Chapter 34: Chapter 34: I have learned
The cool night breeze rustled through the dense foliage of the Hidden Leaf Village, carrying with it an eerie chill.
Uchiha Qin Yu did not return directly to his temporary hideout but instead turned toward the thick jungle nearby. His Sharingan activated, scanning the shadows before he abruptly stopped.
"You've been following me for a while. Why not come out and face me?"
Two figures emerged from the darkness, their forms briefly illuminated by the fragmented moonlight filtering through the canopy. Standing before him were Moonlight Night and his son, Moonlight Hayate.
"Impressive," Moonlight Night murmured, his translucent form flickering under the pale light. "Your perception surpasses even what I expected."
His clan's rare Kekkei Genkai, the ability to phase through matter, had made him one of the most feared silent assassins in Konoha. He had hoped to use this advantage to his benefit, but to be detected so effortlessly by Qin Yu was unsettling.
"You revealed yourself to me earlier today, and now you've come sneaking around. What do you want?" Qin Yu turned slightly, glancing at the younger Moonlight Hayate.
"Your Moonlight Clan is skilled in stealth," he continued, "but dragging along a greenhorn like him makes you easy to track."
Moonlight Night sighed. He was renowned as one of Konoha's Eight Blades, but compared to Qin Yu's terrifying prowess, even he felt a distinct gap in skill.
"Qin Yu, don't misunderstand," Moonlight Night said calmly. "I'm here to settle the tension between you and Hayate."
"Our Moonlight Clan is known not only for our unique abilities but also for our swordsmanship. The Three-Day Moon Dance is our most guarded technique. You must have heard that I've been compared to White Fang, Hatake Sakumo, because of my mastery of this style."
Qin Yu raised an eyebrow. He had considered seeking out Kakashi to learn his father's kenjutsu techniques, but now an opportunity had come knocking on his door.
"I ask for nothing in return," Moonlight Night continued. "Only that, if Hayate is ever in danger, you will protect him. In exchange, I will teach you the Three-Day Moon Dance."
Qin Yu glanced at the tense young Hayate before scoffing. "Threatening me with a kid? No thanks, I don't trade skills for liabilities."
He turned to leave, but Moonlight Night called out, "Wait! This technique was meant for you from the start."
Qin Yu paused. The sincerity in Moonlight Night's voice intrigued him. He could sense the weight of a father's determination—a willingness to entrust his clan's greatest secret for the sake of his son's future.
"Qin Yu, please accept it," Moonlight Night urged. "Otherwise, Hayate will never be at peace."
A strong ninja could only be dealt with in two ways: kill them or live in constant fear of their wrath. Given Qin Yu's strength, Moonlight Hayate had no choice but to submit to the latter.
Qin Yu exhaled and reached out. "Fine. I'll take it."
As he unrolled the scroll, a notification rang in his mind.
**"S-rank sword technique detected: Konoha's Three-Day Moon Dance. Activate instant mastery?"**
Qin Yu smirked. "Full mastery. Instantly."
**Ding!**
**"Congratulations. Three-Day Moon Dance acquired at maximum proficiency."**
A flood of information surged into his mind, every movement, every stance, every feint now second nature to him. Rolling up the scroll, he tossed it back to Moonlight Night.
"What's wrong?" Moonlight Night asked, confused.
"I've learned it. Keeping the scroll is pointless," Qin Yu replied casually.
Moonlight Night and Hayate were dumbfounded. It had taken Moonlight Night himself a year to master this sword style, and Hayate over two years. Yet Qin Yu had grasped it in mere moments?
"You don't believe me?" Qin Yu chuckled.
Moonlight Night hesitated before nodding. If this was to be a true test, they needed proof.
"To avoid injuries, let's use wooden branches instead," Qin Yu said, flexing his fingers. Instantly, two precisely cut branches dropped into their hands.
"Chakra-infused threads? That level of control..." Moonlight Night's eyes widened in shock.
"Enough talk. Let's begin." Qin Yu took a stance, eyes locked on Moonlight Night.
As soon as the match began, Qin Yu moved with blinding speed.
"Moon Shadow Formation?" Moonlight Night barely had time to react before he felt an ominous presence behind him. Instinctively, he spun and struck backward.
The air cracked as his chakra-infused branch sliced through Qin Yu's form—only for the image to distort and vanish into thin air.
"A Genjutsu?" he realized too late.
"I'm behind you."
Qin Yu's voice sent a chill down his spine.
"Sun and Moon Return Shadow Strike!"
A technique that utilized afterimages and feints to force an opponent into attacking illusions, leaving them vulnerable to the real strike.
Moonlight Night had expected Qin Yu to display skill, but to flawlessly execute not one, but multiple advanced techniques from the Three-Day Moon Dance in rapid succession?
This was beyond comprehension.
Qin Yu stepped back, lowering his branch with a smirk. "So? Still don't believe me?"
Moonlight Night sheathed his wooden substitute, nodding in a mix of awe and resignation. "No. I believe you now."