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"Do you want to come with me to meet Lord Hashirama?" Suna asked in surprise.
"Why? Am I not welcome?" Qin Yi replied with a slight smile.
"Of course not!" Suna hurriedly waved his hands, looking flustered.
After witnessing the ambush battle firsthand, he had gained a deep respect— if not fear— for Qin Yi. The sheer strength of the Three Generals was undeniable. Each of them, with their formidable Blade Techniques and Kekkei Genkai (Bloodline Limits), could easily overpower him.
If Qin Yi, as their king, commanded such warriors, then his own power must be even more terrifying.
"Then let's go." Qin Yi took the lead, stepping outside.
Five minutes later, Qin Yi and his group arrived at the meeting place and were led to Senju Hashirama's residence.
The Nation of Iron had not overlooked the importance of their guests. Each Kage had been provided with a spacious residence, complete with scenic views of mountains and rivers— a quiet retreat fitting their status.
The moment Senju Hashirama spotted Qin Yi, his face lit up with joy.
"Qin, you finally made it!"
"Hokage Sama, Tobirama Sama." Qin Yi approached and greeted them with a smile.
"How's your country developing? I heard the Nation of Qin has become neighbors with the Nation of Whirlpools." Hashirama laughed heartily. "Just the other day, someone from the Nation of Whirlpools came to complain to me about you!"
Tobirama, standing behind him, sighed and gave his brother a poke, a faint look of exasperation crossing his face.
"Heh, it's nothing serious— just that some of my people took a bit of food." Qin Yi replied with a casual smile.
Everything that happened in his nation was under his control, and he made no excuses. As a ruler, he was pragmatic. Mercy alone could not sustain a growing kingdom— interest and strategy took priority.
The Nation of Whirlpools had a fiery temperament, and minor conflicts with the Nation of Qin were inevitable. Though both sides had refrained from outright war due to mutual caution, verbal disputes had become routine.
"Well, that's good to hear." Hashirama nodded. "The Nation of Whirlpools is an ally of Konoha, so I hope you won't escalate tensions. To be honest, my wife is from the Nation of Whirlpools."
He chuckled, though his words carried an underlying warning.
"That's quite the surprise."Qin Yi responded lightly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.
Tobirama, ever perceptive, noticed Qin Yi's evasiveness but chose not to press the matter. Instead, he shifted the conversation.
"Qin, you didn't come all this way just for idle chatter, did you?"
Hearing this, Hashirama's expression also turned serious.
"Let's talk inside."
The group moved into the main hall. Once the curtains were drawn and the guards took their positions, Qin Yi spoke first.
"Hashirama, I came because I have a favor to ask of you."
The lightheartedness faded from Hashirama's face as he realized Qin Yi's visit was not just a friendly gesture.
"Go ahead. I'm listening."
"The Five Kage Summit was originally meant to be a discussion between the five great Kage. From what Lord Tobirama mentioned, its purpose is to maintain a balance of power among the five great nations, promote peaceful relations, and minimize conflict."
Qin Yi's tone was calm, yet his words carried weight.
Through his earlier discussions, he had realized that his unexpected arrival had caught Hashirama off guard. This meant that his participation had not been arranged by Hashirama himself.
Then, the mastermind behind it must have been Tobirama! That younger brother was far more calculating than his elder sibling.
Thus, Qin Yi chose to be direct, skipping unnecessary pleasantries.
"That's correct."
Hashirama nodded.
"Then, as Qin Kage, representing the Nation of Qin, I have a request."
Qin Yi's gaze sharpened.
"I want a Bijū (Tailed Beast)."
As soon as the words left his mouth, Senju Hashirama's expression shifted—first surprised, then serious.
"Qin, I hope you understand that the distribution of Bijū (Tailed Beasts) is not just about maintaining peace among the five great nations. More importantly, it's based on the premise that each of these nations has the strength to control them."
"And the Nation of Qin..."
He trailed off, leaving the unspoken words hanging in the air.
Behind him, Tobirama remained silent, his sharp gaze unwavering.
"Hashirama, I understand your concerns. But to be blunt, the Nation of Qin has already developed considerable strength."
"Myself and the three behind me are all Jōnin. We have 1,500 Chūnin-level Captains, each leading a squad of Shinobi."
"That means a total combat force of 6,000 Shinobi."
"Additionally, we have another 1,500 reserve Shinobi."
Qin Yi's voice carried quiet confidence, his tone steady and commanding.
His words left Hashirama, Tobirama, and the surrounding Konoha Shinobi momentarily stunned.
"1,500 Chūnin-led squads… that's 6,000 Shinobi? That matches the number of your previous army."
Tobirama spoke, his disbelief evident.
"Exactly. They've advanced rapidly and now possess true Shinobi combat capabilities."
"If that weren't the case, do you think the Nation of the Whirlpools would only lodge complaints and not take action?"
Qin Yi countered with a faint smile.
The Konoha Shinobi exchanged glances, their shock palpable.
"It's only been four months…"
Hashirama murmured, his gaze fixed on Qin Yi.
Everyone present understood what such rapid growth implied. The Nation of Qin had a secret— a method of training Shinobi at an unprecedented speed.
Tobirama's eyes gleamed with curiosity and calculation.
A technique that allowed a nation to amass this much power in so little time, and with no apparent drawbacks? It was an advantage no one could afford to ignore.
Without a word, Hashirama turned to Suna, who had been silent until now. Seeing his subtle nod of confirmation, the weight of the revelation sank in further.
The atmosphere grew tense.
"Qin, we are very curious about how you achieved this."
Tobirama finally spoke.
"One technique," Qin Yi said coolly. "But I cannot share it with you."
The room fell into silence.
A single technique capable of producing so many elite Shinobi?
The implications were staggering.
For a brief moment, the air crackled with unspoken tension. It was impossible for Konoha not to covet such a method.
Then, Hashirama exhaled slowly, breaking the moment with a smile.
"Qin, you never cease to surprise me."
His voice was warm, and in an instant, the heavy atmosphere lightened.
Tobirama, though still deep in thought, let his gaze soften.
Regardless of their curiosity, this was not the time to damage relations with an ally.
With the Five Kage Summit approaching, any conflict with Qin Yi now would cast Konoha in a poor light.
But still— this young man had chosen his timing masterfully.
Tobirama studied Qin Yi for a moment before finally speaking.
"Since the Nation of Qin possesses sufficient strength and is our ally, I believe we should consider their request in the Bijū distribution, brother."
He turned to Hashirama with a knowing smile.
"I have no objections," Hashirama replied with a chuckle. "But the other four Kage will need to be convinced."
"This is why the Summit exists, after all," Tobirama said. Then, glancing at Qin Yi, he added with a smirk, "But given your strength, I have no doubt you'll persuade them."
(End of this chapter)