Because White Fang had abandoned his mission, a Jonin had chosen to take his own life. The news spread through all of Konoha like the wind.
Meanwhile.
At another Shinobi's home.
Someone had reported a foul smell to the Shinobi, and a group of Shinobi forcibly broke down the door.
They entered and found a Shinobi kneeling in the living room, a kunai piercing his chest.
The Shinobi frowned and stepped forward to examine the cause of death carefully.
"He's been dead for at least three days."
"He wasn't murdered. He killed himself."
"There's a suicide note here."
Everyone looked in front of the Shinobi who had killed himself, where a bloodstained suicide note lay.
Someone carefully stepped forward, picked up the note, and took out the letter inside.
They passed it around in turn.
The entire letter was filled with self-reproach. White Fang had willingly abandoned the mission to save him, and he had killed himself out of shame.
He wondered whether White Fang would have abandoned the mission if he hadn't been captured by the enemy.
Everyone fell silent.
The news that White Fang's failed mission had led to two Shinobi killing themselves instantly spread through every street and alley.
"Suicide?" Hiruzen Sarutobi fell silent.
He didn't even need to look into something like this to know whose handiwork it was.
The rumors circulating now could utterly destroy Hatake Sakumo's reputation.
But if he suppressed them, there was still a chance to salvage things.
In the end, he remained silent.
With the Hokage remaining silent, no one could control how quickly the rumors spread anymore. Everyone in Konoha knew that White Fang had caused an important mission to fail, and that two Shinobi had killed themselves out of shame over it.
Many Shinobi also began to ponder.