Advice

After returning to Anbu and finishing the paperwork, Shiraishi Yoshijo was about to head home when Hatake Sakumo stopped him.

"Want to take a walk together?"

Shiraishi Yoshijo nodded.

The two of them walked out of Anbu side by side.

"What are you planning to do from now on?"

"I'll probably stay in the Medical Team."

"The Medical Team, huh? Your Medical Ninjutsu really is suited to that place, but you..."

Hatake Sakumo hesitated, as if there were something difficult to say.

Shiraishi Yoshijo was a little surprised. This wasn't like Hatake Sakumo.

"Captain, just say what's on your mind."

Hatake Sakumo sighed, his expression turning serious.

"I have a certain talent. I can see a person's potential."

Shiraishi Yoshijo's pupils contracted slightly, and his face took on his trademark fake smile.

"Captain, don't tell me you're about to say you've seen my potential?"

"No. I can't see through you. You're a very complicated person. I've only sensed a few things vaguely."

"Complicated? I think I'm pretty simple. What exactly do you mean, Captain?"

The alarm bells in Shiraishi Yoshijo's mind were ringing at full volume. He hadn't expected Hatake Sakumo to have this kind of talent.

Had he already sensed what he was thinking and reported it to the Third Hokage?

"I've looked into a few things about you over the past several years. Shi-Die is a prominent family in Konoha. Its members fought fearlessly in the First Shinobi World War, and the villagers have always admired them for it."

"As for your parents, to be honest, I don't understand politics very well, and I don't know whether the village did anything or not. I just feel..."

The smile gradually faded from Shiraishi Yoshijo's face.

He'd investigated this much already. It seemed Hatake Sakumo really had sensed something that could put him in a bad position.

"There's a darkness hidden deep in your heart. I've observed you at the academy, in the hospital, and in Anbu."

"You're humble and polite, and you know how to conduct yourself. Even I can only say that you truly live up to your distinguished background."

"It's just hard to imagine that someone like you doesn't have a single close friend in Konoha."

Shiraishi Yoshijo fell silent.

Friends? He really didn't have any.

Apart from the occasional encounter, he had little contact with his classmates from the academy.

People like Takemoto Anna and Kawadome didn't count as friends, either. There were too many interests involved.

"What does that prove? Not having friends doesn't mean there's darkness in my heart. You can't just say things like that, Captain."

Hatake Sakumo smiled wryly. "It doesn't prove anything, that's true. Don't worry, I haven't told anyone else."

Shiraishi Yoshijo didn't understand why Hatake Sakumo had pulled him aside to say all this.

"No one can live entirely alone. If someone like that really exists, then they're just some kind of monster wearing human skin."

"Take that as my advice. I don't want us to cross blades someday."

With that, Hatake Sakumo turned and left.

Shiraishi Yoshijo watched his back, his brows furrowing tightly.

When Hatake Sakumo was nearly out of sight, he called out, "Captain, I'll give you some advice, too. Your blade is too sharp. Be careful—a thing that's too hard is easily broken."

Hatake Sakumo waved over his shoulder and disappeared from view.

Shiraishi Yoshijo pressed his lips together, his expression shifting.

Hatake Sakumo, the White Fang of Konoha. What a remarkable man.

On the way home, Shiraishi Yoshijo kept turning Hatake Sakumo's words over in his mind.

No one could live entirely alone. If someone like that really existed, then they were just some kind of monster wearing human skin.

The words kept echoing in his mind.

Sometimes, he couldn't even figure out what he was anymore.

He had died, yet somehow been reborn in this world. Could he really still be considered human?

Everyone was born into this world for some reason, but what was the reason for his birth?

When all was said and done, did people really have to find a reason to keep living?

The more he thought about it, the less sense he could make of it. Gradually, he wandered into a dead end in his own thoughts.

Standing at his front door, he reached out to push it open. Then he thought better of it and turned away.

Shiraishi Yoshijo went to the Takemoto Clan compound.

He didn't see Takemoto Anna, but he found Takemoto Masamasa in the backyard.

The moment Takemoto Masamasa saw Shiraishi Yoshijo, his face darkened.

"Here to borrow money?"

Shiraishi Yoshijo was at a loss. Had he really become that sort of person in Takemoto Masamasa's eyes?

"I came to see Grandpa Shuichi. And, well, borrow some money while I'm at it."

Since he'd already lost his good name, Shiraishi Yoshijo decided he might as well go all in.

I'm Shiraishi Yoshijo. Pay up—and I'm absolutely not paying it back.

"Don't give him any!" Takemoto Shuichi's voice came from inside the room.

Shiraishi Yoshijo spread his hands. "Grandpa Shuichi, what's the matter now?"

When he entered the room, Shiraishi Yoshijo saw Takemoto Shuichi lying in bed.

"A meat bun thrown to a dog never comes back. Why should I lend you any more?"

Shiraishi Yoshijo said, "Then I won't pay back what I owe you already!"

"If you're short by even one tael, I'll break your legs!"

Shiraishi Yoshijo scratched his head. Yesterday, the old man had wanted to marry off his granddaughter to him. Today, he was acting like he'd never said a word.

"Tell me, what did you come here for?"

"The Third Hokage asked me to be a jonin instructor, but I turned him down. Starting tomorrow, I'll be the head of the Medical Team."

"Finished? Then get lost."

Shiraishi Yoshijo's temper flared. He held out a hand and waved it vigorously in front of Takemoto Shuichi's face.

"What are you doing?"

"You're not senile yet, are you? Don't you recognize me? Why the sudden change of heart?"

"You're planning to defect. What am I supposed to expect from you?"

So that was why. Shiraishi Yoshijo laughed awkwardly.

"Don't come here to borrow money again. I've also made arrangements for your family's business. You'll have to pay back at least twenty million ryō every year."

Shiraishi Yoshijo's face turned green. His family's business only brought in so much each year. After paying back twenty million, he'd be left with nothing but the wind to drink.

"Old man, you don't have to go this far, do you?"

"If I really wanted to go that far, you'd already be in prison."

"Fine, do whatever you want. There's something I'd like to ask you."

Shiraishi Yoshijo told Takemoto Shuichi about Hatake Sakumo.

After listening, Takemoto Shuichi sighed. "You came all this way because of that?"

"Yeah."

"You want to kill Hatake Sakumo?"

"Could I do it?"

"No."

Shiraishi Yoshijo clicked his tongue. "Is it really impossible to live alone?"

"How would I know?"

"Grandpa Shuichi, you're almost at the end of your life. Do you feel that you've been happy?"

"You little brat, don't push your luck!"

"Don't be so irritable. Life is beautiful. I think you could use a little refinement."

Takemoto Shuichi said nothing.

Takemoto Masamasa drove him out in a fury.

Standing in front of the Takemoto Clan's gate, Shiraishi Yoshijo scratched his head.

Once certain things came to light, this really was the result.

They used to treat him to the best food and drink. Now that he was no use to them, they were stripping him to the bone.

People... sincerity really was something he'd never have.

Speaking of which, should he go borrow some money from another shinobi clan?

He'd never pay it back anyway. Might as well borrow it.

Hmm, that sounded like a good idea.