Three days later.
The Hokage officially informed Bai Xing that Team Eleven had been completely disbanded.
Uchiha Mikoto would return to the Uchiha clan and join the village's Police Force, becoming a member of the Konoha Military Police.
When it came time to decide Yakushi Nono's assignment, Sarutobi Hiruzen was about to place her into another squad—
when Bai Xing spoke up.
"Hokage-sama."
"I have a request."
Hiruzen looked at him, slightly surprised.
"This is the first time you've ever asked me for something, Bai Xing. Go ahead. As long as it doesn't violate ninja regulations, I can consider it."
"I'd like Nono to enter Konoha Hospital and train as a medical ninja."
"Her chakra control improves extremely quickly—
it's even better than Mikoto's."
Inside the office, Hiruzen's expression turned serious.
"Bai Xing, the road to becoming a medical ninja is long.
Just mastering medical ninjutsu and becoming a qualified medic takes years."
"I've read Nono's reports. From a purely combat standpoint, she would also make an excellent frontline ninja."
"Please!"
Bai Xing bent deeply at the waist.
"Hokage-sama, Nono's dream has always been to become a medical ninja.
Combat is not what she wants."
For a moment, Hiruzen felt conflicted.
The battlefield was understaffed. He would much rather assign Nono to a strong jōnin-led squad and send her to the borders.
Yet in this moment, he saw something—
the shadow of Bai Xing and Jōnin Yazaki, long ago.
Hiruzen sighed, smiled helplessly, and finally took a puff from the dry pipe he'd barely had time to smoke, exhaling a thin cloud of white.
"Very well."
"I'll grant your request."
"Not only that—I'll assign Nono a suitable mentor."
"But I have one condition."
"Please say it!" Bai Xing hadn't expected his request to succeed so easily. It seemed his earlier efforts hadn't been wasted.
"As long as it's within my abilities, I'll do it!"
"…However."
Bai Xing scratched his cheek.
"If it's about promoting me to chūnin, I must decline."
Hiruzen's mouth twitched.
Other people would kill to become chūnin—status, respect, better pay, a 'proper' life.
And you? I've personally persuaded you countless times, and you reject it every single time.
"I'm assigning you to another genin team."
Bai Xing's expression changed instantly.
Is he trying to trick me onto the battlefield?
Seeing Bai Xing's reaction, Hiruzen misunderstood, thinking Bai Xing was recalling his previous team's tragedy, and quickly explained:
"Don't worry."
"You're joining purely so I can assign you a ninjutsu-specialist jōnin—someone who can address the issues with your ninjutsu aptitude."
"As for missions—"
"You'll continue as before. Mostly D-rank missions.
While you're at it, pass on some experience to the younger students."
"I understand!"
At once, Bai Xing realized what was going on.
So the old man's forcing a teacher on me because I keep refusing to properly learn ninjutsu.
Hopefully not some terrifying powerhouse.
Otherwise—
if his full talent were exposed, staying a genin forever would become impossible.
Luckily, Bai Xing had already prepared himself for the day his five-element chakra affinity might be discovered.
—After all, he was an orphan, not a local clan member.
If he hid it forever and got exposed later, he'd have no way to explain himself.
The chūnin exams ended at breakneck speed.
July winds brushed across Konoha's back hills.
Deep within the dense forest stood countless grave markers. At the front was a large monument of special green stone, engraved with countless names—
The Memorial Stone.
"Teacher Yazaki… Tetsuta… Aoko…"
"I'm sorry. I'm bringing bad news again."
"I took the chūnin exam this year."
"…and failed."
Holding a bouquet of lilies, Bai Xing stared quietly at the three names.
"Our old team—
Class Six."
"A civilian genin… and a Hyūga branch-family genin…"
"Maybe… I was wrong."
"As a genin—
maybe I should've followed Jōnin Yazaki's orders without question, and carried them out faithfully."
"If I had… maybe our three-man team… wouldn't have fallen apart."
Back then, although he possessed the Op-Op Fruit, developing its abilities required physical stamina—and exposure meant the risk of being dragged into Root.
So he chose to hide it.
It wasn't until two years ago that he truly believed he had chūnin-level strength without relying on the fruit.
The Second Shinobi War had already begun; it was just entering its fiercest phase.
Bai Xing wanted to live.
He didn't want to die.
He didn't want to gamble with his life.
So during a C-rank mission, he openly defied Yazaki's orders, believing the command was reckless and would wipe out the team.
That was when the conflict exploded.
He knew he had betrayed Yazaki's teachings—
those three D-rank techniques had all been taught by Yazaki himself.
But to survive, Bai Xing became stubborn, obsessive, choosing to leave the team and go solo.
The following year, once he could complete D-rank missions independently, the village delivered the news:
Yazaki had made a fatal misjudgment during a mission.
The remaining two genin were ambushed.
Class Six was finished.
A broken Yazaki eventually realized Bai Xing's intentions.
The next time Bai Xing saw him was in an izakaya.
Bai Xing wanted to help him recover—
But Yazaki believed he needed redemption, charging recklessly into frontline battles.
Unlike Maruboshi Kosuke, he had no such luck.
He died.
Because of this, Bai Xing chose to avoid forming close bonds.
If he didn't make friends,
he wouldn't have to watch them turn into names carved in stone.
And he couldn't persuade others to stay genin forever, either.
With sufficient ability, promotion was inevitable.
Trying to talk people out of it only got you labeled a spy—
or worse, a traitor.
Just look at how miserably rogue ninjas lived.
Time passed.
The Hokage said he'd notify Bai Xing once a jōnin became available. For now, there was none—and he promised Bai Xing a "surprise."
Meanwhile—
"Congratulations, Nono."
"And thank you for treating Dai."
"Lady Tsunade."
In the hospital director's office, a blonde woman in a white coat leaned back in her chair, brown eyes calmly appraising Bai Xing.
"If I remember correctly…"
"Your name is Bai Xing, right?"
"Yes, Lady Tsunade."
"Do you have a girlfriend?"
Bai Xing: "..."
Beside him, Yakushi Nono stiffened.
"Um… Teacher Tsunade…"
"Bai Xing-sensei once said he doesn't plan on dating unless he becomes a chūnin."
A massive question mark appeared over Tsunade's head.
"…You didn't pass the chūnin exam?"
"…Sorry. I didn't."
"I see." Tsunade nodded thoughtfully.
"That suggests some rather serious psychological issues~"
Bai Xing's scalp tightened instantly.
Wait—don't tell me the Hokage assigned TSUNADE as my teacher?!
"Uh—Lady Tsunade, could it be that you're—"
"No, no, no." Tsunade waved her hand.
"I just know a bit about your situation."
"Mental knots like that can only be untied by yourself."
"Oh… I see."
Bai Xing exhaled hard in relief.
Seeing his reaction, Tsunade burst out laughing.
She stood up and walked over. Their heights were nearly the same. Four years older than Bai Xing, Tsunade rubbed his head casually.
Bai Xing didn't dare resist—
he was afraid she'd punch him with her monstrous strength.
"What, would being my student really trouble you that much?"
"N-no, no!" Bai Xing waved his hands frantically.
"I just think that becoming Lady Tsunade's disciple might make it hard to focus on training… because of your beauty."
"Oh~ smooth talker~!"
Tsunade pinched his cheek.
"Relax. Your teacher will be an excellent ninja."
"You won't be disappointed."
"Yes, yes."
After leaving the office, Bai Xing's expression returned to its usual cool calm.
Flattering Tsunade? Not a chance.
That was just basic social sense—
getting a famous, powerful figure from canon to remember his name increased his survival odds.
Besides, one of his students was now working under her.
If he didn't say something nice, what if Nono got "soft-ruled"?
After delivering the real fruit basket to thank Tsunade, Bai Xing returned to Might Dai's hospital room.
"Dear, have some apple slices~ You've worked so hard~"
"It's nothing! This is youth!"
Standing outside the door, Bai Xing's keen hearing caught everything.
Why are you feeding me dog food for no reason…
Still, he opened the door.
He glanced at the young genin in the other bed—about to be discharged, single, and very much suffering—and said to Dai and Mrs. Rin:
"Please stop showing off your affection."
"Otherwise I won't visit next time."
"Have some sympathy for the poor kid next door."
In the right-side bed, the young genin surnamed Hirata instantly put on a dead-inside expression, sending Dai, his wife, and Bai Xing into laughter.
But in the ninja world—
especially one at war—
Moments like these, filled with easy laughter,
were far rarer than they seemed.
◇ I'll be dropping one bonus chapters for every 10 reviews. comment
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ You can read 60 chapter ahead on P@treon if you're interested: patreon.com/CanonBreaker