The night was dark.
Once again, the scene unfolded within the Hyuga Clan compound.
Uchiha Itachi stood silently, his sharp eyes scanning the scene before him. A strange feeling stirred within him.
Then, without warning—an explosion, sudden and violent. A presence loomed amidst the chaos.
The arrival of a king.
That was the only way to describe it.
The figure exuded an aura unlike any other. Itachi swore—Uchiha Bai Ye was the most imposing person he had ever encountered.
Even if one were to compare him to Uchiha Madara during the Warring States period, who could truly say who would emerge victorious?
Of course…
None of that mattered right now.
Itachi, momentarily distracted, stood at the side, mimicking the devoted expressions of the Uchiha Guard, his gaze fixed intently on Bai Ye.
"Destroy Dad, if you can't pretend, don't force it," Bai Ye said, casually patting Itachi's cheek with a knowing smirk.
Itachi's expression flickered, but he ignored the peculiar nickname Bai Ye had given him. He quickly composed himself.
"I don't know what the captain is referring to," he replied.
A flimsy excuse.
Bai Ye didn't bother to press the issue. He had long since learned to differentiate between genuine admiration and a mere act.
His gaze shifted to Hyuga Hiashi.
A familiar situation.
Bai Ye's eyes gleamed with understanding—this moment must be agonizing for Hiashi, watching everything unfold, hoping that someone, anyone, would stand up for him.
It reminded Bai Ye of another incident—the fall of Sakumo Hatake.
"Uchiha Satoshi, you're living up to expectations," Bai Ye murmured.
Satoshi, noticing Bai Ye's shift in demeanor, quickly lit a cigarette and handed it to him.
Bai Ye took a slow drag, exhaling as his gaze drifted toward the Third Hokage, unbothered by the cold glare directed at him.
Then, with deliberate steps, he approached Hyuga Hiashi and placed a firm hand on his shoulder.
"The Hyuga Clan is a well-established family, with many profitable businesses," Bai Ye remarked. "And they've always been loyal supporters of our Guard."
"In other words, since the Hyuga Clan is one of our biggest financial backers, it falls to us to ensure their protection."
That much was true.
Initially, the Hyuga had looked down on the Uchiha Guard, scoffing at their so-called 'protection fees.'
But rules were rules.
If other merchants paid, yet the Hyuga refused, what message would that send?
Bai Ye never needed to play dirty tricks—other businesses would naturally band together to pressure the outliers.
And so, in time, the Hyuga became one of the Guard's most prominent clients.
"Tell me, what's wrong?" Bai Ye continued. "This Captain will handle it personally."
"My Guard has always upheld the ideals of justice!"
With that declaration, Bai Ye stomped on the lifeless body of the Cloud Shinobi ninja Hyuga Hiashi had killed, flicking his cape dramatically.
Hiashi remained silent, a complicated expression on his face.
If someone had told him beforehand that the Uchiha Clan would one day stand up for the Hyuga, he would have dismissed it as nonsense.
And yet…
It was happening.
And he felt… grateful.
Bai Ye, of course, was fully aware of all this.
This scene—this entire situation—it had already happened once before, in another timeline.
Cloud Shinobi had come to Konoha, pretending to negotiate while secretly scheming to steal the Byakugan.
But their plot failed.
Hinata was saved, yet Cloud Shinobi shamelessly reversed the situation, demanding Hiashi's life as compensation.
In the end, under pressure from Konoha's leadership, Hiashi's twin brother, Hizashi, sacrificed himself to protect his clan.
The consequences of this were far-reaching—his son, Neji, grew up resenting Hinata, believing she was the reason for his father's death.
Eventually, Neji learned the truth—that Hizashi had chosen to die. Only then did he let go of his hatred.
But was that really the truth?
Bai Ye scoffed.
Who would willingly choose death if they could live?
And wasn't it suspicious?
The official story, crafted by the Third Hokage, praised Hizashi as a selfless shinobi who had given his life for the village—an embodiment of the 'Will of Fire.'
But was that truly what had happened?
It was clear as day. Hizashi's death wasn't a noble sacrifice—it was a consequence of his status as a branch family member. His death wasn't for Konoha; it was for the Hyuga Clan.
Would anyone willingly die when they had a choice?
Of course not.
His death had been forced.
And yet, the Hokage had accepted it as a necessary loss for 'peace.'
Cloud Shinobi had been the aggressors. Yet they suffered no consequences.
Instead, the victim was the one who paid the ultimate price.
Bai Ye looked at Hiruzen, his gaze unreadable.
He could never stomach such hypocrisy.
"Captain Bai Ye," the Third Hokage finally spoke, his tone cold. "This is no longer a simple dispute. It is now a matter between villages. You have no right to interfere."
"Oh?"
Bai Ye chuckled. "I don't recall Konoha's rules being something you alone decide, Hokage-sama."
Hiruzen's frown deepened.
Before he could respond, Bai Ye turned his attention to Aziyi, a representative of Cloud Shinobi.
"My estate was attacked earlier tonight," Bai Ye stated.
Aziyi's expression darkened.
He had already sensed that something had gone wrong.
"My sister sent me a message," Bai Ye continued casually. "And I received a second report from the Two-Tails' Jinchūriki."
Aziyi's face turned grim.
The pieces fit together.
The one who had led the attack on Bai Ye's estate… had been Yugito Nii.
A Jinchūriki.
One of Cloud Shinobi's most valuable assets.
Bai Ye smirked. "Well, wouldn't you know it—I was enjoying some tea in my courtyard when they arrived."
"So I killed a few people and caught a cat."
Silence.
The sheer nonchalance in his tone made the statement even more terrifying.
Aziyi's stomach churned. He knew what this meant.
Cloud Shinobi had sent their elite. And Bai Ye had slaughtered them.
And 'caught a cat'…
That could only mean one thing.
The Two-Tails' Jinchūriki had been captured.
"Hey, Cloud Shinobi," Bai Ye said, slapping Aziyi on the shoulder. "Does this incident involve me now?"
Aziyi swallowed hard. "Yes. And it's a serious matter."
His voice was steady, but his mind was in chaos.
Losing a Jinchūriki was a disaster.
More than anything, Cloud Shinobi could not afford this loss.
"We need to negotiate," Aziyi declared, taking a step forward, his tone more forceful. "Captain Bai Ye, this is about maintaining the peace between our villages."
Bai Ye tilted his head.
"You want to talk? And who do you think you are?"
Aziyi flinched at the mockery but forced himself to remain composed.
"It's a matter of diplomacy," he insisted. "We must discuss this."
"Sorry," Bai Ye yawned. "I'm not interested."
Aziyi's brows furrowed. "Why not?"
Slap!
Uchiha Cong delivered a clean hit across Aziyi's face.
"Because," he snapped, "our captain is off the clock."
"Didn't you see him yawning?! Try again tomorrow. You're getting on my nerves!"
Bai Ye chuckled.
He gave Hiashi a nod, then turned to his men.
"Wrap it up," he ordered. "We're done here."