Naturally, that proposal was rejected. Baixing had no interest in gambling, and even less interest in becoming a thorn in someone else's side.
This time, Tsunade didn't even bother pretending. With a smiling face, she poured Baixing tea—and filled the cup to the brim.
The message was clear: If you've got nothing else to do, hurry up and scram, brat.
Baixing shamelessly ignored her mood and sat in the living room drinking tea with her for quite a while. In the next room, a certain boy was sleeping soundly, catching up on missed rest.
"A Level-Three Commander position is basically something only jōnin are qualified to hold. Aside from the Nara clan, even special jōnin have never really had the chance in the past."
"And yet, you're awfully calm about it."
Seeing Baixing sipping tea as if nothing were amiss, Tsunade began to take him more seriously.
Baixing, meanwhile, thought to himself: I already cried it out at home and had my emotional breakdown. Acting calm outside is child's play.
—Only jōnin have a 99.99% chance of not being traitors.
The authority of a battlefield commander was enormous, which was why the village was extremely cautious when assigning such power.
A commander had to be capable—because there were moments when only a single commander remained at a position, forced to allocate tasks rationally for dozens or even hundreds of people.
Second, combat ability couldn't be weak. One needed sufficient self-preservation and escape capability.
And if escape was impossible—one had to have the resolve to die.
—Commanders knew far too much.
"Since things have come to this, and the village trusts me, and the Hokage values me, how could I back down?" Baixing finished his tea, holding the empty cup in both hands as he looked at Tsunade.
"But I've never been a commander before, so I need to understand some basic information about battlefield operations and command authority."
"So that's how it is."
Tsunade had thought Baixing came to see Nawaki, or perhaps to thank her after hearing something from Orochimaru. Turns out it was about work.
"The job isn't complicated."
"You listen to orders from above, then perfectly execute or distribute the missions assigned to you."
"But… you don't need to take notes, do you?"
She stared at Baixing pulling out a small notebook from who-knows-where and starting to write, utterly speechless.
"Battlefield work isn't as complicated as you think."
"It's just… mentally exhausting."
Baixing paused his writing and nodded slightly in understanding. Then he asked:
"The appointment says I can choose my subordinates. When does that happen? Now, or once I'm at the front?"
"Either."
"You can go to the Hokage Tower right now and ask the old man for the personnel list of reinforcements heading to the front."
"Oh, right."
"I should tell you something."
Tsunade remembered she still had to submit Nono's hospital records to the Hokage today.
"Nono will be going to the battlefield with me, handling logistics work for the medical division."
"..."
Baixing's pen stopped again. He looked at Tsunade, then nodded calmly.
"I understand."
Tsunade was a little surprised by how composed he was. But Baixing already knew that truly talented people would inevitably be tempered on the battlefield—especially medical staff, who were among the highest-priority protected personnel.
Having obtained the information he needed, Baixing stood up and spoke respectfully:
"Thank you for the trouble, Tsuna—Tsunade-nee."
Tsunade waved her hand. "It's nothing."
...
Not long after, Baixing exited the Hokage Tower with a list that only high-level battlefield commanders were permitted to see.
Sarutobi Hiruzen had repeatedly instructed him to memorize each person's general appearance and then burn the list—only one copy was to remain at the main camp and one in the village.
That night, Baixing lay on his bed, staring at the notebook he hadn't yet burned, and began mentally selecting his people.
A Level-Three Commander had authority to assign missions, which meant plenty of work. He needed manpower.
—With no one, he'd have to do everything himself.
"Combat strength isn't the most important thing. What matters is that they listen to me."
He recalled Hiruzen explaining that choosing subordinates was a two-way selection.
If the other party didn't want to join or didn't trust him, it was better to find someone else. Even if he forced them with authority, they might not follow orders wholeheartedly.
There were plenty of rule-breakers among ninja. This wasn't Root or ANBU, after all.
"Yūhi Ryūun should be fine. A Hyūga with the Byakugan would be useful… Uchiha—damn it! Support units can't be selected?! And there are so few Uchiha anyway. I thought the Shimura clan was already sparse enough."
He wanted to pick Mikoto, but the list stated that the support unit was a special Uchiha force, commanded by a Level-One Commander: Uchiha Keishin.
"Forget it."
"Nono's under Tsunade—can't pick her."
"Kitada… oh, that's Hama, that kid! Good, I'll take him."
"There are nurses too… let's get one."
"Just one I'm somewhat familiar with."
"With Water Release covered, let's add a Wind Release user."
"And then…"
By the end, Baixing had gone through most of the list and decided that the next day he'd visit various clan compounds and civilian ninja homes to see who was willing to join.
He only had two days to pick people. On the fourth day, everyone would depart together, arriving at the time specified in the notice.
Half a month later.
Whoosh—whoosh—
Unclear black silhouettes darted through the forest.
Gales howled. Fine rain fell.
Within the Land of Rain, it seemed there was no such thing as sunlight.
The mist was thick, and one also had to be wary of salamander poison gas and traps left behind by Hidden Rain ninja.
On a tree trunk stood a black-haired少年 with slightly tousled bangs and a cool, handsome appearance. Two kunoichi in chūnin flak jackets suddenly appeared behind him—one gentle girl with black curls and red eyes, and one cool girl with a black single ponytail.
Beside Baixing was a Hyūga branch-family girl with her Byakugan activated—fourteen-year-old chūnin Hyūga Suzuka.
Gentle, introverted, and timid.
That was precisely why Baixing chose her. The Hyūga clan had no objections.
After all—
With such a personality, she was easily considered a burden on the battlefield, and even her clan looked down on her.
"Any signs of enemy activity in Rain Country Sector Eight?" Baixing asked.
Suzuka's Byakugan could see through disguises. Since she hadn't raised an alert, Baixing didn't ask for a code phrase.
Shimura Yūko shook her head slightly. "Found one corpse trap. Nothing else."
Shimura Yūko—after personally witnessing Baixing and Nawaki, two genin, capture a jōnin—had chosen to join his team.
"Mm. Suzuka, anyone tailing us?" Baixing glanced at her.
The girl nervously shook her head, lips moving without making a sound.
"Good."
"You've worked hard. Let's head back."
...
It was already the tenth day since arriving at the battlefield, and Baixing had gradually adapted to this life.
At night, in some nameless valley, Baixing and his teammates were writing up intelligence reports inside a rocky cave.
Yes—there were only two intelligence units with larger numbers and commander-level authority: Team One and Team Two. Baixing led Team Two.
They essentially built small temporary rest stations directly on the battlefield.
Supply replenishment and intelligence transmission were handled by subordinate teams.
"But still," Baixing said, standing at the cave entrance and staring at the endless drizzle,
"Rain Country really loves rain. What a pain."
"Maybe that's why it's called the Land of Rain," Kitada Hama replied.
Baixing glanced at the calm boy, slightly younger than Kitada Aina.
"This mission will depend on you again."
"Don't worry about other teams' tasks. Just deliver your mission scrolls back to Redwood Forest Camp."
Redwood Forest Camp was located in the southern forests of the Land of Rain.
Not long ago, Konoha forces had pushed forward again, clearing large swaths of forest and nearby threats, establishing another camp inside Rain Country. Including logistics staff, there were no fewer than five hundred ninja.
The camp commander was Nara Yoshikichi.
"Yes!" ×3
Inside the cave were five chūnin:
—Hyūga Suzuka, Byakugan scout.
—Yūhi Ryūun, genjutsu specialist, interrogation.
—Shimura Yūko, Wind Release combatant.
—Kitada Hama, Water Release combatant.
—Inuzuka Umeko, medical ninja and scout.
Three civilian chūnin had already returned to the safer Insect Grove Gorge Camp to rest. Intelligence delivery was usually once a week—unless something urgent arose.
This time, Suzuka, Yūko, and Hama were returning.
—Even with soldier pills, ninja couldn't stay on constant alert every day. This wasn't office work; it was war. Maintaining peak condition was essential to avoid mission failure.
Early the next morning, the scheduled intel team departed. Baixing stood at the entrance to see them off.
After they left, he glanced at Yūhi Ryūun and Inuzuka Umeko.
"Pack what you need. We're abandoning this site."
"Yes!" ×2
On the battlefield, one also had to consider the possibility of comrades being captured and tortured for information.
Thus, intelligence teams would set rendezvous times and locations at previously scouted safe spots. After regrouping, they'd relocate again and build a new temporary rest station.
—These bold, complex operations were something only Baixing dared to do. Other intelligence teams wouldn't risk constantly changing bases.
...
Rain Country, Sector Six.
Half a year ago, after Konoha and Hidden Rain ninja fought here, relentless wind and rain continued to batter what had become a landscape of ruins.
Later, the frontline commanders—Sarutobi's forces and Orochimaru—were defeated in succession.
The entire battlefield was ceded.
Thus, this area briefly regained peace.
Moreover, battlefield regulations forbade harming harmless civilians.
As a result, on the outskirts near Sector Seven, a civilian family discovered this area offered easy access to supplies and plenty of abandoned building materials. They quietly salvaged bricks and stones and built a semi-circular house, living there for quite some time.
Inside the house was nearly everything one needed—an "oasis of peace" remodeled over months with money earned by a medical ninja named Ise.
"War… I'm really sick of it," sighed the short-haired young man Ise inside the house.
"When will Rain Country finally know peace again?"
In the kitchen, a red-haired woman washing vegetables smiled gently.
"At least we found somewhere to live. That's not bad, right? And it's close to Sector Seven—shopping will be convenient."
"But still… no one knows when Konoha ninja might start fighting again—"
BOOM—!
The couple's hearts jolted. They cautiously peeked out the window.
Blazing firelight exploded before their eyes.
An explosive tag.
Could it be—
Whoosh—whoosh—
Outside, two Konoha chūnin appeared.
"Where did that Rain ninja go?!"
"Damn it! Did we lose him?! That bastard killed Yūshichirō and disguised himself as him—almost got us too!!"
Their faces were filled with fury.
One of them sighed. "Luckily he was only good at transformation techniques. He didn't know our code phrase—that's how we caught on."
"If we really can't find him, we should retreat."
"Sector Seven is ahead. That's not a combat zone."
"At the very least, we need to bring Yūshichirō's body back to camp."
"Wait—look! Why is that building ahead so intact?!" One of them suddenly noticed a perfectly preserved structure amid the ruins.
The other chūnin drew a kunai. "Let's check it out."
"Careful. Don't hurt innocent civilians."
"Right."
...
Inside a storage room, the couple had brought Nagato with them. The woman, Uzumaki Fusō, held the young boy tightly.
Both adults were in terrible shape.
Ise's breathing quickened, panic setting in.
"What do we do… what do we do—"
Seeing his wife and child on the verge of collapse, Ise forced himself to decide.
"Maybe… maybe we sneak out?" he whispered. "If we're careful, really careful, and make no noise, we'll be fine."
"What happens if we're discovered?" young Nagato asked innocently, looking at him.
"It'll be fine. As long as we're careful—very careful—we'll be fine!" Ise whispered, hearing the footsteps of ninja entering the living room.
Just as Nagato was about to stand, he bumped into a dark-blue empty can—
Clang!
The sound instantly drew the attention of the Konoha chūnin searching the house.
"Who's there?!"
The storage room door was thrown open. Nagato came face-to-face with two Konoha chūnin.
"Run, Nagato!!"
Ise lunged forward, grabbing at one chūnin's arm, trying to buy time.
"Damn it! Enemies?!"
Fusō turned to Nagato. "Take this chance—run, Nagato!!"
The other chūnin rushed in as well.
"Father… Mother…"
Just as a Hidden Rain-disguised White Zetsu lurking in the shadows thought the mission complete—
Another group of Konoha ninja burst into the room, stopping the attack.
"Chūnin Keita. Chūnin Shinji."
"What are you two doing here?"
The newcomers were Baixing and Yūhi Ryūun, with Inuzuka Umeko entering behind them.
"Captain Baixing!" ×2
After greeting him, the two chūnin hurriedly explained what had just happened.
Baixing's sensory abilities weren't enough to detect White Zetsu, but the sight of the familiar red-haired boy with his bangs covering his eyes—and the couple—made him realize he'd stumbled into something enormous.
"These are civilians."
"They're not the Rain ninja you were chasing."
"S-So that's how it is…"
Shinji, who had been blinded by rage, broke out in a cold sweat and looked guiltily at Ise.
Ise, also sweating, studied Baixing.
"Why did you save us?"
"..."
Baixing was silent for a moment, then calmly confirmed his team wasn't under genjutsu before answering:
"Isn't it obvious? Ninja regulations forbid harming innocent civilians."
"As the captain, I have the authority to correct my subordinates' mistakes."
"I see…" Ise finally relaxed.
No matter what, he'd encountered a reasonable, decent ninja—and one with high status, at that.
Baixing looked at the boy whose eyes couldn't be seen, being comforted by Fusō.
"They're your wife and child?"
"Yes," Ise replied. "My wife Fusō, my son Nagato. Thank you… otherwise our family might have—"
"..."
Baixing thought silently: You two would have died. Nagato wouldn't.
After hearing the full story from the two chūnin and thinking briefly, Baixing decided not to involve himself further.
"Even if you're civilians, and even if there was a misunderstanding…"
"I can only intervene when I personally witness Konoha ninja acting wrongly."
"Take care of yourselves. All three of you."
He could save them once—but never a second time.
And since he couldn't sense the Rinnegan aura at all, it meant the eyes were sealed. They wouldn't awaken until Nagato himself triggered them.
Watching Baixing leave, Ise and Fusō thanked him again.
Even if he was an invader—he had saved their lives.
And though Nagato didn't speak, he silently gave thanks in his heart:
Thank you, big brother from Konoha.
...
After leaving Sector Six and receiving new mission scrolls from above, Baixing chose a suitable place to rest.
At present, aside from several fixed towns, nearly all roads, villages, and buildings across Rain Country had become battlegrounds—reduced to ruins.
—Ninja wouldn't attack civilian areas unless enemy ninja were discovered there.
Another half month passed.
Team Two's intelligence missions continued.
During one escort mission, when Yūhi Ryūun was crossing a dangerous border zone, the team fell into a Hidden Rain ambush.
Ryūun was severely wounded, but thankfully Umeko was present and treated him in time.
During the subsequent pursuit, Keita chose to sacrifice himself to cover his comrades' escape.
Team Two lost more members.
...
War was cruel.
Team Two was reduced to the point where rotation was impossible.
Baixing, who remained in Rain Country long-term to manage temporary base relocation, could only report the situation to Nara Yoshikichi at Redwood Forest Camp via scroll.
Coincidentally, intelligence brought back later indicated that Team Two had reached its final mission.
And the final delivery could be personally escorted by Baixing.
Thus, the current intel was handed to Shimura Yūko and Kitada Hama.
Of the original eight subordinates—
Yūshichirō died first.
Then Chūnin Keita and Chūnin Shinji.
Yūhi Ryūun was critically wounded.
Inuzuka Umeko, lightly injured and emotionally shaken after Keita's death, remained at Redwood Forest Camp to care for Ryūun.
Now, only Shimura Yūko and Kitada Hama were still able to carry out missions.
"Captain," Yūko said. She was no longer the proud, aloof girl she once was, but a mature kunoichi forged by blood and loss.
"Don't die. When you get back, I'll treat you to a meal."
Hama added, "Captain Baixing! When we get back, I can introduce my sister to you~!"
Baixing looked at their blatant death flags and sighed softly.
"I'll do my best."
"Let's go, Suzuka."
"Mm."
Before leaving camp, Hyūga Suzuka turned back and waved. "See you at camp."
"See you." ×2
Yūko and Hama used Body Flicker and vanished from the rocky area.
Baixing and Suzuka continued along the mountain path. Their intelligence work wasn't over yet.
—They were headed to Sector Seven to confirm that no Rain ninja forces were present in its towns.
Not long after completing the task, they encountered three wandering children and a yellow dog along the road.
"So it still turned out this way," Baixing murmured.
"As expected."
"There definitely was a White Zetsu monitoring things back then."
"Wouldn't be surprised if it was Uchiha Madara himself, wearing that Tobi mask, watching personally."
Baixing felt a surge of relief that he hadn't exposed Fusō's Uzumaki bloodline or Ise's Senju bloodline.
—Nagato was the product of Senju + Uzumaki blood.
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