Konoha’s Black Plague

Change of Mentality

"It's over. I forgot my house was bombed."

After leaving the Hokage Building, Hizashi and Minato gave everyone half a day off, hoping the young Genin could get some rest after their mission.

But when Bai Ye returned home alone, he froze. All that remained were charred ruins—scorched beams, burnt soil, and the faint scent of ash. Only then did he remember: the house had been destroyed in the Hidden Cloud Village's bombing over a week ago.

"Father and Guy probably haven't returned yet… and it seems the village hasn't issued any compensation."

Bai Ye walked to a nearby sapling and dug into the earth beneath it. From the soil, he retrieved the Eight Gates Scroll he'd hidden before his last mission, dusted it off, and tucked it back into his tunic.

"Tch... I was hoping for some peace and quiet."

He headed to the training grove where he and Guy used to practice. Touching the weathered wooden stake they had both struck a thousand times, a rare softness appeared in his eyes.

Since graduation, he hadn't returned here once. These days, his training was done with his squad at the Third Training Ground. But being here brought back memories—those early days of grinding out chakra control, fighting his natural limitations inch by inch.

In his hand, Bai Ye grasped the hilt of his Zanpakutō. As always, it whispered its presence to his mind—not in words, but in sensation and instinct. He didn't fully understand how it worked, but one thing was clear: it made him stronger.

Before he could begin training, a voice called out.

"Bai Ye! I knew you'd be here—come with me!"

Yue appeared suddenly, grasping his hand and pulling him along without explanation. Startled, Bai Ye allowed himself to be dragged, taken aback by how bold and direct she was acting—so unlike her usual quiet demeanor.

His palms were still sweaty from earlier, and the unexpected hand-holding flustered him more than it should have. Before he could gather himself enough to ask questions, they arrived at a familiar place.

His house.

Or rather, the place where his house used to be. Now, the ruins had been cleared, and in their place stood a half-built framework. Kakashi, Obito, and others who had just been on mission with him were working busily.

"Bai Ye, come look at this design!"

Obito called from where he was crouched over a scroll, looking proud and energetic.

Bai Ye released Yue's hand and walked over. The plans looked shockingly decent. He didn't expect Obito to be good at this kind of thing.

"Then again, Obito has a strong spatial awareness—he did awaken the Kamui later on. Maybe this is the foundation of that sense."

Yuyan came up beside Yue, leaned in, and whispered something. Yue's cheeks instantly turned crimson.

"Obito's the idiot who insisted on designing your house. That's why he called us all over."

Kakashi, as always, sold Obito out with a deadpan tone. The masked boy groaned in embarrassment, used to Kakashi's blunt honesty by now.

Bai Ye felt a strange warmth. He hadn't planned on rebuilding just yet. He had expected to continue living at Yuyan's home until his father and Guy returned. But seeing his friends here—voluntarily helping, working without being asked—moved something in him.

Since arriving in the world of Naruto, Bai Ye had always felt like an outsider. At first, his only companions were Might Duy and Guy. He'd felt like a ghost, watching familiar events unfold while remaining distant.

His only goal had been to save Might Duy from his canon death. The rest—Naruto, Kakashi, Obito, Rin—were just characters. He had resolved not to interfere more than necessary, fearing that disrupting the plot might unravel everything.

But after enduring years of training with minimal progress, his ambitions had dulled. Then, everything changed after becoming a Genin. Forced to interact with others, forced into bonds... he changed.

What started as reluctant teamwork became something deeper.

At first, he told himself he was only trying to protect his teammates—Yue, Yuyan, and Zhiyi. But now? Now he couldn't lie to himself anymore. These bonds had weight. They were real.

And maybe, just maybe, it was time to stop pretending he didn't belong.

The Zanpakutō in his hand pulsed gently, resonating with this shift in his heart. Power followed clarity.

He no longer wanted to rely solely on Naruto and Sasuke to save the world.

He wanted to change it himself—foil Madara's plans, stop Black Zetsu, end the cycle.

As this quiet determination formed, only one person on the worksite seemed to notice. Kakashi paused, looked at Bai Ye briefly, and then continued hammering wood without a word.

By nightfall, more than half the house was built. Ninja construction was frighteningly efficient.

Zhiyi, having heard that Bai Ye was back, arrived with Yu Yi and Lu Xin in tow. He had dragged them along despite their protests.

Yu Yi, cheerful and eager to help, got to work immediately. Lu Xin, ever the slacker, pointed out structural inefficiencies but refused to lift a finger.

By the time the moon hung high, the last coat of paint dried.

Obito's design was more than Bai Ye had imagined—spacious, modern, a circular courtyard surrounded by rooms. It resembled a small villa more than a traditional shinobi home. Bai Ye was sincerely impressed.

To thank everyone, he begrudgingly dipped into his savings and bought ingredients for a massive barbecue in front of his new home. The impromptu celebration lasted deep into the night.

Eventually, everyone returned to their homes. Bai Ye followed Yuyan back to her place again—he would stay for a few more days while his house aired out and while he finished furnishing it.

Some furniture could be crafted from nearby trees, but other things would require a trip to the village market.

---

Meanwhile, in a hidden underground lab...

"It seems that with continued exposure to Bai Ye's cells, the aggressiveness of Hashirama's cells diminishes."

Orochimaru stood over a young Yamato strapped to a surgical table, meticulously recording data in his notebook. Dim light flickered across vials of blood and tubes running chakra-infused fluids.

Somehow, Orochimaru had obtained Yamato from Danzō—a rare specimen, the only known survivor of Hashirama cell implantation.

Now, after exposure to Bai Ye's unique cellular material, Yamato's compatibility had improved dramatically.

"Fascinating... I only possess semi-stabilized samples for now. Once I acquire a complete transformation, the results could be... revolutionary."

He licked his lips with barely contained excitement. Deep in his twisted mind, he was already calculating how to capture Bai Ye alive.

"Sensei values him too highly. I'll need a more subtle approach… something convincing."

What truly intrigued Orochimaru wasn't just the cellular compatibility—it was the new energy Bai Ye's cells had produced.

An unidentified force that fused perfectly with chakra—something neither senjutsu nor scientific chakra engineering had ever yielded.

Orochimaru's obsession deepened.

He didn't just want Bai Ye.

He needed him.