A Man in Konoha: Starting by Slapping White Fang

Akimichi Choza spotted Jiraiya behind Gengetsu.

"Is that Lord Jiraiya behind Lord Gengetsu...? Why is he there?"

Yamanaka Inoichi stared in astonishment, his mouth hanging open.

"Even a mission White Fang failed was completed by him?"

"That can only mean that compared to White Fang, Black Blade is even stronger."

Nara Shikaku's gaze shifted back and forth between Hatake Sakumo ahead and the Hatake Brothers in the distance as he sighed.

"White Fang and Black Blade—the two brothers are both monster-class ninja... No, it should be Black Blade and White Fang, shouldn't it?!"

Seeing both sides cease fighting, Gengetsu and Jiraiya leaped down from the high rock and strolled into the center of the battlefield.

Every time Gengetsu took a step closer with Saimon's head in hand, every Sunagakure ninja's heart shuddered involuntarily.

"Seeing this, I doubt you have any desire to keep fighting."

Gengetsu tossed the bald head to Chiyo as though passing a ball.

Saimon's severed head was like a basin of icy water poured directly over Chiyo's head.

No matter how fiercely the flames of vengeance burned within her, they could no longer blaze.

They absolutely could not continue fighting!

Chiyo knew that clearly herself.

This was no longer something she, the head of the puppet division, could decide alone.

"Go back and prepare the Ceasefire Agreement."

Orochimaru stepped forward and delivered those final words with a cold sneer.

Then everyone from Leaf Village turned and withdrew to the camp.

As for Sunagakure, they stared at Saimon's head in Chiyo's hands for a long while.

Only then did they gradually recover and prepare to retreat to their own camp.

At the rear, within Konoha Camp.

"Jiraiya, I thought you'd died in the Land of Rain."

Facing her old friend for the first time in years, Tsunade still did not spare him a jab when she saw Jiraiya again.

"Haha, I've already trained those three children into quite outstanding ninja."

Jiraiya said cheerfully.

"During wartime, countless children die every day in places you cannot see. What you're doing is nothing but a waste of time."

Orochimaru also walked over, clearly disapproving of Jiraiya's actions.

The Three Ninja of Konoha reunited after three years.

Yet all three keenly sensed that the atmosphere between them had changed.

On the other side of the camp.

The Hatake Brothers, now known as Black Blade and White Fang, sat facing one another.

"I don't see Konohamaru. Did something happen, Gengetsu?"

Not seeing his former subordinate, Hatake Sakumo frowned and asked Gengetsu.

"Unfortunately, during the battle in Sunagakure, he was hit by Saimon's Sand Scatter Shot and had his movements sealed."

With one leg crossed over the other, Gengetsu slumped in the wooden chair and succinctly gave two words.

"Dead."

The Ino-Shika-Cho trio, who had just finished clearing the battlefield and happened to be passing by, heard those two words from Gengetsu.

Nara Shikaku halted and signaled for his two companions to stop as well.

"You didn't save him?"

Hatake Sakumo asked instinctively.

"What happened the last time you saved him?"

Gengetsu answered Hatake Sakumo's question with another question.

Hatake Sakumo was immediately rendered speechless.

"That was also young master Konohamaru's wish, wasn't it? Didn't he say it himself? A ninja who cannot complete a mission is trash."

Gengetsu took out a flask of rice wine he had picked up on the road back to camp from the Land of Wind. After taking several heavy swigs, he tossed it to Hatake Sakumo.

"Isn't this good? He didn't die as trash, but as a hero of Leaf Village. He'll be commemorated as a hero on the Memorial Stone. What an honor."

As he said that, Gengetsu nearly burst out laughing himself.

What honor could there be after death?

Minato Namikaze was honorable enough in the original story, wasn't he?

And how was his son treated?

Hatake Sakumo caught the wine flask Gengetsu had thrown him.

After a long silence, he took several fierce gulps as well.

Forget it. Perhaps... Gengetsu was right.

This idiot didn't actually believe me, did he?

Seeing not the slightest suspicion on his foolish older brother's face, Gengetsu could not help but think in amusement.

"D-Dead? Lord Hokage's eldest son..."

Hearing the Hatake Brothers' conversation, a bead of cold sweat rolled down Akimichi Choza's plump face.

He also referred to Sarutobi Shinnosuke as "Lord Hokage's son."

That alone was enough to show that, to him—or rather, to the great clans—Sarutobi Shinnosuke's identity was all that mattered, rather than his talent as a ninja.

Just as when Tobirama Senju was mentioned, people would call him the fastest ninja in the world, not the younger brother of the God of Shinobi.

The strength of an ordinary jonin was not mediocre, but there were plenty of candidates who could replace him.

During wartime, the death of a jonin at that level was nothing unusual.

But if that person was the Hokage's son—

Then the meaning was completely different.

"What a cycle of karma..."

Yamanaka Inoichi sighed.

"During the previous mission to assassinate the Second Kazekage, the older brother, Hatake Sakumo, saved Konohamaru and caused the mission to fail. He was then condemned as trash who caused the mission's failure."

"But this time, the younger brother, Hatake Gengetsu, chose to watch him die and successfully completed the mission. I wonder how Sarutobi Shinnosuke would feel if he knew in the afterlife..."

Perhaps because his ninjutsu was related to the mind, Yamanaka Inoichi was also rather sensitive by nature.

Hatake Sakumo was condemned for saving a comrade.

Hatake Gengetsu completed the mission by watching a comrade die.

He could not say which of the brothers' actions was right.

But one thing was certain.

Anyone could condemn Hatake Sakumo, except Sarutobi Shinnosuke.

The man saved you, and you turned around and accused him instead? What kind of sense did that make?

That was also why he disliked the man.

He was far too self-centered.

"Was he really killed by the Second Kazekage?"

Nara Shikaku, the brains of the trio, suddenly spoke.

"Hm?"

"Hm?"

Akimichi Choza and Yamanaka Inoichi turned toward Nara Shikaku in confusion.

Akimichi Choza, whose mind was not especially quick, frowned and asked.

"What do you mean by that, Shikaku?"

Yamanaka Inoichi reacted a step faster, guessing Nara Shikaku's thoughts. His expression turned terrified.

"Shikaku, don't tell me you suspect—"

"Shh!"

Nara Shikaku raised an index finger to his lips, signaling Yamanaka Inoichi to be quiet.

Yamanaka Inoichi barely regained his composure, though his voice still trembled as he turned toward Jiraiya, who was still speaking with Tsunade and Orochimaru.

"L-Lord Jiraiya... should know some of the inside story..."

"No."

Before his friend could finish, Nara Shikaku coldly interrupted him. His lips pressed tightly together.

"Many times, knowing less lets you live longer."

After saying that—

Nara Shikaku led the other two away without looking back.

As if they had never been there.

As for their earlier speculation, it would naturally rot in their stomachs forever.

That evening, at dinner time.

Orochimaru, as the overall commander of the front line, issued an order.

Any ninja who had been injured, or whose family had suffered casualties, could return to Leaf Village ahead of time.

Only a small number needed to remain behind to guard the border and negotiate with the Land of Wind.

In truth, Tsunade had long been desperate to leave this godforsaken place without needing Orochimaru to say it.

Although she had not returned to the battlefield since last year, her tremendous contributions during the earlier stages of the war—

Along with saving countless Leaf Ninja from the brink of death later on—

Made Tsunade unquestionably the foremost contributor to the Second Shinobi World War.

Honestly, if Tsunade had remained in Leaf Village when they elected the Fourth Hokage in the original story—

There would have been no place for Minato Namikaze.

"What? Dan Katō is dead?!"