Shadow of the Uchiha Guard

A sharp voice rang out, cutting through the commotion like a blade.

"I'm here, and that means rules!"

Uchiha Itachi's voice carried across the bustling entrance of Konoha.

The previously noisy scene fell into an eerie silence.

Villagers and nearby shinobi turned to stare at Itachi, their expressions a mixture of curiosity, respect, and, above all, pity.

A prodigy of the Uchiha Clan.

The eldest son of the clan leader.

And yet—blind at such a young age?

How could he not see the obvious?

Whispers and murmurs filled the air as all eyes locked onto him.

Even for someone like Itachi, who had been able to think like a Hokage since childhood, the sudden attention made his face flush slightly. He instinctively took a step back.

He had abandoned his pride to infiltrate the Konoha Guard.

And yet…

Uchiha Satoshi watched the scene unfold with satisfaction.

As expected of his own Admiral—Itachi had commanded attention the moment he appeared.

Such presence alone was enough to prove that Bai Ye, the captain of the Guards, had extraordinary foresight in recruiting him.

Satoshi made up his mind.

He had to secure the best possible conditions for this kid.

Itachi would be the second-in-command of the Guard—second only to Bai Ye himself.

But the Cloud Shinobi delegation didn't share the same admiration.

Their reaction was the complete opposite.

Fury.

How dare this brat provoke their leader?

Did he not know Samui was a woman?

That wasn't something that needed stating—it was common knowledge!

The most enraged among them was Atai, Samui's younger brother. His expression darkened as he stormed forward, jabbing a finger toward Itachi.

"Are you blind?" Atai snapped.

His anger burned hot. If he didn't get a satisfactory answer, he was ready to flip the entire negotiation table.

Before Itachi could respond, a figure moved.

Uchiha Satoshi stepped in front of him, his eyes narrowing as he pulled Itachi behind him.

"Who do you think you're pointing at?" Satoshi's voice was low and cold, filled with authority.

Itachi was under his command now—a member of Squad Three.

As a sub-commander, protecting his squadmates was his duty.

Atai's face twisted in annoyance. "I wasn't talking to you."

His anger wasn't directed at Satoshi but at the humiliation his sister had just suffered.

Samui, who had been momentarily taken aback, remained silent.

She didn't stop her brother.

A direct confrontation could reveal Konoha's stance—its bottom line.

She was here under Raikage's orders for a reason.

He trusted her abilities, and she wouldn't let him down.

But she hadn't expected things to escalate this fast.

Meanwhile, Uchiha Cong, another Guard member, scoffed and crossed his arms.

"Laozi this, Laozi that… Do you even know where you are?" Cong sneered. "This is Konoha! The only 'Laozi' here is our Captain! Who the hell do you think you are?"

His habit of talking big hadn't changed, and neither had his tendency to get smacked down for it.

But now, with Bai Ye as his backing, he had no reason to hold back.

Besides, this was about respect.

Atai had just called himself "Laozi" in Konoha?

Unacceptable.

Before Atai could retaliate, Satoshi made his move.

Without warning, he grabbed Atai and slammed him into the ground.

The entire Cloud delegation froze.

Everything happened too fast.

One moment, Atai was charging forward.

The next, he was pinned beneath Satoshi's knee.

The Cloud Shinobi were stunned.

This wasn't how things were supposed to go.

Didn't their intel say Konoha would fold if they took a tough stance?

What was happening?

Before they could recover, Samui's sharp gaze locked onto Bai Ye.

She could tell—he was the one in charge.

She was trying to read his reaction, to understand Konoha's real stance.

Were they truly prepared for war?

Or was this a rogue action?

Had the Hokage planned this?

Troublesome.

Insufficient intel.

She and Raikage might have underestimated Konoha's resolve.

Then, Bai Ye moved.

In an instant, he closed the distance.

Before Samui could react, he gripped her wrist, twisted it, and pinned her down.

The conflict exploded.

Cloud shinobi rushed forward, but the Konoha Guard was faster.

In mere minutes, every member of the Cloud delegation was restrained.

The scene at the entrance of Konoha was nothing short of spectacular.

Bai Ye stood at the center of it all, pinning down Samui with a firm grip.

His expression remained calm.

No mercy.

No hesitation.

The other Guards had similarly restrained the rest of the delegation.

Meanwhile, Itachi watched from the sidelines, lost in thought.

This was unlike anything he had seen within the Uchiha Clan.

He had one question.

Why…

Why were the Guard members so different from the clansmen he knew?

Samui gritted her teeth, struggling beneath Bai Ye's grip.

"Are you not afraid of provoking Cloud?" she hissed.

Bai Ye chuckled.

With his free hand, he took a slow drag of his cigarette.

Then, he casually flicked the ash onto Samui's head.

A blatant insult.

But she was pinned down—completely helpless.

"I don't care who you are or who you represent," Bai Ye said coldly.

"You came to Konoha. That means you follow Konoha's rules."

"My Guard's duty is to maintain order. That means no reckless behavior from anyone—including you."

A dangerous glint flashed in his eyes.

He pressed the burning cigarette against her back.

Samui inhaled sharply, suppressing a pained gasp.

Bai Ye then stood up, placing his foot on her head.

There was no pity.

No hesitation.

Only absolute control.

"Disobedience?" Bai Ye smirked. "We leave marks on the first offense—so you remember."

He glanced at the other restrained Cloud shinobi.

"You lot should get the message by now."

Farther away, a new presence approached.

Nara Shikaku, arriving on behalf of the Hokage.

Bai Ye exhaled smoke and flicked away his cigarette.

Then, he waved his hand.

"Stand down."

"Yes, Captain!" the Guards roared in unison.

Their voices echoed through the village entrance.

To them, Bai Ye wasn't just their leader.

He was a legend in the making.

Their eternal Captain.