After eliminating Danzo, Bai Ye remained calm.
Danzo was indeed strong, but to Bai Ye, he was insignificant. If not for Tsunade's desire to solidify her hold over Konoha and witness Danzo's downfall firsthand, Bai Ye would have disposed of him much earlier. Judging from the outcome, his approach had worked perfectly—Tsunade ultimately chose to stand with Bai Ye, despite Danzo and the elders' attempts to sway her.
Bai Ye nodded in satisfaction. The first step of his plan had gone smoothly.
Eliminating the Elders
Suddenly, Bai Ye's gaze shifted toward a group of Konoha elders attempting to flee in panic.
But how could he let them escape?
In the world of the shinobi, these elders had never contributed anything good—yet, whenever there was chaos or betrayal, they were always the first to emerge. Bai Ye had no use for such people in his ranks.
Noticing Bai Ye's eyes on them, the elders trembled, preparing to beg for mercy. However, before they could utter a word, a wave of scorching flames engulfed them, reducing them to ashes in an instant.
Tsunade let out a deep sigh.
She had considered pleading for their lives, but Bai Ye was too decisive. At this point, she had no choice but to accept his methods.
Meeting the Daimyo
"This is enough for now," Bai Ye declared. "Tsunade, as Hokage, summon the Daimyo of the Land of Fire. I need to have a conversation with him."
Tsunade's expression tensed. "Let me speak with him first. I'm sure he will understand."
She feared that a direct confrontation between Bai Ye and the Daimyo would lead to disastrous consequences.
Bai Ye smiled. "Don't worry, I know how to handle it."
Though unconvinced, Tsunade could only nod. "Fine, but be careful."
Just then, a frantic voice echoed from the distance.
"Lady Tsunade! Something terrible has happened!"
Both Bai Ye and Tsunade turned to see Shizune running toward them, breathless.
The Death of Jiraiya
Shizune arrived, noticing the devastation around her. From the ruined surroundings, it was evident that a fierce battle had taken place.
Did Tsunade fight Bai Ye? she wondered.
However, seeing that neither of them was injured, she pushed the thought aside and focused on her message.
"Shizune, what's wrong?" Tsunade asked.
Shizune took a deep breath. "Jiraiya… He sent a message through the toads before—before he was killed."
Tsunade's heart sank. She recalled Bai Ye previously telling her that Jiraiya had been slain by Pain, the leader of the Akatsuki.
Without another word, Tsunade turned toward Konoha and started walking.
"Lady Tsunade, wait!" Shizune hurried after her.
Bai Ye followed as well. He knew what was coming.
If nothing else, this meant one thing—Pain's assault on Konoha was imminent.
Strengthening Control Over Konoha
After Jiraiya's death, Konoha was thrown into mourning. However, under Nara Shikaku's leadership, the village quickly regrouped, preparing a strategy to counter the Akatsuki's attack.
Naruto had already left for Mount Myōboku to train in Sage Mode.
Meanwhile, Bai Ye focused on consolidating power.
First, he took control of Danzo's Root organization. However, the transition wasn't easy—many Root members remained fiercely loyal to Danzo and resisted Bai Ye's rule. Without hesitation, Bai Ye executed those who defied him, leaving only those who were willing to follow.
At Tsunade's command, Bai Ye was also appointed as the leader of the Anbu.
Whether or not the Anbu accepted him didn't matter—after witnessing his strength, none dared to object.
With both the Anbu and Root under his command, Bai Ye now had complete control over Konoha's intelligence and black ops forces.
Reports soon reached him through his network—Akatsuki had already captured the Eight-Tails and was preparing to invade Konoha to capture the Nine-Tails.
Bai Ye wasn't concerned.
He simply had to wait.
The Meeting with the Daimyo
"Tsunade, the Daimyo of the Land of Fire is waiting inside," an Anbu reported.
Tsunade hesitated, glancing at Bai Ye with concern.
She had no idea what Bai Ye intended to say, but she feared the worst. He was too dangerous—if things didn't go his way, he might kill the Daimyo on a whim.
"Bai Ye, listen," she said cautiously. "Don't do anything rash."
Bai Ye smirked. "Relax, I'm quite reasonable."
He then pushed open the door and entered.
Tsunade remained outside, her body tense, chakra surging just in case she needed to intervene.
"Lady Tsunade, it'll be okay," Shizune reassured her.
Tsunade didn't reply.
Despite her reservations, she had already accepted Bai Ye's rule over Konoha. His power was undeniable. In fact, his strength was comparable to that of the First Hokage himself.
Under such a leader, both Konoha and the Land of Fire would gain an unparalleled guardian.
The Fire Daimyo's Decision
The wait wasn't long.
Soon, Bai Ye emerged from the meeting room.
Tsunade and Shizune immediately turned toward the Daimyo, expecting to see fear or anger.
Instead, the Daimyo stepped forward with a wide smile.
"I have fully accepted Lord Bai Ye's proposal," he declared. "As long as I remain in power, you will always be Konoha's Hokage, Tsunade."
Then, just before he departed, the Daimyo cast one last glance at Bai Ye.
Tsunade and Shizune were shocked by what they saw.
It wasn't fear.
It wasn't reluctance.
It was worship.
Tsunade and Shizune exchanged stunned glances.
What in the world did Bai Ye say to him?
The Final Phase
With this, Bai Ye had successfully secured control over the entire Land of Fire.
Everything had gone far smoother than he expected.
Now, there was only one thing left to do.
Standing on the balcony of the Hokage building, Bai Ye gazed into the horizon.
"The next step," he murmured, "is to face Pain."