Kakashi Hatate froze.
Ever since his father's suicide, that question had haunted him, and even now, he had no answer. He had imagined all sorts of possibilities, but never once had he expected Yan Uchiha to offer an explanation like this.
But how could that be possible?
Why would Lord Hokage do something like that?
He did not want to believe it.
The Ninja Academy had taught them the Will of Fire, yet nothing about the events that had driven Sakumo Hatake to his death seemed to have anything to do with it.
The beliefs Kakashi had always clung to collided with the brutal reality Yan Uchiha had exposed, almost tearing him in two. His knees buckled, and he sank straight to the floor, his once-upright posture collapsing completely.
After all those years of holding on, it had turned out to be a joke.
"That's not right!"
Obito finally could not hold back his shout. "That's not what the Ninja Academy taught us! Yan Uchiha, you don't understand the Will of Fire at all!"
"I can't outargue you, but you're definitely wrong!"
No one answered.
Those who had already figured it out could not be bothered to argue; those who had not could find nothing to refute. Faced with the facts before him, Obito's anger rang hollow, and in the end, it could only slowly fade into the silence.
Yan Uchiha glanced at him, his voice dripping with contempt.
"The Will of Fire. It certainly sounds nice."
"According to what Hashirama Senju said back then, the very reason Konoha was founded was to keep children off the battlefield. Shinobi burned themselves to light the village and protect the young saplings just beginning to grow."
He paused, and his voice abruptly turned cold.
"Then answer me this: why is it that