Chapter 45 Kakashi and the Will of Fire (2)
At the end of December, winter arrived.
Snowflakes drifted in the sky of Konoha, and the surface of the rivers froze over.
After completing the last mission of the year, Rui had been staying at home.
If nothing special happened, this situation would probably continue until mid-January of the next year before considering taking on new missions.
Opening the door, you could see a thick layer of snow covering the courtyard outside.
Shiroshi sat across from Rui, with a table placed between them.
After the Shadow Dancer placed tea and pastries on the table, she remained silent and watched the two of them with a curious gaze from time to time.
For her, who was not even half a year old, she sometimes felt that the relationships between humans were too complicated.
Take her own family, for example. When she observed others, she found that they had only one father and one mother. But she had two "mothers." And her older brother, General Tsuchi, had a peculiar body. She often used shadow blades to cut off its head and examine it, trying to find out why it could always bounce back to life. But after observing for a long time, she didn't find anything unusual inside. Its exterior and interior were no different, both composed of soft earth. Apart from that, there seemed to be no special substances. Not only was its physique different from normal humans, but even the words it spoke were incomprehensible, making it impossible for her to understand their meaning or engage in normal communication. These things were indeed hard for her, who was not even half a year old, to comprehend.
"I've heard some things about Kakashi in the village recently. It seems he's had conflicts with many teams."
Rui picked up a teacup and took a sip of hot tea.
"Isn't that to be expected? Ignoring the safety of teammates and focusing only on completing missions will surely make the comrades in the team resentful and exclude him."
Shiroshi shrugged.
"Sometimes, I really can't understand what those higher-ups are thinking. Kakashi has become like this, but they themselves are not without blame."
Rui snorted.
In her view, Kakashi's thinking was indeed extreme. But when you thought about it, wasn't it the inaction of those higher-ups that pushed Kakashi to this point?
"In order to maintain the balance of various forces in the village, our Hokage can't actively take on these responsibilities. So, an organization like Root becomes meaningful."
Shiroshi looked at the snowflakes dancing in the courtyard, falling to the ground, and said with a smile while enjoying the beautiful snow scene.
In order to better manage Konoha, the role of the Hokage, in many cases, had to maintain a facade of righteousness and become a role model in the eyes of all Konoha ninja and villagers. But in such a large Konoha, it was impossible not to have any corruption. Where there was light, there would inevitably be darkness. So, alongside the radiant and just Hokage, there had to be someone to bear the opposite role—the darkness. This was essential to protect the village's interests and order.
Thus, the organization Root, which carried all of Konoha's darkness and sins, was born with the unanimous support of the higher-ups. This organization had a terrible reputation from the moment it was established, with its leader, Danzo Shimura, known as the "Darkness of Shinobi," being particularly ruthless and willing to do anything to achieve his goals. Such a dangerous figure gathered like-minded ninja under him, and over the years, they carried out countless dirty deeds, living up to his name.
To be honest, Shiroshi admired the political insight of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, in arranging this. From a strategic point of view, there wasn't much to criticize about this setup. But the problem lay in the series of measures taken after the Third Hokage, which could be described as a failure—being too lenient in allowing Root to grow, not imposing sufficient restrictions when necessary, and lacking a strong hand to control this massive darkness. These were all issues.
The high-ranking members of Root who committed significant mistakes were not immediately given any substantial punishment, and at the same time, they failed to appease the subordinates who had been affected by their actions. This directly led to a blurred line between personal interests and village affairs, damaging their credibility. Therefore, the balance that relied on indulging Root ended up not benefiting Konoha and often eroded the vital strength within the village, putting its future in a precarious position.
In the event of a major shinobi conflict, Konoha might face a very difficult battle, even with the risk of destruction. Whether a great hero would emerge to turn the tide in Konoha's favor was uncertain.
As for Shiroshi, he was not very interested in such matters. By that time, he would have long left Konoha, and whether it thrived or perished was of little concern to him.
"By the way, take this. I've already prepared it, and it took quite some time."
Shiroshi remembered something and took out two black metal wristbands from his pocket, placing them in front of Rui.
"What are these?"
"They're similar to the chakra limiters you gave to the lower-ranking members of the team earlier. However, the difference is that these are specially reinforced chakra limiters, suitable only for Jonin."
Shiroshi emphasized this point.
Lower-ranking and middle-ranking ninja who wore this level of chakra limiter would not be in any life-threatening danger, but they would find it difficult to perform ninjutsu, taijutsu, and genjutsu smoothly. These three types of combat relied on the circulation of chakra within the body to be executed. Especially for taijutsu, the faster chakra flowed within the body, the more powerful the technique would be. Conversely, if chakra flowed slowly, it would be challenging to fully utilize the technique's potential.
Rui put one of the black metal wristbands on her left hand.
There was no apparent change in her body, but only Rui knew that the flow of chakra in her body was severely restricted. Achieving the normal flow rate of chakra in her body, even with constant practice, would not be an easy task in this state of limitation.
Next, Rui looked at the second metal wristband, wondering how wearing the second one would affect her.
Wearing one had already severely slowed down the flow of chakra in her body. If she put on the second one, it might truly bring her chakra to a "standstill."
Shiroshi seemed to read Rui's thoughts, took a sip of tea, and said leisurely, "It's better to take it one step at a time. Even for you, wearing one chakra limiter is already the limit for now. After you become familiar with the first one, you can consider wearing the second limiter for training. Since you'll be resting in the village for the next month, it shouldn't be too difficult for you to fully overcome the limitations of the first chakra limiter."
"A month? Does it really take that long?"
Rui wasn't entirely convinced of the one-month timeframe.
She had expected to complete this training in about two weeks.
Rui stood up from her seat and extended an invitation to Shiroshi. In order to test her abilities under the current limitations.
"As for me, I still have work to do later," Shiroshi declined.
"You're getting lazier by the day. At this rate, I'm afraid your skills might deteriorate. Last time, your taijutsu was already quite rusty," Rui frowned, not quite satisfied with Shiroshi's lax attitude toward training.
"It's not a big deal. Don't worry about it. Shadow Dancer can protect me," Shiroshi replied nonchalantly.
While he was proficient in various chakra nature transformations, Shiroshi believed that mastering too many techniques would dilute his focus and effectiveness. Both General Tsuchi and Shadow Dancer were extensions of his abilities and, strictly speaking, were part of his strength.
For Shiroshi, it was more about creating a versatile "avatar" that could adapt to any situation and confront any enemy. He considered this approach the key to becoming stronger.
Seeing that Shiroshi remained unmoved, Rui huffed and went to the training grounds on her own.
As she left, Shiroshi continued to enjoy his hot tea, watching the snowfall outside.
"Alright, time to get back to work," Shiroshi said, rising from his seat.
As he stood up, Shadow Dancer transformed into a dark shadow and swiftly merged into Shiroshi's own shadow, disappearing from sight.
Shadow Dancer served as Shiroshi's personal bodyguard and was always vigilant, ensuring Shiroshi's safety.
…
Year 42 of Konoha, February.
The ninja academy was on a break for about two weeks during this time, allowing students to skip classes.
In the late afternoon of the previous month, shortly after the New Year festival, Rui had already resumed her duties as a high-ranking ninja and gone to the Hokage's office to receive missions.
Among Shiroshi's acquaintances, only he seemed to have nothing to do. Occasionally, a cute little girl named Rin from the academy came to him to learn about medical ninjutsu.
However, wherever Rin went, an individual named Uchiha Obito was never far behind. He seemed determined to surpass Kakashi and would often talk about it.
But Shiroshi found such ambitions somewhat unrealistic.
Kakashi had graduated from the academy at the age of five, becoming a chūnin at six. His talents were beyond description. Kakashi and Obito Uchiha were in the same year at the academy, but Shiroshi often heard Obito speak highly of his own accomplishments.
Shiroshi believed that Kakashi's talents were extraordinary, and he found it hard to believe that Uchiha Obito could catch up.
He wondered whether Uchiha Obito had some kind of strange affinity for getting involved with elderly women or if it was the elderly women who attracted him.
Regardless of the perspective, it was a peculiar trait.
"Hey, Obito, it's getting late. Don't you want to go back home?" Shiroshi called out to Obito, who was doing physical training upside down on snow-covered branches.
Obito had been training for less than an hour.
"Don't nag, I've only been training for less than an hour," Obito replied, not willing to give up.
"Isn't it because of the many 'inexplicable' incidents with the elderly women this afternoon?" Shiroshi teased.
"You mind your own business! You can go back by yourself. After all, you're just a freeloader. Why are you acting so high and mighty?" Obito retorted.
Shiroshi didn't want to discourage Obito's confidence. He knew that Obito was optimistic and eager, but he also lacked common sense at times.
Thinking about it, it did seem that way. For the Uchiha clan, which had active-duty ninjas, not awakening the Sharingan was considered a severe setback.
Obito had always wanted to prove his abilities, and the Sharingan was a symbol of power for the Uchiha clan.
Shiroshi didn't think Obito would achieve it with his talent, but he didn't want to crush Obito's self-esteem. So, he tried to encourage him.
"Well, keep working hard. Who knows, if you ever awaken the Sharingan, you might really be able to do it," Shiroshi said.
"Why? Is there something wrong with my talent?" Obito asked, puzzled.
"I mean, because you're a bit of a klutz. If a klutz like you awakens the Sharingan, it's like the end of the world, right? Think about it; isn't that true?" Shiroshi said with a straight face.
"You bastard! I'll show you the wrath of the Uchiha clan!" Obito shouted with determination.
In the snowy training ground, the sound of Obito's furious shouts could be heard.
…
"Don't think that treating me to meatballs will make me forgive you! Let me tell you, once I awaken the Sharingan, it will be your doom! Be prepared!"
On the way back, Obito threatened Shiroshi while eating the meatballs he had bought for him with a fierce expression.
"It's okay; Rui will protect me. Your Sharingan won't work on me."
Shiroshi brought out his most potent shield—Uchiha Rui.
"..."
Obito couldn't explain why, but there was a bitter taste in his mouth, making him feel somewhat sour.
"Hey, can't you accept my challenge like a man?" Obito was at a loss with the man in front of him.
In terms of sheer thick-skinnedness, this guy was undoubtedly the strongest.
"I'm a medical ninja, so I don't need to focus on physical strength. Of course, if you want to challenge me in medical ninjutsu, I'm ready anytime," Shiroshi said nonchalantly.
"..."
Obito took a deep breath.
Calm down.
Stay composed.
Don't get angry.
He seriously thought about it; there was nothing worth getting frustrated over. He needed to learn from this man, who always remained composed and unruffled in the face of any challenges.
He had to approach problems like a mature adult.
But... he was still pretty annoyed.
Just when Obito was about to say something, two chūnin were conversing by the roadside. One of them loudly exclaimed with uncontrollable anger, "Let's get Captain to remove Kakashi from the team! I've had enough of him!
"Although I agree, I heard that the Hokage values Kakashi a lot."
"But if things continue like this, we'll always have to be on edge during missions. He's just not fit to be a ninja. He ignores all the support signals we send him and claims that we're slowing down the mission."
The first chūnin's face was extremely unsightly, his eyes burning with rage, as if he had reached a breaking point and needed to vent.
"Frankly, I'm at my limit too. So let's go talk to Captain together. I thought he might change after the New Year, but it seems we can't expect anything from him. He only cares about the mission and doesn't even acknowledge our existence as teammates."
The other chūnin had made up his mind as well.
At this rate, they couldn't carry out missions properly. It was impossible to trust someone who was indifferent to their comrades at all times.
Maybe when they died, he wouldn't shed a single tear.
"Hey, excuse me, were you just talking about Kakashi?"
When Obito heard them mention 'Kakashi,' he approached with curiosity and asked the two senior chūnin.
"Yeah, what about it? Do you know him?" The first chūnin glared at Obito with an unfriendly attitude.
"Oh... no, I don't know him."
He really wanted to say that he did, but if he admitted it, he was afraid this guy would beat him up.
"So why do you care about what we were discussing?" The other chūnin was even less pleased.
Obito was at a loss for words. Cold sweat formed on his forehead as he stammered, "Well, I just thought that discussing someone openly like this on the street might not be a good idea."
"If we hadn't reached our limit, we wouldn't be acting so irrationally. Anyway, this has nothing to do with you, you little Uchiha," the first chūnin said.
He knew that Obito and Kakashi were acquainted, but he had no intention of doing anything to Obito. He didn't want to vent his anger on an innocent person.
Besides, this was a student from the ninja academy.
As he watched the two chūnin walk away, Obito's expression suddenly turned heavy, as if he were deep in thought.
"What's wrong?" Shiroshi walked over and asked.
"I'm thinking about Kakashi," Obito replied.
"Don't you know what's going on?"
Shiroshi countered with a question.
"What do you mean?"
Obito was puzzled.
"I heard that Kakashi has been changing teams since around June or July last year because of conflicts with his teammates. Many elite chūnin teams in the village don't want to accept him anymore."
Shiroshi explained as he put his hands in his pockets.
"Why? Isn't Kakashi a genius? Didn't he become a chūnin last year?"
Obito couldn't understand. Someone as talented as Kakashi should have many elite chūnin teams clamoring to have him.
"The reason is that in missions, when his teammates were severely injured and unable to fight or even became a burden, he didn't choose to save his teammates but instead continued to complete the mission."
Shiroshi calmly spoke these words. Obito was suddenly stunned. He immediately understood when he recalled the various unfavorable remarks from those two middle-ranking ninjas about Kakashi just now.
"No, Kakashi isn't like that!" Obito firmly believed this. In his impression, Kakashi was never so cold-blooded, letting his comrades die without saving them. There must be some misunderstanding.
"Do you want to go visit him?" Shiroshi asked Obito.
"Is it okay like this? Won't it disturb him too much?" Obito hesitated.
"It's fine; that kid has nothing to do at home."
"Do you and Kakashi know each other well?" Obito asked bluntly.
"What do you mean by knowing each other well? His father used to be my and Rui's former superior," Shiroshi replied with a casual smile.
"Really? Kakashi's father must be an impressive person if he was your and Rui's former superior," Obito was surprised.
"Well, let's not waste time. After we see Kakashi, I have work to do," Shiroshi said.
"Okay, understood."
Obito immediately caught up with Shiroshi as they walked towards Kakashi's home. It was a standalone traditional-style residence with the name "Hatake" on the front gate. Obito knew that this was where Kakashi lived.
"Why are you here?" Kakashi looked at the two who had appeared at his doorstep, a puzzled expression on his face.
"I brought your friend to visit you and maybe have dinner together. How about it? Aren't you welcoming us?" Shiroshi patted Obito's head and smiled at Kakashi.
"If you want to have takeout with me, I don't mind," Kakashi replied, his tone neither warm nor cold.
Shiroshi didn't think much of it, as Kakashi's attitude, considering his usual demeanor, was already relatively friendly.
"Kakashi, I..." Obito began.
"Since you're here, come on in," Kakashi interrupted and walked away, not giving Obito a chance to speak.
Obito's smile froze on his face, and he hesitated with his hand hanging in the air. The atmosphere was somewhat awkward.
"What's wrong with this guy?" Obito muttered in frustration.
The current Kakashi seemed like an entirely different person compared to the one Obito remembered.
After Shiroshi entered Kakashi's living room, he sat down and Kakashi brought over tea sets and a pot of hot water.
"If you want tea, you can make it yourself," Kakashi told Shiroshi and Obito.
"My training for today isn't done yet. I'll order takeout for dinner later, so help yourselves."
Obito watched Kakashi's unaffected demeanor and lack of engagement, his expression becoming increasingly bewildered.
Shiroshi calmly made himself a cup of tea, without showing any displeasure over Kakashi's indifference, and sipped it.
"I'll go upstairs to check."
With this statement, Shiroshi also left the room.
Obito's face immediately turned dark. "You two, aren't you leaving me here all alone?"
"Sensei Sakumo, I've come to visit you," Shiroshi said softly in a room on the second floor, facing a photo placed on a shelf.
It was a photo taken when their original Team 5 was just formed. Ayane and Rui were also in the picture, and Shiroshi, when the photo was taken, was sandwiched between the two. He thought about how tough it was back then.
Sakumo stood behind the three, carrying his signature white fang tanto, wearing a ninja headband, and displaying a cheerful and happy smile.
As Shiroshi reminisced about these things, the door suddenly opened.
"I mean, seriously, when you enter someone else's house, don't you know you can't just roam around?" Shiroshi felt a headache seeing Obito, who walked in casually and without restraint.
"What's with leaving me all alone?" Obito responded in annoyance.
"I just came up here to take a look."
"Well, I just came up here to take a look too," Obito smartly followed Shiroshi's lead.
Then, he noticed the existence of the photo, stared at it for a moment, and although it was taken when Shiroshi was twelve years old and he looked quite different from his current self, Obito immediately recognized him. This was the past Shiroshi.
"So, this is what you looked like back then, huh? I don't see anything special," Obito commented, a bit snarky.
Then he looked at the others. "These eyes belong to someone from the Uchiha clan, so this one must be Rui-senpai. Impressive, even as a senior, she exudes a reliable and powerful vibe from such a young age."
Looking at Rui in the photo, Obito suddenly turned into a fanboy, admiring her with a praising tone.
"Hey, who's this old guy with white hair? Is he your mentor, the top-level ninja?" Obito asked curiously.
"Yeah, that's right. He's also Kakashi's father, known as 'Konoha's White Fang,'," Shiroshi nodded. This kind of information could be easily found out; it wasn't a secret.
"No wonder he looks so much like Kakashi... But 'Konoha's White Fang'... I feel like I've heard that name somewhere before... Strange, where did I hear it?" Obito tilted his head, pondering.
He vaguely remembered hearing it several months ago. Where exactly, he couldn't recall.
"Knowing such things isn't necessarily a good thing for you," Shiroshi interrupted the topic.
Rumors about Sakumo had mainly circulated among adults, and students like Obito weren't well-informed. It was normal not to know much besides the name.
In fact, Obito might only know the name and not have delved into the details. After all, after Sakumo's suicide, many people treated it as if it never happened.
But the scars were revealed, and no matter how you tried to heal them, they wouldn't disappear; they would only be hidden deeper.
"What? I'm not a kid anymore," Obito said in dissatisfaction.
"Alright, let's go back downstairs," Shiroshi said, leading Obito back to the living room.
There, Kakashi had already ordered takeout, and he was sitting, waiting for them to join him for dinner.
"Kakashi, have you been eating takeout all the time recently?" Obito frowned when he saw many takeout boxes that hadn't been cleaned up in the trash.
"Yeah," Kakashi nodded. Besides missions, he spent a lot of time training at home. He didn't have the leisure to cook, so he survived on takeout.
Seeing Kakashi's indifferent reply, Obito's frown deepened. He wanted to say something, but when he saw Kakashi's eyes that seemed indifferent to everything, he swallowed his words.
Kakashi's home gave him an exceptionally desolate feeling, as if it wasn't suitable for people to live in.
"What's happened to this guy since graduation? I wonder," Obito wondered.
Kakashi sat at the dining table, took a few bites of takeout, then closed the box.
"I'm full now. After you finish eating, you can go back. There's nothing special here to entertain you."
Kakashi threw his unfinished takeout directly into the nearby trash can, put on his white fang tanto, and walked into the yard.
"Did we come at the wrong time?" Obito asked Shiroshi anxiously.
Shiroshi replied, "It's not your fault, don't overthink it."
"Is that so?" Obito remained skeptical.
After quickly finishing their takeout, Obito even thoughtfully took out the trash bags filled with empty takeout containers to dispose of them. If left here for too long, they would get moldy.
"Amazing, have you really practiced the White Fang Jutsu to this extent?" While Obito was disposing of the trash bags, Shiroshi arrived in the yard and watched Kakashi, who was continuously practicing his swordsmanship.
Although in Shiroshi's eyes, Kakashi's White Fang Jutsu couldn't be compared to Sakumo's, and there were many flaws in it, the swordsmanship had some of Sakumo's style. When dealing with Chunin-level ninja and above, it would definitely work without any issues.
If he continued to accumulate like this, relying on his talent and effort, it was only natural for Kakashi to pass the Jonin exam before he turned twelve, in Shiroshi's opinion.
Despite Shiroshi's admiring words, Kakashi didn't show any reaction and remained focused on his swordsmanship.
"So, even after all this time, you haven't completely calmed down?" Shiroshi asked with a smile while leaning against the yard wall.
Kakashi's sword-swinging suddenly paused, and the atmosphere around him became heavy.
"You, as a chunnin, shouldn't be so fragile, right?" Kakashi sighed in exasperation.
For some reason, he felt that Shiroshi was hinting at something.
But since the other was his father's old subordinate, he didn't want to be disrespectful.
"I promised Sensei Sakumo that I'd take good care of you after he passed away."
"As you can see, I'm doing just fine now," Kakashi replied, seemingly unconcerned.
However, he attached more importance to the strength he held in his blade than Shiroshi's words about taking care of him.
"That may be the case, but if you continue like this, you'll be accepted by fewer and fewer Jonin, until you can't find your place in Konoha. Will you continue to insist that your missions are more important?" Shiroshi asked, hinting at something.
After experiencing so many changes, even a fool should understand that some of these situations are clearly very contradictory.
His father gave up a mission to save his comrades, was shunned by the villagers, and ultimately took his own life due to the rumors.
On the other hand, he chose a different path, prioritizing missions over comrades, yet he still faced rejection from his village colleagues.
These were the facts that Kakashi had personally come to understand, not mere speculation.
Though Kakashi concealed his emotions well, a hint of hesitation and doubt flickered in his eyes.
He began to question the true reason behind his father's death.
The truth was... whether it was the choice of missions or comrades, both seemed to be wrong. And it was highly likely that the real reason for his father's suicide wasn't what he thought.
Kakashi had become a Chunin at the age of six, excelling not only in combat skills but also in theoretical knowledge. Although he sometimes fell into a mental rut, given the circumstances and the logical consequences, it simply couldn't add up.
There were too many inconsistencies and things worth scrutinizing.
"You've done well," Shiroshi suddenly said.
"What?" Kakashi asked.
"It seems like you've truly calmed down and started to think dialectically, at least," Shiroshi smiled. If it were the Kakashi from before, he might have shown an impatient face and left already.
In the past half-year, he had had enough time to experience the village's contradictions firsthand.
Ordinary villagers and even most ninja couldn't perceive these contradictions because they hadn't experienced them personally. Unfortunately, Kakashi had gone through the entire process.
His father's suicide, along with the path he had chosen, were to some extent, ideas that the village couldn't accept.
So, where was the right path, and where was the wrong one?
"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm just following..." Kakashi began.
"Then do you want to know the real reason behind Sensei Sakumo's death?" Shiroshi interrupted.
The atmosphere turned tense as Shiroshi spoke, and Kakashi's body exuded a horrifying killing intent, making the air heavy and breathing difficult, as if he were sinking into quicksand.
"Don't spout nonsense in front of me!" Kakashi, as if stimulated by something, moved suddenly, disappearing from where he stood and leaving behind a brilliant light in the darkness.
However, he stopped in front of Shiroshi.
His face was covered in cold sweat, and he stared at Shiroshi with terrified eyes. His body was wrapped in countless slender shadows, like solid iron chains that immobilized him, preventing any movement.
Around him, dozens of shadow weapons formed from the shadows were aimed at his vital points: his throat, heart, back of the head, and more. One slight movement, and these shadow blades could easily end his life.
Yet, Shiroshi remained relaxed, leaning against the yard wall, not moving a step.
"Who are you really?" Kakashi demanded.
"Chiyoba Shiroshi, a Chunin from Konoha, part-time instructor for the ninja academy's medical ninja class," Shiroshi divulged his information truthfully, without any deception.
Kakashi remained silent.
A Chunin?
This was no joke.
Even with his current squad's Jonin as the team leader, he couldn't imagine how he could fall into such a life-threatening situation without realizing it.
However, when these shadows appeared and surrounded him, and the shadow blades aimed at him, he realized only afterward. If someone wanted to harm him, they could do so silently and effortlessly.
This level of strength couldn't be achieved even by an ordinary Jonin.
"In three days, at midnight, come to this location, and I'll tell you the answer. Of course, if you don't come, that's fine too. In that case, you'll have to find the answer on your own," Shiroshi said, taking out a card and inserting it into Kakashi's pocket before leaving.
The shadows around Kakashi vanished, and he slumped to the ground, as if drained of all strength. He couldn't help but recall the sensation of narrowly avoiding death just now, still feeling terrified.
His white fang tanto lay on the ground, seemingly losing its luster.
"Don't forget our appointment," Shiroshi left this last sentence as he walked away.
Before leaving the yard, Kakashi's teammate, Obito, who had returned, saw Kakashi sitting on the ground and was surprised.
"Hey, Kakashi, why are you sitting on the ground like that?" Obito asked.
"It's clearly due to exhaustion from excessive training. Anyway, it's time for us to leave," Shiroshi told Obito.
"But I haven't had a proper conversation with Kakashi yet. Why leave so soon?" Obito protested.
"We're all from the same village; we can meet up anytime. Besides, I'll be helping Rin with medical ninjutsu soon. Beware I don't take advantage, she's such a cute girl," Shiroshi teased.
This instantly ruffled Obito's feathers. "You scoundrel! How many times do I have to tell you not to make a move on Rin?"
Then, he turned to Kakashi. "Kakashi, I'll come see you again in a few days. And stop eating this unhealthy takeout all the time. I'll be going now."
With that, Obito quickly chased after Shiroshi as they both left.
Kakashi paid no heed to the commotion between Shiroshi and Obito. Instead, he watched as Shiroshi left, contemplating.
"Is this guy really just a medical ninja?" Kakashi wondered. With such power, he could easily become a top ninja in the village. So why was he concealing his strength in the village?
And what did he mean by 'the answer'? Kakashi's eyes flickered with uncertainty, and he pondered what he should do.
…
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
At noon, Kakashi parted ways with his teammates at the entrance to Konoha and headed back home.
Seeing Kakashi's absent-minded demeanor, his Jonin team leader decided it was time to "invite" Kakashi to leave the team.
Continuing this way would lead to discontent among the other team members, potentially causing the entire team's dynamics to collapse.
As for what plans the Hokage had for Kakashi, that wasn't something he could know.
Kakashi dragged his weary body back home, and he had little room left for contemplation. He fell asleep on his bed, completely defenseless.
When he woke up, it was already pitch black outside.
Utilizing the bright moonlight outside, he checked the alarm clock on his bedside table, and it read exactly 9:00 PM.
"Still three hours left?" Three days ago, Shiroshi had told him that he would reveal the so-called 'answer' at midnight tonight.
Kakashi had been hesitating about whether to go to the meeting as Shiroshi had instructed.
Kakashi watched as the seconds ticked away on the clock, and in a daze, he realized it was already half-past eleven.
There was only half an hour left until the appointed time.
Kakashi took out the card from his pocket. On it, there was only one location written—
Hokage Rock
Kakashi let out a sigh.
Now, he was faced with three choices.
The first was to go to the meeting as agreed with Shiroshi.
The second was to act as if nothing had happened, stay firmly on the path he had chosen, and cut ties with Shiroshi. Whatever Shiroshi's motives were, they were none of his concern.
The third was to report to the Hokage and involve the ANBU organization to investigate Shiroshi.
However, there were problems. Revealing his secrets to him so easily, did this person really have no defenses or a way out? Or had he somehow fallen within this person's surveillance without realizing it?
Apart from the second choice, the first and third options both carried certain risks.
Choosing which one was now the most challenging question Kakashi had to face.
At the "Hokage Rock" location, at nearly midnight, a person stood there wearing a white hooded coat, hands casually in their sleeves, adopting a relaxed and unguarded posture while sitting on the portrait of the First Hokage.
From this vantage point, they could oversee the entire village of Konoha.
Only streetlights and a few scattered lights from houses illuminated the village. Most areas were shrouded in darkness.
With the help of moonlight, the outlines of buildings plunged into darkness became visible.
"Is this attire meant to be secretive? Are you trying to tell me about some illicit activities?" Footsteps approached from behind, and Kakashi had already taken his place. He faced the white-clad figure and spoke.
"It's just that the air tonight is too cold, and I expect there will be light snow later tonight."
The person lifted the hat on their head, revealing their true face. It was Shiroshi, who turned around to explain to Kakashi.
"Is that so?"
Kakashi took a few steps forward and, alongside Shiroshi, gazed down at the panoramic view of Konoha, shrouded in the black of night.
"How do you feel?" Shiroshi asked.
"Completely different from viewing it during the day. It's incredibly peaceful."
Whenever Kakashi had visited this spot in the past, it was during the daytime. This was his first time looking at the entire village from here at night.
"The calmer the surface, the more terrifying the depth," Shiroshi commented casually.
"I can assume that you're dissatisfied with the village, right?" Kakashi squinted, tilting his head and scanning Shiroshi with his peripheral vision.
"No, not at all. Because the state of this village has nothing to do with me. If it's destroyed one day, it's just a historical choice," Shiroshi said in a detached tone.
There was a sense of coldness and determination in his voice, as if he had abandoned everything here.
"You seem so different from your usual self."
"Don't worry. Whether it's my usual self or the current me, both are my true selves."
Kakashi remained silent.
"Now that you've chosen to come to me in search of answers, let me hear your thoughts about this village."
"This village?"
"Aren't you aware? You've studied it at the ninja academy—the Will of Fire passed down by the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju."
Shiroshi sat down on the portrait of the First Hokage, overlooking the village shrouded in darkness.
"To protect our comrades, eliminate all barriers between people, and protect the next generation, making the children of the village its foundation."
"Now that you understand the essence, why do you still choose missions over comrades? Aren't your comrades like 'family' to you? Aren't they worth protecting? Or are you afraid of meeting the same fate as your father, Sakumo?"
"I don't know, don't ask me these questions..." Kakashi rubbed his forehead, and his eyebrows furrowed slightly, the pain returning to his head.
Every time he thought about this incredibly contradictory question, it gave him a headache.
However, no matter how many books he read at the library or how much he studied at the ninja academy, he couldn't find an answer.
Seeing Kakashi touch his forehead, Shiroshi knew that he was once again entangled in his thoughts.
"Kakashi, you understand it, but you're just unwilling to think in that direction. Let me give you another hint—a crucial one."
Shiroshi revealed a meaningful smile.
"A hint?"
"The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, is almost fifty years old."
Kakashi didn't understand at first. What did the Third Hokage's age have to do with him?
However, Kakashi was also aware that once a ninja crossed the age of fifty, they would gradually decline in strength, as well as their ability to handle missions. They would start passing their work onto the next generation and begin the process of training the village's next successors.
Wait a moment—Kakashi's mind suddenly lit up as if he had caught something crucial.
The Third Hokage, nearing fifty...
Retirement...
Election of the Fourth Hokage...
Who were the candidates for the Fourth Hokage position?
Although the formal election had not yet begun, everyone in the village knew who the potential candidates were.
White Fang, the Three Sannin, and a select few outstanding Jonin.
Kakashi wasn't completely ignorant. Once certain things were brought to his attention, all the pieces of the puzzle started to connect.
The election for the Fourth Hokage had nothing to do with him, a middle-ranking or lower-ranking ninja. But his father, White Fang, was certainly capable of participating in this competition.
What was also intriguing was that around the same time, his father had suddenly failed a mission. He had chosen to abandon the mission for the sake of his comrades, leading to rumors and ultimately his suicide.
Kakashi later believed that his father's path was wrong, and that's why he followed the belief of "mission above comrades." But even so, he still couldn't gain the approval of the village.
Kakashi had at times wondered if he simply wasn't good enough, which is why his comrades didn't approve of him. However, as time went on, he realized that he was increasingly ostracized, which meant that those people fundamentally hated his behavior of prioritizing missions over comrades.
However, if that was the case, why did his father end up being slandered to the point of suicide?
The Fourth Hokage election.
His father, Sakumo, chose "comrades above missions" and committed suicide.
Kakashi chose "missions above comrades" and was rejected, not being recognized by the village.
All the clues were connected.
Kakashi suddenly realized why he had been rejected even though he had chosen the path of "missions above comrades."
"Shiroshi-senpai, was my father... forced to death by the higher-ups because of the position of the Fourth Hokage?"
Kakashi's voice trembled, his eyes filled with a terrible anger and a murderous aura.
He felt a deep pity for himself.
He had actually been entangled in this matter and even blamed his father for choosing suicide.
And he had not realized it at all.
Shiroshi remained silent, pondering Kakashi's words.
Kakashi was a smart child. Some things didn't require him to explain himself. With just a few hints, his intelligence allowed him to quickly grasp the cause and effect of a situation, analyzing problems thoroughly.
After all, most six-year-olds played ninja games at school, but Kakashi, at his age, had already passed the challenging Chunin Exams, becoming a qualified Chunin. To be a Chunin, one first needed analytical skills that surpassed ordinary people's, as they were the backbone of a team and acted as substitute team leaders when Jonin had issues.
Thinking about how he had wasted the past six months, Kakashi felt like a fool who had been played by the higher-ups.
The questions that had been bothering him all this time were things they didn't care about. They never cared, nor did they provide any answers because giving answers would expose the true cause of his father Sakumo's death, something they couldn't explain.
"So, I've been a clown, fooled by them all along," Kakashi muttered.
He walked somewhat aimlessly, and just as he was about to fall from the Hokage Rock cliff, he stopped, trembling.
Standing here, looking at the village, felt like being lost in a thick forest of fog. Everything was pitch black, and no paths were visible.
Fragments of memory flooded his mind.
The day after his father Sakumo's mission failure, rumors spread throughout Konoha. All the rumors were one-sided, targeting his father.
Even the comrades who had been saved were joining in the accusations. Everyone denied and insulted him.
Then, it culminated in the image of his father, Sakumo, lying in a pool of blood, using his own White Fang tanto to end his life. Those who had slandered his father before were still alive, with no one coming to apologize for their accusations after his father's suicide.
"Do not regret doing what is right because of others' denial, nor feel regret afterwards due to others' mockery and condemnation. I only followed the beliefs and principles that a Konoha ninja should have."
Sakumo's words still echoed in Kakashi's ears.
Until the end, there was no hatred or remorse. He went to his death with a serene heart. He must have not wanted his son to harbor any resentment towards the village.
Because he had been, from beginning to end, a Konoha ninja, going to his death with honor, hiding the truth about his actions.
Kakashi looked at his own hand, unable to calm his inner turmoil no matter what.
He couldn't bring himself to feel the way his father, Sakumo, had spoken about, not harboring any resentment toward the village or the higher-ups.
"So, what's your choice? Whatever it is, I'll support you. Whether you follow me or follow Sakumo-sensei's wishes, wholeheartedly love this village and protect it," Shiroshi said, standing up from the Hokage Rock cliff and walking to Kakashi's side, patting his shoulder.
"No matter if it's Sakumo-sensei or me, we can't make this decision for you. This is a choice you have to make yourself. No matter how difficult the future may be, you have to grit your teeth and persevere until your last breath. Choose the path you want..."
With that, it was up to Kakashi to decide.
If he chose to continue protecting Konoha, Shiroshi would seal away his "memories" related to this part and let him live as a bona fide Konoha ninja.
If he chose to follow Shiroshi...
"I will surpass my father," Kakashi said.
Shiroshi looked at Kakashi with a tilt of his head.
"Is that so?"
Shiroshi nodded, understanding that Kakashi had made his choice.
He turned and left the area, leaving Kakashi alone there.
Moonlight enveloped Hokage Rock, and Kakashi gazed up.
"Father, I will surpass you with my own strength! And make the higher-ups pay a painful price!"
Perhaps this might be a wrong decision, and it might disappoint his deceased father, Sakumo.
But Kakashi had made his decision; this was the path he was going to walk, one entirely different from what his father, Sakumo, had envisioned.
The scene of his father, Sakumo, committing suicide with a tanto in the room.
The ignorant populace manipulated by the higher-ups.
The high-ranking individuals who enjoyed the fruits of their political struggles, never understanding the pain his father, Sakumo, faced before his suicide.
Just thinking about it made Kakashi's heart pound wildly.
His vivid motivation was named hatred.
(Chapter End)