Third Hokage and Danzo

That night, the lights in the Hatake Household stayed on for a long time.

Sakumo sat in the Living Room, a cup of tea gone cold before him. Faintly, he could still hear Shin-chan's voice.

"Uncle, you saved your teammate and sacrificed the mission. Isn't that the Will of Fire?"

"Uncle, you've completed so many successful missions before. This one may have failed, but the number of your past successes must be much greater, right?"

Those words were like a small key, unlocking something inside him.

For days, accusations had rained down on him.

The Villagers' stares, his teammates' silence—even the people he had saved hadn't dared to step forward and say a word.

He had thought he was truly in the wrong.

He had thought he should atone with his life.

But that child had said:

You weren't wrong.

You saved someone.

Sakumo lowered his head and looked at his hands.

These hands had saved many people and killed many people. This time, he had chosen to save someone and abandon the mission.

Was that really wrong?

He remembered what the Third Hokage had once said.

"Protect the village, protect your comrades, protect the future."

He had protected his comrade.

He had only protected his comrade.

Sakumo drew a deep breath, then slowly let it out.

The moon rose outside, its cool light spilling in through the window.

Sakumo slowly stood and walked to the window. Looking at the moonlight outside, he spoke softly.

"Thank you, Shin-chan."

Early the next morning, at the Hokage Office.

The Third Hokage was reviewing documents. Hearing a knock, he paused and said, "Come in."

The door opened, and Sakumo walked in.

The Third Hokage saw him and paused in surprise.

Sakumo still looked somewhat tired, but his eyes had regained their usual calm.

"Lord Third." Sakumo walked up to him and bowed deeply.

The Third Hokage sighed softly. "You're here."

Sakumo took a scroll from inside his robe and offered it with both hands.

"This is my Letter of Apology."

The Third Hokage took it and opened it for a look.

It clearly described the mission, the reason for its failure, and all the responsibility Sakumo was willing to accept.

The Third Hokage frowned. "Sakumo, this..."

"And this."

Sakumo took out something else from inside his robe.

Half a Hokage Sleeve.

The Third Hokage had personally given it to him when he was young, after he had earned countless merits.

Sakumo placed the half-sleeve beside the Letter of Apology.

The Third Hokage's expression changed. "What are you doing?"

"I'm not worthy of it." Sakumo's voice was calm. "The mission failed and caused losses for the village. I can't shirk responsibility for that."

The Third Hokage looked at him, his gaze complicated. "No one truly blames you."

Sakumo gave a bitter smile.

"Lord Third, you don't have to comfort me."

"I'm not comforting you." The Third Hokage stood. "The mission and your comrades—that's always been an impossible choice. You chose to save your comrade. That wasn't wrong."

Sakumo shook his head. "But the mission failed."

"You can do another mission. Once someone is dead, they're gone."

Sakumo fell silent.

The Third Hokage sighed and reached for the half-sleeve. "You should take this back for now..."

"No need." Sakumo interrupted him. "Lord Third, I know what I'm doing."

The Third Hokage looked at him for a long time without speaking. At last, he nodded gently. "All right. I'll hold on to it for you, then."

Sakumo bowed and turned to leave.

"Sakumo." The Third Hokage called after him, his voice full of concern. "Are you... all right?"

A faint smile appeared on Sakumo's face. "I'm fine. I just encountered a light."

The Third Hokage stood by the window, watching him leave, his brow deeply furrowed.

Encountered a light?

What light?

Meanwhile, deep inside the Root base.

Danzo sat in a dim room, listening to his subordinate's report.

"Hatake Sakumo went to the Hokage Building this morning. He submitted a Letter of Apology on his own initiative, accepted responsibility for the failed mission, and returned the Hokage sleeve."

Danzo frowned. "That's all?"

"Yes. After leaving, he went straight home. Nothing unusual."

Danzo's fingers tapped against the desk unconsciously.

Given Hatake Sakumo's personality, after all those accusations and being abandoned by the very person he had saved, he should have fallen into deep self-doubt, perhaps even gone to extremes.

But now, he had recovered too quickly.

Abnormally quickly.

"What happened?" Danzo asked.

"A child visited his home yesterday evening."

"A child?"

"Yes." The Ninja took a sheet of paper from inside his robe. "We've looked into it."

Danzo took it and looked down.

A few lines were written on the paper.

Nohara Shin, five years old, first-year student at the Ninja Academy.

Father: Nohara Hiroshi (Chunin); mother: Nohara Miya (civilian).

In the same class as Kakashi Hatake.

Once studied Blade Techniques under Hatake Sakumo.

Third place in the third-year exam.

The Third Hokage once gave him the Shouye Bell, calling him "a good child who can inherit the Will of Fire."

Danzo's gaze lingered on the words "Shouye Bell."

That old Hiruzen had even given away the Shouye Bell.

He snorted and continued reading.

Yesterday evening, the child went home with Kakashi Hatake and spoke privately with Hatake Sakumo for about ten minutes. After he left, Hatake Sakumo's condition improved noticeably.

Danzo looked up, his eyes growing deep.

A five-year-old child had spoken privately with Hatake Sakumo for ten minutes, and then Sakumo had gotten better?

What had the child said?

Danzo thought for a moment, then asked, "Have we looked into that child's background?"

"We have," the Ninja said. "There's nothing suspicious about his background. He's just... a rather unusual child."

"Unusual?"

"Yes. Apparently, he's often late to class, hates eating green peppers, and likes flirting with pretty girls. But he's talented, and he's making rapid progress in Blade Techniques."

Danzo fell silent for a while. Then the corners of his mouth lifted slightly, forming a chilling smile.

"Interesting."

He set the paper on the desk, his fingers tapping lightly against the wood again.

A child who could change Hatake Sakumo.

If he could bring him into Root and train him well...

No, training wasn't even necessary.

As long as he could control the child, he could influence Hatake Sakumo through him.

Danzo had been watching Hatake Sakumo, this blade, for a long time. If he could gain indirect control of it, even if the odds were only one in ten thousand...

"Investigate," Danzo said. "Find out everything about this child: his habits, relationships, and weaknesses."

"Yes."

"And one more thing." Danzo paused. "Look into what exactly his relationship with Hatake Sakumo is, and why Sakumo was affected by him."

"Yes."

The Ninja withdrew.

Danzo sat beneath the dim light, looking at the name "Nohara Shin" on the paper.

"A good child who can inherit the Will of Fire..." he murmured. "Then let's see whether your will is strong enough."