Uchiha Ling simply watched Hatake Sakumo calmly, letting the flames of his anger burn.
"Of course they dare." Ling's voice remained steady, carrying a cool detachment that saw through the ways of the world.
"Because in the game of power, tools like you, Senior, who rely purely on strength and conviction to survive, are often the easiest to sacrifice.
How much unknown darkness lies buried beneath Konoha's light? Senior White Fang, what you've seen is only the tip of the iceberg."
Uchiha Ling paused, then appealed to his feelings. "Senior, you may not care about your own life or reputation.
"But what about Kakashi? If you die now without anyone knowing the truth, branded with the shame of having 'killed yourself out of guilt'...
"How will Kakashi ever find his place in Konoha? He'll live forever in the shadow of you being called a 'coward' and might even be seen by those shadowy figures as a threat that needs to be 'eliminated.'
"Can you bear to let your genius son's life be ruined by your 'naive' convictions and your willingness to give up so easily?"
"Kakashi..." Sakumo murmured his son's name. The flames of anger in his eyes gradually gave way to a deeper sense of responsibility: that of a father.
I absolutely can't drag my son down with me!
At that moment, something inside Hatake Sakumo—the part that belonged to the "White Fang of the Leaf"—shattered completely.
Hatake Sakumo slowly raised his head. The anger and pain in his eyes had settled, becoming a bottomless, frigid pool. "Why... are you telling me all this?"
Uchiha Ling knew the crucial moment had come.
He rose to his feet, his gaze frank and forceful:
"Because I value your strength, Senior Sakumo.
"More than that, like you, I've seen the rot and