"Rejected?"
"Well, that's normal."
"Love is a very complicated thing, you know~"
"Aunt Saki! Why are you spying on our conversation?!"
In the courtyard, the sudden voice from behind made Yūhi Ryūun stomp her feet on the lawn in embarrassment.
"Waa—waa~"
"There, there, don't cry, little Red. I wasn't talking about you, Ryūun~"
Yūhi Saki smiled gently as she comforted the baby in her arms. Then, her waist-length hair swaying, she looked up at the clearly distracted Ryūun and said softly, "If Bai Xing already had someone he clearly liked, he would definitely say so."
At those words, Ryūun's eyes immediately lit up. Yūhi Saki laughed.
"So that means, Ryūun, you still have a chance—don't you?"
"C-cough! What chance? I don't know what you're talking about!"
"I—I'm going to put this book back."
With her face burning red, Yūhi Ryūun hurried off toward the clan's archive room. Yūhi Saki smiled warmly, then lowered her head to look at Yūhi Red, gently teasing the baby. Red let out a soft "waa~," raising her delicate little hands to try to grab Saki's fingers.
"Red~ what kind of boyfriend will you find in the future, hmm~?"
Bai Xing left and headed to the Hokage Tower to submit his leave report for the past period—detailing the reasons, circumstances, and why he hadn't been able to carry out village missions.
Without a proper reason for leave, the village would raise doubts based on one's background, mission history, and other factors.
The first suspicion would be that of being a spy.
The second: even if your identity was clean, abandoning village missions during a critical period would effectively end your chances of promotion to chūnin, jōnin, or any important post.
"Thank you for your hard work, Bai Xing."
"It must have been painful—this experience probably brought back memories of your time in Team Six."
In the Hokage's office, Sarutobi Hiruzen set down Bai Xing's report and looked at the lingering gloom on the young man's face, sighing as he continued:
"Fortunately, this time there seems to have been a… rather abnormal—ahem, an unexpected ninja who helped. Otherwise, you wouldn't have survived this ordeal."
Bai Xing: "?"
"An unexpected ninja?" Bai Xing asked nervously.
"Yes."
Sarutobi Hiruzen took out an investigation report sent back by a Uchiha jōnin from the border, detailing the Kirigakure ambush on Team Kurenai and Team Orochimaru.
"Jōnin Yūhi Shinku stated that after dealing with a white-haired Kirigakure ANBU—"
"—a Kirigakure support squad appeared. Especially the one who launched the final attack on him—at minimum, that person was a jōnin."
Displeasure flickered in Hiruzen's eyes.
"And based on your report, Bai Xing—Kirigakure had no fewer than five or six chūnin."
"That means at least six Kirigakure ninja."
"Among them, two were jōnin."
"And yet, at the nearest No. 2 outpost, there were no signs at all. I suspect there was a traitor."
"But unfortunately, during the investigation, they encountered Uzushiogakure ninja."
"Then… they didn't get any answers?" Bai Xing asked.
Hiruzen let out a heavy breath and slowly shook his head.
"Unfortunately not. The report says that among the squad, there were ninja who had close ties with the No. 2 outpost."
"So…"
"They acted, didn't they?" Bai Xing's gaze flickered.
"Yes."
Hiruzen nodded helplessly, his eyes drifting briefly to the whirlpool symbol on Bai Xing's forehead protector, as if recalling something—before refocusing.
"I can't blame them."
"Just like you, Bai Xing—they're all victims of war."
"This mission of yours technically failed, but it won't be recorded as a B-rank failure. Instead, it will be logged under S-rank, so your mission record won't be affected."
Each rank had its own success-rate requirements. If your B-rank success rate dropped to zero, then whenever there was a shortage of manpower for B-rank missions—or when a new Hokage took office—those with higher success rates would always be chosen first.
—Bai Xing's inner voice screamed: No, please don't—!
"Hokage-sama."
Bai Xing took a deep breath and decided to self-sabotage a little—this way, he'd lose priority for B-rank missions.
"Actually…"
"During the mission, I was the one who proposed that Team One retreat. So I don't think I'm suitable—"
"Ahem, ahem—"
Hiruzen quickly waved his hand, thinking, Did resting for a while really grind down this kid's will as a ninja?
"Bai Xing. I know about that."
"Your strategy at the time was actually correct. Even if I were a genin on the scene, with the situation unclear and enemy intelligence unknown, I would also consider retreating first and reassessing."
Bai Xing froze slightly.
Hiruzen looked at him seriously and continued:
"The village still needs you."
"You did nothing wrong."
"Besides, choosing between the mission and one's comrades has always been an extremely complicated matter."
"As Hokage, standing in the Hokage's position, I can't give you a definitive answer."
"But—"
"You only need to follow your own heart and act accordingly."
"On the condition that you never betray the village."
Bai Xing was stunned, as if clouds had parted to reveal clear skies.
And why does it feel like the old man thinks I don't want to be a ninja anymore…?
"I understand, Hokage-sama."
"Good. If there's nothing else, you may go. If you still need more rest, you can pick up another leave form from the second-floor office and apply again."
"No need. Thank you very much, Hokage-sama!"
After leaving the office, Bai Xing felt an unexpected sense of shame. He shook his head hard, thinking that he'd almost been 'Will of Fire'd' just now.
After all, whether he truly survived depended entirely on his own endurance. One reckless surge of emotion, and he might've marched straight to his death.
Early the next morning.
In the village's back mountain area, a small estate sat quietly. Inside its courtyard was a field full of medicinal herbs, neatly surrounded by wooden sheds and fences.
"Bai Xing, you've finally recovered."
"I'm fine. What about you? What did your grandmother say?"
"Don't even mention it. Grandma absolutely didn't believe it at first. But then some ANBU delivered her a piece of intelligence, and she got so angry she hasn't left the house since."
The brown-haired boy shook his head and sighed. His feet were covered in dirt, sweat pouring down his face under the sunlight as he pulled out bundles of green weeds growing among the medicinal herbs.
"I don't believe it either. How could the Uzumaki clan suddenly betray Konoha? It has to be Kirigakure's scheme!" Might Guy said from the side.
"But we're just genin. We probably won't be able to take part in any follow-up missions," Nawaki sighed again.
"Follow-up… missions?"
"Yeah."
Nawaki looked around to make sure no one was eavesdropping and that the homeowner wasn't back yet. He motioned for the two to come closer and whispered into their ears.
"My grandma said the village is planning to send ANBU to the Land of Whirlpools to investigate. Apparently a village elder will be leading them."
Bai Xing: "..."
"Alright! That way we can confirm the truth!"
Guy's eyes burned with passion as he clenched a fistful of weeds. "We must make Kirigakure pay for our fallen comrades!"
"..."
Bai Xing fell silent again, then looked at the overexcited Guy.
"With your level—not even chūnin yet—you're planning to go to the battlefield to die, Guy?"
"..."
"Youth will never surrender!"
"Eight Gates… First Gate, Gate of Opening—"
"Open!"
"Let's just do one more D-rank mission today!"
"Yeah!!"
Bai Xing covered his face. He had no idea what these two were fired up about. You need to open the Eight Gates just to do a D-rank mission? Go to the battlefield my ass.
But then—
"Guy. How far have you developed the Eight Gates?"
Guy paused mid-weeding, tilted his head, and looked at Bai Xing.
"Right now, I can open up to the Fifth Gate. I believe it won't be long before I reach the Sixth—or even the Seventh Gate!"
"…And how long can you keep the Fifth Gate open?" Bai Xing twitched.
Guy thought for a moment and answered honestly:
"I don't know. But when I tested the Fourth Gate, I could only last a few seconds—and that was after keeping the Third Gate open smoothly for three minutes."
"..."
"Are you Ultraman Tiga or something?!"
Nawaki frowned. "Tiga? What's that?"
"Nothing. Just a guy who plays with light."
"Amazing! So there's a bloodline that can control light?!" Guy exclaimed.
Feeling the generation gap was far too wide, Bai Xing stopped talking and silently went back to finishing today's D-rank mission.
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