Land of Fire, Konoha.
Within the Uchiha Clan's compound, inside Bai Ye's mansion, the morning sun filtered through the curtains, illuminating the disorderly room. The remnants of the previous night's indulgence were still scattered on the floor, but Bai Ye paid them no mind as he stretched lazily.
His sister-in-law had already left.
Though Itachi had taken care of Sasuke for the night, as a dedicated member of the Guard, he had to report for duty early in the morning. Despite feeling unwell, Mikoto had hurried home.
After freshening up, Bai Ye sat down for breakfast under the watchful and somewhat judgmental eyes of Samui and Yugito Nii. He ignored their expressions, enjoying his meal at his own pace. Then, donning his cloak of justice, he stepped out of the manor.
Today was an important day for Konoha and the Guard.
But for Bai Ye?
It was just another day.
The sun rose as always.
The world didn't stop spinning just because of a few insignificant people.
So, as usual, Bai Ye followed his daily routine.
One hundred push-ups.
One hundred sit-ups.
One hundred squats.
A ten-kilometer run.
Unfortunately, due to his late start, by the time he arrived at his usual training spot atop the Hokage Monument, Might Guy was nowhere to be seen.
Meanwhile, at the Central Square of Konoha, the atmosphere was completely different.
The members of the Guard were tense, standing in formation as Deputy Captain Uchiha Sango gave out orders in an organized and efficient manner. This was one of the reasons Bai Ye had promoted him—he never panicked, stayed level-headed, and could handle official duties well, allowing Bai Ye more time to slack off.
The square was now under strict martial law.
A designated area had been set up for villagers who wished to witness the public trial, while the rest of the square remained off-limits.
The crowd's attention, however, was fixed on a particular group of individuals standing in the open, basking in the sunlight:
Shimura Danzō, the ever-scheming Hokage Advisor.
Sarutobi Shinnosuke, the village's so-called "chief."
Sarutobi Asuma, a homeless playboy turned elite Chūnin.
Uchiha Shisui, the naive fool who led ROOT ninjas against the Guard.
And, lastly, a severely injured yet still imposing figure—the Fourth Raikage of Kumogakure.
The presence of foreign dignitaries only added to the tension.
The Cloud delegation, who had arrived for negotiations, now found themselves in an awkward position. With their Raikage held captive, they had no choice but to remain on their best behavior.
One individual in particular, Atsui, felt especially uncomfortable.
His sister, Samui, who had originally been the head of the negotiation team, was now standing on the Konoha side—clearly having switched allegiances. Though she had seen him, she made no effort to acknowledge his presence.
Atsui wasn't sure what was going on, but when he saw the depth in his sister's gaze, he didn't dare approach her.
The situation was grim.
More and more villagers and shinobi gathered in the square.
Public trials held by the Guard were not uncommon.
But never before had criminals of such high status been brought to judgment in full view of the public.
Curiosity ran high.
Would the Fourth Raikage be forced to pay an unimaginable price for his release?
Would the trial of Danzō shed light on the extent of his crimes?
And what would become of the power struggle between the Guard and the so-called "Village Management Unit"?
Countless questions lingered in the minds of the spectators.
Yet, despite the mounting anticipation, the trial had not yet begun.
The Guard stood firm in silence.
The Captain of the Guard, Uchiha Bai Ye, was nowhere to be seen.
"Where's Captain Bai Ye?" curious villagers whispered amongst themselves.
"Someone saw him training at the Hokage Monument just a while ago."
"Captain Bai Ye is so dedicated," another ninja commented, nodding in admiration.
Somehow, skipping work had been redefined as "self-discipline."
This was the power of long-term, impartial law enforcement.
"Look! Hokage-sama is here too!"
A sharp-eyed villager pointed toward the jury section.
Sarutobi Hiruzen sat expressionless, flanked by his two advisors, his pipe emitting a steady stream of smoke.
"Of course, he's here," a Guard member scoffed. "Two of the criminals are his sons, and one is his closest ally. How could he not show up?"
Hiruzen himself had no desire to be here.
But given the outcome of Danzō's trial, he couldn't afford to take any chances.
It was humiliating.
The Hokage—Konoha's supreme leader—forced to sit here and watch his own flesh and blood be judged in broad daylight.
Yet, there was nothing he could do.
The rules of the Guard were set by Uchiha Bai Ye.
Until Bai Ye arrived, everyone—Hokage included—had to wait.
At the heart of the square, several areas had been clearly demarcated.
At the trial seat, Bai Ye's grand Taishi chair had been placed.
To his left and right stood his Guardians, Uchiha Satoshi and Uchiha Sango.
Uchiha Itachi, who was responsible for maintaining order, observed everything with a complicated expression.
The more he saw, the more he understood.
The Guard was Bai Ye's private army.
But this army did not harm Konoha.
In fact, it protected the village better than the Hokage himself.
The Guard had severed ties with the traditional Uchiha clan.
It existed for one man alone—Uchiha Bai Ye.
Itachi struggled with the question that haunted him: Why did Hokage-sama fear Bai Ye so much?
Did Bai Ye truly pose a threat to the village?
Or had the Hokage's own paranoia blinded him?
"Itachi, you've got that brooding face again," a voice interrupted his thoughts.
Nawaki, grandson of the First Hokage, threw an arm around Itachi's shoulder.
"You keep frowning like that, and you'll shorten your lifespan, my friend."
"Learn to enjoy life! Nothing else matters—just be happy!"
Having survived death once, Nawaki now cherished life more than anything.
And he saw Bai Ye as the key to making Konoha a better place.
Yet, Itachi could not bring himself to share Nawaki's optimism.
The weight of his responsibilities as a Uchiha… as a shinobi… as a son…
It was suffocating.
And something else troubled him.
His mother, Mikoto, had not returned home the previous night.
She had claimed to be staying at a "friend's house."
But when she finally returned this morning…
Her gait was unsteady.
Her complexion was unnaturally flushed.
And there was an undeniable glow about her.
What happened?
Itachi shook his head, dismissing the thought.
Whatever it was, it wasn't his business.
Boom!
The roar of an engine echoed across the square.
A police motorcycle sped into view.
Clad in his cloak of justice, Uchiha Bai Ye arrived.
The villagers stared in awe.
The First Generation Captain of the Guard had finally appeared.
Bai Ye casually dismounted and took his seat.
The air grew heavy with anticipation.
Silence fell over the square.
Then, Bai Ye's voice rang out—calm, commanding, absolute.
"Bring forth the first prisoner."
The trial had begun.
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