The training ground.
The dull atmosphere was quickly broken.
Nawaki and Tsunade greeted Itachi before joining the training team.
Tsunade's expression was particularly complicated at this moment, but she didn't shake off Bai Ye's hand, despite the irritation bubbling inside her.
Sin ah.
The Senju Clan was still waiting for her to rebuild its legacy, yet she had fallen for an Uchiha man?!
"Don't be discouraged."
Bai Ye's voice was calm, almost too composed.
"Focusing on reckless practice is pointless. Go back and refine your basics first."
He then smirked. "Besides, when our first child is born, I'll even let you name them Senju."
What kind of logic is that?!
Tsunade's expression froze.
How did the conversation suddenly shift to children? And what does this have to do with him? As if my first child would even be his!
Tsunade stared at Bai Ye blankly, but since her teacher, Sarutobi Hiruzen, was present, she refrained from making a scene.
After all, she was supposed to maintain her image.
"Cough, cough."
Sarutobi intentionally cleared his throat.
A subtle but firm reminder—this was neither the time nor place to discuss children in front of an audience.
Still, the wording caught his attention.
First child?
That meant the boy just now wasn't Tsunade's.
Wait a moment.
Based on Bai Ye's age, if he really were the father, wouldn't that mean… he was active when he was ten?!
Preposterous.
Regardless, as long as Tsunade and Bai Ye's relationship remained stable, that was all that mattered for now.
"Huh? When did you get here?"
Bai Ye feigned surprise upon noticing Sarutobi Hiruzen standing there.
The old man has been here for a while!
Sarutobi's expression darkened, his fingers adjusting his Hokage hat in an attempt to suppress his irritation.
And that tone—addressing him directly, without honorifics?
Was this brat deliberately undermining his authority?!
"Captain Bai Ye, about last night's events—"
Sarutobi's expression turned serious, his voice carrying an unmistakable edge.
This kid's attitude…
As Hokage, he was the one in charge of this village.
No matter how strong Uchiha Bai Ye was or how much authority he wielded within the Guard, he was still beneath his jurisdiction.
Yet Bai Ye sat there, unbothered, as if none of this concerned him.
With everything that had happened—the arrival of the Kumogakure envoy, the Guard's aggressive arrests, and now Hyuga Hiashi killing a foreign ninja—Sarutobi should have taken preemptive measures.
Instead, he had been forced into a reactive stance.
This was unacceptable.
"The Guard will handle the matter," Bai Ye said flatly. "Hokage need not concern himself."
His tone was calm but unmistakably dismissive.
Tsunade blinked in surprise.
This brat just told the Hokage to back off?!
The Uchiha Guard had changed.
Good.
As expected of the father of her— Wait, what was she even thinking?
No wonder Bai Ye had agreed to her terms so readily when she had approached him.
He may not have explicitly stated it, but his stance was clear—he had no intention of letting her get caught up in Konoha's political power struggles.
Tch.
If not for the risk of completely severing ties and jeopardizing Konoha as a whole, she would have openly voiced her resentment by now.
Does the old man really think she's blind?
As if she didn't know what kind of shady tactics he had used during the Second Shinobi War?
She had endured all of it—for the village.
It was no wonder that after the war, her attitude toward Sarutobi had changed. Even in the original story, she had no real emotional reaction to his death at Orochimaru's hands.
That spoke volumes.
"As Hokage, I have a right to know what's happening!"
Sarutobi's voice grew louder, his tone laced with authority.
"Ah, yes, yes."
Bai Ye waved a hand lazily. "We all know you're Hokage. No one's taking that from you. Why are you getting so worked up?"
Sarutobi's eye twitched.
Does this brat think I'm worried about losing my position?!
Ridiculous.
Bai Ye couldn't be bothered with Konoha's politics. Right now, he only wanted to focus on his role as Guard Captain. If anyone stepped out of line, he'd deal with them accordingly.
Tsunade almost laughed.
Her teacher—acting like a child throwing a tantrum over a stolen toy.
"Old man—"
Sarutobi opened his mouth to counter, but Bai Ye had already lost interest, looking away dismissively.
Sarutobi immediately tensed.
For a split second, he felt it—danger.
"Don't make me repeat myself," Bai Ye said. "See the guest out."
Talking in circles with a politician? No, thanks.
The Guard would handle the situation.
And that was final.
If Sarutobi kept pushing, Bai Ye wouldn't hesitate to escort him out himself.
[The Guard accidentally injured Hokage while escorting him out. Captain Bai Ye expresses deep regret.]
See?
That would be a perfectly reasonable explanation.
Sarutobi's face darkened further, but he forced himself to swallow his anger.
Just now—he had sensed it.
A familiar, oppressive weight.
The same sensation from that day when Bai Ye had immobilized him with just a hand on his shoulder.
He clenched his fists.
He couldn't act recklessly.
Not against someone this dangerous.
Taking a deep breath—
No.
He stopped himself.
Uchiha Satoshi was approaching in the distance.
And the last thing he wanted was to look weak in front of him.
His face reddened, his body stiff with internalized frustration.
With a sharp flick of his sleeve, Sarutobi let out a cold snort and turned to leave.
"Captain," Uchiha Satoshi grinned, watching Sarutobi's retreating figure. "Doesn't he look like a stray dog? A lost stray dog?"
The realization hit him, and he erupted into laughter.
"Hah! He must've thought I showed up just to give him a hard time! And he doesn't even know I just finished my business next to Itachi!"
Behind them—
Sarutobi finally lost control.
A mouthful of blood spewed from his lips.
Without another word, he fled the scene, humiliated.
Today's defeat—Sarutobi Hiruzen.