Stepping into the Hatake Clan's house, Karot was deeply moved. Although the house was well-organized, it lacked a sense of warmth and felt desolate.
"Don't you feel lonely living alone in such a big house?"
I'm used to being alone.
"Why don't you get married? You may be a bit older, but at least you own a house."
"What did you say?"
Kakashi was caught off guard by Karot's change of topic.
"I think Tsunade-sama's assistant, Jing Yin quite nice. She's good-looking, has a good figure, and is a good person. Most importantly, she's unmarried."
Karot's analysis was so logical that he completely missed Kakashi's bewildered expression.
"How about I go and help you with the betrothal gifts? It's what I should do as an elder."
Karot said, taking full responsibility.
"No, please don't! I'm afraid Tsunade-sama will beat me to death."
Kakashi stopped Karot, who was trying to leave. This guy really does whatever comes to mind.
"Could you tell me about the stories from your timeline?"
Kakashi finally managed to stop Karot. Since they didn't know each other well, Kakashi tried to start a conversation with Karot, which was also a way of gathering information.
Karot didn't think much of it and started recounting his memories from the time he could remember. When he got to the Hatake Sakumo was framed, Kakashi clenched his fists, veins bulging on his hands. Then he went on to describe how Karot perfectly solved the problem. Karot sang his praises to the skies, portraying him as incredibly wise and powerful. Kakashi didn't believe a word he said; Karot was just too good at exaggerating.
Where will I sleep?
Karot had to work up a sweat before he finally managed to give a rough outline.
"The first room on the left on the second floor."
Okay, goodnight.
Karot went upstairs to rest, leaving Kakashi alone in the courtyard.
Kakashi arrived outside a room but didn't have the courage to open it. This was the house where Hatake Sakumo had committed suicide. Kakashi had never been here since Hatake Sakumo's death; tonight was the first time.
"Father, if Karot and I had made the same choice back then, would you be alive and well now?"
Kakashi braced his hand against the door, but ultimately couldn't open it.
"Well!"
Karot, who had been pretending to be asleep on the second floor, sighed softly, turned over, and fell asleep.
The next morning, Karot was already stretching his muscles in the yard.
His punches are swift as a rabbit, and his retractions are as still as a virgin; every move, Isshiki, is perfectly natural. He stands still, retracting his fist, and exhales deeply.
"This is the Turtle School you were talking about?"
Kakashi, who had arrived long ago, asked, "Karot's techniques are very direct and simple, but they always give people an inexplicable feeling. Those who imitate him live, those who learn from him die."
"Yes."
Karot picked up a towel and wiped his sweat.
"Please take me to pay respects to my father later! It just doesn't feel right to come all this way and not do so."
Karot also felt a bit weary. The Hatake Sakumo was still alive, but the one in this timeline was dead, and he, Hatake Karot, was Hatake Sakumo's son. In short, this feeling was hard to describe.
"Can."
"What does the father in this timeline like? I can't meet him empty-handed for the first time, can I?"
Kakashi ignored him and left, leaving only Karot shouting after Kakashi's retreating figure.
"Take me to breakfast first, Kakashi."
Karot and Kakashi stood Memorial Stone. Karot, following local custom, offered flowers.
"Kakashi, do you think he deserved to die like that?"
Karot looked at the Memorial Stone and said to Kakashi.
"This is my father's own choice, and I can't interfere."
"Is that so? But are you content with that? Are you content to let the enemy remain at large?"
Karot's barrage of questions left Kakashi speechless.
"I'll give you time to think it over. If you want to do it, just let me know, and I'll help you get rid of them all."
Karot stared directly into Kakashi's eyes and said. At that moment, Kakashi felt a pang of jealousy for the Kakashi of the other timeline; having an older brother wasn't so bad.
"I'm leaving now. Think it over carefully."
Karot waved his hand behind him as he walked away.
Kakashi crouched down and touched the Memorial Stone, saying...
"Father, what should I do?"
This question was directed at Hatake Sakumo, and also at himself.
"Come out, you've seen enough already."
As Karot finished speaking, the space in front of him suddenly spun, and a figure appeared.
"Who are you? Why are you with Kakashi?"
A masked man dressed in a long black robe adorned with blood-red clouds asked Karot.
"Shouldn't you introduce yourself before asking someone's name? Don't you have any manners?"
Karot isn't going to tolerate this guy who goes on business trips with such a pretentious attitude. He's almost as arrogant as me. I'm not going to give him a friendly look.
"Since you're unwilling to talk, then there's no need to talk."
The masked man attacked directly, thrusting a kunai at Karot. Karot dodged to the side and threw a punch. The opponent made no attempt to defend, and Karot's punch passed right through the enemy's body.
"Oh, no wonder they didn't dodge or evade; so that's their tactic."
The two sides clashed once again in a fierce battle of Taijutsu. The enemy was fighting with a death-defying mentality; as long as you couldn't hit me, I was invincible.
"Are you getting too cocky?"
Karot's speed has increased. As long as my attack speed is faster than your spatial power speed, you won't be able to dodge my attack. In the world of martial arts, speed is the only way to break through.
"Bang!"
The Masked Man, in disbelief, crashed into the tree. The entire tree collapsed with a crash, as if it had been snapped in two.
You've angered me.
The Masked Man stood up and raised his head. His Sharingan beneath the mask darted around rapidly, attempting to cast Genjutsu on Karot.
Karot appeared in a vast, white space that stretched as far as the eye could see.
"Feel the loneliness. To die alone in this place."
The Masked Man was going to teach Karot a lesson; he hadn't been injured in a long time. Today, he was beaten up by an unknown person. Although no one saw it, he couldn't fool himself; he had completely lost face.
Are you sure?
Karot's mocking voice rang out.
"Um?"
Before the Masked Man could react, Karot had already grabbed Masked Man by the neck.
"Do you think if I use a little more force, I might break your neck?"
What's going on?
This was the only question in the Masked Man's mind. It hadn't even lasted a second. Not only had his Genjutsu been broken, but someone had also grabbed him by the neck. Didn't the Dark Hand of the Ninja World have any dignity?
The Masked Man used his Space-Time Power to blur his neck and quickly flashed backward.
"Swish, swish, swish."
They quickly moved out of Karot's attack range.
"I was careless just now, that's why I fell for your trick. Now I'm going to get serious."
The Masked Man abandoned his initial contempt for Karot. This man had suddenly appeared and was incredibly strong. If he hadn't followed him out of curiosity, he wouldn't have known that Konoha had such a person. The Masked Man subconsciously categorized Karot as Konoha ninja.