What's the Difference Between This and Dancing on a Grave?

Kakashi would definitely have something good to offer.

Last time, he had extracted Hatake Sakumo's secret Taijutsu techniques from Uchiha Ling—but that was Kakashi's core ability.

[Detected Kakashi Hatake's mental breakdown. Extracting abilities related to Kakashi Hatake. Host may choose one of three options.

Option One: Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall;

Option Two: 0.9 Kakashi's Chakra Amount;

Option Three: Water-Nature Chakra.]

The first option was immediately eliminated. He had already extracted Earth-Nature Chakra from the Stone Ninja spy, so learning an Earth Release Ninjutsu from Kakashi was far too poor a trade.

The second option made Uchiha Ling's eyes light up.

His current Chakra Amount was 0.9 Kakashi. That was already the result of a tremendous boost from the system. He had never expected that Kakashi, the chosen one of this world, possessed 0.9 Kakashi's Chakra Amount through sheer natural talent.

Was a heaven-sent system really inferior to being born a hunk?

In the original story, Obito's Sharingan had lowered Kakashi's ceiling. Without the Mangekyō Sharingan, it had been nothing but a pure nerf for Kakashi.

Uchiha Ling chose the Chakra Amount, and his Chakra Amount surged to nearly twice its previous level! It became 1.8 Kakashi!

Chakra was formed by mixing physical energy and spiritual energy.

Uchiha Ling's spirit was fine and had not changed much. Perhaps because he was a transmigrator, his spiritual energy had always been in surplus compared to his physical energy. His body, however, was different.

His physique grew even stronger. Both his muscles and bones had been enhanced.

This fundamental transformation left him standing in place for a long time as he recovered.

His muscles trembled, and his bones groaned.

Fortunately, Kakashi had suffered a mental breakdown and was lying on the ground in despair, gazing up at the fish-belly-white sky. He failed to notice anything unusual about Uchiha Ling.

As for the third option, a Water-Nature Chakra was of no use for the time being.

Uchiha Ling raised his now stronger arm, clenched and unclenched his fist, and felt his brand-new strength. He was extremely satisfied, and Kakashi looked much more pleasing to him now.

Kakashi climbed to his feet and stared at Uchiha Ling with his dead-fish eyes.

"Was everything you said true?"

Uchiha Ling looked around and saw no one else.

He walked closer to Kakashi and whispered, "Don't speak so loudly. Do you want to die?

Come with me somewhere else."

Kakashi's mind was a muddled mess. When Uchiha Ling said they were going somewhere else, he simply followed.

Half a minute after they left, two ANBU arrived at the scene.

The Anbu Ninja discovered traces of a Ninjutsu battle and came to investigate.

"Two Ninjutsu-type Chunin had a spar here. There are no traces of blood. A private spar between Chunin isn't worth much investigation."

The other ANBU said, "The guard squads on the Hidden Leaf Wall have Hyūga Ninja among them. Unfortunately, for the sake of the privacy of the vast majority of people in the Village, Hyūga Ninja can only use the Byakugan to scout outside the Village.

"This is a rule established by Advisor Danzo. If Hyūga Ninja could scan the Hidden Leaf Village at any time, our work would be so much easier."

"It's just... those two actually sparred near Lord Orochimaru's underground laboratory. How reckless."

"Perhaps they thought this place was secluded and that no one would know anything, so they deliberately chose it."

At that moment, a tall, slender figure emerged from the Forest.

Orochimaru's cold, vertical pupils fixed on the ANBU. He waved at them, signaling them to leave.

Only after the two ANBU fled using the Body Flicker Technique did Orochimaru turn toward the place where Kakashi and Uchiha Ling had fought. Excitement at discovering prey gleamed in his vertical pupils.

"How interesting... six or seven years old?"

If Uchiha Ling had known that this place was not far from Orochimaru's underground laboratory, he definitely would have cursed. Damn the Hidden Leaf Village's secrecy system. What's the difference between this and dancing on a grave?

Uchiha Ling no longer wanted to say anything to Kakashi, but Kakashi insisted on catching up with him.

Outside the Forest at the edge of the Village, Kakashi followed Uchiha Ling and gradually calmed down, logic once again overcoming his emotions.

He asked quietly, "Uchiha Ling, are you saying that someone fanned the flames behind the rumors surrounding my father before his death?"

Uchiha Ling turned to look at Kakashi and said:

"I targeted you and put pressure on you. Those people wanted you to take your negative emotions home, increasing the mental pressure on your father."

"I'm not as fragile as you think. I knew my father was in poor mental condition at the time. After returning home, I didn't show the slightest trace of negative emotion."

Uchiha Ling thought for a moment. He did not want Kakashi to become depressed and make no progress for years. He still had to extract good things from Kakashi, so he said:

"In my personal opinion, the rumors surrounding your father before his death can be divided into several layers.

"The first layer is the widespread resentment toward those above.

"The overwhelming majority of people live miserable lives. The moment they open their eyes, they're faced with endless troubles.

"Jealousy toward the strong, the need to compensate for their own misery, and an instinctive opposition to authority all give rise to resentment toward those above.

"Whether it was the renowned White Fang of the Leaf, the Sannin, or the heads of the great clans, whenever someone fell into misfortune, there would always be people secretly gloating."

Kakashi nodded. "I understand. Everyone has a dark side in their heart. That doesn't count for much."

"Exactly. Just like when your father died, without a doubt, some of our classmates would have taken pleasure in it."

Kakashi's cheek twitched. "Does everyone really have to be so dark? It can't be that bad."

"I'm telling you the facts, yet you're unhappy."

"What about the second layer?"

Uchiha Ling said, "The second layer is that after your father abandoned his mission, it truly caused enormous losses to the Hidden Leaf Village.

"Some Konoha Ninja and Hidden Leaf families suffered disasters related to your father. They were not only willing but eager to repeatedly express their dissatisfaction with your father in different situations."

Kakashi said, "I can accept that too. During the first half of the year, I fought desperately on the front lines because I wanted to make up for even a tiny part of the losses my father caused and contribute to the Hidden Leaf Village."

Uchiha Ling nodded. Kakashi was exceptionally mature for his age. He said:

"The third aspect is the deliberate indulgence of the rumors by certain major figures in the Village."

Kakashi's heart tightened.

Was it really true? Had things really happened that way?

Uchiha Ling said, "Forget the Village—even if the Konoha Security Department wanted to extinguish a rumor, it would be effortless.

"The Military Police Force's Ninja would only need to work overtime for three to five days to stamp out a rumor. It would be even easier for the Village.

"As far as I know, the Uchiha Clan had neither ties nor grudges with White Fang of the Leaf. Unless the Village issued an order, the Military Police Force would not deliberately target a particular rumor.

"The rumor eventually grew rampant, to the point that White Fang of the Leaf would be pointed at and have his spine stabbed whenever he went outside, entirely because certain higher-ups deliberately allowed it to spread.

"As for why your father was hated by those higher-ups, I have no idea.

"I heard that your father had declared since childhood that he wanted to become Hokage, just like that idiot Obito Uchiha.

"When Obito Uchiha shouted it, no one paid attention, because there was absolutely no chance of Obito Uchiha becoming Hokage. Your father was different. White Fang of the Leaf shook the Shinobi World, and he truly had a chance of becoming Hokage."

Uchiha Ling stared at the stiff Kakashi and said:

"Everything I've said is merely my personal speculation. I don't know the full picture, so investigate the rest yourself. Go experience the cruelty of the Shinobi World.

"Goodbye, Kakashi of Eight Buckets of Swagger."

With that, Uchiha Ling vanished using the Body Flicker Technique.

During Orochimaru's Konoha Crush Plan, Kakashi stopped Might Guy from going to save the Third, proving that Kakashi understood at least some of what had happened and harbored resentment toward the higher-ups.

He simply learned about it earlier than he otherwise would have.