After a Yamanaka went into Sasuke's mind and confirmed that Sasuke was, indeed, sorry for his actions. During Sasuke's trial, most of the elders wanted him to be put to death for betraying Konoha. However, after Tsunade broke her desk in half and shouted that since she was Hokage, she got to decide, Sasuke was sentenced to remain in the village at all times and never take higher than D-Rank missions. Also, for the first six months, he had to wear a Chakra Restraining bracelet and always be watched by a trusted leaf shinobi at all times.
Most of the ninja and civilians treated Sasuke with fear and anger. However, the rookie nine and Gai's team welcomed Sasuke back, though Neji and Kiba were more reluctant. Just as they were about to throw a party, Tsunade summoned them to her office, where she will say something that would shock them all.
(line)
Tsunade sat in her chair, facing team seven, Kurenai's team, Asuma's team, Gai's team, and Jiraiya. It was unusual for all of them to be in the same room at once, and they were all wondering what Jiraiya was doing there too.
"So, Tsunade, what's this about? You don't look so good, do you have bad news or what?" Jiraiya asked her.
Bad news? Of course she had bad news, Kakashi was dead for goodness sake! When she had send them on their mission, to face Pain, and ask for reinforces if needed, she had known that it was dangerous. However, she had chosen the best for the job, and had hoped they would kill Pain. Fate did have a cruel sense of humor, her wish came true, but with a price, Kakashi was dead.
She and Kakashi aren't really close friends. However, she had known his father and watched him grow up. She was the medic who assisted his birth and watched his mother die. She saw how he turned from a happy child to a cold-hearted ninja after his father's death. Before she had left the village, Kakashi was 15, in ANBU, where he took suicidal and assassination missions left and right. After she had returned, she was relieved to see that Kakashi was no longer in ANBU, but a jonin-sensei, and he finally looked happy. After Sakumo had died, she had tried to keep an eye on him, make sure he was happy, and at least, safe.
And she failed.
She took a deep breath, a looked into the eyes of all of the people here.
"Kakashi Hatake, is dead."
Everyone in the room froze with shock.
"No."
"Kakashi-sensei?"
"It can't be."
"You must be mistaken."
"Kakashi-sensei died?"
"Who killed him?"
"What happened?"
"Will you all be quiet!" Tsunade shouted. Everyone was quiet at once. They all looked shocked and sad that Kakashi died.
"Are you saying...that my eternal rival is...dead?" Gai said.
"Yes, he died honorably. Without him, we could have never killed Pain."
Gai looked at her, and for once he was not smiling.
"Kakashi's funeral will be in two days. I will announce the news to everyone. Dismissed."
Tsunade sighed and turned to Jiraiya. Jiraiya looked back at her.
"How did Kakashi die?" Jiraiya wasn't showing it that well, but she knew that he cared about Kakashi. Like her, Sakumo was his friend, and he had promised Sakumo that he would look after Kakashi.
"He was killed by Pain, however, at the same time, somehow he killed Pain. You'll have to ask his team, I didn't have the heart to ask them about it." Tsunade said.
"Got it."
Tsunade hated to say this, but she knew it had to be done.
"Also...go and clear out his apartment...I can't trust anyone else."
Jiraiya nodded and went out through the window. Tsunade looked back towards the empty room, remembering when she had assigned team Kakashi the mission, not knowing that it would be the last time she saw Kakashi.
"First Nawaki, then Dan, then Sakumo, Sarutobi-sensei, and now you. How much more death and grief am I going to have to take?"
(line)
Team 7, Kurenai's team, Asuma's team, and Gai's team walked out of the Hokage's office in silence.
"I shall run around the village 1000000000 times for allowing my Eternal Rival to die!" Gai shouted and took off running, but Naruto saw a stream of tears running down his face.
"I shall go follow Gai-sensei!" And Lee ran off too. Back then it seemed silly whenever Gai and Lee issued these challenges, but Naruto knew that Gai was grieving for Kakashi-sensei in his own way.
The rest of the ninjas left, and the rest of team 7 went to the memorial stone, the place that Kakashi-sensei often went.
"Remember when Kakashi-sensei gave us the bell test?" Naruto said to his teammates.
"Yeah, and he taught us the most important lesson of all." Sakura walked up next to him.
"To never abandon your teammates, and he never did abandon any of us." Sasuke said.
Naruto could still remember being tied to the pole, being fed by Sasuke and Sakura.
(Flashback)
"You pass!"
"What?" Naruto said, shocked.
"Ninja must see through deception. In the ninja world those who break the rules are scum, that's true, but those who abandon their friends, are worse than scum."
(End Flashback)
"Maybe he should have abandoned me." Naruto murmured.
"What do you mean Naruto?" Sakura asked him.
"That he should have just let Pain kill me, and taken that opportunity to kill Pain. It's all my fault that Kakashi-sensei died, I was too impatient and reckless. I should have died, not him." Naruto felt angry at himself. It's true, if he wasn't so stupid then they could have all returned to Konoha together. He had once said that he would never let a comrade die, why should he become Hokage if he couldn't even keep his word, to protect his friends.
"Naruto-" Sasuke opened his mouth to say something.
Suddenly Jiraiya teleported in front of them. And Naruto noticed that he was holding a small scroll in his hands.
"Ero-Sennin!"
"Hey you three. Naruto, what are you looking so angry about?"
"I...because I was the reason Kakashi-sensei died." Naruto managed to choke out.
Jiraiya was silent for a moment.
"I think you three better tell me what happened. I know this probably isn't the best time to be asking, but I need to know."
Sakura told Jiraiya what happened with Pain. Naruto flinched when Sakura said how Kakashi-sensei died, and he saw how Sasuke looked away for a moment, and how Sakura started to choke up.
"I see." Jiraiya looked at all three of them, and then he hit Naruto on the head, not too gently.
"Oww! What did you do that for?"
"Idiot! Do you think that Kakashi just sacrificed his life for nothing?"
"What do you mean?" Naruto said to Jiraiya.
"Kakashi cared about you. He wanted you to continue living, all three of you. Do you think he would just stand by and let his comrades get killed again?"
Naruto hung his head. He knew that Kakashi-sensei wouldn't want him blaming himself, but he still felt that it was his fault.
"Jiraiya-sama, what do you mean by letting his comrades get killed, again?" Sasuke asked.
"That's none of your business. Anyway, while I was at Kakashi's apartment…"
"You're cleaning out his apartment already? Show some respect for Kakashi-sensei!"
"Listen, brats, many people would love to get their hands on some of his things that I found in there. Besides, Kakashi specifically told me to clean out his apartment as soon as I can. Trust me, you don't want them to fall into the wrong hands. Anyways, I found this."
Jiraiya held up the small scroll. Sakura gasped.
"Is that, his will?"
"Yes, it is."
"But why did you bring it here? We're not his family or one of his friends." Sasuke asked, confused.
"You guys are probably the three people closest to him, yes, even you Sasuke. Kakashi was always close to his team. Kakashi cares about you three very much, any idiot can see that."
Jiraiya sat down. Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura sat too, forming a circle around Kakashi-sensei's will. However, Naruto almost didn't want to read it, for that would mean that Kakashi-sensei really died, and there's no going back now. For some reason, he still wanted to believe that he was still alive, fighting to get back to them, but he knew that it was impossible.
Jiraiya rolled open the will, and began to read.
