Rumors Abound

When Homura Mitokado came to the Hokage's office to deliver documents, Hiruzen Sarutobi was standing before the window, staring blankly at the curtain of rain. Homura Mitokado set the documents on the desk. Hiruzen Sarutobi did not move. After waiting a while, Homura Mitokado coughed.

"Hi Ruzen."

Hiruzen Sarutobi turned around. Several newly delivered monthly mission summary reports were piled on the desk. The cover of the top one had been soaked at one corner by tea, its ink bleeding into a small blur.

"Have you looked over this month's mission volume?" Homura Mitokado asked.

Hiruzen Sarutobi returned to the desk and sat down. He picked up the report and flipped through it. He had reviewed the figures long ago. The number of A-rank missions had fallen by nearly forty percent compared to last month, B-rank missions had dropped by nearly thirty percent, while C-rank and lower missions had barely changed.

"Did you investigate the reason?"

"I did." Homura Mitokado sat across from him. "The replies from every party that regularly issued high-value missions were almost identical."

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at him.

"They said that because Hatake Sakumo failed his last mission, they no longer had confidence in Konoha's combat strength. Some even said outright that if even the White Fang of the Leaf could not be relied upon, they did not dare entrust important missions to Konoha."

"The Land of Snow was originally going to commission an S-rank mission this month, to escort their diplomatic delegation to the Land of Lightning for negotiations." Homura Mitokado sighed. "The commission letter had already been drafted, but they withdrew it at the last minute. Their foreign minister wrote in a letter to the daimyo's residence: 'If even the White Fang of the Leaf cannot guarantee a mission's success, how can I trust Konoha to protect our delegation?'"

"What else?"

"The Land of Rivers' cargo transport commissions used to provide five or six A-rank escort missions every month. This month, only one came through. Their transport association sent Konoha an official letter. The wording was very polite, but the meaning was clear: until Konoha's high-end combat strength has been reconfirmed as reliable, they will transfer most high-value commissions to Hidden Sand Village."

Hiruzen Sarutobi closed the report and placed it on the desk.

"Hidden Sand Village?"

"Yes. And according to intelligence from our informants, Hidden Sand Village received considerably more commissions of A-rank and above this month than last month." Homura Mitokado paused. "Hidden Stone Village's numbers have risen as well."

Hiruzen Sarutobi leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.

A few days later, Hiruzen Sarutobi personally summoned several representatives of clients who had long issued high-value missions to Konoha. Three came. The oldest was named Shijuro, chairman of the Land of Fire Commerce and Industry Federation. He was in his sixties, with graying hair, fine clothes, and two jade rings on his fingers. The other two were younger: one represented the Land of Rivers Transport Association, while the other was the steward of a certain daimyo from the Land of Tea.

Hiruzen Sarutobi personally poured tea for them.

"You are all old friends of Konoha." Hiruzen Sarutobi pushed a teacup before each of them. "In this postwar reconstruction period, Konoha needs your support."

Shijuro lifted his teacup, took a sip, and set it down. His movements were slow as he considered how to begin.

"Third Hokage, we have never doubted Konoha's strength, but..." Shijuro traced a circle over the tabletop with his finger. "We are businessmen. We cannot afford to gamble. On that last mission, Konoha sent the White Fang, yet because of his choice, the mission failed. Now no one can guarantee that Konoha's other shinobi will prioritize completing the mission."

He glanced at Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"If even the White Fang of the Leaf cannot be relied upon, who in Konoha can?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi did not argue.

"So your reduced commissions are because of Hatake Sakumo's failure in one mission?"

Shijuro exchanged glances with the other two.

"Third Hokage, it is not just one man's problem." Shijuro lowered his voice. "Everyone knows that the White Fang is Konoha's sharpest blade. If that blade could not complete its commission on the battlefield, then Konoha's current combat strength... may not be as strong as you have shown us."

"Konoha's combat strength does not consist of Hatake Sakumo alone."

"We know that, but outsiders do not. They only recognize names. The White Fang's name carries more weight than anyone else's in the Land of Fire, the Land of Iron, the Land of Rivers, and the Land of Tea."

"Third Hokage, it is not that we do not want to give Konoha missions. We simply cannot. Those great nobles keep their purses tightly shut. Once Konoha fights a few more impressive battles, their purses will naturally open again."

After the three left, Hiruzen Sarutobi remained seated in the reception room without moving. The tea in his cup had gone cold. He raised his hand, picked up his pipe, and lit it. The scent of burning tobacco spread through the room.

Konoha's rumors had not suddenly begun on any particular day.

They first appeared in the mission hall. Chunin gathered to smoke while waiting for mission assignments. Someone brought up Hatake Sakumo's last mission, saying that since the deployment map of Hidden Stone Village's eastern front had not been retrieved, Konoha would suffer badly in the border situation. The speaker was a chunin, but no one knew where he got the information. Those listening nodded and murmured in agreement. No one dared press further.

Then came the taverns. A few genin drank, their voices growing louder. They said Hatake Sakumo had given up an opportunity to save many people in order to save one person. They said perhaps such a hero ought to be reevaluated.

Then came the training grounds. Two jonin chatted during a break in their sparring, saying they had heard someone among the advisory council had proposed reviewing Hatake Sakumo's qualifications for the Hokage Half-Sleeve. No one knew where that news had come from, but if jonin were saying it, then at least it could not be baseless.

Hiruzen Sarutobi ordered the ANBU to investigate the source of the rumors, but they found nothing.

"The ANBU cannot find it?" Hiruzen Sarutobi asked.

"They cannot."

"Every time we are about to reach the source, the trail goes cold. The other side covered their tracks very cleanly."

Hiruzen Sarutobi sat in his office until late into the night. The tobacco in his pipe was replenished and extinguished, extinguished and replenished.

The Hatake Clan's courtyard looked especially desolate beneath the washing drizzle.

Sakumo stood in the center of the courtyard, facing a practice post. He drew a kunai from the ninja tool pouch at his waist, gripped it in his right hand, and flicked his wrist. The kunai embedded itself in the center of the target on the post.

He stood there for a while, then turned and returned to the corridor, sitting down beside Kakashi.

"Dad."

"Mm."

"Have you heard those rumors?"

"I have."

"Aren't you angry?"

"No."

Kakashi looked at Sakumo's profile. There was no expression on that face.

"Why?"

"Because it would be useless." Sakumo smiled. "Their mouths are their own. I cannot control them."

Kakashi was silent for a long time.

"Dad, why do those people say such things about you? You clearly saved people."

Sakumo placed a hand on Kakashi's head.

"Because some people need to say those things."

Kakashi looked up at him.

Sakumo did not explain further. He withdrew his hand from Kakashi's head, stood, and walked into the house.

Elsewhere, Danzo stood in the underground chamber of Root's base, facing a wall of filing cabinets with a newly compiled list in his hand.