After returning to the village, Li Yu turned in his mission report and went straight home.
He began studying the Hero's Water he had obtained from a rogue ninja from Takigakure during the mission.
Lately, rumors had been spreading through the village about the White Fang of the Leaf, Hatake Sakumo. He had abandoned a mission to save his comrades, bringing great losses upon the village, and the villagers blamed him for it.
Even the comrade he had saved came forward to condemn Hatake Sakumo. Perhaps that had been the final straw that broke him.
Li Yu had only just returned from a mission when he heard that the White Fang of the Leaf had hanged himself.
His name had never been carved into the Memorial Stone, and he had heard that the news had hit Kakashi hard.
The day after learning Li Yu had returned from his mission, the Third Hokage summoned him.
The Hokage Office, Hokage Office Building.
Only the Third Hokage and Li Yu were in the office.
"Nawaki, you've only just returned to the village, so you must have heard by now."
"I have. The rumors about the White Fang of the Leaf, and how he hanged himself at home the day before."
The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, took a drag from his pipe and sighed.
"Sakumo couldn't weather this crisis. He took the path of no return."
"There's been movement along the Land of Wind border lately. Sakumo's death will probably reach the Hidden Sand. The peace we worked so hard to achieve may be shattered again."
Li Yu thought to himself, Don't worry, old man. They'll definitely hear about it. If the story's anything to go by, the Third Kazekage is probably about to bite the dust.
He's sitting at home, and trouble falls out of the sky. Sunagakure needs someone to vent their anger on, and Konoha is bound to take the blame.
"Lord Hokage, whatever happens, we still need to prepare for war."
He hadn't expected the Third Hokage to call him in for a heart-to-heart. Something was up.
"Nawaki, in light of your excellent performance over the past few years, I'm promoting you to deputy head of the Anbu."
"You won't need to go on missions. Stay in the village and focus on handling Anbu affairs."
Li Yu was startled by the order. After this show of strength, the Konoha High Command intends to keep me under surveillance.
Thinking this, Li Yu left the Hokage Office Building and returned home.
He had put in so much effort, but upgrading his Sharingan to the Mangekyō Sharingan was still incredibly difficult.
In this war, the Sharingan had played a smaller and smaller role. Without the Mangekyō, it didn't do much to increase his combat strength.
His chakra reserves had long since surpassed Kage Level, and then some. So far, he hadn't encountered anyone who could make him go all out.
He needed to evolve his Sharingan into the Mangekyō Sharingan as soon as possible.
Recently, the news of the White Fang of the Leaf's death had been drowned out by Lord Zi Yu's exploits: fighting a thousand shinobi alone, along with the Hokage and Jinchūriki of the Three Great Shinobi Villages.
With people deliberately spreading the story, the villagers gradually chose to forget the White Fang of the Leaf's death. Their attention shifted entirely to the battle in the Land of Birds.
A few days later.
Konoha Anbu.
Using his authority, Li Yu immediately transferred Shui Qi and Yue Ying to his side to serve as his bodyguards.
After completing their missions, the two had finally reported to Li Yu.
"Shui Qi, after all these years, you're still just as skinny. You've only gotten taller."
"Yue Ying, long time no see."
"Zi Yu, one of our old squadmates, and now you're already a department head. We've only just been promoted to Special Jōnin."
Yue Ying blushed awkwardly as she spoke.
"Yu, your strength has left ours far behind."
Li Yu changed the subject with a smile.
"I've made you my direct subordinates. From now on, you'll mainly help me with official business."
As he spoke, he tossed Shui Qi a pile of files and put him to work.
Then he took Yue Ying's little hand in his own. It was soft and warm as jade, and felt lovely to hold.
After giving Shui Qi his instructions, Li Yu took Yue Ying by the hand and activated the Flying Thunder God, bringing her home with him.
With a long-suffering look, Shui Qi resigned himself to the files and muttered,
"Women before friends."
Li Yu took off his mask and set it aside, then gestured for Yue Ying to sit down too.
"Uzuki Yuying, I've actually known your name for a long time."
Hearing Li Yu call her by name, she also removed her Anbu mask. She had purple hair, arched brows, big eyes, and alluring red lips, giving her a mature, feminine charm.
Li Yu stared at Uzuki Yuying's face until she blushed and lowered her head. Only then did he look away and speak.
"My real name is Senju Nawaki. Our clan inherited the glory of the First and Second Hokage, and managed to survive."
"I should have died in the Second Shinobi World War, but I survived. That means the Senju Clan shouldn't disappear."
"Yuying, I've had feelings for you for years. I stayed away from you for your safety."
"Yan Xing died on our last mission together. Someone in the village leaked information, and Yan Xing died because I got him caught up in it."
At the mention of Yan Xing's death, Yuying grew despondent for a moment. She recovered quickly, perhaps because she had seen death so many times on missions.
The White Fang of the Leaf's death had made Li Yu resolve himself. Sakumo had died such an unjust death.
Uzuki Yuying asked in surprise,
"What are you going to do? Don't tell me you're planning to—"
Li Yu smiled.
"It's not as serious as you think. I won't do anything that harms the village. After all, the village is the legacy of the First and Second Hokage."
"I just want to have a little chat about life with that Fake Blind Man who's feeling so pleased with himself."
Li Yu didn't want to say more. He simply met Yuying's eyes.
This time, Yuying didn't look away. She said loudly,
"I'll always support you, Nawaki."
Li Yu secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He took Uzuki Yuying's hand and gave her a mischievous grin.
"Yuying, from today on, you're my personal bodyguard. In short, my secretary."
"What's a secretary?"
"It's the kind of person who handles things when there's work to do, and when there's nothing to do—"
Realizing what he'd let slip, Li Yu changed the subject.
"Go home and pack your things. You'll be living at my place from now on."
After saying this, Li Yu didn't look at Yuying's expression. He simply walked out and gave his clan members some instructions.
It was time to cause Danzo trouble and settle the score with him. As for Orochimaru, he might have been the one who came up with this poison.
On Li Yu's many S-rank missions, enemy shinobi had ambushed him after learning the details of his techniques. His jutsu were often countered and targeted.
Enemies especially liked using genjutsu and Taijutsu against Li Yu. Each time, he had relied on his Three-Tomoe Sharingan, Sage Mode, the speed of the Flying Thunder God, and the hard-to-distinguish real and fake Wood Clones to get out of danger.
Especially during this latest mission—he had almost died in the Land of Birds, a place where birds shat all day long.
"Enough is enough. If my uncle can put up with it, my aunt sure can't!"