Departure, Heading to the Land of Lightning!

Hearing Asuma's words revealing his true intentions, Hatake Sakumo suddenly raised his head and opened his mouth to try to stop him.

But before he could utter the first word, he met Asuma's eyes, which still burned with lingering anger.

His mouth opened, then slowly closed again.

Hatake Sakumo sighed deeply, a mixture of guilt and gratitude lingering in his eyes, and nodded emphatically to the junior who cared about him.

Asuma removed his hand from Hatake Sakumo's shoulder, then turned around, his back to him.

His voice still carried lingering anger, but beneath that anger lay a tenderness honed by time and separation.

"Kou once told me that easily giving up one's life is a choice only cowards who like to avoid problems would make."

"In the world of ninjas, those who abandon missions are called trash; those who abandon their comrades are even less than trash; and those who easily give up their lives..."

Asuma turned his head, looked at Hatake Sakumo standing there in a daze, and said solemnly:

"He's the worst kind of person—irresponsible to himself and to those who value him!"

... At least a good-for-nothing can go back to the people who care about him!

Sakumo Hatake listened to these words in a daze.

In the depths of those weathered eyes, something seemed to be silently shattering, while something else was growing back from those cracks.

Asuma turned his gaze away from Hatake Sakumo's face and said seriously:

"If you really care about Kakashi, then cherish your own life and don't make such irresponsible decisions again."

Your life is far more important than you think...

After saying this, Asuma didn't turn around and strode towards the door.

His figure gradually transformed into a resolute silhouette in the white, snowy light at the doorway, before disappearing outside.

The blacksmith shop fell silent.

Only Hatake Sakumo remained by the fireplace.

He lowered his head, and the samurai sword on the anvil, which had not yet completely cooled, still glowed with a dark red warmth, casting flickering light and shadow on his downcast profile.

Images from long ago involuntarily surfaced in his mind.

That was many years ago in Konoha, a dark time when he was criticized by many in the village, and his former comrades, whom he had once protected, spoke ill of him behind his back, saying he was unworthy to be a ninja...

During that dark period, apart from Kakashi, almost no one in the village stood by him.

Just as he was beginning to contemplate leaving this world, the figure of a black-haired child burst into his gloomy realm...

Why are you sad because of what those guys said?

"Do you care about their opinions? More Kakashi cares about yours?"

"Although I'm just a child and don't understand any grand principles, there's one thing I do know."

"... Compared to the opinions of strangers, the opinions of family members are definitely more important, aren't they?"

"Kakashi cares about you a million times more than those... uh, villagers of Konoha!"

"You say people need a reason to live? Well, if you're living for someone..."

Why live for those who don't understand anything?

Why can't you live for yourself, or for the people who cherish you?

The child's voice from many years ago kept echoing in his mind in this small blacksmith shop.

Accompanied by the crackling sound of the fireplace in reality, it's as if it has never left...

After a long while, Hatake Sakumo slowly opened his eyes.

Those weathered eyes no longer held the dejection and guilt of before, only a clarity that seemed to have finally settled after being repeatedly tempered by time.

"I'm really... immature."

He shook his head with a wry smile and murmured to himself:

Even after all these years, I still don't have the courage to let go of everything and face my true feelings.

"I know perfectly well... I've been running away all these years."

Hatake Sakumo raised his eyes and looked at the silver samurai sword on the chopping block.

His face was reflected on the blade, a face that bore many more wrinkles and looked significantly older than when he left Konoha.

But at this moment, the things in those eyes seemed to finally begin to change.

"But now... I will no longer run away."

Hatake Sakumo picked up the newly forged katana from the platform and carefully inserted it into the scabbard at his waist.

"Snap!"

The scabbard and blade made a very faint friction sound as they rubbed together, like a response that had been long overdue.

He fastened the knife belt, then turned around and took a step forward without hesitation.

"Although it's a bit too late, from now on, I... want to live my life according to my own wishes!"

"Rescue the blacksmith, settle the past grievances, find that boy, help him overcome his difficulties... and repay the boy's kindness!"

Hatake Sakumo murmured firmly in a low voice, the image of the silver-haired figure wearing a mask involuntarily appearing in his mind.

A gentle smile involuntarily crept onto his lips.

"This is probably what Kakashi would want to see too."

Outside the door, Asuma was leaning against the stone wall, his arms naturally crossed over his chest.

The drifting snowflakes fell from the sky, landing on his shoulders and his messy black hair, accumulating a thin layer of white.

He seemed completely oblivious to the chill, simply staring blankly in the direction of the Land of Lightning.

Asuma's eyes were filled with deep thoughts.

"Sasori of the Red Sands..."

He silently repeated the name in his heart, a chilling killing intent surging within him.

Although it was thanks to that guy that they were able to find out Kou's exact whereabouts...

But the man's act of using Kou's information as bait has undoubtedly threatened Kou's safety!

Thinking of this, Asuma clenched his fists involuntarily:

"Even if we fail to bring Kou back this time, we must eliminate this threat to Kou's safety!!"

As he was lost in his thoughts, he suddenly heard footsteps behind him.

The footsteps were steady and powerful, making a soft rustling sound as they stepped on the snow.

As if realizing something, Asuma suddenly turned around.

What came into view was a figure dressed in dark combat uniform with a samurai sword hanging at his waist.

His signature long, silver-white hair was neatly tied back, revealing sharp and defined brow bone lines.

Fine wrinkles had appeared at the corners of his eyes, but the light in those eyes was clearer and sharper than Asuma had ever seen.

Hatake Sakumo stood in the heavy snow, his left hand hanging naturally at his side, his right hand resting on the hilt of his sword, his gaze solemn as he looked at Asuma before him.

Compared to a ninja, Hatake Sakumo in front of him is clearly more like a true samurai!

Asuma stared at the katana at Hatake Sakumo's waist, feeling the sharp aura emanating from him that was completely different from what he had seen in the blacksmith shop, and was momentarily stunned.

He looked at the face that still bore the lingering anger, and slowly a relieved, somewhat happy smile spread across his face.

Looking at the junior who was more than half a head taller than him and had been waiting for him in the heavy snow for a long time, Hatake Sakumo said earnestly:

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Asuma."

Asuma released his arms from his chest and stood up straight.

Snowflakes continued to fall, landing on the patch of snow between the two, tinged gray-blue by the twilight.

He nodded heavily to Hatake Sakumo, a smile still lingering on his lips, but his eyes had become incredibly solemn.

Hatake Sakumo gave him a faint smile, then looked solemnly towards the Land of Lightning and said in a deep voice:

"Let's set off... to the Land of Lightning!"

(Last night's version, not very satisfactory, so I made some changes)