After leaving Konoha Hospital, Bai Xing headed for the still-standing clan grounds of the Yūhi clan.
He deliberately put on an act—claiming that the recent incident had stirred up old memories and left him emotionally shaken—then stayed cooped up at home for several days, perfectly maintaining his "genin with a mental affliction, forever unable to become a chūnin" persona.
As for why he went out today—
It was mainly because when Shiranui Kumo came to visit him, he mentioned that Ryūun had something important to say to him.
It's not a confession… right?
Bai Xing hesitated inwardly, then decided to go to the clan grounds anyway.
The Yūhi clan grounds were located near the outer edge of the village, quite close to the Hatake clan's territory. A little farther out were the almost-adjacent clan lands of the Uzuki and Gekka clans.
There was a public training ground nearby, shared by several smaller ninja clans. It served both for training and for fostering inter-clan relationships—unlike the Uchiha clan's massive compound with its own large private training grounds, it was much easier for smaller clans to build friendships in these modest shared spaces.
"Oh? Isn't that… what's-his-name?"
"What do you mean 'what's-his-name'? He's called Bai Xing."
"Hello there, Bai Xing~"
Ahead of him, Yūhi Tsuki—short-haired—simply nodded in acknowledgment, while the woman beside her, Hatake Mika, looked like she was about to crush something in her fist.
"Who are you calling 'auntie'?! I'm only twenty-two!!"
Bai Xing glanced over and noticed that Hatake Mika's clothes looked suspiciously like the loose maternity wear sold in the village.
So Kakashi's already on the way at this point?
"Auntie Mika… are you pregnant?"
"Of course I am! I'm really looking forward to little Kakashi being born~ Hehe~"
Among ninja families, names were usually chosen within the first month of pregnancy.
When Bai Xing heard that name, he couldn't help but marvel—I actually get to witness the birth of the future Sixth Hokage.
Not bad at all for coming to the Naruto world—even if he'd missed a few missions.
"You're here to see Ryūun, right? She's at home. Go on in," Yūhi Tsuki said gently, gesturing toward the clan residence. Bai Xing nodded slightly.
"All right, Auntie Tsuki."
Yūhi Tsuki watched the boy's retreating figure with a gentle expression. Beside her, Hatake Mika patted her shoulder.
"What is it, Sister Tsuki? That kid still not willing to accept Ryūun?"
Yūhi Tsuki gave a wry smile.
"Perhaps Bai Xing has better options."
"Every time I see him—even I, a thirty-something widow, feel my heart flutter."
Hatake Mika stared at her with dead-fish eyes.
"That's going too far, Auntie Tsuki."
Tsuki puffed her cheeks childishly and waved her hand.
"I'm joking. How could I do something like that?"
Then she muttered softly,
"Besides, he wouldn't look twice at an old woman like me anyway~"
"Huh?!"
"Nothing. But Mika, you're already asking me about childcare—don't you think that's a bit early?"
"Of course it's necessary! Who knows when Sakumo will be back? I really hope he can make it back before the baby's born~"
...
Bai Xing paid little attention to the idle chatter of the neighborhood women. He had only visited the Yūhi clan grounds occasionally after chūnin exams in the past; after that, he mostly just passed by while on missions.
The main gate of the clan grounds was closed—but that was hardly an obstacle for a ninja.
After scanning his surroundings, Bai Xing chose a spot along the roughly three-man-high brick-and-tile white wall, stepped off it, and in a few swift movements vaulted over.
He landed beside a thick willow tree, brushed the dust off his hands, and looked up—just in time to see Yūhi Ryūun reading in the courtyard.
The late-February spring breeze, mixed with sunlight, brushed gently across the girl's soft skin. Her white dress couldn't hide her long, graceful figure. Bai Xing had known Yūhi Ryūun for two years now—this was the third.
She had reached the age of coming-of-age.
Hearing the faint sound in the courtyard, the girl's lips curved into a slight smile. She pretended not to notice, maintaining the image of a refined young lady as she continued reading a small booklet about Yūhi clan genjutsu.
"Ryūun. You look very pretty today."
"So—what did you want to see me about?"
Bai Xing walked over directly, delivering a perfunctory compliment.
Ryūun nearly ground her teeth in frustration. She raised her beautiful eyes, shot him a fierce glare, then tossed the booklet straight at him.
Bai Xing caught it easily. Seeing the brand-new booklet in his hands, he didn't open it right away, instead asking curiously,
"What's this?"
"Something very important to our Yūhi clan."
"It's not something we normally pass on to outsiders. But you saved my uncle—and you saved me."
Ryūun crossed her arms, turned her head aside, her dress pressed slightly by her pale elbows as she spoke with tsundere pride:
"If it weren't for you…
"Our Yūhi clan might truly have come to an end."
She didn't believe she herself could shoulder the role of clan head. At present, aside from her—who had the potential to reach jōnin—the limits of the others were already set.
There was also Aunt Saki's child, Yūhi Kurenai—perhaps she still held some hope.
"I see."
Bai Xing himself only knew basic genjutsu hypnosis, genjutsu dispelling, and a single D-rank binding technique.
Compared to the operational complexity of C-rank or higher genjutsu, binding techniques were simply about unleashing chakra quantity and quality in an instant to overwhelm the target, stiffening their body and preventing movement—the kind Orochimaru had used on Sasuke during the Chūnin Exams.
Hypnosis genjutsu, on the other hand, relied on chakra control—invading the target's mental consciousness, then using overwhelming chakra reserves and precision control to interfere with their awareness.
So in truth, Bai Xing really wasn't good at genjutsu. It had taken him seven full days to control Kitada Aina—and even before that, he'd deliberately engineered repeated "coincidental" encounters while she was exhausted after work, planting psychological suggestions over time.
As he flipped through the booklet, Bai Xing's eyes lit up.
So genjutsu can be used like this too…
The corners of his mouth lifted slightly.
"Come sit down and read it properly. Why are you standing there?" Ryūun said, blushing.
"Mm."
Completely absorbed in the booklet, Bai Xing didn't think much of it and sat down beside her.
Under the gentle sunlight, the scene of the boy and girl felt warm—youthful, even idyllic.
Yet across the sea, in the Land of Whirlpools, things were very different.
As a descendant of Uzumaki Ashina, Uzumaki Terunosuke had inherited the position of village head of Uzushiogakure. He later passed it on to his son, Uzumaki Ryōta—Uzumaki Kushina's father—who now served as the current leader.
Uzushiogakure's architecture and environment were no worse than Konoha's. This prosperity stemmed from the era of the village's founding, when the two villages supported each other financially—giving rise to the Land of Whirlpools.
The capital of the Land of Whirlpools and the ninja village were part of the same city, known as Whirlpool City.
Additionally, the daimyō of the Land of Whirlpools was also a member of the Uzumaki clan—though without ninja talent.
However, the calamity from half a month ago had finally reached its conclusion.
The daimyō immediately sought out Uzumaki Terunosuke, stressing the gravity of the matter and insisting that they must find a way to atone to Konoha.
At this moment, atop a mountain valley within the Land of Whirlpools, two figures stood.
Facing the cliff, Uzumaki Terunosuke took a deep breath and paced back and forth, casting an angry glance at his disappointing son behind him.
"Ryōta!"
"How did this happen?!"
"You—the leader of Uzushiogakure—were fooled so completely by the false information of just two Kirigakure ninja?!"
"Do you have any idea what kind of trouble this will bring to the Land of Whirlpools?!"
Uzumaki Ryōta, nearing his prime at thirty, kept his head lowered, not daring to retort.
At that moment, a red-haired Uzumaki clan member wearing the distinctive assassination-unit uniform of the Land of Whirlpools landed on the cliff.
This was one of the few ANBU of the Land of Whirlpools—they never left the country on missions and were responsible solely for its defense, a jōnin of Uzushiogakure.
"Report!"
"Kirigakure ninja from the Land of Water request an audience."
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