Chapter 13: I'm so strong, so...my fault! 【1】

Uchiha Qiye finished a large serving of pork miso char siu by himself and then paid to leave. The argument he had with Tsunade was just a matter between the Uchiha and Senju clans, not involving Jiraiya and Orochimaru.

He wasn't foolish, though. After his exchange with Tsunade, it would be reckless to provoke Orochimaru and Jiraiya, as doing so would mean antagonizing the legendary Sannin.

Neither Jiraiya nor Orochimaru intervened during his departure. They seemed interested in either accepting him as a disciple or using him for research, seeing him as an intriguing specimen.

As Uchiha Qiye displayed his Three Tomoe Sharingan, it was clear to everyone that the Uchiha clan knew of his abilities.

Just as Tsunade prepared to take action, they noticed the situation around them. There were more than three Jōnin nearby—likely members of the Uchiha clan discreetly sent to protect him. If Tsunade dared to attack, these Jōnin would respond without hesitation.

However, they weren't foolish enough to make such a move. Watching Qiye leave, Jiraiya commented, "He's talented, but he's too reckless for my liking." With someone so obstinate, Jiraiya saw no reason to engage further unless they shared a mutual interest.

Orochimaru, on the other hand, was intrigued. "Isn't this exciting? Konoha is about to experience some turbulence." He welcomed the brewing chaos, believing that adversity could spur growth.

Having grown weary of the Second Ninja War, Orochimaru also contemplated ideas surrounding immortality—a notion sparked by the fragility of life he witnessed after the death of Nawaki, Tsunade's younger brother and his own disciple. This event made him question Konoha's stability and sparked a sense of distrust towards it.

Although the circumstances surrounding Nawaki's death seemed accidental, Orochimaru suspected a deeper conspiracy, possibly involving his former teacher. All these thoughts contributed to his growing skepticism about Konoha and his pursuit of immortality.

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Upon returning home, Uchiha Qiye was in high spirits. However, he didn't go to his own house but instead headed to his grandfather Uchiha Kazuma's mansion. His parents had left for a mission outside the village, and Qiye had been left alone.

"Little Master, the lord has been waiting for you," a subordinate of his grandfather said upon his arrival.

"Take me to him," Qiye replied.

The man led him to Uchiha Kazuma. "Sit down," Kazuma instructed when they arrived. Qiye obeyed without hesitation.

"Grandpa, is there something you need to discuss?" he asked while picking at the fruit on the table.

"Qiye, do you want to graduate early from the ninja school?" Kazuma inquired.

"Why would I graduate early?" Qiye responded, raising an eyebrow. He wondered if his grandfather was acknowledging his talents or if he was simply eager to see him succeed.

However, Qiye felt that each actual combat class was an opportunity for him to showcase his skills and earn some recognition. He thought it would be better to stay in ninja school a little longer to gain experience before graduating and stepping into the wider world.

"It's not just because of your performance in combat class," Kazuma explained.

"Combat class?" Qiye scratched his head, recalling the many points he had earned during those sessions.

"You see, I heard from Lord Hokage that you should graduate early. I disagreed, so he came to watch your performance in the combat class."

Kazuma shook his head in frustration. "When you were fighting the girls and Hokage's son, couldn't you have gone a bit easier on them? Your display was so ostentatious that I struggled to refuse Sarutobi's suggestion!"

Uchiha Kazuma looked at Qiye with exasperation. "You're strong, but did you really have to show off like that? Your Body Flicker Technique was so advanced that it rivaled some Chūnin! And beating Hokage's son in front of the Hokage himself?"

Qiye remained silent, feeling a bit embarrassed. He hadn't realized that two Kage-level ninjas were secretly observing him during the combat class. What could he say? Was it really his fault for being strong?