Rumors

While Hatake Sakumo was still struggling on his way to Konoha, a message had already spread through Sunagakure to the high-ranking officials of all the major ninja villages and the nobles of the Land of Rivers.

Konoha dispatched White Fang to indiscriminately slaughter high-ranking nobles of the Land of Rivers.

The Ninja World was in an uproar. Some were indifferent, like those from Mist Village; some vehemently condemned it, like those from Iwagakure; and some were filled with fear, like the nobles of the Land of Rivers.

At this point, Konoha also began to speak out, revealing the whole story in one go, condemning the Land of Rivers for its betrayal and accusing the Sunagakure of wantonly interfering in the internal affairs of a small country.

In short, it's all about mutual accusations and insults. After all, who hasn't done some dirty deeds? Everyone has their share of messes, so no one can claim to be clean.

Just as the Konoha leadership was scrambling to deal with the public opinion in the Ninja World, Hatake Sakumo and his teammate Yusuke finally returned to Konoha.

After taking his teammates to Konoha Hospital, Hatake Sakumo immediately went to the Hokage's Office to report on the mission.

When Hiruzen Sarutobi heard that Sakumo had abandoned the mission to save his seriously injured teammates, he couldn't help but frown slightly.

They were relieved to hear that they had encountered Taiichi on his way back from the mission, and that with his help they had healed their teammates, giving them another chance to complete the mission.

After the report concluded, Hiruzen Sarutobi, as usual, offered a few words of encouragement to Sakumo before dismissing him.

In the empty office, only Hiruzen Sarutobi. He leisurely lit his pipe, took a deep drag, and the aroma of tobacco, along with its spiciness, filled his lungs. After a breath, wisps of smoke swirled around him, and he sighed, a mixture of satisfaction and regret in his voice.

Looking at the scroll on the table that recorded the mission reports, and thinking about the headaches he had been dealing with the attacks from other countries these past few days, Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression was uncertain.

But when he recalled the information Taiichi had sent back earlier—that the Daimyo was inquiring about who in Konoha was most likely to succeed the Fourth Hokage —he finally made up his mind.

"Go and summon the three Advisor: Shimura Danzō, Utatane Koharu, Mitokado Homura!"

"Yes!" A voice rang out from the shadows of the office, then fell silent again.

In less than half an hour, the highest-ranking officials of Konoha arrived at the Hokage's Office one after another. Once everyone was there, Hiruzen Sarutobi handed Hatake Sakumo's mission report directly to Utatane Koharu, who was standing closest to him, and gestured for her to read the report first.

The office fell silent again, save for the sounds of Hiruzen Sarutobi Hiruzen Sarutobi and Utatane Koharu flipping through scrolls.

A moment later, the scroll was passed from Utatane Koharu to Mitokado Homura, and finally to Shimura Danzō.

After everyone had finished reading the mission report, Hiruzen Sarutobi asked casually, "What do you think?"

Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura exchanged bewildered glances, clearly not understanding what Hiruzen Sarutobi was trying to say. In their view, although the mission report had its flaws, it had at least been completed, and there was nothing particularly to criticize.

Danzo, as expected of the person who understands Hiruzen Sarutobi the most, grasped his meaning in just a moment's thought. He wanted to have his cake and eat it too!

However, considering Hatake Sakumo's current reputation in Konoha, and the fact that everyone knows him as "White Fang of Konoha," it would be in his own best interest to suppress him, so he no longer hesitated.

I believe this trend should not be allowed to continue!

All eyes turned to Danzo, while Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura's expressions revealed confusion.

"What is a ninja? Completing the mission is a ninja's primary goal. Once you accept a mission, you are prepared to sacrifice yourself for it. How can you abandon the mission just because your comrade is seriously injured!"

Danzo spoke passionately about his views, and anyone who didn't know better would think he was the seriously injured ninja trying to persuade his comrades not to abandon the mission.

Utatane Koharu wanted to say something upon hearing this, but ultimately remained silent. As a high-ranking official in Konoha, Danzo's logic was not wrong: if you're not prepared to die, what kind of ninja are you?

As for Hatake Sakumo's actions, although they are not commendable, the good thing is that he did complete his mission in the end and did not cause irreparable damage to the village.

Utatane Koharu's plan seemed reasonable, but Danzo's next words showed her what sophistry and the meaning of "if you want to find fault, you can always find a reason."

"It was precisely because he abandoned the mission the first time that the Land of Rivers had the opportunity to spread the news of the assassination to everyone. He should have killed all the witnesses on the spot, so that Konoha wouldn't be the target of everyone's hatred now."

Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura stared at Danzo in disbelief, and even Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at him with surprise. Good heavens, there's actually such an explanation.

So you think the people of the Land of Rivers are all idiots? So many Daimyo who are close to the daimyo were killed, and people don't suspect that it was Konoha that did it. You even killed the witnesses. Do you think Chiyo and that group of Sunagakure Jonin are made of clay?

But often, politics doesn't care about logic or right and wrong. As long as there's a plausible reason, no matter how absurd it may be, someone will still carry it out.

When Hiruzen Sarutobi heard Danzo's words, he understood that Danzo knew his intentions. The next steps were tacitly agreed upon: he, as Hokage, needed to maintain his glorious image, and as for the rest, he could only let Root play its role.

"Danzo, you can't say that. The Will of Fire teaches us to unite with our comrades, and it's only right to help them when they're in danger." Hiruzen Sarutobi a long lecture, then changed the subject, "But Sakumo voluntarily abandoned the mission, which was indeed wrong. Let's give him a reprimand!"

Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura thought about it and agreed that there was no problem. Abandoning the mission was indeed not something to be encouraged, and the punishment of a public reprimand was not too severe, so they both agreed.

However, none of them, not even Hiruzen Sarutobi, expected that Hatake Sakumo was an absolutely orthodox inheritor of the Will of Fire. Loving his comrades, caring for the weak, and burning himself to illuminate others—this was the philosophy he truly upheld.

When the ideals he upheld throughout his life were rejected by the village, misunderstood by his son, insulted by the companions he saved, and criticized by the villagers, his life lost its color, and Suicide became the most powerful form of resistance he could muster.

Fortunately, Taiichi intervened in this timeline, but it remains to be seen whether his actions can save Hatake Sakumo from his ultimate fate.

Soon after, a notice was issued by the Village Higher-Ups, criticizing Hatake Sakumo for causing significant damage to the village due to his poor performance in carrying out his mission.

Without any specific reason, just a vague report stating that the mission was not carried out properly, without specifying the extent of the losses, only that they were significant, was issued.

At first, no one paid much attention. Mission failure? It's not like everyone has failed a mission before. Besides, it was just a setback, not a complete failure. It was only because this person was White Fang of Konoha that people were surprised. So even the White Fang Senior could fail a mission.

And then, that was it.

But the good times didn't last long, and soon various versions of rumors spread throughout the streets and alleys of Konoha.

The speed of its spread and the breadth of its impact make it clear to anyone with discerning eyes that someone must be behind it all.

"What?! Hatake Sakumo abandoned the mission for his comrades?" That's serious, though.

"What? Hatake Sakumo's mission failed, resulting in the mass killing of border ninjas?" That's complete fabrication.

"What? Hatake Sakumo's mission went poorly, causing a sharp decrease in Konoha's mission load?" That still makes some sense.

Gradually, the various rumors converged into a unified narrative: Hatake Sakumo shouldn't have abandoned such an important mission for the sake of his comrades.

Just as rumors were flying, Team 8 finally completed their escort mission and returned to Konoha.

Not long after entering the village, Taiichi keenly sensed that something was amiss in the atmosphere around him. Perhaps he had already anticipated this, Taiichi decisively unleashed his senses.

A cacophony of voices flooded his mind, among which the jarring rumors stood out most. Taiichi sighed deeply; things were heading in the worst possible direction.

Captain Yamaguchi noticed Taiichi's unusual behavior and asked, "Taiichi, is something wrong?"

Yohei and Saori also turned to look over; clearly, the commotion caused by Taiichi activating his senses had alerted them.

"Captain, I've heard some rumors about Senior Sakumo." With that, Taiichi explained the rumors he had heard to the three of them in detail.

Yohei was furious and immediately roared that he wanted to settle accounts with those who were gossiping.

Saori was also furious, her face flushed red.

They were also somewhat involved in this matter. Senior Sakumo was able to complete his mission despite being hunted down by Sunagakure, so he should not be slandered like this.

Besides, isn't cherishing one's comrades precisely what the Will of Fire teaches and advocates?

Captain Yamaguchi, on the other hand, was much calmer. Although he also saw through the trickery in the matter, the mature man did not offer any opinion.

After the four finished handing over their mission, they dispersed and went home. During this time, Yohei kept complaining until Captain Yamaguchi punched him on the head, which stopped him from grumbling.

This time, however, Taiichi did not go straight home. Instead, he turned in a different direction at the street corner and headed straight for the Hatake Residence.

After knocking three times on the door, Taiichi stood in front of it and waited.

Soon after, footsteps were heard inside the house, and then the door was opened.

"Oh, it's Taiichi. You're the first guest to visit my house these days!" Hatake Sakumo said with a self-deprecating laugh. "Come in!"

Taiichi followed him into the house. The Sakumo family home was still as simple and plain as before, without any special decorations, but the training equipment was very complete.

After the two sat down, Taiichi took the initiative to ask, "Senior Sakumo, I just returned to the village today, why are there so many rumors about you in the village?"

A hint of sadness flashed in Hatake Sakumo's eyes, but he still smiled indifferently, as if the rumors had nothing to do with him. "They're just rumors spread by irrelevant people. Just ignore them."

Taiichi stared intently at Hatake Sakumo's expression. The hint of sadness did not escape his eyes, but the indifferent attitude did not seem like he was joking. So he continued to probe.

"That report from the village was really something. It didn't explain anything clearly. They clearly completed the task and even caused significant losses, yet the villagers were just making things up."

As expected, Hatake Sakumo's face darkened even more. Taiichi finally understood that Sakumo didn't really care about those rumors; what he cared about was the opinion of those he cared about.

For example, in the village, the notice essentially negated his actions, making him realize that the Village Higher-Ups' ideas were completely different from his.

All that remained for him were his son and his companions.

Having figured all this out, Taiichi stopped worrying about the rumors circulating in the village. He had a good chat with Hatake Sakumo about their respective mission experiences and even laughed at the rumors spreading in the village with great interest.

Finally, Taiichi, under the guise of seeking guidance, had a proper swordsmanship exchange with Hatake Sakumo.

A flurry of sword strikes ensued, with Taiichi using every trick in the book, Hatake Sakumo also responded with equal seriousness.

Taiichi's swordsmanship at this point could be considered quite advanced, but Hatake Sakumo's swordsmanship already showed signs of mastery.

The two sparred for a while, and then Sakumo a thorough coaching session. It wasn't until almost half an hour later that they finally stopped.

By this time, Taiichi was drenched in sweat, his hands supporting his knees as he panted heavily. Hatake Sakumo was in no better shape; under his dedicated guidance, he had expended just as much energy as Taiichi.

After a long while, Taiichi tried to calm his breathing, straightened up, and solemnly bowed to Hatake Sakumo, saying, "Thank you for your guidance, Sakumo Senior. Today's battle has shown me the direction to move forward."

[Combat Tutorial, your Advanced Swordsmanship experience +500]

Hatake Sakumo accepted Taiichi's bow with composure, then helped Taiichi up, praising him with a broad smile, "Your swordsmanship is already quite accomplished, among your peers, no, even among those a generation older than you, it's second to none. Given time, your swordsmanship will surely surpass mine."

Taiichi was delighted, but he still humbly declined. This was also the reason why Taiichi went to great lengths to help Hatake Sakumo. He was Taiichi upright and generous person who never hesitated to help his juniors.

Looking at the sky outside, Taiichi bid farewell and went home. Hatake Sakumo himself was fine; the remaining major issues were Kakashi and Yusuke.

Before parting, Taiichi couldn't help but remind him, "Sakumo- Senior, you may not care about those rumors, but Kakashi doesn't have your magnanimity. Please be mindful of his emotions."

This is also an effort made by Taiichi. Fathers and sons like Hatake Sakumo and Kakashi, who are both ninjas, often don't see each other for several days or even a month. The lack of communication between father and son often leads to many unnecessary misunderstandings.

At the same time, Kakashi entered in a very bad mood.

Shortly after returning from his mission a few days ago, he discovered that the streets were filled with messages about his father.

At first, he didn't believe it either, but after making inquiries from various sources and combining the information with the village's announcement, he finally understood the general situation.

However, he was also conflicted about the mission and his companions. He had originally firmly believed that the mission was paramount, but Taiichi's question had made him hesitate.

Kakashi himself couldn't figure out whether the mission or his comrades were more important. If Taiichi knew what Kakashi was thinking, he would definitely say, "Analyze each situation specifically. There's no standard answer to this kind of thing."

On his way home, Kakashi discovers three more people talking incessantly about his father, a ninja, using vulgar language as if his father had committed some heinous crime.

Kakashi finally lost his temper and started fighting the gossiping ninjas.

Fortunately, they all remained rational and did not use weapons or Ninjutsu, otherwise the matter would have escalated significantly.

Even so, Kakashi, fighting three opponents, including two Chunin, was gradually overwhelmed and forced into a disadvantageous position.

Seeing that they had gained the upper hand, the other party started talking nonsense again. "Oh, isn't this the genius Kakashi? Why are you standing up for your father?"

"That's right, his father is the White Fang of Konoha? He's just a spineless coward who abandoned his mission!"

The group's words became increasingly offensive, but Kakashi, outnumbered, could not afford to be distracted and could only silently endure their foul language.

Seeing that defeat was imminent, Kakashi was not only about to suffer a mental blow, but also a physical one, when two angry roars rang out.

"Damn it, what kind of skill is it to gang up on the few? If you've got the guts, come and fight me one-on-one! Kakashi, you idiot, hold on, I'm coming!"

"The passion of youth is burning bright! Kakashi, don't be afraid, I'm here to support you!"

Without hesitation, two figures, one in black and one in green, suddenly appeared from the side and blocked the two figures one by one.

"Kai! Obito!" Kakashi stared blankly at the two charging at him, his heart filled with mixed emotions, until he was punched in the chest, at which point he rejoined the battle.