Hokage. Let him decide. But as long as you are here for a single day, and I am the supreme commander, my word is law.
"Of course, there is one scenario where I might rescind this order." A slow, deliberate glance to the side. "If the appointed captain, Qianyu himself, is unwilling."
Orochimaru turned his gaze. "Qianyu. Are you willing to become captain of these five?"
A faint smile touched Qianyu's lips. "Of course I am. It would be my great honor to lead them. Rest assured, Lord Orochimaru, I will be an excellent captain."
Orochimaru looked back at Kazuo. "Qianyu is willing. So. Do you have any further problems?"
Even a fool could see it now. Orochimaru was making a point. Putting these Uchiha in their place. Or venting some anger on his student's behalf. A deliberate target.
Everyone watched Kazuo with barely concealed schadenfreude.
They were all from Konoha's ninja clans. They'd long been sick of the Uchiha and their "foremost great clan" attitude.
All the fight drained from Kazuo. His shoulders slumped. "I have no further problems, Lord Orochimaru."
The five Uchiha chūnin paled. The thought of being subordinates to Qianyu… it was humiliation. Anger and helplessness warred inside them.
They exchanged glances. Saw the same resolve in each other's eyes.
Becoming the underlings of Qianyu, the clan's cast-off? Absolutely impossible.
They would make trouble.
Cause so much trouble Qianyu would give up the position himself.
Orochimaru stated a few more rules, then dismissed the assembly.
Qianyu walked over to the five Uchiha. His face was blank. "You. With me."
The five Uchiha turned their heads away. Looked at the sky. Ignored him completely.
Kazuo, watching, allowed a cold smirk to curl his lip.
So what if Orochimaru forced it? His clansmen would never obey the orders of a cast-off.
Others who had been about to leave stopped. Settled in to watch the show.
Qianyu's gaze turned frigid. "I'll say it one last time. Come with me."
Still, the five pretended not to hear. Looked anywhere but at him.
Qianyu moved.
CRACK! A knee to the gut. The closest Uchiha, Ryūhei, took it full force.
He coughed violently. Blood sprayed. The force was brutal.
Ryūhei dropped to his knees, clutching his stomach, face contorted in agony.
No one had expected Qianyu to strike, right here in the open. They stared, stunned.
The other four Uchiha saw Ryūhei hit. Exploded. Moved to attack.
Qianyu was faster. A left hook whistled through the air. Connected with Keiichi's temple.
Keiichi's eyes rolled back. He crumpled to the ground.
An elbow shot back. Slammed into the throat of Kyōsuke, who was charging from behind.
Kyōsuke gagged, hands flying to his crushed windpipe, coughing desperately.
"Bastard!"
Uchiha Raijin swung a fist at Qianyu's head. Qianyu shifted his head a fraction. The punch whiffed past his ear.
He grabbed the extended arm. Pivoted. A textbook shoulder throw.
Raijin hit the ground hard. The air left his lungs in a whoosh.
Before he could recover, Qianyu's foot stomped down on his abdomen.
Raijin joined Ryūhei, curling into a ball, writhing in pain.
Uchiha Jinya saw four of his clansmen down in seconds. Rage ignited. His eyes flashed crimson. Two tomoe spun. His hands flew into the seals for a Fireball.
Qianyu closed the distance in a blur. His hand shot out, clamped onto Jinya's wrist mid-seal. Crushed the technique before it could form.
Qianyu's own eyes bled red. Two tomoe, cold and merciless, locked onto Jinya's. "Oh? Two tomoe. Not bad talent. But…" His grip tightened. "You're nowhere near enough."
A sharp twist. A sickening snap.
Jinya screamed as his wrist broke.
A kick to the back of the knee. Jinya buckled, hitting the dirt.
Qianyu didn't hesitate. Placed his foot on Jinya's head. Pressed down. Ground his face into the earth.
His voice rang out, dripping with contempt. "So the great Uchiha clan sent you trash as reinforcements? Is the clan out of people?
"If you're out of people, stop calling yourselves Konoha's foremost great clan. It's embarrassing.
"You're all so pathetically weak. Where do you get the courage to defy me? Huh? Answer me!"
The spectators sucked in a collective breath.
First, shock at Qianyu's strength. How cleanly, efficiently, he'd dismantled five Uchiha chūnin.
Then, deeper shock at his brazen, public humiliation of the entire Uchiha clan.
Even they, who disliked the Uchiha, would never say it so openly.
Kazuo hadn't activated his Sharingan, but his eyes were bloodshot with fury.
"You wretch! How dare you?!"
He took a step forward, ready to charge.
He never took the second.
Two snakes coiled around his body in an instant. Held him fast.
Orochimaru's voice slithered from behind him, cold and amused. "Qianyu is their captain. Subordinates who disobey their captain's orders… deserve to be disciplined. Is there a problem?"
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