The Lonely One Who Lost Their Bonds

The Spirit Consolation Monument.

Today, a newborn was added beneath that sculpture… it is said to be the village's new Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.

Konoha's villagers gathered here once again.

On the night of the Nine-Tails' rampage, the entire Konoha suffered heavy casualties, almost creating a generational gap among Konoha's middle-aged ninja…

The deaths of the Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato, and the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki were equivalent to shaking Konoha's foundations… and the inevitable rift between the Uchiha and Konoha's higher-ups meant Konoha could no longer be strong externally.

Beiyuan stood on Uchiha Itachi's shoulders; it had followed them willingly to see off the couple who remained loving even amidst the chaos…

Not many from the Uchiha Clan came to participate in the memorial. Their own clan's losses were minimal; only members outside the clan suffered tragic casualties.

For example, Uchiha Izumi's father—Uchiha Hazuki—was killed in action.

The little girl looked around in a daze… she wanted to find someone to lean on.

A whisper suddenly reached her ears, "Captain, some clan members… want to return to the clan compound…"

"The clan compound needs rebuilding, so let those clan members move back! No matter which family, if they have any difficulties, report them."

Uchiha Fugaku privately didn't want those clan members to return, but single-parent families in the ninja world found it difficult to maintain their lives. Especially since many female clan members had already abandoned their ninja identities; with the family's help, they could still establish themselves.

Although the clan members were regrouping, it would continue to affect the relationship between the Uchiha and Konoha's higher-ups. Facing this situation, Uchiha Fugaku felt powerless… In any case, having too many problems made them feel less significant…

Unless Konoha faced a life-or-death crisis, at the very least, initiating a war, both Konoha's higher-ups and the Uchiha Clan would surely unite against an external enemy.

The problem was that after the Great Ninja War, no ninja village was willing to start a war; most were desperately licking their wounds… And with Konoha's current strength, it was hard to say if they could win against anyone.

After mourning the deceased, the people in front of the Spirit Consolation Monument gradually dispersed.

Uchiha Shisui quietly stood beside Itachi and patted the back of his head, "Itachi, let's go together."

"Caw!"

The crow glared fiercely at Shisui, Why is someone always trying to mess with my cub…

"Your crows are getting more aggressive, Itachi…"

"Don't say that, Beiyuan is very gentle…"

"...Caw..."

As they passed the graves of heroes, Beiyuan noticed a white-haired youth standing alone among the graves and couldn't help but grip Itachi's shoulder slightly.

"What's wrong?" Uchiha Itachi looked up in confusion, following the crow's gaze, he saw the solitary figure, "That's Kakashi…"

"It's Senior Kakashi." Uchiha Shisui's brow furrowed slightly. He said softly, "I remember he was the Fourth Hokage's disciple. I encountered him last time while on a mission…"

As they were speaking, the white-haired youth glanced in their direction. Shisui raised his hand and waved, "Senior Kakashi!"

Hatake Kakashi ignored them and left the graves with a blank expression.

Uchiha Itachi murmured, "Cold-blooded… Kakashi?"

"No… I always feel like he's someone with kindness in his heart…" Uchiha Shisui had fought alongside Kakashi before. He recalled those moments but couldn't connect the Kakashi of that time with the current white-haired youth.

"...Caw..."

The crow's cry lingered in the air above the graves, making the place seem even more desolate.

The deaths of Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina meant their child became an orphan, and it also meant… Hatake Kakashi lost all his ninja bonds…

Konoha White Fang, Uchiha Obito, Nohara Rin, Namikaze Minato… they had all eventually left his life.

Grief might pass, but loneliness would follow him like a ghost.

"Let's go get something to eat first…" Uchiha Shisui put a hand on Itachi's shoulder. He understood Kakashi's grief and the despair hidden beneath his mask.

Uchiha Itachi nodded, "Then let's go eat three-colored dango…"

"Caw!"

Beiyuan glared at Itachi, You little brat, you're toxic… as soon as there's a chance to eat out, you only think of three-colored dango?

"Huh? If we always go to Ichiraku Ramen, won't Beiyuan get tired of it?"

"Hmm… How about this…" Uchiha Shisui clapped his hands and suggested, "Let's go to Ichiraku Ramen first, and then buy some three-colored dango. We'll be at the training grounds for a long time this afternoon!"

"Caw!"

"Don't be like that, Beiyuan… I've already compromised…"

Today, they seemed fated to meet Hatake Kakashi again at the Ichiraku Ramen shop. He was hunched over a table, eating noodles.

Uchiha Shisui and Uchiha Itachi didn't try to talk to him again.

"Mr. Teuchi, we'll have six bowls of soy sauce ramen." Uchiha Shisui tapped the table and pointed to a small wooden plaque hanging on the wall, "Three bowls to eat here, and three bowls on the wall."

"Oh, okay, okay!" Uncle Teuchi was clearly a bit distracted, likely due to last night's Nine-Tails incident, which had caused unrest throughout Konoha Village.

Beiyuan curiously scanned their surroundings. The small ramen shop was undamaged… The barbecue shop across the street was busily clearing debris…

Perhaps Uncle Teuchi was the chosen one…

The curtain to the kitchen door moved slightly, revealing the shy face of the young girl, Ayame. She secretly glanced at Hatake Kakashi… but that evasion technique was useless against a ninja…

"Ahem…"

It seemed someone had choked on their noodle soup.

Fortunately, the young girl quickly noticed the new customers in the shop. They were all quite cute… As if she couldn't see clearly, she lifted the curtain and walked over.

Of course, what little girl doesn't like Itachi! And there's Shisui, the bonus little brother, next to him!

"Hey! Why are you and that crow here?" Ayame puffed out her chest, hands on her hips, glaring fiercely at Itachi and Beiyuan. "You didn't bring those scary people with you again, did you!"

"...Caw?"

Beiyuan looked up. It felt Ayame's expression was much fiercer than those from the Police Force...

Perhaps it was because of the terrible incident where the Police Force surrounded Ichiraku Ramen the last time it ran away from home, leading her to have no good feelings towards the Uchiha Clan.

What handsome big brothers and cute little brothers… they'll all grow up to look like those people in the Police Force, so fierce!

The little boy looked at the crow with resentment: "..."

"My apologies, customers. My daughter is still young and doesn't know any better..." Mr. Teuchi quickly pushed his daughter away. "Alright, alright, didn't you say you were going to make ramen? Hurry up and make it!"

Uchiha Shisui watched the little girl excitedly run towards the kitchen, his expression hesitant. "...Um, what she made, it's not... for us to eat, is it?"

"...Absolutely not!" Boss Teuchi waved his hand righteously. The ramen his daughter made tasted very good, and so far, only two people had the honor of tasting it. One of them was naturally him, her father, and as for the other person...

"Miss Ayame's noodles were delicious. Thank you for the meal..." Kakashi pulled out a coin and placed it on the table, leaving those words before departing.

The righteous Boss Teuchi: "..."

The atmosphere suddenly became a bit awkward.

Kakashi seems to have always been quite lonely, huh... A sorrowful atmosphere isn't quite suitable for the Youth Club's debut!