Your father is still alive
The next day, early morning.
When the first ray of sunlight passed through the window lattice and cast a warm light spot on the tatami, Kakashi Hatake's figure appeared at the door of Senju's mansion on time.
He still wore the same outfit that had not changed for thousands of years. Forehead Protector covered his left eye slantingly and covered his face with a mask, revealing only a half-open and half-closed dead fish eye, as if he could never wake up. He was lazily leaning against the door frame, exuding an aura of "I am very free, but don't bother me" and keep strangers away.
"Oh, it's quite on time."
Senju Chen pushed Gate of Opening, still wearing that funny apron and holding a plate of steaming Tamagoyaki in his hand.
Kakashi's eyes stayed on him for a second, and his tone was calm. "What do you want from me? If you want to help with cleaning or try out new dishes, my schedule is very full."
"Come in." Senju Chen couldn't help but complain in his heart.
'This guy used to act like he wouldn't approach strangers. I don't know if he's read too many novels in the past few years, but he's good at criticizing people.
Walking into the house, a simple breakfast was already placed on the table.
Senju Chen put the Tamagoyaki on the table, poured a cup of hot tea for himself and Kakashi, and asked casually, "I heard from Aunt Mikoto, Naruto has lived well in Uchiha Clan Compound these years?"
"Hmm." Kakashi picked up the chopsticks and picked up a piece of tamagoyaki, moving slowly and slowly, "Clan Head Fugaku and Lady Mikoto treat him as their own, and Itachi also treats him as his biological brother, and he also has a playmate who was born almost the same time..."
"It's good." Senju Chen smiled, "At least, he didn't have a lonely childhood."
Kakashi paused slightly while picking up the food.
Senju Chen seemed not to notice, and continued, "Uchiha Clan has changed a lot in the past few years, right? You should feel it the most if you live there. The family that was once isolated and vigilant in the village has now become the most respected law enforcer in Konoha. You see, sometimes, if you change your way of life and pierce that layer of window paper, the world will be completely different."
Kakashi ate in silence and didn't answer. But his dead fish eyes narrowed unconsciously.
"Kakashi, do you still remember why your father chose to commit suicide?"
Kakashi The chopsticks in his hand stopped in the air.
The air in the room seemed to be evacuated at this moment and became extremely depressing.
Kakashi slowly raised his head, and finally a cold light as sharp as a blade appeared in his lazy eyes, staring at Senju Chen.
"Chen, I know what you want to say." His voice suddenly became colder, and his demeanor was no longer that lazy.
"I've been living pretty well these past few years, and I don't need to make any changes."
"So, don't use the words of my father's spirit in heaven to comfort me."
That was the eternal forbidden zone in his heart, and it was the deepest scar that he forcibly sealed with the cold creed of "rules are above all else."
"He is in your heart because he violated the rules and gave up the mission in order to save his companions, causing the village to suffer huge losses. He couldn't bear the accusations and criticism from the village, and finally died to apologize." Senju Chen completely ignored his warning eyes and recited the "official conclusion" that everyone knew, word for word.
"This is the 'fact' that you have always believed in, right?"
"That's enough!" Kakashi stood up suddenly, and a sharp Chakra burst out uncontrollably, causing the cups and saucers on the table to tremble slightly.
His eyes, one dark and one scarlet, Three-Tomoe Sharingan, have emerged, locked firmly on Senju Chen.
"My father is a sinner! He proved it with his life! This is his own choice!" He said this as if he was trying to convince Senju Chen, but also as if he was desperately trying to convince himself.
"Sinner?" Senju Chen smiled, with a hint of pity and a hint of cold mockery in that smile.
He didn't say another word, but slowly took out a scroll tightly wrapped in oilcloth and stamped with "Top Secret" paint seal from his arms, and placed it gently on the table.
"I called you here today to show you this."
Kakashi's breathing stagnated, and he stared at the scroll. It had the unique mark of the "Root" organization on it.
He reached out his hand tremblingly and untied the scroll.
When he saw the first word at the beginning of the scroll, his whole body froze as if struck by lightning.
It was a mission report, an original report about his father's "failed" mission that year.
It was clearly written on it that the goal of that mission was to steal a simple piece of enemy intelligence!
The so-called intelligence leak during the mission caused the Sakumo team to be trapped in a tight siege. It was not an accident at all! It was a complete conspiracy!
Someone deliberately revealed their whereabouts to the enemy!
The purpose was to use the enemy's help to get rid of "Konoha's White Fang", who was the most powerful leader in the village at that time and whose reputation was almost equal to that of Hokage!
At the end of the report, there are conclusions and handling opinions.
[Hatake Sakumo ignored the mission and gave priority to his companions, causing the mission to fail, which is a heinous crime. It is recommended... to guide public opinion and make him commit suicide as a warning to others.]
And underneath that line of cold words was a bright red, extremely familiar signature of Kakashi.
--Shimura Danzō!
"Boom!!!"
Kakashi's mind seemed to have billions of thunders exploding at the same time!
He staggered back two steps, fell to the ground, and the scroll in his hand slipped weakly.
His proud eyes were empty and lifeless at the moment, filled with shock, confusion, pain, and... the ultimate confusion after the collapse of faith.
Fake...
It turned out to be all fake...
My father was not ashamed because he failed in his mission.
He was framed!
He didn't commit suicide because he couldn't bear the rumors.
He was forced to die! It was the village he protected with his life, and the village's senior officials who pushed him to a dead end step by step!
The father he admired since childhood, but who made him feel ashamed for "breaking the rules", was not a sinner...
He is a hero who was betrayed by the village and swallowed up by the conspiracy!
What about him?
What have you been insisting on all these years?
"The rules of the ninja are above all else."
This sentence, which he regarded as his only creed and supported him through countless dark years, seemed so pale and ridiculous at this moment!
Like a big joke!
"No... impossible... this is impossible..." Kakashi held his head, his body was shaking violently, and he was roaring in pain.
He felt like his whole world was falling apart.
Senju Chen looked at him quietly without saying any words to comfort him.
It cannot be broken or established.
If you want to bring the dead tree Kakashi back to life, you must first use the most violent thunder to completely chop its decayed roots.
After a long time, when Kakashi's roar gradually subsided and only heavy and suppressed breathing remained, Senju Chen slowly squatted down and picked up the scroll again.
"This file was compiled by the Public Security Department when he was sorting out the old files of the original "Root" in the past two years. Kakashi, your father is not a sinner." His voice was as light as a gust of wind.
Kakashi raised his head suddenly, his heterochromatic pupils were covered with bloodshot eyes, burning with extremely suppressed anger and hatred.
"Danzo...Danzo..." He gritted his teeth, and every word seemed to be squeezed out of flesh and blood.
"Danzo is dead."
"Now, you feel painful, angry, and want revenge, but you find that even your enemies are dead. Do you feel... even more desperate?" Senju Chen's mouth curved with a devilish arc.
He stretched out his hand and gently patted Kakashi on the shoulder.
Then, in a calm tone that seemed to state that Tenten was doing well today, he dropped the second and most deadly bomb.
"Let me tell you something by the way."
"Your father, Hatake Sakumo..."
"He is actually still alive."
"..."