The Hidden Flow of Supplies and Mikoto's Late-Night Report

It was late at night.

The lights in the Hokage's Office were still on, but they had been dimmed, casting only a hazy yellow glow across the enormous desk.

Baishi sat alone in the Hokage's seat without handling any documents.

One hand pressed against his lower abdomen. Beneath the fabric, his skin was burning hot, and a force that did not belong to him was rampaging inside. Like a beast trapped in a cage, every impact brought a tearing pain that reached deep into his bones.

It was the Leyline Energy stolen from the Kyoto Underground Palace—vast, ancient, and filled with primal savagery.

Even with the Hashirama Cells forcibly suppressing it, he could only maintain a temporary balance.

And that balance was extremely fragile.

The office was so quiet that he could hear his own slightly labored breathing, as well as the faint hiss of Chakra surging through his body.

Just then, someone knocked on the office door.

Knock, knock, knock.

Three knocks—neither light nor heavy, with a steady rhythm that showed the visitor's good manners and restraint.

"Come in."

Baishi's voice was steady, revealing nothing unusual. He removed the hand pressed against his lower abdomen and casually rested it on the edge of the desk.

The door opened, and Mikoto Uchiha walked in.

She wore the standard uniform of the Konoha Military Police Force and held a stack of documents in her arms. Her face was calm and strictly professional.

"Lord Hokage."

She walked to the desk, bowed slightly, and gently placed the documents at its corner.

"It's so late, but there are several details regarding the Konoha Military Police Force's draft budget for next quarter. I thought I should report them to you in person."

Her voice was cool, and her reason was beyond reproach.

As the wife