Aftermath

Yu didn't dwell on Bai's words for too long. She had pondered the issue herself over the years but never found any answers, so she didn't think about it further.

"So, now you know my situation, what do you plan to do?"

Bai didn't answer Yu's question, instead immediately bringing up the aftermath of yesterday's incident.

"What about those three ninjas from yesterday? How were they dealt with? What did you tell Lady Tsunade and the others?"

"I burned those three to ashes with the Great Fireball Technique. Nothing else should be exposed. They can only deduce that my Great Fireball is quite proficient and my chakra reserves are large. While there are some issues, they aren't too significant."

"As for Lady Tsunade and the others, they seemed a bit worried when they saw you injured. They didn't ask me for details, just a general overview of what happened, then they treated you and sent you to the hospital."

As Bai spoke, Yu looked at him with a rather strange expression.

"So, you know Lady Tsunade and the others?"

"I was brought back from outside the village by Lady Tsunade and the others six years ago. My age should be about the same as her younger brother. Lady Tsunade and the others have occasionally come back to see me over the years."

"Since you burned the bodies to ashes, there shouldn't be much of a problem. After all, we did rescue a member of the Hyuga clan's main family. They won't treat us as criminals and interrogate us."

"It will likely just be a simple inquiry. Just say those three were close to genin level but not quite there. Although, for us now, that's a bit of a stretch, it's the best option. They'll seem a bit like geniuses, but not overly conspicuous. They shouldn't attract the attention of anyone with ulterior motives."

Yu nodded in agreement, but what she didn't know was that the "people with ulterior motives" Bai was referring to weren't from the Uchiha or Hyuga clans. While it would be a bit troublesome if those two clans found out about Yu's situation, neither clan leader would object to their own clan gaining another powerful Dojutsu, even if they both believed their own clan's Dojutsu was the strongest in the ninja world.

What Bai was worried about was Konoha's Pot Kage, Danzo, and whether the Root Organization had been established yet.

While the two of them were discussing yesterday's incident...

"I heard you returned to the village yesterday and rescued some students who had just enrolled in the Ninja Academy?"

The young Third Hokage sat behind his desk in the Hokage's Office, tapping his pipe on the table as he looked at the students standing before him.

"Alright, alright, old man! A few petty thieves who aren't even genin level. We already had the Uchiha girl handle them when we were short-handed. I just happened to treat that little one we brought back a few years ago."

Tsunade spoke without regard for the Third Hokage's authority, showing him no deference.

"On this outing, we noticed that several other ninja villages seem to be recovering and are getting restless. Especially Amegakure..."

Jiraiya picked up the conversation, reporting the intelligence gathered during their reconnaissance mission.

The Third Hokage pondered for a moment. The matter of a few children wasn't that important; they were just a few aspiring genin. He would meet them when he had time and instill the Will of Fire in them.

The priority now was the Land of Rain. He heard there was a Hanzo there, and his strength seemed considerable.

He then collected his thoughts and began to listen carefully to the intelligence Tsunade and the others had brought back.

Hyuga Clan.

"How is it? Has Kori woken up?"

A middle-aged man asked his subordinate below.

"Third Elder, the young lady has woken up. The physicians have examined her, and there are no physical issues. She was likely just a bit startled yesterday and needs some time to recuperate."

Hyuga Valley let out a sigh of relief upon hearing the report from the branch family member. As an elder of the main family, he was nearly 40 years old and had only this one precious daughter, a late-in-life child whom he cherished dearly.

"Remember to prepare a gift for the ninja who brought Kori back yesterday. Once Kori has recovered, invite them to our home to express our gratitude. As for Kori's guards yesterday, considering Kori wasn't seriously harmed, they will be punished with a year's worth of family resources and then assigned to guard the ancestral shrine."

Hyuga Valley waved his hand, dismissing the clan member to make the arrangements.

The matter that Bai and Yu were most worried about – their strength being exposed and attracting the village's attention – was resolved by Tsunade and the others without their knowledge.

"This matter is more or less settled, and there shouldn't be any problems. However, the place where you're living still has some issues."

After exchanging information and opinions with Yu, Bai illuminated the small wooden hut where Yu lived.

"Huh? What's wrong? I've lived here for six years, and I haven't felt any problems!"

"This place is too remote. It's a bit unsafe for you to live here alone. You exposed your strength a bit this time, and there might be people with ulterior motives eyeing you, wondering if you've awakened your Sharingan."