Public opinion turns against Hatake Sakumo

"I'm not angry." Kurenai Yuhi nodded gently.

Then she glanced at Obito and covered her mouth with a giggle. "Rin, I agree with you. Obito really is pretty dumb."

Rin giggled, and the two girls held hands affectionately as they walked out of the classroom.

They left Obito standing there, stunned.

I've never seen those two get along so well before...

Seriously, do girls always become friends this fast?

Just because they both think I'm an idiot?

Rin's too mean. I'm a genius! How am I dumb...?

"Hey! Wait for me, you two!"

Seeing them walk farther away, Obito hurried after them.

Almost all the students had left the classroom.

Only two remained, neither having left yet.

One was Hokoku Shimura, and the other was his lackey, Mizuki.

Watching Obito leave, Mizuki couldn't help calling out:

"Baoguo, look at Obito! Didn't Mr. Liangtian tell him to clean the classroom for a week? How can he just run off like that?"

Looking annoyed, Baoguo raised a hand and rapped Mizuki on the head. "Are you an idiot? Mr. Liangtian didn't even show up for class! Why would he bother cleaning?"

As he spoke, Baoguo was already heading toward the cleaning supply cabinet at the back of the classroom.

Mizuki clutched the large lump on his head, looking utterly aggrieved. "But... since Mr. Liangtian isn't coming, why don't we skip cleaning the toilets too?"

Baoguo took two plungers out of the cabinet and shoved one into Mizuki's face.

"You're supposed to be following my lead! Can't you use your brain? We didn't make a bet with Mr. Liangtian!"

"I lost to that dead last, Obito! Of course I have to keep my promise! Otherwise, wouldn't I just be making a laughingstock of myself?"

With tears streaming down his face, Mizuki pulled the plunger off, leaving a red ring on his cheek.

He muttered under his breath, "You're the one who lost the bet, not me. I'm helping you clean the toilets. Can't you treat me a little better...?"

On the street.

Obito, Rin, and Kurenai Yuhi walked side by side.

The two girls chattered away, seemingly with an endless supply of things to talk about.

Obito had been hoping to find a chance to join in, but the villagers' conversations around them caught his attention instead.

"Did you hear? Hatake Sakumo actually abandoned an important mission involving the village's interests and chose to run for his life."

"I never would have thought it. Konoha's own White Fang, bringing such shame on Konoha."

"The shame is the least of it. I heard that because the mission failed, Lord Third had to pay an enormous penalty for breach of contract. The village suffered huge losses."

"Exactly. The village was supposed to give my family funds to build a house this month. Now, thanks to Hatake Sakumo, we won't even have a new home to live in."

Rin and Kurenai had stopped their own conversation too, listening closely to the talk around them.

Kurenai turned to Obito and asked, "Obito, Hatake Sakumo is Kakashi's father, right? What exactly happened?"

Before Kakashi graduated early, he had been in Obito's class.

Practically everyone in the class knew that rising star who had enrolled at four and graduated at five.

Hatake Sakumo was also one of the village's top jonin, someone whose reputation even rivaled the Sannin's.

Naturally, everyone knew him too.

Obito nodded. "Yes, he's Kakashi's father. But it sounds like everyone's talking about him because he failed a mission."

As someone who had transmigrated here after reading the original story, Obito still remembered some of the plot.

Hatake Sakumo had abandoned an important mission to save his comrades' lives.

As a result, the villagers had criticized and gossiped about him behind his back.

Even the comrades he had saved couldn't understand his actions and accused Sakumo of being in the wrong.

In the end, Sakumo's mental and physical health had deteriorated, and the incident had driven him to take his own life to prove his integrity.

Rin pursed her lips. "This hardly counts as gossip anymore. They're accusing Sakumo so loudly that it's practically a personal attack."

A little surprised, Obito turned to look at her. "Rin, it sounds like you know something?"

Rin shook her head. "I don't. But I think everyone makes mistakes. Even if Sakumo did something wrong, people shouldn't bad-mouth him behind his back like this."

"I see. You're right." Obito nodded.

He had thought Rin already knew what had happened on Hatake Sakumo's mission.

But from her words, it was clear she was simply speaking out against unfair treatment.

It seemed Rin wasn't just gentle and kind. Her values were sounder than most people's too.

While everyone else was being swayed by rumors, a little girl like Rin could still keep a clear head.

Still, when it came to Hatake Sakumo's situation, all Obito could really do was lament it. He couldn't offer much help.

There was no silencing all those villagers.

Hatake Sakumo had chosen suicide while suffering from depression.

Obito didn't think he was eloquent enough to pull someone determined to die back from death's door.

"Rin! Kurenai! Come on, I'll treat you both to ramen. After we eat, the three of us can go to the little grove together."

Obito grinned at the two girls as he invited them.

At the mention of the little grove, Rin and Kurenai both blushed involuntarily and rolled their eyes at him in unison.

Kurenai scolded him. "Obito, stop making jokes like that, or we'll beat you up."

Obito looked thoroughly wronged. "I wasn't! I meant we could train together after eating ramen. The little grove is just where we'd do it."

"Obito! Do you even have enough money to treat us to ramen?" Rin covered her mouth and laughed. She knew how poor he was.

Obito lifted the money pouch hanging at his waist. "Don't worry! I definitely have enough for ramen!"

If I spend it, I spend it. At worst, I can pawn those gifts Danzo gave me yesterday and get some more money.

Besides, graduation is right around the corner.

I'll be able to earn money doing missions soon.

With her hands behind her back, Rin shook her head and smiled. "No thanks, Obito! I still have to go home and help Mom watch the shop! I don't have time to come with you! Maybe next time."

As she spoke, Rin waved to Kurenai Yuhi, then turned toward the fork in the road ahead. "Bye, Kurenai!"

"Mm." Kurenai Yuhi nodded.

Then she glanced at Obito. Perhaps because she would now be spending time alone with him, her cheeks turned bright red.

"Come on, Kurenai. Let's go get ramen."

Obito, for his part, was perfectly at ease. With that, he continued down the street.