Crime scene at the Hatake residence.
"Um... Dad, what was the first jutsu you ever taught me?" Kakashi leaned against Rinjin's leg, asking weakly.
Hearing this, Sakumo thought for a moment, then his face suddenly stiffened. His eyes swept imperceptibly over Rinjin and his cooking clone.
"Uh... I think it was taijutsu..."
As he spoke, Sakumo shot Kakashi a warning look, clearly telling him to shut up.
But Kakashi ignored it completely, his little hand gripping Rinjin's Seven Wolves belt tightly as he pressed on:
"Dad... you need to be more specific."
Seeing his son acting so fearful, Sakumo covered his face—black as the bottom of a pot—and sighed with a muffled voice:
"Konoha... Konoha Taijutsu Secret Technique: Thousand Years of Death!"
The moment those words left his mouth, little Kakashi's eyes lit up. He released his grip on the Seven Wolves belt and dove straight into Sakumo's embrace.
"Dad! You really are my dad!"
Bodies could be faked, but memories—especially secrets only known between father and son—couldn't be.
Despite his young age, the little guy was quite clever. First, he confirmed Uncle Rinjin's identity through the feel of the Seven Wolves belt. Then he used their secret to confirm his father's identity.
Watching this touching father-son reunion, Rinjin clapped his hands, drawing everyone's attention.
"Alright, now that Kakashi has confirmed your identity, let's get down to business and discuss how to give Konoha a taste of their own medicine."
With that, Rinjin spoke first:
"My idea is to launch an attack on the village. We don't need to cause massive casualties—just a sneaky hit-and-run will do."
Hearing this, Sakumo's face immediately showed conflict.
His soft-hearted nature was acting up again.
After hesitating for a moment, Sakumo said reluctantly:
"Rinjin, let's just make it symbolic! Don't cause any big incidents.
How about we just take out everyone who caused trouble at my house today!"
As he spoke, Sakumo pulled out a small notebook filled with densely written names.
Seeing this, Rinjin felt his scalp tingle. Holy shit.
Never mess with honest people—the ancients weren't lying!
Beside them, Kakashi looked at his father's densely packed notebook, his face lighting up like a little bandit:
"Let's rob Shueisha! Take all the books inside! I..."
Before he could finish, Sakumo flicked him hard on his spiky head.
"You little brat, Shueisha is your Uncle Rinjin's store!"
Just as Sakumo was about to discipline Kakashi, Rinjin immediately reached out to stop him, speaking righteously:
"Dog bro, Kakashi is still a child! How can you use corporal punishment?!
I must seriously criticize you for this!
You need patience with children—education through words should be primary!
Here! Use this!"
He handed over his pure gold belt.
"Use this—it won't hurt your hand!"
Faced with Rinjin's complete shamelessness, both father and son rolled their eyes simultaneously.
...
The next morning, all of Konoha was shocked.
Konoha's former hero, White Fang of the Leaf—Sakumo Hatake, had committed suicide at home out of shame.
Shortly after receiving the news, the entire village erupted in celebration. Except for some relatively rational people, the remaining villagers, led by those secretly stirring up trouble, joyfully took to the streets to celebrate the village losing a "tumor."
For a time, Konoha Village felt like it was holding a festival, filled with laughter and joy everywhere.
As everyone knows, smiles are contagious. Soon, more people joined this inexplicable celebration.
Throughout the village, you could hear:
"I knew that guy wasn't good news!"
"You don't need to tell me! What kind of hero? He just got lucky!"
"He probably conspired with Sunagakure to stage the whole thing! Now he's been exposed!"
Attacks on Sakumo filled the air as the irrational villagers boasted about their own foresight and wisdom.
In the Hokage's office, the oppressive atmosphere of recent days was completely swept away. Though Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi had no smile on his face, the cheerful tune he was humming showed his mood was genuinely good.
Sakumo was dead—a shameful suicide.
This result was simply perfect!
Not only could he give those mission clients an explanation, but his hands remained clean. Next, he just needed to downplay Sakumo's fame and fill the public's attention with new heroes.
Then, take good care of Sakumo's orphan, letting those with any brains know: no matter who harms the village's interests, the magnanimous and merciful leadership will take care of your children!
Just as he was considering what else his plan might be lacking, sudden knocking interrupted his thoughts.
"Enter!" came his calm voice.
The door opened, and the Intelligence Division chief quickly entered the office, kneeling on one knee.
"How's the examination of Sakumo Hatake's body going?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi asked casually.
Hearing this, the Intelligence Division chief spoke with a grave expression:
"Lord Third, something's not right!
Although we can confirm that corpse is indeed Sakumo Hatake himself, there are many suspicious points.
First, the knife wound penetrating the heart angles toward the right from inside. Based on the scene, the deceased used his right hand to stab his own heart.
Normally, a penetrating wound should angle left, not toward the right hand holding the blade.
Second, there are no calluses on the corpse's hands from years of sword-wielding—this is highly suspicious!
Finally, we dissected the deceased's body and found no injuries or scars anywhere on his body. It even... even looks somewhat like a child's body!
This significantly contradicts the number of times Sakumo was hospitalized according to Konoha Hospital records!"
Hearing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi's brow immediately furrowed as he looked at the Intelligence Division chief with deep suspicion.
What did this mean?
Was he suggesting Sakumo Hatake had gotten a hand exfoliation treatment before suicide, then a full-body beauty spa with a back scrub?
Who exactly had the mental problem here—him or me?
Just as Hiruzen Sarutobi was deep in thought, outside the Intelligence Division's underground base, Danzo Shimura forcefully entered with a large number of Root organization members.
"Move aside! Today, anyone who dares block me will join the Root organization!"
Hearing this, the ANBU blocking Danzo trembled violently but still steeled himself to stand in Danzo's way.
"Lord... Lord Danzo, without the Hokage's orders, no one can enter!
Please don't make things difficult for me—I'm just following orders!"
Hearing this, Danzo frowned deeply and snorted heavily.
"Fine! I won't go in! You go inside and bring out Sakumo's corpse for me to see!"
"This..."
The ANBU hesitated again. He didn't want to go to Root, but he was even more afraid of offending the Third Hokage.
"I've already compromised, and you're still whining!
Sakumo Hatake was originally my Root's man! Quickly hand him over!"
As Danzo roared, a masked ANBU hurried over from the distance and whispered something in the blocking ANBU's ear.
Only then did the ANBU blocking Danzo breathe a long sigh of relief and quickly step aside from the entrance.
"Lord Danzo, please!"
Seeing this, Danzo snorted coldly and led his Root members into the laboratory with heads held high.
He walked straight to the autopsy table where the corpse lay, looking at the body's ashen face. Danzo's face turned black as the bottom of a pot.
"Draw blood for testing!"
At his command, a Root member quickly stepped forward, grabbed the corpse's stiff arm, and drew a tube of dark, viscous blood.
"Let's go!" With an angry roar, Danzo led the way out of the laboratory.
...
In the silent Root organization underground base, a lab technician in a white coat stood before Danzo, reporting in a low voice:
"Sir, blood analysis confirms it's definitely Sakumo Hatake."
As soon as the words left his mouth, Danzo's hand on the chair armrest clenched with such force that he snapped the armrest.
Damn you, Sakumo Hatake!
You promised to appreciate my care and concern!
You swore you absolutely wouldn't disappoint me!
And this is how you keep me from being disappointed?
Just lying down and giving up?!
Deceiving an old man like this—do you have no shame? No backbone at all?!
The more he thought about it, the angrier he got...
Now, forget about saving face for that Rinjin bastard—this mess would probably be pinned on him by that bastard Hiruzen Sarutobi again!
What a disaster!
One group's carnival is one person's loneliness!
Today, Danzo finally understood the meaning of that phrase.
He felt that his bleeding heart was completely out of place in this village full of laughter and joy.
What hurt him most was that he'd already been so gracious and humble. Danzo's original plan was to invite Sakumo back for good food and drink, work hard to build their relationship, and take care of him like caring for a wife in confinement.
But it was like casting pearls before swine!
Sakumo had such an unyielding character—he'd rather commit suicide than submit to him.
So frustrating...
...
For three consecutive days, Danzo holed up in Root headquarters, wallowing in depression.
However, on the fourth night after Sakumo's death, something big happened.
A Tailed Beast Ball of moderate power appeared out of nowhere and struck Konoha's most famous landmark—the Hokage Rock.
By sheer coincidence, this Tailed Beast Ball hit exactly on Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi's head.
Just as the explosion sounded, sirens blared, and everyone was awakened, countless villagers who turned on lights to check discovered a black letter placed by their bedsides.
Opening it, blood-red writing met their eyes:
Letter of Confession
To the Konoha villager currently reading this letter: Hello, my name is Sakumo Hatake.
By the time you read this letter, I've already been dead for three days.
The purpose of writing this letter is simple—to confess the crimes I've committed to you.
I shouldn't have—shouldn't have stopped Sunagakure when they sent people to attack the village and massacre villagers, earning myself an enemy like Chiyo.
I shouldn't have—shouldn't have abandoned my mission and brought shame to the village.
I should have immediately abandoned that injured burden and let him struggle and die painfully in the mud.
I shouldn't have—shouldn't have hidden away like a coward when you all criticized me.
I should have committed suicide immediately—someone like me who failed a mission and caused the village even the slightest trouble deserves the worst punishment.
I shouldn't have—shouldn't have become famous, shouldn't have become the village's hero.
The tallest tree catches the most wind—I understood this truth too late!
I'm sorry, I was wrong!
...
A short letter couldn't change much. Countless people tore the black-and-red letter to pieces and rushed out to protect Konoha.
But some chose to quietly turn off their bedroom lights, saying nothing.
The seed had been planted—now just wait for it to sprout.
On top of the Second Hokage Tobirama Senju's statue on Hokage Rock, Rinjin stood cloaked in gray light, quietly watching Konoha Village below, his eyes dark and unreadable.
Time passed—no one knew how long. Finally, the eastern sky began to lighten, and the first ray of sunlight shone on Konoha Village.
As usual, this vibrant village gradually awakened, and the streets once again filled with various bustling sounds.
People routinely sent their children to school, cleaned up, went out to accept missions—as if the carnival of the past few days had never existed.
At the same time, an imperceptible eerie atmosphere cast a shadow over this life-filled village.
Between people, it seemed as if a thin layer of frosted glass had been placed.
The laughter and joy—abruptly stopped!
In the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi sat upright on his throne. His desk no longer had the usual mountain of documents—only a single black letter with red writing.
This letter was simple—nothing more than Sakumo Hatake's self-reproach.
But in their view, this letter was like a bayonet, accurately stabbing at Konoha's vital point.
Konoha is also called the Hidden Leaf Village!
Where the leaves dance, fire burns eternally. The firelight will continue to illuminate the village and help new leaves sprout.
The Will of Fire maintains the relationships between villagers.
But Konoha also has another identity—it's a hidden village, the Land of Fire's war and violence organization!
On one side is reality: people need to eat, ninja need to do missions to earn money and support their families. Ideals alone can't keep you alive.
On the other side is ideology: the Will of Fire burns eternally, requiring inheritance and bonds.
Whether abandoning bonds for reality or sacrificing interests for bonds—neither path is viable.
Maintaining this balance requires considerable political intelligence.
Hiruzen Sarutobi had been doing this for over twenty years and could be considered experienced and first-rate.
But! This was only under the condition that Rinjin didn't interfere.
Now that this man had begun to interfere, things instantly spiraled toward the worst possible direction.
Sitting in his chair, Hiruzen Sarutobi stared expressionlessly at the letter on his desk, his entire body radiating terrifying low pressure.
Although he'd deployed all ANBU and Root to collect these letters house by house, what use was collection alone?
The villagers had already seen them...
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
The story isn't over...
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