Canyon battlefield with complex terrain.
The battle here is not as earth-shattering as Hashirama Madara, but it is filled with a kind of sadness and depression that goes deep into the bones.
The cliffs are steep and rugged.
A silver-white figure as fast as lightning shuttled across the battlefield like a ghost.
His sword is still so fast and accurate. Every time it is unsheathed, the enemy will fall. There is no blood on the blade, only an icy cold light.
It is Hatake Sakumo, the former Konoha's White Fang.
His face was still stern, but his eyes seemed to be covered with a layer of ice that would never melt away, and there was unspeakable fatigue and desolation hidden in the depths.
That Jonin vest looked particularly pale in the dim light of Pure Land.
Just now, he used an exquisite arc slash to push back several enemies who were besieging a Konoha Chunin, and took advantage of the situation to protect the Chunin in a relatively safe position behind him.
This should be the most common scene on the battlefield. The strong protects the weak and companions support each other.
But whether it was Sakumo or the Chunin he rescued, the atmosphere at this moment was extremely solid.
That Chunin is already quite old, his face is covered with weather and wrinkles, his eyes are evasive, and there is even a hint of shame and fear that cannot be concealed.
He did not dare to raise his head and look directly at Sakumo's back. His lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but in the end it only turned into a trembling, almost inaudible call:
"Shuo...Sakumo-sama..."
This voice, this title, was like the sharpest needle, instantly piercing Sakumo's heart, awakening the nightmare that he had forcibly buried but had never truly forgotten.
"I think it is wrong for Hatake Jonin to give up completing the mission in order to rescue me."
That's it!
These words came from the mouth of the companion he desperately saved!
Back then, like a poisoned dagger, it pierced all his pride, faith and persistence with incomparable precision, becoming the last straw that knocked down "Mumu White Fang".
At that moment, he remembered how overwhelmed he was, as if the whole world was twisting and turning upside down before his eyes.
He remembered how confused he was, like a zombie, and could barely hold a knife.
He remembered how he was like a madman, struggling repeatedly on the edge of sanity and collapse, and his heart seemed to be torn apart by countless hands.
He remembered the heart-gnawing pain and the despair without any hope.
And the most fatal thing is that he found that the "Will of Fire" he firmly believed in completely collapsed in the face of power and reality, with Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi's silence, acquiescence, and maybe even helpless watching!
Hatake Clan, the population has always been scarce.
Their ancestors came from a samurai family, and later merged into Konoha to become Ninja. Their bones are full of loyalty, faith, and adherence to the Tao.
Sakumo relies on his superb Swordsmanship, and is known as "Konoha's White Fang" to Shinobi World, and is regarded as a strong competitor of Hokage.
He believes in Will of Fire so firmly, protecting his companions and guarding the village. Wherever the leaves are flying, the fire is endless.
But this firm belief is so vulnerable in the face of power struggles and the darkness of human nature.
Just because some people didn't want him to inherit the position of Hokage, just because he made the choice to follow Will of Fire to save his companions out of his heart, it was infinitely amplified, distorted, and spread in the village by those who were interested.
Rumors are like Poison Mist, eroding his reputation and isolating his existence.
What chilled him the most was that the companion he rescued, the one he thought would understand and be grateful, turned against him and publicly complained about him for abandoning the mission.
He trampled his morality under his feet with his own hands and turned it into the most poisonous knife stabbed at him.
At that moment, Sakumo felt that Will of Fire had changed.
The first generation Senju Hashirama's sunshine-like warmth, tolerance, and idealistic will seemed to have become a cold photo hanging on the wall of the Hokage's office, a symbol that was shelved on the shelf.
What the real Will of Fire is, how to explain it, and how to practice it are all decided by the Third and Elder groups.
And their algorithm does not seem to include a hero who failed to save his companions, especially when this hero may threaten someone's power.
Now, in this Pure Land Chessboard that determines Shinobi World's future, the gears of fate seem to have made a cruel joke.
He took action again and saved a Ninja who was in danger.
And when the dust settled and he saw the man's face clearly, it was the companion who betrayed him back then!
Time has carved deeper marks on the other person's face.
He seemed to be feeling guilty.
Sakumo didn't look back, and didn't even look at Chunin's expression.
He just held the knife, his posture as tall as a pine tree, and his eyes sharply scanned the possible threats around him. His voice was so calm that there was no wave, as if he was stating a simple fact:
"Remember what I taught you? Don't be distracted on the battlefield."
He said this to countless descendants back then, including the person behind him.
Now that I say it again, things have changed and people have changed. I am afraid that only the two of them can understand the complex meaning contained in it.
Sakumo felt a dull depression in his chest, as if something heavy was blocked there, making it difficult for him to breathe.
But he still relied on his superb willpower to maintain the most perfect fighting condition. Chakra flowed smoothly in his body, his senses were raised to the limit, and he vigilantly observed every Corner on the battlefield.
He was looking for the opponent he had fought with just now but took the opportunity to hide during his rescue, Third Kazekage.
Third Kazekage is powerful and has Kekkei Genkai that controls "Magnet Release·Iron Sand", with weird attacks and solid defense.
But he seems to be very aware of the terrifying power of Hatake Sakumo Swordsmanship, especially its unparalleled close range explosive power and slashing speed.
Therefore, he has been avoiding a head-on battle with Sakumo. Instead, he has taken advantage of Magnet Release: Iron Sand's long-range attacks and terrain advantages to conduct cunning guerrilla warfare, constantly harassing and containing him, trying to consume Sakumo's physical strength and patience, and looking for opportunities to kill him with one strike.
At this moment, there was a moment's delay in rescuing Chunin and Sakumo. Third Kazekage would definitely not miss this opportunity and was probably hiding nearby, preparing to launch a sneak attack.
Sakumo suppressed the pain of betrayal, the desolation of the collapse of faith, and the lamentation of the past into the bottom of his heart.
He is now just a warrior, a "White Fang" who hunts enemies on the battlefield.
Hatake Clan's knife may not be able to cut through the grudges and betrayals of the past, but at least it can cut down the enemy in front of you.
He adjusted his breathing slightly, raised the tip of the knife slightly, and locked the direction where Iron Sand's breath was most likely to be lurking.
The cold murderous intent condensed in his eyes again.
Behind him, the Chunin looked at the back of Sakumo that seemed to never be defeated, and opened his mouth. In the end, he could not say anything. He just clenched the Kunai in his hand, his eyes filled with extremely complicated emotions.
Guilt, regret, fear, and maybe a faint light that was rekindled after being saved again?