Konoha’s Black Plague

Temporary Alliance

"Ahem... you bastards."

Two soot-covered hands suddenly emerged from the rubble-strewn ground. With effort, Shō pushed himself out, panting heavily.

He no longer bore the confident demeanor he had at the beginning. His clothes were scorched and tattered, his body marred with burns. The forehead protector that once rested proudly on his brow fell limply to the ground as he moved.

"How… how is this possible?"

Masayuki stared in disbelief at the remnants of the technique that had seemingly overwhelmed Shō. The scorched terrain mocked his expectations.

"Shō used the Underground Submersion Technique just before the blast hit," Bai Ye explained calmly, brushing dust off his sleeve. "I saw him escape from above—slipped beneath the earth just in time."

Masayuki and the others had been blinded by the explosion and hadn't noticed the escape. Shō had taken damage, but not enough to take him out of the fight.

"…Looks like I'll have to take the Chūnin Exams again."

Masayuki gave a wry smile and began walking toward the stairwell. His figure seemed heavier than before—burdened by disappointment.

Most of his peers had already been promoted. Masayuki had failed repeatedly, his mediocre chakra control and limited talent holding him back. Unlike prodigies like Might Guy or Rock Lee—whose taijutsu mastery and Eight Gates made up for other shortcomings—he had no such unique edge.

In the world of shinobi, effort was never in short supply. But the ones who truly stood out were the rare few who combined relentless training with natural brilliance.

"Should we go after Kazuhiko next?"

Now that the losers had withdrawn, Bai Ye licked his dry lips and echoed the proposal Masayuki had suggested earlier.

On the surface, the four remaining seemed united—even Shō, who'd been used as bait, now wore a mild expression, as if nothing had happened.

"Seconded," Kakashi responded without hesitation.

"No objections."

"I'm in too."

Even Shō and Kazuo, after a brief exchange of glances, agreed without resistance. It was a stark contrast to earlier—proving that when the strong made a proposal, it carried far more weight.

Somewhere down the corridor, Masayuki let out a sigh of frustration. Now they listen?

"You three figure out the plan. I'll handle the grunt work," Kazuo offered, stepping aside. He clearly preferred action over strategy.

"I said I'm not the brains here, so stop staring at me like that."

Bai Ye rubbed his chin, his analytical gaze making Kazuo visibly uncomfortable.

Kazuo's words, however, sparked a memory—those red chili pills of the Akimichi Clan. They massively boosted physical ability but came with extreme risks.

Perfect for use with rapid regeneration… if you don't die instantly from the strain, Bai Ye mused. Combine that with the Eight Gates, and I could probably punch a hole through the Hokage Rock. Too bad my current regeneration wouldn't survive the backlash…

"I'm just thinking about how to best use your abilities," Bai Ye said casually to cover his thoughts. No way was he going to admit he was plotting to get his hands on secret Akimichi supplements.

"It's tricky," Kakashi muttered, scanning the field. "His scent's everywhere. Even summoning Pakkun wouldn't help."

Small insects littered the battlefield—Kazuhiko's Aburame bugs were scattered across the area, disrupting any tracking attempt.

"Don't look at me. I've been putting all my focus into ninjutsu research."

Shō growled under his breath. The looks from the other three still stung after his earlier humiliation.

"He's trying to outlast us," Bai Ye muttered, glancing around. "A textbook Aburame tactic—wait in hiding, let others fight, and pick off the survivors."

It was true. Used right, the Aburame clan's tactics were every bit as strategic as the Hyūga's Byakugan. Shinō Aburame, Shino's father, had proven during the Third Shinobi World War that versatility and precision could be deadlier than raw power.

"Remember this: the three of you owe me a favor."

With that, Bai Ye turned and sprinted up the wall, scaling it in seconds until he reached the rooftop.

"…Hey, Kakashi," Shō said, incredulous. "Is this guy all right in the head?"

"If he heard you say that," Kakashi replied with a shrug, "you'd be dead already."

He followed Bai Ye up the wall without another word, leaving Shō and Kazuo blinking in confusion.

"Should we… leave too?"

Kazuo's instincts screamed at him to move, but he deferred to Shō.

"Why would we leave? Let's just see what he's planning."

Shō crossed his arms, keeping an eye on Bai Ye, who was now standing ominously on the rooftop. The atmosphere was shifting. Heavy. Dangerous.

"Are you sure? He's right above us."

Kazuo's gut twisted as Bai Ye's chakra began to surge. Something was definitely wrong.

"It's fine. We're far enough away. Even if something happens, we'll react in time."

Shō swallowed hard. He tried to stay composed, reassuring himself that Bai Ye couldn't close the distance that fast. I've seen his speed. I'll have time… right?

"Then again, Kakashi's going up too…"

Kazuo's eyes darted to Kakashi, who was also ascending. That couldn't be a good sign.

"…Maybe we should climb up as well?" Shō said, hesitating now. Bai Ye's chakra felt heavier than ever.

He cast a sideways glance at Kazuo, subtly pushing the decision onto him—so he could later claim he was simply following someone else's lead.

"I think this one's your call," Kazuo deflected smoothly, refusing to shoulder the blame.

"…Is he going to use that technique?"

From the second floor, Guy leaned against the railing, exhausted from his earlier clash with Kakashi. He stared at Bai Ye, who stood poised atop the roof, his chakra flaring dangerously.

There was a tremble in his voice. And in his eyes—a familiar fire.