"The comrades you saved are accusing you too."
Xia Le spoke flatly.
At those words, Sakumo visibly shuddered, his face turning pale in an instant.
Disbelief first flashed through his eyes, followed by despair and bleakness.
Compared to the pressure of public opinion in the village, his friends' betrayal and accusations were the final straw that broke the camel's back.
Sakumo clenched his fists, feeling dizzy and unable to breathe.
For an instant, it felt as though the entire world had abandoned him. The light around him vanished, leaving only endless darkness.
"You know something?"
"If I were you, I wouldn't choose to bear all this pain, anger, frustration, and despair alone!"
Suddenly, a voice reached him.
Sakumo raised his head. His narrowed field of vision widened again, allowing him to see the man opposite him clearly.
The suffocating sensation slowly faded, and he began taking great gulps of air.
"You didn't make the wrong choice, did you?"
Xia Le smiled faintly.
He raised his cup. After a moment of surprise, Sakumo lifted his own.
Clink.
The two wine cups touched with a pleasing chime.
"Ninja are human too. They also grieve when friends and family die."
"Losing a friend can be just as unbearable as failing a mission."
"Whichever choice you made, you would have had regrets."
Xia Le spoke slowly.
Sakumo remained silent.
"None of this is a reason to condemn you. There's someone pulling the strings behind public opinion."
"Your friends simply couldn't withstand that pressure and gave in to it."
Xia Le's voice was calm, yet it had the power to soothe a troubled heart.
Sakumo frowned deeply, but soon understood.
"So, if I were you..."
Sakumo abruptly raised his head and stared at him.
"What would you do?"
Xia Le set his cup on the