Zabuza has been taken into custody by Naruto.
Their Team 7's missions will be upgraded accordingly.
But that has little to do with Bai Ye.
Bai Ye's squad came here primarily to build a reputation and boost his disciples' task quota.
At present, there's only one thing drawing attention.
That's the gender issue of Haku.
There have been debates in the original work, but Kishimoto clarified that Haku is male.
Bai Ye showed slight dissatisfaction with this.
As a Hokage-level ninja aware of the manga's plot, it was still an adjustment.
But after a few seconds, Bai Ye let out a resigned sigh.
Seriously now.
The manga creator not only draws the story—this world's dimensional structure hasn't been rewritten just for Bai Ye's curiosity.
And really, think about it.
If Haku had been a girl, he would've been taken in by Buchan a long time ago.
Probably even have a child by now.
That Haku is confirmed male left Bai Ye somewhat disappointed.
For Naruto and his team, the Land of Waves mission didn't leave too many scars.
Even without Zabuza, the task wouldn't have posed much danger.
However…
Just as he opened his eyes again, he noticed something intriguing.
Inside his private carriage.
Bai Ye glanced at Shion, who was seated inside, glaring at the rabbit-like Kaguya. He smiled.
She wasn't a trained ninja, so naturally her constitution couldn't match that of his disciples.
That's why, during this mission, his disciples rode alongside Zhan Guang in Bai Ye's exclusive vehicle.
But those female disciples didn't realize that only Bai Ye's women had the privilege of entering this carriage—they wouldn't get that opportunity again.
Still.
Bai Ye understood—so long as the necklace on Shion's chest broke, her spiritual power as a priestess would erupt.
She was not just ornamental.
Rather, she was a shrine maiden who sealed demonic power.
To some extent, her priestess abilities involved a form of cosmic law, but frustratingly, the rules she wielded weren't especially helpful to the protagonist of this dimensional world.
She could foresee the ending of ordinary people at a glance.
Bai Ye suspected that the priestess lineage's spiritual power exceeded even that of the elder Toad Sage. It bore similarity to his Reincarnation Eye's seal-lifting abilities.
The difference was: she could only witness fate, not rewrite it.
Whereas Bai Ye could freely manipulate fate under his Reincarnation Lift technique.
"What happened outside just now?"
Seeing Bai Ye step in, Shion asked, clearly curious.
He was the only person whose future she couldn't clearly read. Well—besides that strange rabbit creature.
Her mother had seen the demon utterly annihilated by this man, yet Shion remained unsure.
"Nothing major, just minor cleanup," Bai Ye answered coolly.
"I can feel those things getting closer."
Shion seemed disheartened.
It always ended up like this.
Whenever she foresaw someone's death, she distanced herself.
She was kind. She knew if others avoided her, they could escape misfortune.
"No need to worry. Sasuke and the others can handle it."
Bai Ye's tone remained flat, as if brushing off a routine matter.
"The demon's arrival will bring ruin to the world~"
Shion warned sincerely.
She just couldn't grasp this man's unwavering confidence.
Her whole life, she'd been told that priestesses exist to confront an immortal, recurring evil.
"Didn't your mother's suicide note say the monster would end because of me?"
"You should believe her. I'm sure her 'end' meant permanent obliteration—no more resurrection."
Why was he so sure?
Shion didn't respond.
Her words had been brushed aside, and she seemed to pout like a squirrel.
She had sent her mother's suicide note to Konoha with trust, but never expected Hokage to dispatch only this handsome man and his group of female disciples.
Though, after a month of special training, their presence and strength had changed significantly.
Still… could a group of recent graduates stand against such a monster?
Or...
"Don't overthink it."
Bai Ye's voice came gently, as he leaned in close to draw back the carriage curtain for her.
"What you fear and hold sacred is insignificant to me."
"As for that so-called demon—if it weren't part of my disciples' experience, it would've been gone already."
Fine.
You win.
Shion blushed and instinctively stepped back.
Bai Ye was a little too close.
No one besides her mother had come this close before—not even her guards.
Bai Ye just smiled.
No need for explanations.
Demons?
Before even setting out for the Land of Demons, he had already sensed its presence.
That creature was like a spiritual entity feeding off negative energy to evolve.
It had even materialized itself to convert its malice into physical attacks.
Meaning: standard ninjutsu could damage it.
The problem was, each time the entity was destroyed or sealed, it revived again and again.
This mission was his disciples' test—to destroy its physical form.
As for preventing resurrection? That part was on him.
With the Reincarnation Lift activated, there was no such thing as immortal souls anymore.
"They're here!"
At that moment, Shion, who had finally settled down, cried out and looked out the window.
The plot seen in the original story unfolded before them.
Countless puppet-like stone soldiers surged forth.
This was the first test for his disciples' strength.
In the next instant, Bai Ye's students jumped into action.
Tenten calmly folded her hands. Within seconds, a golden star glowed on her forehead, pulling the natural energy around her into her body.
This was her teacher's gift!
With a seed of natural energy as a medium, she could enter Sage Mode instantly.
And as they trained with this power, they absorbed traces of Bai Ye's energy imprint, permanently bonding to his chakra.
This is why they couldn't escape the sect from the moment they joined.
She launched into the air, firing down a laser cannon with a shout.
"Bazooka!"
Boom!
The ground trembled.
The energy beam swept through the ghost army like a golden scythe.
Tenten's opening salvo was stunning.
But she wasn't alone.
Hinata's eyes sharpened. After activating the Byakugan, she unleashed her Double Lion Fists.
Infused with nature chakra, her normally blue chakra gloves shimmered gold. She charged forward, striking with Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm across the enemy lines—an elegant and destructive flurry.
The Gentle Fist, empowered with chakra nature transformation, now had range and far greater lethality.
Sakura, in her inner state, had already donned her gloves and struck the ground with a mighty punch—creating a wide crater in one go.
Ino played tactician, diving into enemy territory mentally, locating the leader Huang Quan, then linking mentally to feed the exact coordinates.
And finally.
Karin acted.
She raised both arms, summoning golden chains that twisted through the air.
When a radiant lightsaber of golden chakra smashed into the target position Ino identified, the fight ended in a blinding display of power.
A swift encounter.
Zero casualties.
Completely different from canon.
All because of Bai Ye's heavy involvement.
Originally, the Land of Demons mission clashed timewise with the Land of Waves escort—but he merged both.
From afar, Naruto's team rushed in after hearing the chaos, but by the time they arrived, it was already over.
"So intense... this is what one month of Bai Ye's training does?" Kakashi muttered, mouth twitching.
He suddenly remembered how his father taught him kenjutsu. Maybe it was time to ask Bai Ye to help him polish that swordsmanship again...
Kakashi mulled it over, his eyes shifting toward Bai Ye.
"Do we part ways here?" Itachi asked, standing at the crossroads.
"Remember, we're returning to the village together for the last mission's report."
"Oh, and soon someone disguised as a Kirigakure ninja will try to retrieve Zabuza for trial. He's actually one of Zabuza's men. Let Naruto and Sasuke handle it. Good test of perception."
With that, Bai Ye closed the curtain and departed with his students.
The Land of Demons mission had formally begun.
But in reality, it was already done.
This was both their departure—and their return.
Upon arrival, Tenten and the others didn't disappoint.
Together, they annihilated the monster.
Bai Ye finished it off with the final strike, erasing Sprite's existence entirely.
"I'm jobless now. Konoha better give me a job," Shion muttered.
As Bai Ye prepared to leave…
The shrine maiden—no, the now-unemployed maiden—approached and clambered into the carriage with resolve.
Sprite was gone.
And with it, her lifelong duty.
But if there were no demon, what purpose did a priestess sworn to seal it serve?
"I'll ask Tsunade to build you a shrine. You can help villagers read their lifespans, help them prepare for their futures. You'll be respected."
Shion blinked. "Where would I live?"
At that moment, Karin leaned over, glanced between Shion and Bai Ye, and smirked knowingly.
"Come live with me. You'll be close enough to serve."
Serve… him?
Shion stayed quiet.
The mission had gone flawlessly.
The return trip was smooth. They met up with Kakashi and made it back to Konoha within a day.
But just before entering the village—
They were met with a sudden commotion.
Kankuro stood out with his puppet on his back and that wild face paint—he looked more than a little cursed.
The Sand Village delegation had arrived.
But unlike canon, Raikage's group had shown up at the same time.
What shocked Kankuro was that they were in competition… with the Cloud ninjas.
Then suddenly, the towering Fourth Raikage caught sight of something, activated his Lightning Chakra Cloak, and shot toward a mysterious vehicle.
Thud.
He knelt solemnly.
"Raikage of Kumogakure greets Captain Bai Ye!"
In that instant—
The Sand Village ninjas were completely stunned.
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