Fictional Truth and Fictional Lies

The masked ninja said nothing, only letting an odd smile creep across his lips. His ploy had been exposed, yet he showed no strong reaction.

Instead, he seemed somewhat dazed, as if he had come here solely to die.

Die?

Hatake Sakumo's expression tightened. Long years of fighting on the battlefield had made his instincts and senses extraordinarily sharp. He heard the faint sound of something burning.

The ninja before him hadn't formed any Hand Seals, yet there was a sound like burning paper. Hatake Sakumo instantly realized what it was.

Explosive Tags!

That dense, crisscrossing sound!

Boom!

The blast and flames swallowed the masked ninja in an instant, then spread outward.

The scorching flames and powerful shock wave, accompanied by a blinding flash, instantly shattered the wooden cabin. The deafening roar rang out across the quiet border region.

In the blink of an eye, the edge of the cabin's ruins was crowded with countless ninja.

The churning crimson flames and smoke slowly dispersed in the breeze, revealing Susanoo standing amid the fire.

The small Susanoo quickly faded, revealing the two people it had protected.

The heat and shock wave had devastated the surroundings. All that remained where the masked ninja had stood was a massive crater.

The earth, once a dull brown, had been scorched black by the flames.

Here and there, something could be seen [bumping] in the smooth depression. Wisps of blue smoke slowly rose from the charred objects, making the scene look rather eerie.

"He was blown to bits. Even his Forehead Protector was reduced to scraps. His head was blasted apart, and who knows where his skull went. There's nothing left on his body that could serve as identification."

Uchiha Yuji carefully surveyed the area.

But how could someone blown to smithereens leave behind any evidence?

As the special toxin slowly spread through the flames, the Mangekyo in Uchiha Yuji's eyes quietly opened.

The chaotic gate sucked in all the poisonous gas, then flung it into a corner of space, where it slowly dissipated.

"A suicide attack. Sarutobi Hiruzen really is a fine Hokage."

Hatake Sakumo's hands were clenched so tightly that the veins stood out, his knuckles and fingers turning white.

Most of Root's ninja had abandoned their identities and given everything for Konoha, all for the sake of a simple slogan.

Even after being brainwashed, their way of thinking was somewhat different from that of ordinary people, and many of them were outright fanatics. But Hatake Sakumo still considered them comrades, fellow villagers from the same village.

After Danzo's death, a group of Root ninja loyal to him had slit their own throats. Some of the others had been plotting revenge, while most had been taken over by Sarutobi Hiruzen.

However naive Hatake Sakumo might be, he would never believe Sarutobi Hiruzen had nothing to do with this.

He was a ninja who would decisively choose his comrades over a mission. Faced with this bloody reality, his anger surged uncontrollably.

"We're not waiting any longer. Yuji, let's head straight for Konoha."

Hatake Sakumo's bearing was completely different from usual. His face was stern, and his eyes blazed with fire—the look he wore when facing a battlefield, when facing an enemy.

"Okay."

At a time like this, no words mattered more than support.

Hatake Sakumo returned to his camp, strapped on the White Fang, and slowly walked out of his tent.

The warm sunlight seemed cold against his white hair and resolute gaze.

"Let's go."

Hatake Sakumo strode forward with determination. He hadn't gone far before he ran into the Uchiha clan members coming toward him.

Uchiha Yuji casually gave his orders. "Toshihiko, stay here with the clan members and guard against another attack."

"For the Uchiha Clan's glory, keep yourselves alive and protect our subordinates."

"Yes!"

At the mention of glory, Uchiha Toshihiko and the others immediately perked up.

Hatake Sakumo said nothing, his expression as steady as ever. But as soon as he started forward, he shot ahead like an arrow loosed from a bow, leaving a faint afterimage as arcs of lightning flickered around him.

He was no longer sparing his chakra or stamina. Hatake Sakumo intended to return to Konoha as quickly as possible.

But no matter how fast he ran, he couldn't match a Ninja Hawk in flight. A hawk could soar without stopping, while Hatake Sakumo needed to rest.

When Hatake Sakumo reached the Konoha Gate, he could already tell something was wrong.

The ninja guarding the gate looked at Hatake Sakumo with complicated expressions. Some wanted to speak to him, only to be held back by their companions.

After he entered Konoha, everyone who saw Hatake Sakumo whispered among themselves.

"What happened, Shimono?"

Halfway there, Hatake Sakumo finally ran into a familiar comrade and hurriedly asked him.

Many people knew Hatake Sakumo well, but sometimes the greater situation forced people to do things they didn't want to do.

The ninja Hatake Sakumo had stopped let out a long sigh. "Sakumo, rumors about you are everywhere in the village."

"They say you ignored the bigger picture and recklessly crossed into the Land of Earth, causing support personnel to die; that you slaughtered civilians; that you disobeyed orders and returned to Konoha, leading to heavy losses when the Land of Earth's defenses were attacked."

"Take care of yourself." Shimono seemed about to offer more words of advice, but in the end, he only stepped away from Hatake Sakumo under the villagers' watchful eyes.

Was the one who attacked them the Third Raikage or something?

Who could cause heavy losses while surrounded by dozens of elite Three-Tomoe ninja?

The Raikage's fabricated report had been outrageous enough, but the Third had somehow outdone him. His lies had even eclipsed the Uchiha's news.

Hatake Sakumo grew increasingly silent as he headed straight for the Hokage Building.

With every step, his presence grew more imposing.

For reasons unknown, the Hokage's office was packed with Konoha's mainstays.

Just as Hatake Sakumo was about to speak with the White Fang, Uchiha Yuji, who had been behind him the whole time, stepped in front of him instead.

"Everyone knows about the bad blood between us. There's no point hiding it, so I'll speak plainly."

"Third, you believe you're right, and I believe I've done nothing wrong. Neither of us can convince the other, and neither of us will accept the other's position."

"Then let's settle this the way our predecessors did."

"You're the Hokage, and I'm the head of the Uchiha Clan. Even our positions match those of our predecessors."

Uchiha Yuji pressed his index and middle fingers together and pointed them toward the sky, staring straight at Sarutobi Hiruzen.

This was the Seal of Reconciliation.