So, you have an opinion of me?

Minato Namikaze, being called out, scratched his golden hair with an awkward, sheepish smile.

Yellow-hair? Sissy?

Are they talking about me?

Isn't the boss unable to refine chakra? Then what is this? Why is he even faster than me?

Beyond the embarrassment of being called a sissy and a yellow-hair by Kushina, Minato was mostly shocked by the speed Bai Lin had displayed.

The moment Kushina was ambushed, he had already prepared to rush over to rescue her, confident he could reach her at the last second to block the attack.

But just as he was about to move, Bai Lin's figure had already blurred into a faint afterimage, sweeping past him.

By the time he reacted, Bai Lin had already landed under the old locust tree beside Kushina, even finding the leisure to reach up and straighten his wind-blown collar.

Only at the instant the shuriken was about to touch Kushina's back did he slowly draw the long sword at his waist, appearing instantly beside her to deflect the flying shuriken with a movement so composed it was as if he were merely brushing off a speck of dust.

Could the boss really be a genius? Minato stared blankly at Bai Lin, his heart full of confusion, which was immediately followed by an outpouring of boundless joy and excitement.

Since the boss is a genius, then my boss has the makings of a Hokage.

Bai Lin was the object of his admiration, born with the natural talent to become a leader.

To become Hokage, one needed not only the recognition of the villagers but also formidable strength.

Yet, in his eyes, Bai Lin had never displayed any strength, a fact that had always filled him with deep regret.

He had once harbored a thought: since Bai Lin couldn't become Hokage, he would become Hokage himself and spread Bai Lin's philosophy throughout all of Konoha.

Since the boss is a genius and possesses such terrifying strength and foresight, then the boss absolutely has the makings of a Hokage!

Minato's gaze gradually grew fervent, filled with nothing but worship and resolve as he looked at Bai Lin's back.

I, Minato Namikaze, have decided that you are my boss for this lifetime! From now on, I will not only follow the boss to become stronger, but I will also assist the boss in ascending to the position of Hokage, letting the boss's Will of Fire truly illuminate all of Konoha!

Once this thought took root, it grew wildly like weeds.

Minato clenched his fists, his blood surging within him.

Before, he had only thought about becoming stronger to protect those around him, but now, he had a clearer goal: to assist Bai Lin and let this leader, who truly possessed the makings of a Hokage, lead Konoha toward a more glorious future.

The boss was the true successor of the Will of Fire.

"You're lying!" The boy raised his head, his eyes red-rimmed. "You were the one who started hitting people first! My brother is a Konoha genin, he will definitely avenge me!"

"Avenge?" Bai Lin raised an eyebrow, his gaze sweeping coldly over the young ninja. "You have already become a ninja; you should understand that the core of the Will of Fire is protection and inheritance."

"Where the leaves of Konoha dance, fire shall never die."

"The Will of Fire is not an excuse for you to seek revenge for personal grudges, nor is it an excuse for you to use shuriken to ambush someone from your own village."

"As a Konoha genin, you were supposed to protect the people of the village, yet you indulged your younger brother in provoking others first and then resorted to a sneak attack. Is this what you understand the Will of Fire to be?"

"No, that's not it, that's not it." The young ninja's face turned pale, then flushed, as he struggled to defend himself, though his tone was clearly weakening. "I... I just wanted to teach her a lesson. Who told her to hit my brother?"

Bai Lin stared at the pair indifferently, his tone icy. "I can spare you once today, but you must remember—for a Konoha ninja, the ninjutsu in your hands is meant for protection, not for bullying the weak."

"Now, apologize to classmate Kushina, then take your brother to the Konoha Military Police Force to turn yourselves in and accept your punishment."

"Don't push your luck!" The young ninja gritted his teeth, his hands clenching involuntarily. "I can apologize to classmate Kushina, but..."

As a newly promoted genin, he still held a shred of arrogance in his bones and was unwilling to bow his head and admit defeat just like that.

"Pushing my luck?"

Bai Lin's figure vanished from where he stood. The young ninja's pupils shrank, and just as he was about to move, a cold sensation touched the back of his neck.

The spine of the Kusanagi Sword pressed lightly against his skin, the lethal sensation it transmitted leaving him stiff and unable to move.

"So, you have an issue with me, is that it?"

Bai Lin's voice sounded flat, without the slightest fluctuation, yet it made the young ninja's scalp tingle.

"You think you're invincible just because you've been promoted to genin?"

"In my eyes, you are nothing more than a fool begging for death."

"If I were to cripple you today, the Konoha Military Police Force would have no right to object—because trash like you is not worthy of the title 'Konoha ninja'!"

"I... I was wrong..." He finally broke down, his voice choked with tears, his arrogance completely crushed. "Classmate Kushina, I'm sorry! I shouldn't have ambushed you, I shouldn't have indulged my brother... Please, be the bigger person and spare me this once!"

The little brother beside him was also terrified, bursting into tears and throwing himself onto his brother's legs, apologizing repeatedly: "Classmate Kushina, I'm sorry! I won't tease you about being a tomato anymore, I won't dare to do it again!"

"Who's a tomato!" Hearing this, Kushina instantly bristled, her suppressed anger flaring up again. If not for Bai Lin still holding the guy in check, she would have loved to go up and give the little brat another punch.

Bai Lin couldn't help but smile. With a flick of his wrist, the Kusanagi Sword instantly returned to its sheath, and his figure flashed back to his original spot, as if he had never moved at all.

"Alright, an apology should look like an apology." He looked at the young ninja. "If you're genuinely admitting your mistake, go to the Konoha Military Police Force and turn yourselves in. Don't think about trying to get away with it."

There were no threatening words in his tone, yet it made the ninja stiffen, and he nodded hurriedly. "I understand, we'll go to the Konoha Military Police Force right now."

Watching the two flee in a panic, Kushina finally let out a sigh of relief. She turned to look at Bai Lin, her face showing a hint of awkward gratitude. "Th... thank you."

Kushina gazed at Bai Lin's handsome face, remembering his tall, upright back as he stood in front of her just moments ago, and the composure he showed when he deflected the shuriken with his sword. A wave of heat rose to her cheeks, and her heart began to beat inexplicably fast.

This concubine has nothing to repay you with, only...

Bai Lin sighed. If this had been when he first transmigrated into the world of Hokage, with this kind of strength, he would never have let someone who held a grudge against him walk away.

This boy must not be left alive. First, I will use the Kusanagi Sword to hack him into pieces, then use Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique to destroy the corpse and erase all traces, ensuring he has no qualification to be brought back by Impure World Reincarnation.

Although he now possesses the strength to defect from the village, it is impossible to abandon the good reputation he has built in Konoha and become a rogue ninja, wandering the ninja world, just because of such a small character, right?

This is naturally impossible, unless his strength has reached the point where he fears no one.

Bai Lin put away his cold demeanor, his expression shifting rapidly as he instantly revealed his habitual gentle smile, squinting his eyes as he sized up the slightly blushing Kushina.

What should I do?

Is he looking at me?

When he smiles, his eyes curve, carrying a hint of gentleness; he is like a completely different person compared to his cold appearance just now.

Kushina's mind wandered with these thoughts.