Hokage Building.
Hokage Office.
A subordinate placed the Anbu autopsy report and scene records on the desk.
Sarutobi Hiruzen took them and scanned them at a glance.
The report was clear: wound angle, knife-grip marks, no traces of a third party at the scene. The conclusion was suicide.
Hiruzen gently set the report down.
Then he felt an inexplicable fear—a fear of the unknown.
He knew Hatake Sakumo.
He was someone who valued his comrades and responsibility above all else.
Even if the entire village condemned him, even if a mission failed, Sakumo would not easily choose suicide.
Especially when he still had a son only a few years old.
Hiruzen understood the thoughts of a father like that all too well.
So—
This was absolutely not a simple suicide.
That person must have acted.
Hiruzen slowly rose to his feet and walked to the window.
Looking at the sky outside, he suddenly dropped to his knees, pressed his palms together, and assumed a respectful, devout posture.
"My lord... Hiruzen understands."
"You personally dealt with Hatake Sakumo's matter."
"Hiruzen is grateful that you removed a hidden danger for the village."
He knelt for a long time. Only when his knees began to go numb did he slowly rise.
He sat back down and stored the report in the bottom drawer.
To the outside world, he issued only one instruction: "Close the case as suicide. Grant the family generous compensation."
"Hatake Sakumo... rest in peace."
"Sometimes, the course of history is not decided by people like us..."
Time flew by.
Another three years passed.
Konoha's new generation gradually grew up.
Nohara Rin sat by the window in her room, holding a slip of paper covered in writing.
Then she suddenly froze. The next second, a shocked expression appeared on Nohara