The White Fang Talked into Submission, Rewarded with an S-Rank Forbidden Jutsu

Hatake Sakumo pushed open the gate to his home.

The wooden gate let out a dry creak on its hinges.

The sound of a wooden sword cutting through the air came from the yard.

Whoosh.

Whoosh.

Kakashi was swinging his sword.

Sweat continuously dripped from beneath Kakashi's masked chin.

The boy had been training far too hard lately.

Sakumo stood beneath the eaves, quietly watching his son.

Kakashi's palms had already split open.

Blood seeped out, staining the bandages wrapped around the sword hilt red.

But he did not stop.

Every swing of his wooden sword struck the air with a dull thud.

Sakumo knew Kakashi was venting the frustration bottled up inside him this way.

Those rumors outside were like blades, cutting into the boy's flesh every day.

Kakashi stopped moving.

He turned to look at his father.

Whenever his father came home before, his shoulders would always be slightly slumped.

It was the weary posture of someone crushed beneath the weight of the entire village.

But today was different.

His father stood perfectly straight.

The terrifying ash-gray despair in his eyes was gone.

In its place was a calmness.

There was even the faintest glimmer of light.

Sakumo raised the greens in his hand.

"Let's have hot pot tonight."

he said.

There was a hint of ease in his voice.

Kakashi stood frozen in place.

It had been a long time since he had heard his father speak in that tone.

Ever since that mission had failed, the air in their home had seemed frozen solid.

Sakumo did not explain further and turned to walk into the kitchen.

The sound of vegetables being washed came from inside.

Sakumo rolled up his sleeves.

Cool water flowed over the fresh greens.

He washed them meticulously.

He scrubbed away every trace