Cloud Mountain.
To welcome the return of Uchiha Bai Ye and the Konoha Guard, the high command of Kumogakure was in a frenzy.
They'd prepared a full diplomatic reception, the kind usually reserved for Daimyo visits. The Raikage himself approved it. It was supposed to culminate in a grand banquet to honor Bai Ye for his assistance in resolving the Kirigakure-Terumi Mei crisis.
But Bai Ye, true to form, blew them off.
He wasn't here on business. His detour to Kirigakure had already thrown his vacation off balance, and he had no interest in more politics or obligations.
So, the moment he arrived, he simply had dinner with Tsunade and a few of his close people and made his way up to the summit of Yunjie Mountain—Cloud Mountain—to relax.
The mountain's peak, veiled in soft mists and clouds, now resembled a floating palace.
Under Raikage's instructions, the infrastructure had been upgraded drastically—new lantern-lit paths, hot springs lined with polished obsidian stones, and decorations that would put feudal mansions to shame. These ornate red lanterns were expensive and imported straight from the Land of Fire's noble districts—Kumogakure spared no cost to curry favor.
Up at the summit, surrounded by clouds, Bai Ye bathed in the hot spring, the mountain air cool against his skin while Samui massaged his shoulders expertly.
"So, where'd you sneak off to before dinner?" Tsunade, having finally stopped teasing Kushina, swam closer and casually squeezed his arm. Her golden eyes narrowed curiously.
"Overtime," Bai Ye muttered, flipping lazily in the spring to give Samui better access.
He pulled Tsunade closer with one arm and said, "Handled Kirigakure's internal mess. Mei'll take care of the rest."
Tsunade snorted. "Working overtime, my foot. That woman's practically wrapped around your finger."
She clearly wasn't amused. Konoha had its hands full, and Bai Ye was meddling with other villages' affairs.
"Forget it for now. We'll know if it worked in a couple of days," Bai Ye said, shaking his head. Terumi Mei's dilemma wasn't his concern anymore. His attention turned to Tsunade instead.
"Speaking of which—Nawaki's getting older. How long do you plan on hiding his identity?"
A heavy question.
It was a continuation of an old conversation—the kind they rarely had without arguing.
Back then, Tsunade had stubbornly wanted Bai Ye to marry into the Senju clan to preserve its bloodline. But it hadn't gone her way.
She lost that argument. She lost it to strength.
"The Senju clan merging into Konoha—that was a mistake," Bai Ye said. "You've been digging into the past. You should have answers by now."
Tsunade's expression tightened. She nodded solemnly.
"Yes. The records were hidden… but still there," she admitted, casting a glare at both Bai Ye and Samui, who was still underwater. "You really have no shame."
With a sigh, she explained.
"After my grandfather Hashirama passed, and my granduncle Tobirama became Hokage, he issued the integration order. All Senju were to discard their surname and assimilate into Konoha."
"But Tobirama wasn't naïve. He compiled a hidden ledger—names, descendants, locations."
"And now?" Bai Ye asked.
Tsunade clenched her fists. "Only about ten percent of the Senju bloodline remains traceable. The rest? Gone."
"Gone how?" Bai Ye narrowed his eyes.
"Disappeared. Killed on missions. Eliminated in conflicts. Not just hidden—erased," Tsunade whispered bitterly.
She had investigated after returning from exile. She saw how Nawaki had nearly died under suspicious circumstances. She followed the trail, and what she found chilled her.
The Senju didn't fade—they were hunted.
"If this keeps up, even that ten percent will vanish," Bai Ye stated, voice calm but sharp. "You'll have to make a choice when we return."
"Nawaki's not a child anymore. He should be Senju's patriarch."
Tsunade scowled at Bai Ye but said nothing. He was right.
She'd fought and bled for Konoha, but Konoha let her clan rot. The time for being passive had passed.
And Bai Ye?
He wasn't going to carry the Senju name. That ship had sailed when she married into Uchiha.
Fortunately, Nawaki was back. And this time, he wouldn't be poisoned or discarded.
"I'll talk to him," she said coldly. "We'll reestablish the clan. Reclaim what belongs to the Senju."
Bai Ye smiled. That was the Tsunade he liked—sharp, fierce, unyielding. The Fifth Hokage-to-be was finally showing through.
With new ideas forming, Bai Ye pulled her closer. "Let's go back to playing Hokage."
"Seriously?" Tsunade rolled her eyes. But she didn't stop him.
For Bai Ye, the rest of the night was… exceptional.
But elsewhere—
Konoha Village.
As the New Year's Festival kicked off, colorful lanterns floated over the rooftops. Music and laughter filled the air.
But not inside Konoha Prison.
In the shadows of the reformation camp, masked Root operatives moved.
During the chaos of the celebrations, they reactivated—silent, disciplined, lethal. Their targets were precise. Their goal: Danzo.
"Where are you going?" Shisui Uchiha stood among the laborers, stunned.
No one answered.
Unlike the cold, emotionless Root agents around him, Shisui still retained his conscience.
He wasn't privy to this plan. It had been carried out without his knowledge—while he was away on patrol.
Realizing the seriousness, Shisui rushed toward the Hokage Tower.
He didn't hesitate. He still believed in Sarutobi's justice.
"A prison riot?" Kakashi was surprised when he heard the report. He was on patrol, already stretched thin.
New Year's was a time for peace. Hokage had made it clear—no tolerance for crime during the festival.
Which made this even more suspicious.
"Third's not here…" Kakashi frowned. Something didn't add up.
Root members were not mindless. They wouldn't revolt unless ordered. That meant Danzo had issued a command—and that implied external coordination.
And then it clicked.
Sarutobi's sudden call to reinforce Konoha Prison using volunteers from the Sarutobi and Shimura clans.
It had seemed like goodwill—free protection for the holiday.
But what if it wasn't?
What if this was all staged—an orchestrated escape?
Kakashi's sharp mind pieced it together.
Danzo's agents riot. The Sarutobi and Shimura clans show up "just in time" to protect the prison. The Hokage appears as the savior.
"Self-directed drama," Kakashi muttered, shaking his head.
He glanced at Shisui. "Don't worry. The Third's already in Konoha Prison. He brought his own people. Everything's under control."
With that, Kakashi strolled away, hands in his pockets.
"I envy Bai Ye sometimes," he said to himself. "Should've joined the Guard."
The thought lingered in his mind.
Maybe he'd ask Bai Ye for a drink.
Back near Konoha Prison—
Chaos erupted.
Masked Root agents stormed toward the gates, shouting:
"For Danzo-sama!"
"Rescue the commander!"
"Level the prison!"
The Anbu were too slow to react. The festival had left them understaffed. Those that stood in the way were cut down mercilessly.
Two Root ninjas, dressed in deeper black than the rest, attacked with lethal precision—targeting fatal weak points. These weren't just soldiers—they were executioners.
"Do not panic!" a booming voice rang out.
Third Hokage—Hiruzen Sarutobi—descended like a messiah, flanked by the elite of the Sarutobi and Shimura clans.
"Citizens, I have the situation under control!" he declared proudly.
But even as he basked in admiration—
"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!"
"Fire Style: Blazing Dance!"
Two Root agents launched devastating jutsu directly at him.
"What the hell?!"
Hiruzen barely dodged, face pale.
This wasn't part of the plan.
It was supposed to be staged.
But the chaos? It was real.
And now?
Now, he was just another old man standing in the middle of a battlefield.
The riot had begun for real.
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